2009 Toyota Prius Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED TO HIGH AND COOLANT NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE. ALL OF THE INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,759.

MY CAR RECENTLY HAS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE OBDII SCANNER SHOW THE FAULT CODE P1121 WHICH IS A FAILED THREE-WAY COOLANT CONTROL VALVE. TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) ON THIS PROBLEM: EG001-08 M.I.L. IT SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2ND GENERATION TOYOTA PRIUS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A WARNING INDICATOR FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REGARDING THE BRAKE SYSTEM WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND A LEAK UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SALINAS TOYOTA (700 AUTO CENTER CIR, SALINAS, CA 93907, (831) 444-0700) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL BRAKE FLUID LEAK; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY CAMPAIGN. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE OBT2 SENSOR DID NOT SHOW THE SPECIFIC DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) TO RECEIVE THE BRAKE ACTUATOR REPLACEMENT COVERED BY THE CAMPAIGN. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY CAMPAIGN FOR DTC NUMBER: C1240. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED SMOKE STARTED COMING UNDER THE HOOD. NOTICED FLUID DRIPPING FROM ENGINE ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE. DEALER DETERMINED IT WAS NOT AN OIL LEAK BUT EMPTY BRAKE RESERVOIR. UPDATED 11/27/18*JB

I KEEP GETTING THE CODE P 1121. I HAVE REPLACED MY ENGINE COOLANT VALVE SENSOR UNIT THREE TIMES AND EVERY SINGLE TIME AFTER DRIVING FOR A WEEK THE CHICKENS AND LIGHT COMES ON AND IT THROWS THE CODE AGAIN. I AM CURRENTLY AT THE POINT WHERE THERE IS EITHER NO HEAT OR IT TAKES AT LEAST HALF HOUR OR MORE TO BLOW HOT AIR. IF IT BLOWS HOT AIR IT ONLY CAN BE ON A LOW FAN SETTING. I HAVE USED TWO DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS. BUT UNFORTUNATELY EVERY TIME I REPLACED IT SAME PROBLEM OCCURS. I HAVE REPORTED THIS IN THE PAST AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. BUT IT IS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE. AND I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL ON VEHICLE YEARS PRIOR TO MINE.

MY 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS 100,700 MILES ON IT. WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR IT'S LAST OIL CHANGE I WAS INFORMED THAT ONLY A LITTLE OVER A QUART OF OIL DRAINED FROM THE ENGINE. I HAVE RELIGIOUSLY CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES. AFTER REPLACING THE ENGINE OIL IT STILL LOOKED DIRTY. THE ENGINE IS BURNING OIL. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE CAUSED BY A PISTON DESIGN FLAW AND DOES NOT HAVE A CHEAP SOLUTION OTHER THAN ADDING OIL AT EACH GAS FILL UP. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE ENGINE MAY STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING, PARTICULARLY IF TRAVELING ON A LONG TRIP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ON A LONG TRIP.

ONCE MY CAR GOT PAST 100,000 MILES, THE NON-SPECIFIC WARNING LIGHT STARTED COMING ON AND THE WORD "PROBLEM!" WOULD COME ON THE SCREEN. MANUAL SAYS TO ASK DEALER WHAT THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM IS. CERTIFIED TOYOTA DEALER KEPT SAYING THEY DON'T KNOW. TURNS OUT AFTER MY OWN PERSISTENCE THAT THE PROBLEM IS HEAVY OIL CONSUMPTION. NOT BURNING; NOT LEAKING. JUST HIGH CONSUMPTION. TAKE CAR FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND IT SEEMS TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT KEEPS PRESSING ME TO GET A NEW ENGINE, RATHER THAN OFFERING ANY INTERMEDIATE SOLUTIONS. COULD HAVE TOLD ME THOUSANDS OF MILES AGO TO AT LEAST KEEP ADDING OIL, BUT THEY NEVER BOTHERED. I NOW KNOW AFTER ABOUT A YEAR THAT I HAVE TO START ADDING A LOT OF OIL JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE OIL IS CHANGED AND FILLED. IF I WAIT UNTIL REGULAR MAINTENANCE INTERVAL, ALL OIL WILL BE GONE. ENGINE WOULD HAVE BROKEN DOWN IF I DIDN'T PERSIST IN FIGURING OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. WENT THROUGH 3 REGULAR SERVICE APPOINTMENTS BEFORE I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON MY OWN. PROBLEM WAS AT ITS WORST WHEN BRAKING, BUT LIGHT CAME ON AT OTHER TIMES AS WELL. I HAVE YESTERDAY'S DATE HERE ON THE COMPLAINT, BUT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ABOUT A YEAR.

