Since its late-1990s introduction, the Prius has come to define Toyota. This high-tech gas-electric hybrid compact has set a high bar for its competitors. Toyota builds a lot of useful space into the Prius's small footprint, and value for money has improved over the years. The driving experience is a bit like a video game where the goal is to use as little fuel as possible. A 2019 updated added an AWD option.
Andy7907For those who just want a car.November 23, 2017
Overall Score
1. Door handles that unlock car when you touch 'em = space age
2. Hybrid = Very good fuel economy
It's never been a car to show off, unless you're a tree-hugger. However, it's your best bet to get you from A to B the cheapest way.
Issue:
On certain vehicles, water could leak into the rear door handle(s) and could cause the door opener switch(es) to short circuit. If this happens, the rear door(s) could open unexpectedly while driving.
Safety Risk:
A door that opens while driving could create a risk of injury.
Corrective Actions:
Toyota will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to install improved door opener switches.
Issue:
This recall is for certain block heater kits installed on certain vehicles or sold as accessories at Toyota or Lexus dealerships.
On certain vehicles, the engine block heater cable may not have enough heat protection and could be damaged by high temperatures. If this happens, the cable could short circuit while plugged in, and cause the wiring to overheat or melt.
Note: This recall only affects the following block heater/cord part numbers:
C014003034 PK5A408J09 PU14000904
C014003151 PK5A408J13 PU14000905
C014000885 PK5A489J11 PU14000907
C014000888 PK5A489J22 PU14000909
C014000907 PK5A410H00 PU14000911
C014100904 PU14000900 PU14000913
C014100907 PU14000901 PU14003571
C014100911 PU14000902
PK5A408J05 PU14000903
Safety Risk:
Engine block heater wiring that overheats or melts could create the risk of a fire.
Corrective Actions:
Toyota recommends that you should stop using the engine block heater immediately. Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to disable the engine block heater. For some vehicles, the corrective actions for this recall are under development. For others, a new engine block heater cannot be installed, and the owner will receive a refund of the purchase price of the engine block heater.
Issue:
The Intelligent Power Module (IPM), which is part of the hybrid drive system, could become damaged under certain driving conditions. This could cause various warnings to appear on the instrument panel and cause the hybrid system to shut down. If this happens, there can be a loss of power to the wheels.
Safety Risk:
A loss of power to the wheels could create the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to update the software for the hybrid system.
Issue:
On certain vehicles, a short circuit could occur in the main display of the combination meter. This could cause the vehicle speed and fuel level to disappear from the main display while driving.
Safety Risk:
A vehicle that does not display the fuel level could have an increased risk of running out of fuel. If vehicle speed is not displayed, it could result in the vehicle being driven at higher speed than intended. This could increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the combination meter circuit board. It will be replaced if necessary.
Issue:
On certain vehicles, a connection in the main wire harness may have been damaged during assembly. This could cause hybrid drive system to shut down, and result in a loss of power to the drive wheels. If this happens, an error message will display on the instrument panel and a warning chime will sound. Note: This recall only affects vehicles which had the seat heater installed at the port facility.
Safety Risk:
A loss of power to the drive wheels could increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a dealer to repair the wire connections.
Issue:
This recall is for aftermarket replacement rear window glass produced by Vitro Automotriz. Certain rear window glass may not have been properly tempered. If the window breaks, the glass may separate into large pieces instead of very small ones.
Note: This is a voluntary recall that is not being conducted under the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Safety Risk:
Glass that breaks in to large pieces could create a risk of injury.
Corrective Actions:
The company will notify consumers by mail and instruct them to inspect the designation code marked on the rear window glass. Products affected by this recall have the designation “DOT 287” along with the lettering “VMR” (Replacement Market) and a date code that is before July 2019. This information is printed on the bottom corner of the glass. Consumers should contact Vitro's customer service at 1-412-995-6457 or argbacklites@vitro.com to arrange for replacement of the glass.
