2008 Toyota Prius problems
Owners have filed 1,894 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Toyota Prius. Lighting is the most reported problem area, at 31% of complaints. After that come brakes (21%) and electrical system (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,894 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Lighting 31% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 214 and 10
- Injuries and deaths
- 103 and 8
- Typical mileage
- 55,000 miles 1,571 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 268 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 326 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 254 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 197 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 133 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 112 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 74 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 70 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 57 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 31 |
| 200k+ miles | 49 |
What the data shows
Among the 1,571 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 55,000 miles. For lighting specifically, the median reported mileage is about 56,000 miles (519 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 214 complaints mention a crash; 10 complaints mention a fire; 103 injuries reported; 8 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2008 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 23 model years of the Toyota Prius with enough data (1,214 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Vehicle ran off road on curve, driver reported vehicle suddenly accelerated out of control. Updated 06/03/10 updated ivoq. 06/07/10 updated 9/29/11
Driver in toyota prius was stopped at a red light. According to witnesses, for no apparent reason the vehicle accelerated, rolled or drove into intersection where vehicle was struck by another vehicle. Prius driver was killed. Updated 03/14/10 according to the police report, there was only one death and no injuries. Updated 06/15/10. Update 9/21/2011
Tl*the contact's mother owns a 2008 toyota prius. The vehicle was struck on the passenger side by another vehicle. None of the air bags deployed. A police report was filed and two occupants died. The VIN, speed, purchase date, engine size, number of cylinders, and mileages were unknown.
I was driving my 2008 prius in rainy weather (normal for seattle) northbound on interstate 5 in relatively heavy traffic. Traffic was slowing down, so I brake and decreased my speed further. As I got closer to the car ahead of me, I pushed more firmly on the brake, and nothing happened. The ABS did not engage. The car just kept moving along and I ran into the car ahead of me. Luckily my speed was only 5-7 MPH. The other car, an SUV, was not damaged. My front hood was quite crunched. No one was hurt.
Vehicle is extremely, almost dangerously, sensitive to cross winds and wake turbulence from larger vehicles, trucks specifically.