2004 Toyota Prius Problems, Recalls & Reliability
737 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Toyota Prius, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 22/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 90,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2004 sits among all Prius years
What owners report
“While driving myh toyota prius has stalled for no reason 3 times. I've brought it in once after the 2nd time and they said that nothing was wrong.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Prius
“2004 toyota prius. Stalled while driving at about 40 mph. Able to restart car after driving with electric motor for a few blocks.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Prius
“While driving, the abs, vcs and red brake light all came on. Had it towed to the dealership and was told the brake actuator needed to be replaced for $3,000. It was diagnosed as: replace brake accumulator assy. (brake accumulator assy. Leak/ low pressure (c1256, c1391))”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Prius
“While driving to work this morning in rush hour traffic, my car suddenly accelerated as i was merging to my left. As i was merging i felt the car accelerate and the decrease in pressure against my foot as the pedal depressed on it's own. I was able to regain control of the car after forcefully…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Prius
“My 2004 prius's check engine light turns on randomly wnd often and i lose full power of the car. The battery is fully charged. The car stopped 4 times today - lost all power and the brake would not stop the car.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Prius
“2004 toyota prius-while driving various warning lights came on including go to a dealer immediately which i did. Propulsion power almost vanished in one mile of driving. Dealer fixed the problem at no charge saying they "reprogram engine ecu"”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Prius
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 584 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 75,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 18,750 and 120,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.
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.…
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING DECEMBER 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 22V063000.
Technical service bulletins
226 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2004 Toyota Prius. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2004 Toyota Prius reliable?
The 2004 Toyota Prius drew 737 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 22/100, scored against the model's worst year (2010).
What are the most common 2004 Toyota Prius problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Toyota Prius are electrical (369 complaints), engine (104), and brakes & stability (65).
At what mileage do 2004 Toyota Prius problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Toyota Prius problems around 75,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 18,750 and 120,000 miles.
Does the 2004 Toyota Prius have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 Toyota Prius. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.