Electric System
Alternator, starter, hybrid battery and related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, distributor or rotor failure, spark plugs and wires failure.
What Owners Say
"battery ran down and could not get into car to acess interior, had to call AAA to start car to recharge battery, then week or 2 later still having problems and had to replace 12v battery"
Anonymous, OH (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The 12 volt battery was totally down and the car lost power and could not be operated"
Anonymous, WI (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"12v battery died and had to be jumped. Jumper connection under hood doesn't work. Getting to actual battery is impossible since the trunk won't open"
Anonymous, MA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"This went out and you lose control of all climate controls along with the radio. The radio does have separate controls but they are overridden when this happens and your radio either does not work or comes on on it's own and will not shut off. Research on the problem revealed that Toyota does a poor soldering job on the part which causes it to fail."
Julie H., IL (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"It was the multi function display screen. Would have been really expensive to have the dealer replace. I drove 2 hours and had it done at a third of the price."
Anonymous, OH (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Cruise control drops out after a time"
Ronald M., NY (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"After hitting the brake I have to turn off cruise control and turn it on again to get it to reset. Occasionally it turns off on the road on it's own"
Anonymous, MI (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Small front light burned out."
Suzanne C., MO (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"I was stopped by the police and discovered most of my rear lights needed to be replated but my headlight seems to have a short"
Colette M., CA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Also frequent failures"
Anonymous, FL (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"thereat brake light failed; this too has happened before, and no sensor tells us about it"
Ramamoorthi B., MA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"This is a well known problem with some gauges not illuminating when car is cold and first turned on. This problem occurs with age. There are web pages describing how to correct the issue (bad capacitor) but it is fairly involved. Requires disassembling the whole dash board. My car is working now because the weather is warm. I plan to fix this this summer."
Raymond H., OH (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"My combination meter went out.Toyota realized there was a problem with this meter so they gave an extended warranty on this part. Mine went out after the extended warranty expired.Cost $750 to replace."
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The combination meter, which includes the speedometer and a few other guages stopped working, which is a common problem among 2nd generation Prii, so that there's a service bulletin on it"
Anonymous, NC (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Main dashboard display died; replaced under dealer extended warranty program, this is a known occasional defect caused by a defective circuit board"
Irl S., MA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The heads-up display went out. Dealer installed a re-manufactured display unit at no charge as there was a campaign, and this is a known issue"
Anonymous, AZ (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Gas gauge doesn’t work. After filling up tank, gauge says full until you drive about 25 miles, then says empty and it tells you that fuel is low."
Anonymous, AL (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Continued intermittent failure of both front headlights. Will necessitate replacement of bulbs. This is a problem already addressed by Toyota with a modified customer service plan (not a recall) but the terms of the replacement plan expired (mileage/time) before the symptoms started on this car."
Ed K., NM (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Routine headlamp failure is a VERY expensive repair ($300+)."
Anonymous, MA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlights are about $200 each! We had replaced a headlight and then it went out after only 1 1/2 years. That seems too short a lifespan. Couldn't drive at night until fixed. Have heard that other Prius owners have had problems with headlights"
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"We had to replace both headlights, twice since the car was purchased. These are HID lights."
Anonymous, CT (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The headlight bulbs are quite expensive, and replacement including labor has been between $200 and $285 for each bulb, with the more expensive price being at the local Toyota dealership."
Alice B., MA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Condensation required replacement of entire front headlight assembly."
Anonymous, VA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The headlight brunt out, in addition to a faulty ingiter that my mechanic will charge me approx $400 to fix because its a computerized part..."
Anonymous, NJ (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlights cloud over with scratches. Tried polishing headlights a couple of times but had no choice but replace expensive headlights"
Anonymous, AZ (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The lights go out and will sometimes come back on, but you never know when or if they will continue to work."
Tom P., MD (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Each headlight burned out one at a time about a year apart and had to be replaced."
