2009 Toyota Prius Engine cooling Problems
- Complaints
- 7about this part
- Share
- 1%of 502 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 18,400miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2009 Toyota Prius, 1% of the 502 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 18,400 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I purchased a new 2009 Toyota Prius hybrid (gas/electric) on march 31, 2009. The car worked great, but with only 490 miles on the odometer, I did a routine shut down of the car on may 20, 2009 which turned out to be anything but routine. During this event, I shut the car off using the procedure taught to me by the dealership salesman, which was the same procedure outlined in the user manual. …”
NHTSA complaint #10297382, filed 2009-12, 490 miles“Noxious fumes inside vehicle. Smells like burning plastic / metal. Fumes burn eyes and permeate clothing, cause light-headedness. Dlr has tried 3x to repair, can not identify source. Dlr's svc mgr confirms it is not a normal odor for this vehicle, agrees fumes give headache. Mfr's tech dept claims it is normal, despite not having examined vehicle. (mfr is willing to send field svc tech in appx 1 month, will not provide loaner or otherwise accommodate me in the interim.) mfr suggested it is a personal health issue and that I should consider if vehicle is right for me.”
NHTSA complaint #10284962, filed 2009-09, 3,340 miles“The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. While the vehicle was traveling at a speed of 60 MPH the vehicle suddenly shut off without warning and would not restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealership who stated that the failure could not be reproduced. The failure occurred twice prior to the recent failure. The VIN was unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 20,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10318386, filed 2010-03, 20,000 miles“The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that on eight different occasions, the vehicle suddenly lost power. When the contact depressed the accelerator pedal, the vehicle did not respond and speed up. At times, it would eventually increase in speed and then immediately stall thereafter. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000. The current mileage was approximately 20,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10322309, filed 2010-03, 17,000 miles“The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. While driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled and all warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle but it stalled again. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer who replaced the short engine block. The dealer stated that the piston rod was bent due to bad fuel in the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 19,800 and the current mileage was 20,500.”
NHTSA complaint #10374981, filed 2011-01, 19,800 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10253223Mar 4, 2024This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life Coolant, effective March 1, 2024. These products are ordered through the…
- 10183281Oct 21, 2020TT: HVAC drain tube is found to be blocked/clogged.
- 10179698Aug 5, 2020TSB: Some 2003 ? 2020 model year Prius, Prius C, Prius V; 2006 ? 2019 model year Highlander Hybrid Vehicle; 2007 ? 2020 Camry Hybrid Vehicle; 2013 ? 2020 model year Avalon Hybrid…
- 10179602Aug 5, 2020TSB: Some 2003 ? 2020 model year Prius, Prius C, Prius V; 2006 ? 2019 model year Highlander Hybrid Vehicle; 2007 ? 2020 Camry Hybrid Vehicle; 2013 ? 2020 model year Avalon Hybrid…
- 10178524Jul 30, 2020TT: HVAC drain tube is found to be blocked/clogged.
- 10132091Oct 8, 2013Some 2004 ? 2009 model year Prius vehicles may exhibit a MIL ?ON? condition with Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0A80 or P0A7F stored due to dust or debris build-up in the HV…
- 10132204Aug 12, 2013For vehicles that are used under certain severe operating conditions, the HV Battery Cooling Fan may experience an excessive buildup of dust, lint, or other debris that can…
Engine cooling: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 4% |
| 2019 | 1 | 3% |
| 2018 | 3 | 8% |
| 2017 | 1 | 1% |
| 2016 | 1 | 1% |
| 2012 | 1 | 0% |
| 2011 | 5 | 1% |
| 2010 | 33 | 1% |
| 2009 | 7 | 1% |
| 2008 | 16 | 1% |
| 2007 | 17 | 1% |
| 2006 | 20 | 1% |
| 2005 | 64 | 6% |
| 2004 | 89 | 15% |
| 2003 | 11 | 11% |
| 2002 | 11 | 7% |
| 2001 | 18 | 11% |
Other parts of the 2009 Toyota Prius
199 complaintsExterior lighting
111 complaintsVehicle speed control
71 complaintsElectrical system
60 complaintsOther or unknown
36 complaintsFuel system
24 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
22 complaintsEngine
19 complaintsBody and structure
19 complaintsAir bags
17 complaintsSteering
13 complaintsElectronic stability control
12 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2009 Toyota Prius
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology