no report yet
Engine and engine cooling
Risk. The corroded coil wire may break and the water pump could stop.
2004 Toyota PriusProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 610 owner complaints about the 2004 Toyota Prius, most often about the exterior lighting. It is covered by 6 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 24, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 Toyota Prius has problems
610 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
184Exterior lighting
177Electrical system6 crash/fire/injury
89Engine and engine cooling1 crash/fire/injury
52Vehicle speed control11 crash/fire/injury
39Service brakes, hydraulic
34Power train
21Service brakes
18Air bags
13Service brakes, electric
8220 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 184 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 177 | 6 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 89 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 52 | 11 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 39 | 8 |
| Power train | 34 | 4 |
| Service brakes | 21 | 2 |
| Air bags | 18 | 17 |
| Service brakes, electric | 13 | 1 |
| 20 other systems | 82 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2004 Toyota Prius recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Steering
Risk. Over time, the splines may wear and eventually fail resulting in a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
no report yet
Vehicle 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…
no report yet
Steering: electric power assist system
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
Show 2 more recalls
no report yet
Air bags
Risk. THIS MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT IN THE INVOLVED SEATING POSITION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Brake lights: switch
Risk. IF THE SWITCH IS INOPERABLE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE AND CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Mileage at failure
When do exterior lighting problems start?
106kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 163 exterior lighting complaints. 42% were reported before 100,000 miles.
9under 30k miles68under 100k miles95100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Exterior lighting
48 owners mentioned a cost$600median
Middle half: $456 – $960
Electrical system
15 owners mentioned a cost$1,140median
Middle half: $825 – $3,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2004 vs. every other Prius year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Prius median. How we score
'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2004 Toyota Prius safety ratings
2004 Toyota Prius 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2004 Toyota Prius, and the recalls they led to.
- Intermediate Steering Shaft SeparationNo recall
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- ENGINE STALLINGNo recall
In owners' words
What Prius owners report
Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
ALL THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS CONTINUE TO GO OUT ON MY 04 PRIUS. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW HOW FAST I'M GOING THIS COULD DEFINITELY BE A SAFETY ISSUE. AND ZERO WARNING LIGHTS COME ON THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. BY LOOKING ON THE INTERNET…
MY LEFT HEADLIGHT GOES OFF BUT IF I TURN THE HEADLIGHTS BACK OFF AND BACK ON IT COMES BACK ON. THE HEADLIGHT IS NOT BURNED OUT. THIS HAPPENS WHILE ON THE FREEWAY IN THE DARK WHILE RAINING. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND NOT ALL THE TIME.
ABOUT 1.5 YEARS AGO DURING A VACATION. MY CAR DECIDED TO NOT SHUT OFF. I DROVE TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP THAT WAS ABOUT THE CLOSE. THEY ASSISTED AND SAID TO HOLD THE POWER BUTTON DOWN UNTIL IT SHUTS OFF THEN TURN IT BACK ON. THIS WAS A DEALERSHIP IN GEORGIA. THE MECHANIC HAD HEARD OF THE PROBLEM…
Own a 2004 Prius?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.