KnownCarProblems2006 Toyota Prius Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 1,439 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Toyota Prius, most often about the lights (65% of complaints, typically around 49,000 miles). It is 4th of 27 Prius model years by number of complaints and has 6 recalls.
Most common 2006 Toyota Prius problems
Lights
941 complaints · 65%Half of these problems showed up before 49,000 miles. Parts named most often: headlights, tail lights.
At approximately 50,000 miles left headlight started to blink out after 10 minutes to one hour operation. Light could be re-lit by turning out and turning on headlights again. Cost of replacement of light, lamp housing and ecu, in excess of $1000.00 at 60,000 miles, right headlight showing same problem. Replacement…
Both headlamps would go out intermittently, turning them off and back on would work for a while, but eventually over a 2 week period would not come back on. Toyota first denied the problem telling me it would cost 750 each bulb plus labor to fix. I found on a Toyota web site the problem with 2006 Prius headlamps…
Brakes
167 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 68,000 miles. Parts named most often: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, antilock.
2006 Toyota Prius. Braking behavior identical to what has been described in the 2010 Prius models. When traveling over a rough patch of pavement or potholes at low or moderate speed, the vehicle braking seems to release. The best way to characterize this is that as the vehicle bounces over the rough pavement during…
On 1/30/2010 at or about 9:00am. My daughter's 2005 Toyota Prius brakes failed enroute to mammouth. No snow or rain was on roadway. We have been unable to reach he since, but our sending this complaint to document this incident in the event an accident occurs.
Electrical
152 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 61,500 miles. Parts named most often: instrument cluster/panel, propulsion system.
I have a 2006 Toyota Prius. With hid headlights. The headlights goes out about 2-3 times a day. When I notice it out, I have to turn the lights off and back on. This usually last a few more hours. This repair is very costly and not covered by the dealer. But, headlights are safety items and should be covered.
I have 2006 Toyota Prius. I bought the car new. When it was about 2 years old, one taillight went out. When you tapped on the light, it would come back on. When it came back on it stayed on until I was traveling to chicago at night and I noticed that people were passing me and pointing to the back of my car. I pulled…
Speed control
84 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 45,000 miles. Parts named most often: accelerator pedal, cruise control.
I own a 2006 Toyota pruis. I experienced two different times unintended acceleration. I can't tell exactly what was going on at the time. I hit the brake & shut off the cruise control. Engine returned back to normal. I would guess it would pertain to some malfunction in the cruise. Any other same complaints?
Toyota Prius 2006. I pressed accelerator all the way down to accelerate and got stuck there. I was able to stop the car with the brake. It happens twice in july 2009. Once I stopped the car I checked if the floor mats have done so. The floor mats were not the cause. The accelerator was stuck all the way down even with…
Engine
45 complaints · 3%Half of these problems showed up before 106,500 miles. Parts named most often: engine, exhaust system.
I was driving on a highway and the car on the right started to move to my lane without turning on turn signal, he probably didn't notice me as he was moving on me, I started to brake but brake pedal started to work at once, it started to work only after delay and after it started working I lost control over the car…
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Prius. While driving 20 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred six times. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign…
Service Brakes, Electric
45 complaints · 3%Half of these problems showed up before 31,000 miles.
In november of 2007, I was driving my wife's 2006 Toyota Prius to take the family to lunch. I approached the intersection, I was on the cel phone, and the brakes failed to work and I crashed into a truck who was out in the intersection, causing damage to the front end of the Prius. My wife had been complaining for…
I read about the issue with momentary brake problems on the 2010 Prius on bumpy roads. Have you investigated earlier model years? I have a 2006 Prius and have experienced similar issues.
Air bags
30 complaints · 2%Half of these problems showed up before 70,500 miles. Parts named most often: frontal, side/window.
I became ill while driving through a road construction area, becoming nauseous and dizzy. My head banged against the steering wheel and I lost consciousness, the vehicle leaving the road. I understand from reports that the vehicle rolled and, from looking at it after the fact, I believe this to be accurate. However…
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the driver fell asleep while driving and crashed into a road barrier. The air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustained head injuries and the vehicle was destroyed. The police were contacted and a report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a local repair…
Other or unspecified
25 complaints · 2%Half of these problems showed up before 100,000 miles.
My 2006 Toyota Prius I just bought recently is having intermittent headlight problems were the headlights frequently turn off while driving at night. So far turning them off on and on again works, but it can be a safety hazard going down the highway. What can be done about this?
On occasion, when I step on the brake to stop my car (usually when driving under 30 MPH), it feels as though the vehicle tries to accelerate. It seems as though the electronic portion of the vehicle is trying to engage and briefly accelerates when I am trying to stop the vehicle.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2006 Toyota Prius recalls
Hybrid system: inverter
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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 coil wire may corrode at the scratched portion.
Steering: shaft sector
Risk: Over time, the splines may wear and eventually fail resulting in a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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 been manufactured with an insufficient hardness.
Equipment: labels
Risk: A driver may overload a vehicle which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on may 27, 2010. Owners may contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Full defect summary
Southeast toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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 will become available beginning in april 2010 and dealers will replace any modified pedal with the new pedal if desired. Also, dealers will replace any genuine toyota or lexus all-weather floor mats with redesigned all-weather mats, or repurchase the previous mats from owners who do
Full defect summary
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.
Steering: electric power assist system
Risk: This could result in a loss of steering control of the vehicle.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Air bags
Risk: This may increase the risk of injury to the occupant in the involved seating position in the event of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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 force of the gas may be insufficient to properly inflate the air bag when the SRS system is activated during a crash.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
Summary
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 pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after march 1, 2021.on january 27, 2023, NHTSA opened defect petition (dp) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Intermediate steering shaft separation
Summary
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: 1.reviewed the petition and its enclosures; 2.reviewed the subject steering system layout; 3.examined the petition vehicle?s history, including its repair history; 4.reviewed and followed-up potentially related consumer complaints; 5.assessed safety recalls 06v-188 and 12v-537; and, 6.requested and examined complaint, claim, field report, service history, and warranty information
Headlight failure
Summary
Odi opened this investigation after receiving reports that both headlights would go out, or extinguish while driving.the subject vehicles are equipped with high intensity discharge (hid) headlamps that operate on independent lamps and ecu's (electronic control units) for each headlight, meaning that each headlight runs independently of the other, and a failure in one lamp or ecu does not necessarily result in a failure of the other.during the investigation, a random sample of forty consumers was contacted by odi in a telephone survey to verify their experiences.the consumers stated in complaints to toyota that both headlights failed at the same time.odi discovered through talking with these
Questions about the 2006 Toyota Prius
- What are the most common problems with the 2006 Toyota Prius?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: lights (941 complaints, typically around 49,000 miles); brakes (167 complaints, typically around 68,000 miles); electrical (152 complaints, typically around 61,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2006 Toyota Prius have?
- 6 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from November 14, 2012 (hybrid system). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2006 a bad year for the Toyota Prius?
- It is 4th of 27 Prius model years by number of complaints, with 1,439 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.