William H., MI (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"two broke in the past few months and they are extremely expensive to repair"
Anonymous, NJ (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"I had to replace both headlight assemblies as they were so discolored that I couldn't re-surface them and they also had moisture inside the lenses $1162.I did not have to replace the bulbs. Four months later I had to replace the right headlight computer sub-assembly,$750. Now I am having problems with my multi-function display not always turning on.No idea how much this will cost to fix."
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The problem was the cost of replacement due to how it had to be replaced."
Anonymous, VA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlight computer system failef"
Anonymous, TN (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlights on both right & left went dead and the whole thing had to be replaced, not just the bulb. $500 2x. There had been a recall on the headlights bout I was a few months out of date and Toyota would not reimburse."
Anonymous, PA (2009 Toyota Prius Unsure 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Replaced lights at dealership"
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlight bulb went out - very, very expensive to replace"
Anonymous, TX (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Each headlight would intermittently blink on/off when it was time to replace it. The replacement cost was a whopping $300 each!"
Anonymous, TX (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Battery went out which caused the headlights to failed to come on"
Anonymous, TX (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"moisture collected inside and caused damage"
Anonymous, TX (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Both front headlights had to be replaced as they went out"
John R., GA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Excessive cost to repair. Started out at $900 and negotiated down to $400 to replace 2 headlights"
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"headlights burned out and had to be relaced at a cost of 400 dollars"
Rick-Roberta H., PA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlights both burned out at a cost of $425.00. Thought this was very excessive, but the dealer said they warranted for the life of the car after that"
Allan D., IA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Persistent problems with driver-side headlight; technicians at two dealers have tried to diagnose and repair and problem persists. Light turns out at ignition then fades out in 30 sec to 5 minutes"
Anonymous, NY (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"One headlight burned out but the cost was $450 to replace, because the front bumper has to be removed to replace the bulb and ballast module. Cost estimates ran to $750!"
Geoffrey S., NC (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Bulb replacement is very costly. Poorly designed for what should be routine maintanence. Bulbs burned out at different times and each time the whole front of the car has to be disassembled"
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlights, when activated, would suddenly stop working at various times. You would have to manually turn the light switch to the "off" position and back to the "on" position to get the lights to come back on. This became a serious problem from a saf"
Anonymous, NC (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The L front headlight goes off and on while driving. The dealership told us that the light was going out. The cost for them to replace 1 headlight is around $300. The bulb replacement is $150. Not only is the bulb expensive, but it is a difficult are"
Corinne S., VA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Right headlight goes out intermittently - have had it evaluated 2-3 times. Replaced the light about 2 months ago - still having problems"
Anonymous, NY (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"I have had to replace both HD headlights at a cost of $230 each. That is outrageous"
Anonymous, OR (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Driving lights can not be adjustable up/down and are low for me. Serious safety issue for driving at night. The headlights have been replaced twice. They would have charged me $300 plus. I investigated and there was a agreement, so I got it free"
Ray G., PA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"BOTH HID headlight assemblies leaked, ruining the computer-controlled ballast and blowing the lamps! Repairs totaled over $1600! I'll never buy HID headlights again... The rest of the car is GOLDEN"
B B., NC (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"I had to pay $620.00 to replace the halogen light bulbs for each headlight for a total of $1240.00. This includes the capacitors as well. this is an unacceptable expense for a car of this price and age"
Michael W., TX (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Frequent Headlight failures on both Prius, possibly 1 per year"
Anonymous, FL (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Have to remove front bumper to replace lamp. I have had to replace it TWO times since purchase"
Ron-Jackie P., TX (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Replacing headlight bulbs requires removing front bumper! Very expensive, quoted base cost $750. per headlight! Dealership refused to lower the overall cost if both bulbs replaced at same time. Very unhappy with Toyota court re service"
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlights keep burning out after a couple months. Never seen this on any other car"
Anonymous, PA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"One headlight went out, but then worked. Repair shop said this was typical of for these headlights as they begin to fail. Headlights were expensive and required the front bumper removed to replace them and should do both at same time. Bill was $600"
