2010 TOYOTA PRIUS Steering Problems

Have multiple warning lamps that light up on and off and the brakes in my car get spongy making the braking unsafe. The lights that turn on are the steering/ traction , brake, and abs light. There are multiple complaints online on YouTube from similar issues ongoing and no recall made. My mechanic says it indicates a leak however there is no brake fluid missing and on YouTube there’s work arounds because people keep getting the same message, yet no recall has been made. This can affect steering and cause an accident. Please recall soon. Including YouTube link so you can see all the comments and issues from thousands that don’t know how to report but view to fix temporarily. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Hello there, my name is Lashyrah and I do not know much about cars so most of this is unknown. The person I bought my vehicle from did not give me much information and I was desperate at the time so I bought it. Most of the lights on the dashboard are on: ABS, Brake system, Engine, Tire/Safety Alert, Fuel pump reset warning, and Stability control are lights that come and go. I have used the code system to try to reset these things and they go away then pop back up. Sometimes while I am driving, all the dashboard lights disappear and the breaks start getting really touchy and it feels completely different driving until the previous lights all come back on. This has been an issue before and when I last went to Toyota to get my car serviced, I asked them to check the lights and system,...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FRONT WHEELS SHOOK AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANTHER VEHICLE, WHICH THEN CAUSED THE OTHER VEHICLE TO CRASH HEAD ON INTO A MEDIAN. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TOTALED AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME, AWAITING AN INVESTIGATION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V684000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

MY CAR GOT STALL ON THE ROAD, IT HAD A PROBLEM RELATED WITH THE HYBRED SYSTEM. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS IN A RECALL LIST. SO THEY FIXED BUT THEY DAMAGED THE SUSPENSION OF MY CAR AND NOW THEY DON'T WANT TO FIX IT. MY CAR IS MAKING A NOISE WHEN I MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALSO WHEN I BRAKE. MY CAR WASN'T MAKING SUCH NOISE BEFORE THE STALL ON THE ROAD. I AM FRUSTRATED WITH ALL THIS PROBLEMS IN MY CAR.

ELECTRIC STEERING MAKES THE STEERING WHEEL HARD TO TURN AND IS ERRATIC. DEALER SAID THE CAR NEEDS A NEW STEERING MOTOR/COLUMN. CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. MY RESEARCH HAS FOUND OTHER MODEL PRIUS WITH SILIRAR PROBLEMS AND ALSO THE RAV4 HAS STEERING ISSUES. THIS OCCURS WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. MY WIFE REFUSED TO DRIVE THE CAR. AND I HAVE PARKED IT. DEALER WANTS ALMOST 3000$ TO REPLACE.

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE ENGINE STARTED SHAKING, THE STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE ENGINE CEASED UP AS THE CAR SHUT OFF. GOT ERROR CODE P3190 FOR POOR ENGINE POWER, AND THEN A DAY LATER EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, THE FIRST TIME WAS IN A 2002 PRIUS.

I HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AND HAD EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF POWER DESCRIBED IN RECENT ARTICLES AS BEING AN INVERTER PROBLEM (THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A SOFTWARE UPDATE BY TOYOTA THAT MAY NOT HAVE FIXED THE ISSUE). AFTER EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE SEVERAL TIMES, MY AUTOBODY SHOP RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE THROTTLE BODY AS THE DIAGNOSTIC CODES WERE NOT 100% CLEAR WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I HAVE REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AND NOT HAD THE ISSUE SINCE, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD REPORT THIS JUST IN CASE THIS IS RELATED TO THE INVERTER ISSUE. THE ISSUE I HAD WAS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED -- DRIVING THE CAR, THEN SUDDENLY LOSING POWER AND PRACTICALLY UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE (I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT MAYBE 3 MPH WITH NO POWER STEERING, BARELY GOT OUT OF AN INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC ONE TIME IT HAPPENED). THIS HAPPENED AT VARIOUS TIMES,...

THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING ISSUE WITH THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHEN TURNING WITH MOTION ABOUT 20+MPH. THE HYBRID SYSTEM IS NOT AS ADVERTISED THE 50MPG IN ANY WAY AS IT ONLY GETS AVERAGE ABOUT 35MPG. THE VEHICLE HAS 87000 MILES AND THE OLD SYMPTOMS FROM SECOND GENERATION FOLLOWED SUIT WITH IT. THE DASH WENT TOTALLY OFF WHEN WEATHER IS COLD AND SUDDENLY TURNED BACK ON WHEN IT GETS WARM. I HAD DRIVEN A FEW MILES WITHOUT THE DASH ON AND IT WAS A BAD EXPERIENCE SINCE I CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE SPEED OR WHAT IS GOING ON. THE STEERING IS THE MAJOR ISSUE AS WE DARE NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AND THE TECHNICIANS FROM THE DEALER SAID NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE BUT THIRD PARTY TECHNICIANS RECOMMEND TO TAKE TO TOYOTA FOR RECALL.U TURNS ARE THE WORSE THAT LOCKED THE STEERING AND THE CAR ALMOST COME TO A STOP...

THERE IS A CLICKING SOUND WHEN YOU MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY, SOUND IS COMING FROM THE STEERING SHAFT CONNECTION TO THE RACK AND PINION. SAME CLICKING SOUND WHEN CAR DRIVES OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. PREVIOUS RECALL OF THIS PROBLEM FOR 2004 TO 2009 PRIUS MODEL STATED A DEFECTIVE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. THIS PROBLEM SOUNDS IDENTICAL TO THE RECALLS OF 2004-2009 PRIUS MODELS.

DRIVING ON A EXTREMELY ROUGH STREET, MY CAR JERKED TO THE LEFT. I TRIED BRAKING, BUT UNMOVABLE OBJECTS (STREET SIGN AND PHONE JUNCTION BOX) PROVIDED THE STOP. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT FORCE OF CAR PUSHED ME HARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD MY SAFETY BELT ON, PLUS BACK BRACE. EMTS NOTED 60% O2, IN ICU ON RESPIRATOR FOR A WEEK, HOSPITAL FOR 2 WKS. DISTINCTLY, I REMEMBER THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE LEFT.

THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE IN MY STEERING COLUMN, FEELS LOOSE WHEN I TURN IT RIGHT AND LEFT. THE STEERING CLUNKING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL IS NOT NORMAL.*DT*JB

STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND EXTENSION IS PRONE FOR FAILURE DUE TO DESIGN AND/OR MATERIAL

CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM CAR SHUTS OFF AND CAN NOT RESTART, TRIED SYSTEM RESET PER MANUAL BUT WOULD NOT CLEAR HYBRID. TOWED TO DEALER, DTC CODE P3004-800, TECH SAID THIS WAS THE ONLY CODE, HAD RECALL EOE REFLASH 04-14-2014 IPM EXTENDED 15 YEARS. CAR WAS IN MOTION PER WIFE. (IT HAD BEEN RAINING) THE DTC P3004-800 POWER CABLE MALFUNCTION

ABOUT A MILE AFTER HAVING ENTERED THE FREEWAY AS I WAS MERGING TOWARDS THE CARPOOL LANE THE CAR SHUT OFF IN THE NUMBER THREE LANE.THE DASHBOARD DISPLAYED THE MESSAGE, "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM", AND WOULD NOT RESPOND. MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I IMMEDIATELY PRESSED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN AS IT NORMALLY DOES. WHEN I FINALLY GOT OVER TO THE NUMBER 1 LANE, I ENTERED THE EMERGENCY LANE BUT WAS STILL HAVING TROUBLE COMING TO A STOP. I BRUSHED UP AGAINST THE FREEWAY WALL IN ORDER TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AFTER SWITCHING THE CAR OFF AND ATTEMPTING TO RESTART IT, I WOULD GET NO RESPOND AND ALL THE DASHBOARD INDICATORS WOULD REMAIN ON WITH THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" DISPLAYED. THIS INCIDENT WAS TERRIFYING AS I WAS DRIVING WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND TWO OTHER OCCUPANTS. THE CAR...

