2004 Toyota Prius Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2004 Toyota Prius, 15% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 12,983 miles. The words owners use most often: “gas engine” (19% of reports).
- 89engine and engine cooling complaints
- 12,983median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 40%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Gas engine: mentioned in 17 of 89 complaints (19%)
- Red triangle: mentioned in 7 of 89 complaints (8%)
- Electric motor: mentioned in 7 of 89 complaints (8%)
- Battery power: mentioned in 7 of 89 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 72 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 89 complaints, 1 mention a crash.
Toyota Prius engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Prius | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2019 Prius | 1 | 3% | 95,000 |
| 2018 Prius | 3 | 8% | 89,682 |
| 2017 Prius | 1 | 1% | 81,700 |
| 2016 Prius | 1 | 1% | 223,601 |
| 2012 Prius | 1 | 0% | 9,851 |
| 2011 Prius | 5 | 1% | 15,956 |
| 2010 Prius | 33 | 1% | 13,021 |
| 2009 Prius | 7 | 1% | 18,400 |
| 2008 Prius | 16 | 1% | 19,169 |
| 2007 Prius | 17 | 1% | 34,000 |
| 2006 Prius | 20 | 1% | 46,100 |
| 2005 Prius | 64 | 6% | 18,881 |
| 2004 Prius | 89 | 15% | 12,983 |
| 2003 Prius | 11 | 11% | 75,000 |
| 2002 Prius | 11 | 7% | 77,255 |
| 2001 Prius | 18 | 11% | 37,700 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Hybrid propulsion system: inverter; engine and engine cooling
Problem: 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.
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I was driving on the freeway at about 63 miles per hour, i had been driving for about 20 minutes when my engine cut out, all the lights on my dash turned on including the check engine and red triangle warning light. I drifted to the shoulder and powered the car off. I tried to start it 2 more…
Driving home at night on the 405 freeway at approx. 65mph, suddenly all the dash warning lights illuminated, including the mil symbol, along with a warning symbol on the navigation screen. I pulled off the freeway and parked at the curb. After checking the owners manual, i slowly drove the rest of…
Failure of inverter coolant pump occurred without warning during normal driving conditions. This is apparently a common problem occurring at many different mileage intervals for other owners. Immediate significant loss of power and several warning lights illuminated. Cruise control and a/c went…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Toyota Priuss have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 89 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 2004 Toyota Prius (15% of the 610 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Toyota Prius engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 12,983 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2004 Toyota Prius?
The most frequent phrase is “gas engine”, in 17 of 89 complaints, followed by “red triangle” (7).
Other 2004 Toyota Prius problems
See all 2004 Toyota Prius problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Prius years.