RecallRepo

2004 Toyota Prius Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2004 Toyota Prius has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 5,819,502 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 737 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the exterior lighting. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

STEERING 12V537000 2012-11-14 669,705 affected
Defect

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 5, 2003, through March 30, 2009. The affected vehicles have a steering intermediate extension shaft assembly built with metal splines that complete the connection from the steering wheel to the steering gear. These splines may have…

Consequence

Over time, the splines may wear and eventually fail resulting in a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the extension shaft and replace it if it is one with insufficient hardness, free of charge. The recall began during December 2012. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM 12V536000 2012-11-14 350,662 affected
Defect

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2003, through March 30, 2009 and FCHV-adv vehicles manufactured December 12, 2008, through September 13, 2011. During manufacturing, a scratch may have occurred inside of the electrically driven water pump at the coil wire. The…

Consequence

The corroded coil wire may break and the water pump could stop. The corroded coil wire could cause a short circuit between coil wires and a possible open fuse, creating a stall-like condition of the hybrid system while the vehicle is being driven. This may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy

Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will replace the electric water pump, free of charge. The recall began on January 17, 2013. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 09V388000 2009-10-05 4,445,056 affected
Defect

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.

Consequence

A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy

TOYOTA FILED AN AMENDED DEFECT REPORT ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009, STATING THAT DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ALTER THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR SURFACE UNDER THE PEDAL. THESE CHANGES ADDRESS THE RISK OF PEDAL ENTRAPMENT DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH THE FLOOR MAT. REDESIGNED ACCELERATOR PEDALS…

STEERING 06V188000 2006-05-31 170,856 affected
Defect

THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND SLIDING YOKE IN THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM CAN CRACK WHEN LARGE FORCES ARE APPLIED AND THE CONNECTION MAY SEPARATE OR THE SLEEVE MAY FRACTURE.

Consequence

THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy

TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND INSPECT THE SLIDING YOKE AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

AIR BAGS 06V096000 2006-04-03 133 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR, WHICH IS USED IN THE SIDE AIR BAG, THE CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAG, AND THE KNEE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, SOME INFLATORS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THE HEATING AGENTS NECESSARY FOR PROPER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IN THIS CONDITION, THE EXPANSION…

Consequence

THIS MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT IN THE INVOLVED SEATING POSITION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SPECIFIC SRS AIR BAG. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371, SCION AT 1-866-548-1851, OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 04V558000 2004-11-22 183,090 affected
Defect

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH AN IMPROPERLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. A SILICON OXIDE BUILD-UP OCCURS ON THE CONTACTS INSIDE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, WHICH CAN MAKE IT INOPERABLE.

Consequence

IF THE SWITCH IS INOPERABLE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE AND CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING DECEMBER 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Complaints by component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
164
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
153
4crashes2fires1injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
48
10crashes9injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
45
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
29
1crashes
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
24
4crashes
SERVICE BRAKES
21
2crashes1injuries
POWER TRAIN
18
2crashes2injuries
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
17
AIR BAGS
16
14crashes13injuries
Total complaints737

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Codes c1256 and c1391 acc low pressure and abnormal leak of acc press”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2025-09-24

“The odometer on my 2004 prius stops at 299,999. This is a known problem in the 04-05 models that was corrected in 2006. Leaves me unable to track miles for maintenance and other uses. This also has the problem with the entire digital dash going dark which means no speedometer or gas gauge. Making…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2025-07-18

“The contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. The contact stated while driving 51 mph, the vehicle experienced phantom braking and a loss of power steering assist with the engine overheating message displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The…”

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING · reported 2022-06-09

“The contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. The contact stated while driving 51 mph, the vehicle experienced phantom braking and a loss of power steering assist with the engine overheating message displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The…”

STEERING · reported 2022-06-09

“The contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle lost power steering functionality but the contact was able to safely pull off of the road. The contact stated that the check engine warning light and other unknown warning…”

ENGINE · reported 2022-04-09

“The contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle lost power steering functionality but the contact was able to safely pull off of the road. The contact stated that the check engine warning light and other unknown warning…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY · reported 2022-04-09

“I need your help to get toyota to fix 2 items: -abs accumulator: I understand toyota at one time had a recall on the ‘abs accumulator’, that may have expired. At that time, I did not have any issue, nor was I aware of the recall. Now the ‘abs accumulator’ has gone out and is really hurting…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2022-04-02

“I need your help to get toyota to fix 2 items: -abs accumulator: I understand toyota at one time had a recall on the ‘abs accumulator’, that may have expired. At that time, I did not have any issue, nor was I aware of the recall. Now the ‘abs accumulator’ has gone out and is really hurting…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2022-04-02

Defect investigations

Investigation DP13001 Opened 2013-02-21 · closed 2020-04-08

Intermediate Steering Shaft Separation

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a January 2013 defect petition requesting that it open an investigation on Model Year (MY) 2004-2009 Toyota Prius vehicles to address a possible manufacturing safety defect related to the steering column intermediate shaft.During the defect petition evaluation, ODI:…

Investigation DP13001 Opened 2013-02-21 · closed 2020-04-08

Intermediate Steering Shaft Separation

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a January 2013 defect petition requesting that it open an investigation on Model Year (MY) 2004-2009 Toyota Prius vehicles to address a possible manufacturing safety defect related to the steering column intermediate shaft.During the defect petition evaluation, ODI:…

Investigation DP13001 Opened 2013-02-21 · closed 2020-04-08

Intermediate Steering Shaft Separation

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a January 2013 defect petition requesting that it open an investigation on Model Year (MY) 2004-2009 Toyota Prius vehicles to address a possible manufacturing safety defect related to the steering column intermediate shaft.During the defect petition evaluation, ODI:…

Investigation DP22005 Opened 2023-01-27 · closed 2023-08-07

Pedestrian alert sounds

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for…

Investigation PE05029 Opened 2005-05-31 · closed 2005-10-12

ENGINE STALLING

ODI OPENED PE05-029 BASED ON 33 REPORTS OF ALLEGED GASOLINE ENGINE STALLING ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE GASOLINE/ ELECTRIC HYBRID VEHICLES THAT CAN BE OPERATED IN GASOLINE OR ELECTRIC MODES, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH DEPENDING ON THE POWER DEMAND.ALL REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE GASOLINE ENGINE SHUT…

Investigation PE05029 Opened 2005-05-31 · closed 2005-10-12

ENGINE STALLING

ODI OPENED PE05-029 BASED ON 33 REPORTS OF ALLEGED GASOLINE ENGINE STALLING ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE GASOLINE/ ELECTRIC HYBRID VEHICLES THAT CAN BE OPERATED IN GASOLINE OR ELECTRIC MODES, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH DEPENDING ON THE POWER DEMAND.ALL REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE GASOLINE ENGINE SHUT…

Investigation PE05029 Opened 2005-05-31 · closed 2005-10-12

ENGINE STALLING

ODI OPENED PE05-029 BASED ON 33 REPORTS OF ALLEGED GASOLINE ENGINE STALLING ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE GASOLINE/ ELECTRIC HYBRID VEHICLES THAT CAN BE OPERATED IN GASOLINE OR ELECTRIC MODES, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH DEPENDING ON THE POWER DEMAND.ALL REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE GASOLINE ENGINE SHUT…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2004 Toyota Prius as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.