EMGINE COOLANT SENSOR IS MESSED UP. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR 2004 TO 2007 OR 8 BY TOYOTA. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE AND THE SAME PARTS USED UP TO 2009 BUT THEY WILL NOT COVER IT EVEN THOUGH IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE BY TOYOTA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STARTED TO REV AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AFTER WAITING A MOVEMENT BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

THE 2009 PRIUS ENGINE HAS A DEFECT IN THE SEALS ALLOWING OIL TO SEEP INTO THE ENGINE AND BE BURNED. THIS CAUSES THE MOTOR TO USE EXTENSIVELY MORE OIL THAN NEEDED. CAUSING POSSIBLE NEAR FAILURE. IT MUST BE CRITICALLY MAINTAINED OR THE ENGINE WILL RUN DRY AND DESTROY ITSELF. *TR

WATER PUMP FAILURE. 76,000 MILES IS PREMATURE FOR A WATERPUMP. *TR

TOYOTA DEALER RECEIPT: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON - COOLANT CONTROL VALVE STUCK... REPLACED COOLANT CONTROL VALVE COST/$589.97 INCLUDING 450.00 LABOR + ENGINE WATER PUMP LEAKING COOLANT REPLACED ENGINE WATER PUMP/ ENGINE DRIVE BELT COST/$557.98 INCLUDING $430.00 LABOR MILEAGE!!! 41, 632 MILES 2009 PRIUS TOTAL COST $1173.41. CUSTOMER COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA MOTOR CORP AND RESPONSE WAS...NO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE -36,000 MILE WARRANTY HAS PASSED. *TR

WHEN MY 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS REACHED APPROXIMATELY 65,000 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE ERROR CODE WAS P1121, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLANT CONTROL VALVE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, AND THEIR CHARGE FOR REPLACING THE PART WAS $400. THE MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VALVE SAID IT WAS NOT CLOSING SECURELY. HE SAID MAKING THE REPAIR WOULD NOT IMPROVE THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE OR AFFECT ITS VALUE, AND THEREFORE HE DID NOT RECOMMEND MAKING THE REPAIR. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE REALIZED THAT OPTING OUT OF THIS REPAIR DOES AFFECT THE CAR'S SAFETY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. EVEN IF I MANUALLY TURN IT OFF, IT COMES RIGHT BACK ON, SO IT IS UNLIKELY THAT I WILL BE AWARE IF OTHER MECHANICAL ISSUES EVER ARISE. MY MOTHER DRIVES A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS WHICH JUST HIT 65,000 MILES, AND HER CAR PRODUCED THE EXACT SAME ERROR CODE. IT IS STATISTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE THAT TWO CARS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL, ONLY A YEAR APART IN AGE, IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD, WOULD PRODUCE IDENTICAL ERROR CODES AFTER REACHING ROUGHLY THE SAME MILEAGE FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING. I BELIEVE THIS ERROR CODE IS THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING ERROR THAT TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS THROUGH A SAFETY RECALL. TOYOTA'S OWN MECHANIC ADMITTED THAT THE REPAIR IS FINANCIALLY IMPRACTICAL FOR CUSTOMERS, YET IF THE REPAIR IS NOT MADE, DRIVERS ARE LEFT WITHOUT A FUNCTIONAL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HYBRID ELECTRIC WATER PUMP RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED TWO WEEKS AFTER THE HYBRID WATER PUMP WAS FIXED, A RED TRIANGLE LAMP APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE CONSUMER WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS CHARGED 4202/16 FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND INFORMED HIM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WENT TO HIS PERSONAL MECHANIC, WHERE THE HYBRID ELECTRIC PUMP WAS REPLACED AND THE CODES WERE CLEARED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT IT STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPLACED THE SHORT ENGINE BLOCK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PISTON ROD WAS BENT DUE TO BAD FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 19,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON EIGHT DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND AND SPEED UP. AT TIMES, IT WOULD EVENTUALLY INCREASE IN SPEED AND THEN IMMEDIATELY STALL THEREAFTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 60 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE PRIOR TO THE RECENT FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 20,000.

