Toyota Prius Complaints (2005)

1,051 consumer complaints on file.

#10124529June 7, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
REPORTED INCIDENT TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER SUPPORT -- INCIDENT: 050412-000111 RESPONSES RECEIVED FROM TOYOTA WAS THAT THE COMPUTER WAS FIXED BASED ON A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. NO RECURRENCE SINCE THE FIX. TO: TOYOTA CUSTOMER SUPPORT SIR OR MADAM: I BOUGHT MY 2005 PRIUS NEW FROM MECHANICSVILLE TOYOTA ON DECEMBER 1, 2004 AND GENERALLY WAS QUITE SATISFIED WITH THE CAR AND THE GREAT GAS MILEAGE IT PROVIDES. HOWEVER, LAST THURSDAY, 4/7/05, WITH 4738 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH WENT ON INCLUDING THE MASTER WARNING LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC LIGHT, AND THE MULTI INFORMATION DISPLAY IS SHOWING THE RED HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT. THE CAR LOST POWER AND I HAD TO LIMP IT HOME. THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION DISPLAY FOR THE BATTERY PACK SHOWED ONE RED BAR AND THE FUEL GAUGE HAD TWO BARS LEFT. I CALLED TOYOTA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WHICH PROMPTLY DISPATCHED A TOW TRUCK AND DELIVERED THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THE FOLLOWING MORNING, FRIDAY, 4/8/05, AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE ONLY EXPLANATION I GOT WAS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSSUE WITH 2 BARS OF FUEL LEFT AND THE CAUSE WAS THAT THE ENGINE SUCKED IN AIR WITH STOPS OR TURNS. IS THERE A FURTHER EXPLANATION OR FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM? I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I CROSS RAILROAD TRACKS TO AND FROM WORK DAILY AND DEFINITELY WILL NOT WANT THIS CAR TO STALL ON THE TRACKS OR ANYWHERE ON THE ROAD. MY WIFE AND I ARE A MULTIPLE TOYOTA OWNERS: 95 CAMRY WAGON AND 93 PREVIA. I USED TO OWN AN 83 TERCEL AND MY WIFE AND STEP DAUGHTER HAVE AND STILL OWN A 96 TERCEL. THESE CARS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY RELIABLE SO THAT MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE PRIUS COMES AS A SHOCK. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ON THIS SAFETY ISSUE. SINCERELY, APOLINAR ILOG GLEN ALLEN, VA EMAIL: [email protected]
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124325June 6, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS FAILED WITH ENGINE SHUTDOWN AT 65 MPH ON FLORIDA TURNPIKE. AFTER RESTARTING ON SHOULDER, VEHICLE WOULD ONLY ACHIEVE 52 MPH, THEN FAILED AGAIN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124365June 6, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DT: CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING HER VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, AND IT STARTED BACK. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATES THE COMPUTER DID NOT REGISTER THE EVENT, SO THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE LOCAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THIS WAS THE FIRST COMPLAINT THEY HAD RECEIVED. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124219June 5, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I DID NOT HAVE A FAILURE, BUT I HAD AN EXPERIENCE THAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL TO YOU AND TOYOTA. MY EXPERIENCE WAS ACCIDENTLY HITTING MY RIGHT KNEE LIGHTLY UPWARD AGAINST THE LEVER THAT IS USED TO PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, PARK, REFERSE AND BATTERY. I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAS SHIFTING MY WEIGHT SLIGHTLY TO GET MORE COMFORTABLE AFTER I HAD BEEN DRIVING SEVERAL HOURS. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, LOOKING AT THE DASHBOARD, I NOTICED THE CAR WAS IN THE "B" MODE WHICH I GUESS IS CALLED BATTERY. I SHIFTED BACK INTO DRIVE WITH NO PROBLEM. HOWEVER MY THINKING IS THAT IF SOMEONE DID WHAT I DID (IN THE WAY OF ACCIDENTLY TAPPING THE SHIFT LEVER WITH THEIR KNEE) AND DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE CAR HAD SHIFTED TO BATTERY, AFTER DRIVING FOR SOME TIME (X HOURS OR MINUTES) THE BATTERIES THAT DRIVE THE ELECTRIC MOTOR/ENGINE WOULD RUN DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE THE CAR WOULD STOP RUNNING AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED BECAUSE THE BATTERIES WERE SO RUN DOWN. ALSO THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AGAIN BECAUSE THE BATTERIES RUNNING THE ELECTRIC MOTOR WERE NOT ASSISTING IN THE DRIVE OF THE CAR AS DESIGNED. I NOTICED A NOTE ON A WEB SITE THIS EVENING THAT INDICATED THE CAR WOULD NOT RUN WHEN THE BATTERIES