ToyotaPrius2008Overview/toyota/prius/2008/base/

2008 Toyota Prius

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Prius.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2008 Toyota Prius is a passenger car fitted with an automatic transmission utilizing variable gear ratios and an engine oil capacity of 3.9 quarts of 5W-30 API viscosity, achieving EPA fuel-economy ratings of 48/45/46 mpg. Recording 1,497 owner complaints, this model year sits roughly midway between the 2000 low of 4 and the 2010 high of 2,819 within the nameplate’s 2000–2026 complaint history, indicating a moderate issue volume relative to the model span. Exterior lighting stands as the top reported problem area, with four recalls issued for this vintage.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.9 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy48/45/46 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI S34B20R · 270 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZN1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI S34B20R · 270 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnHOTOEM · verified
Tire sizeP195-55R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZN1
Engine air filter1780121040
Spark plug9008091184
Battery2880037092 alt 2880021182
Front wiper blades8521247021 alt 8522247020
Serpentine belt9091602570
Thermostat9091603093 alt 1632562010
Cabin air filter871394701083

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length175.6 in
Overall width68.1 in
Overall height58.3 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight2943 lb
Track (front / rear)58.3 / 57.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined48 / 45 / 46 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Prius of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.8–12.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.80 sec — 2004 Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2006Hatchback 1.5L I-4 + Elec10.50 sec17.80 sec110 hpFWD
2004Hatchback 1.5L I-4 + Elec9.80 sec17.04 sec110 hpFWD
2004Hatchback 1.5L I-4 + Elec10.10 sec17.70 sec110 hpFWD
2004Hatchback 1.5L I-4 + Elec10.20 sec17.50 sec110 hpFWD
2004Hatchback 1.5L I-4 + Elec10.20 sec17.70 sec110 hpFWD
2004Hatchback 1.5L I-4 + Elec11.30 sec18.30 sec110 hpFWD
2004Hatchback 1.5L I-4 + Elec12.50 sec18.90 sec110 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.9 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.9 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts95 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)1000 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Timing8-12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.25-1.38 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.50 oz
Standard BCI Group NumberS34B20R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance270 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance0.3-100 motor ohms
Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.1 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression99
Engine Oil Pressure4.2 psi @ Idle, 22-80 psi @ 2500 rpm psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle81 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Drum Nominal Diameter7.874 in
Drum Maximum Machining7.913 in
Drum Discard at-or-over7.914
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 120,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning Condenser (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Hybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Hybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 Toyota Prius sits in the declining phase of the second-generation complaint arc, with 1,497 federal complaints — a notable drop from the generation's 2007 peak of 2,003, and well below the 2006 level of 1,439. Recalls held steady at four (matching 2007), while investigations dipped from three to two, suggesting some stabilization as Toyota refined the platform late in its lifecycle. The dominant complaint area — Exterior Lighting at 481 reports — stands out sharply, followed by brake-related categories (hydraulic service brakes at 116, service brakes at 98) and vehicle speed control at 94; the data does not specify root causes for these concentrations. Notably, 2009 complaints plummeted to 502 before the 2010 redesign triggered a fresh spike to 2,819, reinforcing that 2008 represents a mature, de-bugged point in the generation rather than a problematic early-build or transition year. With 152 crash complaints and 6 fire complaints on file, buyers should verify that all four recalls have been completed and pay particular attention to headlight functionality during inspection. **Takeaway:** The 2008 Prius is a reasonable used purchase within this generation — complaints were trending downward from peak, recall and investigation counts were stable-to-improving, and it benefits from years of prior model-year refinements — making it a better bet than 2004–2007 examples, provided the lighting and brake systems check out.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
222
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,497
Owner complaints
152 involved a crash · 6 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,497 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Exterior Lighting481
Service Brakes, Hydraulic116
Service Brakes98
Vehicle Speed Control94
Electrical System77
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting65
Service Brakes, Electric58
Structure40

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

12V537000SteeringReported 14/11/2012

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 5, 2003, through March 30, 2009. The affected vehicles have a steering intermediate extension shaft assembly built with metal splines… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the extension shaft and replace it if it is one with insufficient hardness, free of charge. The recall began during December…

12V536000Engine And Engine CoolingReported 14/11/2012

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… Remedy: 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 222 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
T-SB-0119-15 Rev22026-02-13EngineOBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26.
T-SB-0009-262026-02-13EngineThis bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high…
T-SB-0055-24 Rev22026-01-07Unknown Or OtherSome 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
T-SB-0035-24 Rev22024-12-06StructureAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to…
T-SB-0038-24 Rev22024-12-06StructureTo prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Prius. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Prius take?

3.9 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Prius have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Prius get?

EPA figures are 48 city / 45 highway / 46 combined mpg.