Issue:
On certain vehicles, a defect could cause the brake booster pump to fail. This could result in a loss of braking assist. If the failure occurs, the driver will be provided with both visual and audible warnings. It would also cause the Vehicle Stability Control system to turn off.
Safety Risk:
A loss of braking assist could cause extended stopping distances and increase the risk of a crash. A loss of Vehicle Stability Control would cause the vehicle to not meet the requirements of Canadian regulations, and could increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
The company will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a dealer to inspect, and if necessary, replace the brake booster pump.
On certain vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM), which is part of the hybrid drive system, could become damaged under certain driving conditions. This could cause various warning lights to illuminate on the instrument panel of the vehicle and cause a reduction or loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will update motor/generator and hybrid control ECU software and affect repairs as necessary. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 2014-042 and 2015-312. Vehicles repaired under the previous recall(s) will require repair.
On certain vehicles, the hybrid vehicle Power Control Unit connector cover could come into contact with the wiring harness and could cause wear on the wiring insulation. If bare wires become exposed, an electrical short circuit could occur, which could increase the risk of fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the wiring for damage and, as necessary, install protective tape or replace the wire harness assembly with a new one, which includes a protective sleeve.
On certain vehicles, the airbag system pressure sensors and/or acceleration sensors used to detect vehicle impact may contain manufacturing defects. As a result, the airbag warning light may illuminate and the side/curtain shield airbags and/or front airbags may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash. Correction: Dealers will inspect and replace the defective sensors as necessary. Note: This will not affect the front airbags of the Prius model.
On certain plug-in hybrid vehicles, the electric vehicle (EV) hybrid battery's fuse could be subjected to excessive thermal stress and potentially fracture if the vehicle is operated by the electric motor under high-load driving conditions, such as during a long ascent. This would illuminate warning lights and warning messages in the instrument cluster, and in some cases cause the vehicle to enter a fail-safe mode resulting in reduced motive power. In other cases, the hybrid system could shut down, resulting in loss of motive power, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will replace the EV fuse with a new one of an improved design.
On certain vehicles, the electrical power cords of some dealer installed block heaters may have been improperly manufactured, causing the wires to contact each other, resulting in a short circuit. A short circuit could lead to a fire which would increase the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: For vehicles where the subject block heater was approved for installation, the dealer will replace the block heater assembly with a new one of an improved design. For vehicles where the subject block heater was not approved for installation, dealers will remove the block heater assembly. In the interim, until the remedy can be performed, dealers will cut the plug end from the block heater cord to disable the block heater's operation.
On certain vehicles, the parking brake cables may disengage from the crank lever at the rear caliper. This could cause the parking brake to become inoperative. If this occurs and the transmission is left in a gear other than ‘Park’ while the ignition is on and the driver leaves the vehicle, the vehicle could roll away, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will install a clip at the parking brake cable end to prevent the cable from disengaging from the rear brake caliper crank lever.
On certain vehicles, a defect in the passenger airbag inflator could cause stored compressed gas to be released into the airbag. This would cause an unwarranted partial inflation of the airbag. If this were to occur while the vehicle is being driven, it could startle the driver, potentially leading to a crash, or the airbag could contact a passenger seated in the front passenger seat. These issues could increase the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the front passenger airbag assembly.
On certain vehicles, a defect in the curtain shield airbags could cause the inflator to fail, releasing pressurized gas into the airbag, partially inflating it. If this occurs, parts of the inflator could also separate from the vehicle structure, entering the interior of the vehicle. Should this occur when occupants are in the vehicle, unintended airbag deployment could startle the driver, and airbag inflator parts could come into contact with the occupants, increasing the risk of injury and a crash. Correction: Dealers will install a retention bracket which will prevent the inflator parts from entering the vehicle interior.
On certain vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM), which is part of the hybrid system inverter assembly, could become damaged under certain driving conditions. This could cause various warning lights to illuminate in the instrument panel of the vehicle and cause a reduction or loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will update motor/generator and hybrid control ECU software and affect repairs as necessary. Note: This recall is superseded by recall 2018546. Please see recall 2018546 for more information.
