10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
99,099 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2006 Toyota Prius fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2006 Toyota Prius Owner Comments

problem #10

Nov 012019

Prius

  • 188,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The water pump went out causing the hybrid battery to die. Pressing the break is supposed to recharge the battery but the battery is now completely gone

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #9

Jan 012018

Prius

  • 52,000 miles
Smell of fuel after getting out of vehicle. Also sometimes with ac or windows open. Dealer says deterioration of connections in engine compartment. Could possibly be fire and injury if this got worse. Consider this for recall. Other Toyota models probably with similar systems are recalled. Why not this model?

- Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA

problem #8

Jul 012017

Prius

  • miles
When fueling my car the pump cuts off not allowing me to fill the vehicle. If I am down to one dot that will require me to fill the tank the pump cuts off after only filling to 5 or 6 gallons, not allowing me to fill the tank and get full gas mileage benefits from this vehicle. I have tried various methods and different gas facilities and the results are the same the pump cuts off while fueling the car and will not let me fill the tank. I have read online that other owners are having the same problem and was advised by a car maintenance center to contact NHTSA to file a report. I have tried contacting my local dealership and they have not returned my call.

- Indian Head, MD, USA

problem #7

Oct 032017

Prius

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When vehicle is started no dash lights for fuel gage, speedometer, odometer inoperable due to faulty combination meter. No recall just extended warranty that Toyota will not replace.

- Burleson, TX, USA

problem #6

Dec 172016

Prius 4-cyl

  • 150,000 miles
Engine failure; driving on roadways, highways the main warning light on dash lights up, followed by sudden engine failure seconds or minutes there after. Toyota professionals have failed to properly diagnose this danger/malfunction, or recommend a proper solution. I have been caught on the interstate in very dangerous areas with total engine loss. This represents a major malfunction and could lead to serious injury, accidents and death nationwide. Please alert others.

- Brockton, MA, USA

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problem #5

Sep 022015

Prius 4-cyl

  • 103,000 miles
My wife [xxx] had a serious accident in the parking lot of the victorian on main St in santa monica on Wednesday September 2. from standstill, her 2006 Prius suddenly accelerated to a very high rate on its own and the car's brakes were completely non-responsive. In this relatively confined parking area, after a frightening period of trying to regain control of the vehicle, she made a split-second decision to crash into a tree at a relatively high speed in order to avoid steering the car onto main St. And causing a much more serious accident that would have impacted many people, automobiles and public and private property and possibly resulted in multiple deaths and multiple serious injuries. She sustained a broken foot. Her passenger sustained bruising. Both were taken by ambulance to St. John's hospital. Both airbags deployed. The 2 occupants were wearing seat belts. As a result, and only because of [xxx] quick thinking and potentially sacrificial action, [xxx], her passenger and many other non-suspecting people are alive today. It is apparently well-established that the Prius can accelerate in this manner. In this case, the circumstances would appear to be straight forward: A car parked in a parking lot and started suddenly accelerates on it's own and refuses to allow the driver control. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #4

Jun 062015

Prius

  • 120,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ran out of gas with indicator light reading approximately 1/4 tank remaining

- Terre Haute, IN, USA

problem #3

Feb 072015

Prius

  • 177,343 miles
Parked car at night in Colorado in February, 2015. Outside temperature was approx 25 degrees farenheit. We ate dinner at a restaurant, came out and started the 2006 Prius. Instrument cluster panel showeing the fuel gauge, odometer, shift position and speedometer failed to come on. Turned car off and on numerous times - no instrument cluster panel lights. The following morning, the instrument cluster panel worked fine. This has happened occasionally since the first incident in February. This is a safety concern; one is unable to tell which gear the vehicle is in, the speed of the vehicle, or how much fuel the vehicle has. After contacting Toyota, they told me the extended warranty had expired in December 2014. As a safety defect, Toyota should still be covering a known problem.

- Flagstaff, AZ, USA

problem #2

Mar 152011

Prius

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Prius. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle suddenly shut off without warning. The contact discovered that the vehicle was out of fuel although the fuel gauge indicated that 1/4 tank of fuel was in the fuel tank. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed that a faulty fuel bladder caused a false fuel gauge reading. The computer was reset, but the vehicle continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 100,000.

- Plainfield, IN, USA

problem #1

Mar 042014

Prius 4-cyl

  • 100,650 miles
The Prius was being driven up a hill when it suddenly stalled and the gasoline engine died. It was very difficult to safely move the vehicle out of traffic, since the electric mode was not capable of moving the vehicle forward up the hill. The vehicle's fuel meter on the dash displayed 3 bars remaining (indicating there should have been over 1/4 tank of fuel remaining). The vehicle was towed to a Toyota dealer, who said a software reload and cleaning the throttle bottle fixed it. A little over a week later, the vehicle was being driven on interstate, and the driver was passing a semi-trailer. While in the passing lane, the vehicle stalled again, and caused great danger as it had very little electric power to limp to safety. The gas engine would not run or start again, with the exact same symptoms as before. Again the fuel meter showed 3 bars remaining. However, it was found that it took over 11 gallons of gasoline to then fill the tank, and the total tank capacity is in the 11 gallon range. A search of the internet resulted in other similar complaints, with one entry citing a Toyota technical manual that included the statement regarding the fuel gauge, "the inclinometer must be reset if the customer complains that they can only pump a few gallons of gas into their tank or that they run out of gas with three or four bars left on the fuel meter." It is very concerning & frustrating that Toyota apparently is aware that their vehicles can run out of gas unexpectedly due to a faulty fuel gauge, and it can place the operator and passengers in great danger. I have contacted the Toyota dealer about the expensive repair bill ($300) that did nothing to address the cause of the problem. They are willing to look at the car again, now that they understand it is likely a bad fuel gauge system, but this is a very dangerous situation that Toyota has apparently known about.

- Columbus, IN, USA

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