I PURCHASED A NEW 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID (GAS/ELECTRIC) ON MARCH 31, 2009. THE CAR WORKED GREAT, BUT WITH ONLY 490 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, I DID A ROUTINE SHUT DOWN OF THE CAR ON MAY 20, 2009 WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE ANYTHING BUT ROUTINE. DURING THIS EVENT, I SHUT THE CAR OFF USING THE PROCEDURE TAUGHT TO ME BY THE DEALERSHIP SALESMAN, WHICH WAS THE SAME PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN THE USER MANUAL. HOWEVER, AT THIS SHUT DOWN, A VERY DRAMATIC POWER SURGE WENT THROUGH THE SYSTEM, JOLTING THE ENGINES IN THEIR MOTOR MOUNTS (I HEARD AN EXTREMELY LOUD SQUEAL WHEN THE ENGINES, BOTH GAS AND ELECTRIC, JOLTED TO A STOP, WHICH I ASSUME WAS THE MOTOR MOUNTS TAKING THE FORCE OF THE POWER SURGE), AND MOVING THE CAR VIOLENTLY FORWARD STOPPING WITH THE TRANSMISSION LOCK AND BRAKE WHICH I HAD SET). THIS WAS A VERY UNPLEASANT AND UN-NATURAL EVENT. FOLLOWING THIS EVENT, THE CAR DID START AND OPERATE THROUGH ITS FUNCTIONS, BUT THE DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. WHAT HAD BEEN A SMOOTH OPERATING SYNERGY DRIVE SYSTEM WAS NOW SLIGHTLY GRABBY BOTH IN ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION, AND I EXPERIENCED HARD 'CLUNK' SHIFTS WHEN DRIVING. APPROXIMATELY EVERY 15TH GAS ENGINE SHUT DOWN, THE GAS ENGINE WOULD 'DIESEL' AND HAVE A DISTURBING LONG CYCLING SHUT DOWN VIBRATING AND JOLTING THE CAR IN AN ALARMING FASHION WHICH IS NOT SAFE. ON JUNE 2, 2009, I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO MY TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WAS TOLD THE CAR "CAN'T DO THAT" AND WAS TOLD THE COMPUTER SHOWED NOTHING WRONG. ON JULY 8, 2009, I WENT TO ANOTHER TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY SAID THE CAR WAS ROUGH, AND TRIED TO RE-SEAT THE ENGINES IN THE MOUNTS, WHICH TEMPORARILY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM UNTIL A MAJOR GAS ENGINE JOLTING SHUT DOWN OCCURRED AGAIN. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN ON 24 SEPTEMBER, 2009, AND ASKED TO HAVE THE ENGINE MOUNTS REPLACED. THEY TRIED TO RESEAT THE ENGINES AGAIN, WITH NO SUCCESS, AND THE RANDOM JOLTING GAS SHUTDOWNS ON THE HYBRID SYSTEM CONTINUE, WHICH ARE A SAFETY HAZARD DURING OPERATION. *TR

NOXIOUS FUMES INSIDE VEHICLE. SMELLS LIKE BURNING PLASTIC / METAL. FUMES BURN EYES AND PERMEATE CLOTHING, CAUSE LIGHT-HEADEDNESS. DLR HAS TRIED 3X TO REPAIR, CAN NOT IDENTIFY SOURCE. DLR'S SVC MGR CONFIRMS IT IS NOT A NORMAL ODOR FOR THIS VEHICLE, AGREES FUMES GIVE HEADACHE. MFR'S TECH DEPT CLAIMS IT IS NORMAL, DESPITE NOT HAVING EXAMINED VEHICLE. (MFR IS WILLING TO SEND FIELD SVC TECH IN APPX 1 MONTH, WILL NOT PROVIDE LOANER OR OTHERWISE ACCOMMODATE ME IN THE INTERIM.) MFR SUGGESTED IT IS A PERSONAL HEALTH ISSUE AND THAT I "SHOULD CONSIDER IF VEHICLE IS RIGHT FOR ME." *TR