On certain vehicles, a fatigue crack could develop in the brake pressure accumulator. If this occurs, nitrogen gas could leak into the brake fluid and gradually cause the brake pedal stroke to become longer, resulting in decreased hydraulic pressure. This condition could result in longer stopping distances, increasing the risk of a crash causing property damage and/or injury. Correction: dealers will inspect the brake booster pump and, if necessary, replace it with an improved unit.
On certain vehicles, the steering intermediate shaft splines may have been improperly hardened. If the steering wheel is held firmly on the steering lock while turning sharply at low speeds, the splines could deform and wear, causing a backlash in the steering system. The splines could also become fully stripped, resulting in a potential loss of control causing a crash resulting in injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace affected steering shafts.
On certain vehicles, the electrical water pump assembly, used to circulate coolant through the hybrid components, may fail. If this were to occur, coolant would stop circulating, illuminating various warning lights in the instrument panel of the vehicle. In certain cases, the water pump motor could short-circuit, causing the hybrid system to stop functioning and the engine to stall. A loss of propulsion, in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the driver's reactions, could increase the risk of a crash causing personal injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will replace the electrical water pump.
On certain vehicles, the nuts which secure the pinion shaft inside the steering gear box may not have received adequate tightening torque during the assembly process. If the steering wheel is repeatedly and strongly turned to the full-lock position, the nuts could loosen, allowing the pinion shaft to become unstable. This could cause a loss of steering power assist when making a left turn, which may result in a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will replace both pinion shaft nuts with improved versions.
On certain vehicles, an inconsistent brake feeling may be perceived after ABS actuation during slow and steady application of the brakes on rough or slick road surfaces and stopping distances may be increased compared to expectation for a given pedal force. Increased brake distance in a case of emergency may result in a crash causing property damage or personal injury. Dealers will rewrite the programming of the ABS control Unit.
On certain vehicles, the accelerator pedal may become stuck in the wide open position due to an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. Correction: Dealers will reconfigure the shape of the accelerator pedal. Certain models will also have the shape of the floor underneath the accelerator pedal modified and/or a brake override system installed.
On certain vehicles, improper manufacturing of the Crankshaft Position Sensor body could cause engine oil to penetrate the seal and enter the sensor wiring connector. In addition, the wire harness connector may not be sufficiently attached to the locking tab of the sensor wiring connector. Engine oil inside the sensor wiring connector could cause expansion due to the heat of the engine and could deform the sensor wiring connector. In the worst case, the connector may become disconnected, which could cause the engine to stall while driving and not be able to be restarted. Correction: Dealers will replace the Crankshaft Position Sensor.
On certain vehicles, the connection at the intermediate shaft or the intermediate extension shaft may become loose or the intermediate shaft sleeve may develop a crack under certain operating conditions. The connection may separate or the shaft sleeve may fracture, which could result in the loss of steering control and an increased risk of a crash. Correction: Dealers will replace the steering intermediate shaft. In addition, the dealer will inspect the sliding yoke and the intermediate extension shaft and replace them if necessary.
On certain vehicles equipped with a light emitting diode (LED) stop lamp, there is a possibility that silicon oxide may be generated on the surface of the contact point inside the stop lamp switch. Consequently, current may not flow at the contact, causing the stop lamp to become inoperative. The loss of stop lamps would result in failure to warn following drivers that the vehicle is braking and/or is stopped, which could lead to a vehicle crash. Correction: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch.
On certain vehicles, insufficient electrical contact may occur in the torque sensor which controls the power assist operation of the electric power steering gear box. This could possibly cause the power steering warning icon to be displayed and the driver would experience higher than normal steering effort. Correction: Vehicles will be inspected and, if necessary, electric steering box will be replaced.
Subscribe for the latest car reviews, listings, products and more right in your inbox.
By clicking 'Subscribe', I agree to receive communications from AutoTrader. I can unsubscribe at anytime. I also agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.