MY PRIUS IV, PURCHASED NEW IN 2010, INTERMITTENTLY HAD A LUNGING FORWARD PROBLEM WHEN GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS, POT HOLES ETC. I WOULD HAVE TO STOP IT BY BRAKING QUICKLY, SO I DIDN'T COLLIDE WITH A CAR AHEAD. I INFORMED TOYOTA OF THIS PROBLEM WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR. THEY TESTED IT AND SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING. I MENTIONED THIS TO THEM ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR ITS PERIODIC MAINTENANCE OF 5000 MILE INTERVALS. ON DECEMBER 26, 2012 I WAS STOPPED WAITING TO GO LEFT WHEN I WAS REAR-ENDED. I WENT TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE. WHEN I ACCELERATED TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD,THE CAR TOOK OFF CRAZILY, AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED FOR ABOUT 6-7 SECONDS, ZIGZAGGING UNCONTROLLABLY ON THE 2 LANE ROAD. IF THERE WERE CARS COMING TOWARD ME, I WOULD HAVE...

I WAS ENTERING A PARKING SPACE, I APPROACHED THE SPACE ABOUT 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, THE STEERING LOCKED AND THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURBING AND HIT THE TRUCK IN THE NEXT RIGHTHAND SPACE. IT CONNECTED WITH THE TRUCKS LEFT FRONT FENDER. THAT STOPPED THE VEHICLE. *TR

I WAS ENTERING A PARKING SPACE. TURNED RIGHT INTO SPACE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, AND BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND!.THE CAR SPED OVER THE CURBING AND HIT THE LEFT FRONT FENDER OF THE TRUCK IN THE NEXT SPACE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES WORE PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT HAD AN ALIGNMENT PERFORMED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY SEVERAL DEALERS AND EACH TIME THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT OR FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT BECAUSE OF THE PREMATURE WEAR ON THE TIRES. THE CONTACT ALSO OWNED A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS IN WHICH THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED WITH THE TIRES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000. UPDATED 10/12/11*LJ UPDATED 10/24/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING ASHE WAS DRIVING AND THE CONTACT STARTED TO FEEL A DISCONNECTION WITH THE STEERING CAUSING HIM TO CRASH INTO A MEDIAN. THE CONTACT WAS ONLY ABLE TO ACCELERATE FORWARD AND BACKWARDS AFTER THE FAILURE WITHOUT ATTEMPTING ANY TURNS BECAUSE THE STEERING WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE TOWING COMPANY DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WAS FACING STRAIGHT AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS FACING AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,634. UPDATED 05/04/11 *BF UPDATED 2/1/12 *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 43 TO 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING, ROLLED INTO A DITCH, AND LANDED ON IT'S SIDE. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER STERNUM, RIBS, AND FINGER. THE PASSENGER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS.THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY HAVE NOT FOLLOWED UP WITH THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,000. UPDATED 03/15/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE TWO INJURIES. UPDATED 06/06/11

BRAKE FAILURE. 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS IV -- THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES LOSE PRESSURE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL LOSES PRESSURE (REGARDLESS OF HOW HARD I PRESS ON THE BRAKES AS THIS IS HAPPENING). THE BRAKES ARE TEMPORARILY DISABLED AND THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATES AS A RESULT OF ITS MOMENTUM PRIOR TO INITIALIZING THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE PASSES OVER A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN THE TEXTURE/FRICTION OF THE ROAD SURFACE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE DOZENS OF TIMES, WHEN DRIVING OVER METAL SURFACES (MANHOLE COVERS, POTHOLE COVERS, TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION COVERS, METAL EXPANSION INSERTS IN BRIDGES, ETC), AS WELL AS SMALL PATCHES OF CONDENSATION (SUCH AS SMALL PUDDLES UNDER A BRIDGE WHEN THE SURROUNDING ROAD IS DRY). THE FAILURE IS NOT RELATED TO HYDROPLANING, AND HAS OCCURRED AT SPEEDS AS LOW AS 15 MPH. THE FAILURE CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE UNTIL A FEW SECONDS AFTER IT HAS PASSED OVER THE...

MY WIFE AND 2 DAUGHTERS WERE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 90/94 WHEN THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN SLOWLY DROPPED. I DOUBLE CHECKED THE LEVER UNDERNEATH TO ADJUST IT, BUT THAT WAS TIGHT. I COULD SEE WIRES AND BOLTS WHERE THE COLUMN HAD DROPPED SEVERAL INCHES. I LIFTED THE COLUMN UP AND THOUGHT IT WOULD LOCK IN OR CLICK BACK IN PLACE. WHEN I DID THIS, THE ENTIRE COLUMN COLLAPSED IN MY LAP. AN ALARM SOUNDED AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHILE GOING 70 MPH. SOMEHOW I MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER FIXED THE VEHICLE AND WROTE, "UPPER STEERING COLUMN PLATE CAME OUT OF BRACKET, POSSIBLY NOT LOCKED IN ALL THE WAY FROM FACTORY." DEALER HAD A FIELD TECH COME LOOK AT AND TAKE PICTURES. APPROXIMATELY 2-3 WEEKS LATER HAD A CALL FROM THE DEALER...

DRIVING A 2010 PRIUS AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 65 AND 75 MPH THE CAR WANDERS IN THE LANE AND REQUIRES CONSTANT CORRECTIONS. WITH WINDY CONDITIONS IT IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO STAY IN ONE LANE. THIS IS ON I-75 IN SW FLORIDA WHICH IS NEWLY PAVED, FLAT, AND STRAIGHT. THIS HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN SINCE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW IN DEC. 2009. SOFTWARE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS DRIFTS WHEN I'M TRYING TO DRIVE THE CAR STRAIGHT. THE CAR IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION. I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY BE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT THEN RIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CAR DRIFTS BOTH TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. IT WON'T GO STRAIGHT FOR MORE THAN A FEW SECONDS. IT'S NOT THE DRIVER AS I HAVE LET OTHERS DRIVE THE CAR AND THEY NOTICE IT TO. IT IS ALSO NOT THE ROAD SURFACE BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME ON ALL ROADS. I NOW HAVE ABOUT 10,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND I'VE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM FROM THE 1ST DAY I OWNED IT. AT 1ST WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR I THOUGHT IT WAS ME AND THAT I NEEDED TO GET USED TO THE CAR. BUT THE CAR STILL ACTS THIS WAY, DRIFTING LEFT AND RIGHT WHEN I'M...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN THE CONTACT TRIED TO PULL DOWN THE VISOR, THE GARAGE DOOR OPENER SLIPPED OFF THE VISOR AND FELL INTO THE STEERING COLUMN. HE HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT DID HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. HE ALSO HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,900. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,800.

WE OWN A 2010 PRIUS. ALTHOUGH THE HESITATION IN THE BRAKING HAS BEEN AT ISSUE, WE QUICKLY LEARNED TO OVERCOME THE HESITATION. OF MORE CONCERN FOR US IS THE INABILITY TO STEER THE CAR ON WET OR SMOOTH SURFACES. WHEN ON WATER OR SNOW THERE IS NO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COMPUTER AND THE STEERING WHEEL. WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND ALL STEERING CEASES. THIS HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. IF YOU LOOK ON EDMUNDS.COM AND PRIUS CHAT.COM YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR PRIUS OWNERS AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE A DEADLY PROBLEM IF IT HASN'T BEEN ALREADY. A CAR THAT DOESN'T STEER OR BRAKE IS A DEADLY COMBINATION. *TR

I HAVE CONTACTED MY AUTO MANUFACTURER ABOUT A STEERING PROBLEM. THE CAR WILL NOT DRIVE IN STRAIGHT LINE, IT IS ETHER GOING LEFT OR RIGHT. THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO MY COMPLAINT. I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL DRIVING THIS CAR BECAUSE IT WILL WONDER OFF OF THE ROAD. *TR

EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE: HITTING THE BRAKES AND HITTING A BUMP IN THE PAVEMENT OF THE ROAD AT THE SAME TIME. HOW OFTEN: ALL THE TIME, IF YOU ARE HITTING THE BRAKES, AND HITTING A BUMP AT THE SAME TIME. WHAT WAS DONE: NOTHING. TOYOTA CLAIMS NOTHING IS WRONG. *TR

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS STEERING WHEEL HAS A PLACE WHERE RINGS CAN SNAG CAUSING AN OVER OR UNDER TURN SITUATION. TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT REPLACING THE PART THAT CAUSES THIS LOCK UP WOULD NOT HELP THE PROBLEM. ONE TIME OCCURRENCE FOR ME BUT WAS VERY SCARY AT THE TIME. *TR