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 2007 Toyota Prius owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Instrument panel cluster failure. Panel goes black while driving and lose power. Vehicle won't start or shut off. My vehicle was getting serviced at the dealership and they couldn't start the vehicle. I was told the instrument panel cluster was the problem. I contacted Toyota Customer Service, and was told they were aware of the issue. They had issued an extended warranty and sent out a letter to all owners this warranty has expired in 2016. If you purchased your vehicle after 2016 you would not have received any notice regarding this. While driving you can't see you speed, your gear selection, fuel level, lights and no warning lights. The warning is that your vehicle won't start or shut off.
I keep replacing P1116 and it keeps coming back also I was driving up a hill when I lost power and the car wouldn't accelerate. It would turn on and go into gear but not go anywhere. I know it says my vin doesn't have recalls but why am I experiencing them
This was a first time occurrence for my 2007 Prius. I was stopped midway on my mountain, long & steep, dirt driveway trying to park along the rock side. It was too tight to park so decided to continue down to the bottom. I was in reverse and shifted, with my foot on the brake, into drive. The car suddenly bolted forward propelling me through the fence and down a steep embankment to our deck where 12 people were having a dinner meeting. My brakes didn't work, nor did the steering. The bolting force was heard by all on the deck. There is no way I would have pressed the gas by mistake for two reasons: your foot must be on the brake to shift; and as is typical on our steep gravel roads, one never presses the gas pedal while proceeding down. …
While driving uphill on a curved, shoulder-less road, my car spontaneously shifted into neutral, causing it to lose all power as well as power brake. I attempted to physically hold the gear shift in "drive", but this did not bring power back, nor did it change the light on the dash from "neutral". At first the car would shift into reverse, and I was able to back into a wider part of the road. It then stopped shifting into any gear. I ended up having the car towed home in neutral, with poor (non-power) braking. I've since done a google search and see that this is a recurrent problem with 200-something priuses, based on consumer affairs, Toyota nation, Prius online, and car problem zoo.
I was driving about 35 MPH on a city street when the car suddenly shifted into neutral. I tried to put it back in drive, but it kept shifting back into neutral. Luckily there was enough distance between me and the car behind me was that it didn't result in an accident. I held the gearshift in drive with my right hand and steered with my left until I was able to turn off of the street into a parking lot. I could not put the car in park. I pressed the park button and nothing happened. I turned the car off, waited a minute and started it again. I could shift into reverse, but it continued to pop back into neutral when in drive. I had to drive home holding the gearshift in drive with one hand.
Tl contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The vehicle was in parked in the driveway and another vehicle bumped into it causing the gear shift to move into reverse. The vehicle traveled over an 18 inch snow bank and crashed into a tree. The front and rear bumpers were damaged. There were no injuries. The vehicle was driven to the dealer. A representative from the manufacturer performed a diagnostic test and found that the gear shift being placed in and out of park several times caused the gears to slip into neutral and then into reverse. The contact confirmed that the vehicle was in park. The contact was not offered any assistance with the repair. The failure mileage was 44,000.
While I was driving, the car suddenly made a very loud sound, that did not go away. Along with that, the lights on the dash lit up, the brake light, the red hazard exclamation triangle light, the ABS and vsc light. It felt the brakes were not working and I would need to press it down hard for it to slow down. This has happened three times! And each time I took it in to Toyota, their diagnostic tests showed nothing. They think it could be the battery but they did not suggest changing it. The three episodes that happened, luckily no injuries or crashes. But it is very concerning as I feel this will happen again and they have not figured out what the problem is.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that she shifted into park and exited the vehicle. Upon returning, the contact noticed that the vehicle independently shifted from park, rolled away and crashed into a pole while occupied with the contact's child. Upon impact, the air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure could not be replicated. The manufacturer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 86,000.
I have a 2007 Toyota Prius. I turned it off and went in the house. When I came out it had gone into my garage door and damaged the front end and the garage door. Obviously accelerated after being shut down.
May 22, 2008 Toyota motor sales, U.S.A., inc. 19001 south western ave. Dept. Wc11 torrance, ca 90501 dear sirs: I have been a long-time Toyota customer and last year purchased a 2007 Prius. I am also a subscriber to consumer reports magazine. Although I am delighted with the comfort, headroom, gas mileage, convenience, quiet and appearance of the car, there is a real safety issue. When I was initially researching a new automobile, I dismissed some peoples' reports of 'sudden acceleration' as being inaccurate. However, it is real, and I have figured out under what specific circumstances it occurs. …
Transmission complaints in other Prius years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2007 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2007 Toyota Prius, 2% of the model year's 2,003 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (10 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Toyota Prius transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2007 Toyota Prius, though it has 4 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 2007 Toyota Prius transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles, and 26% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury 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.