David G., OH (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"have replaced the bulb twice in the past 6 months so i have to take the car in to get checked out"
Anonymous, IL (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headloghts needed replacing twice in the ladt 12 months"
Anonymous, IL (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The headlights, bulb and ballast, have burned out in both right and left side. Plus the lights in regular on position do not seem to go as far as they should to safely see anything at night. They SUCK! Fog lights do not turn on w/o headlights on"
Ken C., VA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"HID bulb burned out. Cost $166.00 to replace bulb"
Philip B., PA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"One headlight would stop working and had issues we got them to address"
Anonymous, PA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Challenging to replace"
Anonymous, WA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"headlight bulbs burned out. Difficult & expensive to replace"
Anonymous, VA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The driver's side headlight went out. I was SHOCKED that the replacement bulb costs $150 and it cost $106 to install it! That's outrageous! The passenger light was dim, so I ordered a new bulb online for $45 and installed it myself in less than an ho"
Anonymous, TX (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Original headlight bulbs burned out within 6 months of each other. I guess 7 year life span seems reasonable"
Anonymous, IL (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Had both headlamps go out at the same time on a trip. Had to take to dealer because of location and timing of the trip"
Anonymous, OR (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"one headlight quit functioning a few years ago but was under warranty. The other one quit working and we had to pay"
Alan H., WV (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Head light burned out"
Anonymous, WI (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Two or three times, one headlight or the other fails - it turns out to be expensive to replace it, and I can't do it myself"
Ramamoorthi B., MA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Left headlight cover leaked causing light to fail. Fix at dealer was expensive"
Judith R., OR (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlight goes on and off. Service department works on it, it works and then next thing we know, it isn't working. Can't seem to find problem"
Lucille W., CA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Both HID headlights failed. Would start initially but then dimmed and turned off soon after. Originally under a factory recall, but no longer covered. Very difficult to replace bulbs"
Anonymous, WA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"One headlight seal leaked and it had to be replaced"
Anonymous, WA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"It has the specialty led lights which are no longer used. It cost $300 to replace, but a computer chip went out because of a water leak in the cover so it cost $800 to replace"
Barbara N., TX (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Head light stopped working. It was the opposite headlight that I had replaced last year"
Anonymous, MI (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The left front headlight had a crack in the assembly, had to replace the entire light assembly and the bulb. The assembly was $350 and the new headlight is $200. Now the right front headlight is flickering, doesn't always come on. VERY expensive to repair. The bulb is outrageous"
Anonymous, IL (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlights cost $270 each to replace"
Raymond B., AZ (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"One of the headlights burned out prematurely, needed replacement"
Anonymous, IA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Intermittent connection. Sometimes one headlight doesn't work, and sometimes it does work"
Anonymous, NY (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"To replace a burned out headlight in the Prius, a certified Prius mechanic has to literally dismantle the front end of the vehicle to perform access the headlights. This requirement represents poor design and unnecessaey expense."
Anonymous, NM (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Had to replace both headlights for$1431.38"
Anonymous, ON (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Fog/moisture inside head lights. Replaced both."
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"There seems to be 3 different lights for the headlights. For a couple years now, I have had trouble getting them fixed. I have taken it to AAA and to different dealers in Atlanta. They have told me they were fine when they were not. It may be difficult to service the headlights? It seems to be difficult to adjust the 3 so they shine properly in the same direction. I can tell this when I drive into my dark garage. It is sorta fixed now, but only after I returned and insisted for a recheck. One reason I bought the Highlander was for highway and mountain travel due to this poor headlight issue"
B C., GA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Bulb died and replacement totaled $200 with labor. This is 2/3 the cost I paid to replace the bulb on the other side several years ago."
Alice B., MA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Right headlight comes on initially then goes out. Turn the lights off and it will come back on. Sometimes it stays on longer than others."
Duke B., GA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"One low beam light blew out."
Anonymous, MN (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"There were two or three occasions when a light went out and we needed to fix or replace it. It could have just been chance. It didn't happen in the first several years of having the car."