WERE BELOW A 20% CHARGE. IF THIS IS CORRECT, IT WOULD FIT IN WITH MY THEORY. THE SHIFT LEVER NEEDS TO BE HARDER TO MOVE SO THAT ACCIDENTAL CHANGES SUCH AS I EXPERIENCED WOULD BE PREVENTED. IF THIS IS TOO EXPENSIVE, MAYBE A CHEAPER WAY TO FIX TGHE PROBLEM WOULD BE FOR AN ALARM LIGHT OR AUDIBLE SIGNAL TO GO ON WHEN THE BATTERY PROPULSION HAD BEEN GOING ON TOO LONG UNASSISTED BY THE GASOLINE MOTOR. MAYBE I'M ALL WET, BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULDN'T HURT TO LET YOU KNOW MY THOUGHTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124223June 5, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE GASOLINE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED BUT THE ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTINUED TO RUN ALLOWING ME TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY, ALBEIT AT A REDUCED SPEED. I MANAGED TO DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE TO 1.5 MILES UNTIL THE ELECTRIC MOTOR BATTERY WAS CONMPLETELY DEPLETED. THE VEHILCE WOULD NOT RESTART AND I ARRANGED TO HAVE IT TOWED. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW SERVICE I TRIED TO RESTART IT A NUMBER OF TIMES AND AFTER 35 - 40 MINUTES IT STARTED AND SINCE THEN HAS HAD NO ISSUES. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY THE CRUSIE CONTROL WAS SET AND THERE WERE BETWEEN 1.6 AND 2 GALLONS OF GASOLINE REMAINING IN THE TANK. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IF I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE FAST LANE AS THE CAR WENT FROM 65 MPH TO 35 - 40 MPH IN SECONDS! I ALSO BARELY MADE IT OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS ACTUALLY STICKING INTO THE TRAVEL LANE SOMEWHAT WHEN THE ELCTRIC MOTOR ALSO COMPLETLY DIED. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA OF THE PROBLEM BUT NO CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WERE TAKEN AND THEY DID NOT INFORM ME OF ANY ISSUES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124175June 4, 2005
POWER TRAIN
I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON HWY 41 IN FRESNO, CA WHEN MY 2005 PRIUS HAD IT'S INCIDENT. ALL THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, AND I SAW THAT I WAS ONLY RUNNINGL ON MY ELECTRIC MOTOR. LLUCKILY I WAS IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE GETTING READY TO MERGE ONTO ANOTHER FREEWAY, SO I PUT MY HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS ON, AND ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED BECAUSE I REDUCED MY SPEED AND THE HONDA BEHIND ME WAS IMPATIENT AND RIDING MY BUMBER. I PULLED OFF THE FREEWAY, CALLED AAA, AND BEFORE THEY GOT OUT, I TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES BECAUSE WHERE IT FINALLY DIED WAS A BAD SPOT- AND THE ENGINE KICKED RIGHT ON! I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! THE FOLLOWING MONDAY I CALLED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (MICHAEL TOYOTA) AND THEY CHECKED FOR ANY RECALLS AND SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT". THEN I HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THESE OTHER CASES COMING LATELY AND IT SOUNDS LIKE I HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM. I RETURNED TO MY TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE 4 HOURS THEY HAD LEFT IN THE DAY WASN'T ENOUGH TIME, SO I NEED TO TAKE A DAY OFF OF WORK SO THAT I CAN DRIVE THE HOUR IT TAKES TO GET THERE AND WAIT FOR MY VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124064June 3, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DT: WHILE DRIVING 2005, TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 15-20 MPH ON A 2 LANE ROAD THE ENGINE DIED. AFTER A SHORT TIME IT DID RESTART. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124071June 3, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WAS DRIVING HOME (APPROX 35 MPH) WHEN MASTER WARNING LIGHT AND VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RUN ON GASOLINE POWER AND BATTERY QUICKY RAN DOWN SO CAR WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP ADVISED IT WAS A "COMPUTER PROBLEM"
