Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Toyota Prius owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Prius. While driving in clear, normal road conditions at speeds of 50 MPH, the contact attempted to accelerate into the flow of traffic. She then applied the brake pedal, however the vehicle did not decrease in speed. The brakes would not engage and the rear of the vehicle spun out of control or fish tailed. The contact could not maintain control of the vehicle and crashed into a guard rail and a nearby tree. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was not available at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were 100,000. Updated evoq. 05/27/10
Shifter sticking in drive position as opposed to returning to its home position. When this shifter sticks, the park button becomes disabled and vehicle remains in drive even though park button is engaged
While driving Prius on major highway in dfw metroplex during evening rush hour the warning light came on, then a couple seconds later, entire dash board information screen and all warning lights flashed. Car engine continued to run, and would not turn off, but no power was available to steering or brakes. This problem occurred at the apex of a bridge. However, was able to coast the car into the median between the merge ramp of the major highway and the interstate. Very dangerous situation if it had occurred before apex of the bridge. )called the dealership, who in turn, called a tow truck. Had to basically play with power button, brake, and gear shift to get it into neutral so the car could be loaded onto the tow truck. Took dealer three days to diagnose the problem. It was blamed on a short in auxiliary battery. However, it seemed to be working okay. …
The dash gear selector (common to 2004 - 2009 g2 Prius) began clicking when I changed gears (r-d-n) I researched the subject and learned that this can lead to the shifter locking in d or r, a hazardous condition. I also learned that some diy owners have discovered a warped dust plate in the shifter component. It causes this problem. Their solution is to remove the plate, trim it, and reassemble the part. Link 1 below is a google search that reveals the other two links I included. Not all of the hits are relevant. The third link has a video with clear images of the problem and the diy 'solution.' https://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&complete=0&site=webhp&q=Prius+%22gear+shift%22+click+sticking&oq=Prius+%22gear+shift%22+click+sticking&gs_l=serp.3...2446378.2449925.0.2450814.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0.les%3bcpsugrpq1..0.0...1.1.iimlxlk1u2c …
The basic problem: the gear shift selector sticks in drive or "b" (engine braking mode). If the driver stops the vehicle, with the brake depressed, and then presses the park button to put the vehicle in park, the vehicle remains in drive mode. The vehicle will move as soon as the driver lifts their foot from the brake pedal, even though the driver believes they have engaged the park mode. The driver has to place the normally spring-activated gearshift lever into the home position before the car will shift into park. Danger to the driver and others who drive the car. This is very dangerous, as the driver gets very used to being able to place the car into park by pressing the park button. Others who drive the car, like parking attendants or friends, will not suspect a problem. The failure of the park mechanism when this happens is going to cause accidents. Toyota's response. …
Vehicle slips into neutral and/or will not revert back to drive or reverse. The problem is most prevalent when weather gets extremely hot (99 degrees +). The only way I was able to get moving was to physically hold my shifter in drive position; the second I let it go, the vehicle automatically reverted back to neutral. I had my vehicle over to a local Toyota dealership about this issue. The technician at that time did acknowledge this was strange and witnessed the problem on site. After diagnosing the vehicle, he could not find anything wrong; I was told to leave the car with the dealership for a few days to try to replicate the problem; no other means of transportation was offered. …
A combination of 2 issues. For several months the gear shift selector has been sticking in the d position instead of automatically returning to the n position as it should. It is documented by other Prius owners that the dust cover inside the shifter can begin to warp over time causing this sticking. Http://priuschat.com/threads/gear-shifter-sticks.38199/ I thought this was just a nuisance issue until last month and on one other occasion where the shifter stuck in the d position and I hadn't noticed and when I attempted to put the car into "park" by pressing the separate p button the car would not go into park. It is now apparent that this is related to the shifter sticking in the d position and preventing the car from going into park. …
3 months ago, all of the check engine lights in my Toyota Prius 04 came on. I brought it straight to the dealer. They took it for a test drive, but the lights had gone off and they refused to check it, saying it was okay. Then, yesterday, all of the lights came on again. I was on the san francisco bay bridge and could not pull over anywhere. Then, the accelerator stopped working and the car rolled to a stop. I called 911 and tried to turn off the car. The car would not turn off. The accelerator still wouldn't work and I was stuck in the middle of heavy traffic on the bridge. Finally, caltrans used a tow truck to push me off of the bridge. I was then towed to the Toyota dealer. The Toyota dealer checked the car and discovered that I had a bug in the software control unit. He updated the software and, supposedly, it now works. …
My daughter was driving my 2004 Prius on i35w at 55 MPH when several red warning lights came on and the car chimed. We were able to exit the interstate and left the car running while we consulted the owner's manual, then called the dealer. We started to drive to the dealership, but the car's power diminished noticeably at each red light or stop sign. It finally stalled about one mile from the parking lot where we had initially paused. The car was blocking a bus route/highway exit/surface street connector at that point. A bus driver and passenger had to push the car to a safer location, out of the bus' way! The ignition locked and the fob couldn't be removed until at least 30 minutes passed. The car was towed to the dealer, who said it was "a software glitch" and that there was nothing we could have done to prevent it, as they had to reprogram it. No parts were replaced.
I have had 3 'stalls' of my 2004 Prius which I drive 150 miles a day and it has 48K miles on it. All of the engine stalls have been at low speed (under 20 MPH) and have been preceeded by a red warning triangle light and the screen displaying something like 'critical problem'. On one incident I was in heavy traffic and managed to use the electric motor to get me to the side of the highway before the engine/motor stopped with no power. When I turned the power on/off several times the engine would start but there was no power. I did notice that on all three stalls my gas gauge was low (one or two bars) but I have run the car for thirty miles after the last bar started to flash so it's hard to tell if there is a connection. I did report this to the dealer but they had no information on it and the car reset each time after a period of time.
Transmission complaints in other Prius years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2004 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA has 34 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2004 Toyota Prius, 6% of the model year's 610 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Toyota Prius transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2004 Toyota Prius, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Toyota Prius transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.