2008 Toyota Prius Power Train Problems
- 38
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 38 stored complaint records:
- 3 indicate a crash
- 0 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- drive neutral · 8 records
- back neutral · 7 records
- back drive · 7 records
- gear shift · 5 records
- reverse drive · 4 records
- failure mileage · 4 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 100–150k mi | 10 |
| 30–60k mi | 8 |
| 60–100k mi | 8 |
| 1–30k mi | 6 |
| 150–400k mi | 3 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. The contact stated that the vehicle was stopped and shut off when it began to drive forward. The vehicle continued to drive forward and drove behind a building before crashing into bushes. The contact also stated that she left the keys in the ignition when she shut the vehicle off, but the vehicle was shut off while shifted in the park position. Upon locating the crashed…
Crash reported
ODI 10442901
Power Train
My 2008 toyota prius pops out of drive into neutral sporadically. I have to hold the gear selector in the drive position with my right hand while i drive one handed with my left. *tr
ODI 10457427
Power Train
Vehicle will not stay in gear, usually hot days when it happen. Weather its in rev or drive it will shift back to neutral. It started july 2011. Took it to dealer they could not duplicate. Now yesterday may 27th it happen again. You would have to hold down or up gear shift to have gear stay in place. *tr
ODI 10459807
Power Train
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. The contact was driving approximately 10 mph when the vehicle suddenly shifted into neutral and the contact was unable to shift into any other gear. The vehicle was then inspected by the dealer and they advised the contact that the shifter needed to replaced due to an electrical failure. The vehicle was not inspected. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no…
ODI 10407689
Power Train
Car will not stay in drive after it has been idling, in park, on a hot day. When getting back in car and putting the car in drive, it slips back to neutral after accelerator pedal is pressed. Car goes a few feet then slips back to neutral. After putting it back into drive and pressing the pedal again, it slips back to neutral. The only solution is to shut the car off completely and restart after 15-20 minutes. This…
ODI 10425792
Power Train
When i put my 2008 prius into the park mode along with the brake but still having the car running, i will open the driver's side door to get my mail. When i then close the door and try and put the car into drive, it will automatically shift into neutral. Numerous tries to get the car into the drive mode will fail. I then coast my car down the hill into my driveway. I have tried shutting off the car and starting from…
ODI 10352486
Power Train
Last night about 6:00pm cst. My gas pedal stuck on my 2008 toyota. I was at a used car dealership looking at trucks. I got out of the prius to look at a truck. I got back into the car put it in drive and when i took off the pedal stuck to the floor. I put the shifter into neutral stopped the car, put it back into drive and the pedal was still stuck. Once again i put the shifter into neutral, stopped the car and put…
ODI 10324008
Electrical System · Power Train
2008 toyota prius. Consumer states fault in vehicle *tgw the consumer stated he backed out of a parking space, shifted into drive and the vehicle refused to respond to drive as he pressed the accelerator. It seemed the brake was on. A master fault appeared on the screen. It said batteries will not charge if let in the neutral position. After several tries, it finally responded. *jb
ODI 10328494
Electrical System · Parking Brake · Power Train
I left my 2008 toyota prius running and had to run back into a home where i'd just left a sales appointment. Eventhough i had the key fob in my pocket, i noticed out of the corner of my eye as i was crossing the street back towards the house that my car was careening into the buick parked across the street. I ran and jumped in and steered it away from t-boning the parked buick, but could not keep it the driver's…
Crash reported
ODI 10320355
Power Train · Service Brakes, Electric
I own a 2008 toyota prius which surges ahead when i am braking under certain conditions: wet, uneven surfaces, and bumpy roads. It is scary because i nearly hit someone at a stop sign and i feel out of control when it does this. On average, happens 1-2x week. It happens when my foot is off the gas pedal and i am under 20 mph. It seems like a computer error and not accelerator related. *tr
ODI 10305589
Electrical System · Power Train · Unknown Or Other
On 3 separate days, 2 during the summer of 2009 and 1 during the summer of 2010, our prius transmission has automatically and repeatedly shifted from d (drive) to n (neutral) without warning while the car was moving. All incidents happened on extremely hot days (temperatures near 100) in the afternoon after the car had been parked out in the sun and without us having made any accidental contact with the shifter /…
ODI 10378892
Electronic Stability Control · Power Train
When making a turn from a stop and trying to accelerate quickly the car jerks and hesitate as the anti slip system light flashes and engages. You cannot accelerate quickly into traffic from a dead stop making a turn as the car refuses, jerks and acts like it will stall. Pavement is dry and no gravel. Happens each and every time since i purchased the car. Easy to replicate. Come to a complete stop, then turn right…
ODI 10662494
Power Train
The car from a stop, if you step on the gas while making a right turn the car hesitates really bad and could cause an accident. I've taken it in when the car had less than 10k miles. They could not remake the problem. The car hesitates still and has not changed, it currently has 117k miles. I believe there is a software problem.
ODI 11154418