Kenneth E., CA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlights burn out quickly 9 to 12 mo. Extremely difficult to replace. Very tight space plus parts need to be removed to get access"
Thomas A., CT (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Headlights are constantly failing on both driver and passenger sides. I end up replacing them as they fail generally once a year each. They are not easy to access and requires a service call to the mechanic."
Anonymous, NY (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Seems to be a problem with wiring or fuse. Have replaced headlight 3 times, and it only works for a week at a time."
Rebecca S., WI (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The door actuators on both driver side doors went out along with the trunk. They cost over $800 each to fix. Keyless entry does not work now on half of the car. The trunk sometimes does work (25% chance). Even before they went out keyless entry was very slow unlocking the doors and trunk."
Julie H., IL (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The keyless entry System drains on the start up battery. When it sits for 10 or more days unused, the battery goes dead. We then have to buy a brand new start up battery. This usually occurs when we go for a long trip and leave our car at the airport or now during COVID-19 when we are working from home."
Anonymous, (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"key fob got washed and replacing the battery did not make it functional replacement is very expernsive"
Anonymous, GA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Driver side door does not sense fob. Has been a problem for several years but too expensive to repair"
Anonymous, MD (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The keyless remote locked the car if it was left inside and engine off and doors and windows closed"
Kathleen C., WA (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The driver's side door at one time would unlock automatically when touched if I had the fob in my possession. It no longer does"
Anonymous, MD (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Battery in keyless failed. Had to replace battery"
Anonymous, TX (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"This key seems to be having lots of problems. I replaced the battery but the care does not lock sometimes and I have to take the small key out of the auto key fob"
Colette M., CA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"When approaching car, without using the key fob the car will unlock"
Philip B., PA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Battery on fobs died. $600 to replace 2 of them"
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The keyless entry stops working sporadically. It will work for a while. Then not. I have changed the batteries several times. Sometimes, when I am holding the key in my hand, the dashboard indicates "no key". The problem is happens mostly with the dr"
Anonymous, TX (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Key fob battery needed replacement too often, i.e., about every 45 days"
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The remote "key" is sometimes inconsistent in what doors it unlocks. It occasionally gives higher priority to the passenger-side front door than it does to the two back doors. The car sometimes complains with its irritating sound that something is amiss (e.g., a door ajar, a light left on), when actually nothing at all is a problem"
Ralph B., NC (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The remote starter battery expired and required replacement"
Anonymous, IL (2009 Toyota Prius Touring 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The tire pressure warning light does not respond to the addition of air in the tires to correct tire pressure. The service shop has disabled it at my request"
Anonymous, VA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"no longer works"
Anonymous, WI (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Showing pressure problems when imbalances were minimal. Had gauge(s) replaced"
Anonymous, CA (2009 Toyota Prius 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"I have a continual false low-tire pressure indication on the dash even though the pressure is fine in all tires. It would cost over $350 to replace the sensor, which seems utterly outrageous. Suppose I'll eventually just put a piece of black tape over the light, but it annoys me that something so simple as a sensor is so expensive."
John C., WA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Faulty transmitter in one or more wheels gives false tire pressure indication on dashboard. I use a tire pressure gauge monthly. Other issue: Volume control on radio sometimes does not adjust volume. Volume control on steering wheel works 100% however."
Anonymous, FL (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The dash lights go out suddenly, including the screen that controls audio, gas comsumption and climate. I received an extended warranty notice from Toyota that described this problem exactly. The combination meter is the bad part. Replacing soon"
Henry M., IN (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"The "Seatbelt" light came on, and could not stop beeping or be switched off. It was actually a problem with the seatbelt sensor - not the warning light"
Blake H., ON (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Tire pressure indicator stays on. system reset did not work and a part needs to be changed which is expensive and we have elected not to do it for now."
Anonymous, GA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)"Intermittent wiper no longer worked. Also, wipers did not "park" in down position after being turned off"
Anonymous, PA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)
"Battery died and was very difficult to open the hatch"
Anonymous, GA (2009 Toyota Prius Base 1.5-L 4 Cyl hybrid)