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124114June 3, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO A GAS STATION ON A MAJOR ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE DIED AND THE VEHICLE SHIFTED TO BATTERY POWER. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE GAS STATION AND IT WAS CLEAR I HAD NOT RUN OUT OF GAS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN FINE SINCE SO I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT UNTIL THE MEDIA REPORTS CAME OUT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10123884June 2, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS AT ABOUT 40 MPHIN LEFT LANE ON ROUTE 158 IN KITTY HAWK, NC, THE ACCELARATORL QUIT WORKING, BUT NEITHER ENGINE QUIT. WAS ABLE TO LET CAR GO INTO SHOPPING CENTER LOT (THIS WAS DANGEROUS SITUATION AND MY 8 YEAR OLD GRANDAUGHTER WAS IN THE CAR). ELECTIRC ENGINE PROVIDED THE POWER WITH OUT ACCELERATOR ASSISTANCE. HAD CAR TOWED TO ELIXABETH CITY TOYOTA DEALER. MECHANIC TOOK TWO DAYS TO FIND A WASY TO GET ACCELERATOR WORKING. HE SAID THATIN CONJUNTION WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE ENGINEERSOVER TELEPHONE HE RAN TESTS AND MANY ERRORS SHOWED UP NOT RELATED TO THE ACCELERATOR. THE PROBLEMS SOUNDED TO ME LIKE IT WAS IN THE COMPUTER'S SYSTEM. MECHANIC WAS EVENTUALLY TOLD TO SHUT DOWN ALL COMPUTERS AND RE-BOOT THEM ONE BY ONE. I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE CAUSE AND HE SAID NONE WAS DISCOVERED. CAR HAS NOT REPEASTED PROBLEM, BUT I REMAIN CONCERNED. RELATED THIS PROBLEM TO MY PURCAHSE DEALER (LUSTINE TOYOTA IN WOODBRIDGE VA) ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER. I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNLESSS THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN - THIS IS NOT REASSURING. AND I AAPEARED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PROBLEM THAT THEY DID OR WAS WILLING TO ADMIT. I EVEN GAVE THEM A COPY OF AN ARTILCE (THE JAPAN TIMES - 5/16/2005) THAT I FOUND ON THE WEB REFERRED TO A WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. IT SAID THA TTOYOTA CORP HAD SENT LETTERS TO PRIUS OWNERS TELLING THEM TO TAKE THIER CARS IN FOR A SOFTWARE UPGRADE COMPUTER. NO LETTER WA SEVER SENT TO ME! AND DEALER DID NOT REACT TO LETTER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10123903June 2, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
GAS MOTOR STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH. ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTINUED TO OPERATE UNTIL THE BATTERY WAS DEPLETED, ABOUT 1 OR 2 MILES. I WAS UNABLE TO PULL THE CAR OVER BECAUSE I WAS IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE CAR OFF, BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF A KEY, BUT ONCE I DID RESTART IT, IT WORKED FINE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10123908June 2, 2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
WHILE TEST DRIVING A NEW '05 TOYOTA PRIUS I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT ITS BRAKING SYSTEM IS INADEQUATE. EMERGENCY BRAKING WHILE TURNING EASILY INDUCES UNDER-STEER BECAUSE OF THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING. AS THE AGGRESSIVE BRAKE-ASSIST TAKES OVER THERE IS "SNAP" OVER-STEER AND FRONT WHEEL LOCKUP. FOR AVERAGE DRIVERS THIS CAN RESULT IN COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10123978June 2, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DT: WITHOUT WARNING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN CAR TO DEALER FOUR TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED DIFFERENT PARTS AND THE PROBLEM WAS THERE AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT. CONSUMER JUST GOT VEHICLE BACK FOR THE FOURTH TIME. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CALLED TODAY. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM IN ANY OTHER CAR. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124023June 2, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
OUR PRIUS HYBRID CAR ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. WE COULD NOT GET IT STARTED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE OUR CAR REPROGRAMED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10123739June 1, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED. I WAS CLOSE TO AN OFF-RAMP AND WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF OF THE EXIT. AT THE BOTTOM ON THE EXIT I WAS ABLE TO START UP AGAIN BY SHIFTING INTO DRIVE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10123806June 1, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM), POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE SHIFT-BY-WIRE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR IN MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS IGNORES MY SHIFT IF I MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER TOO QUICKLY. THIS HAS ALMOST LED TO SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. ON MY FIRST DAY DRIVING MY PRIUS, I WAS PARKED IN A DIAGONAL, ON-STREET SPACE. MY VIEW OF APPROACHING TRAFFIC WAS BLOCKED BY THE VEHICLE BESIDE ME. WHEN I BACKED OUT FAR ENOUGH INTO THE TRAFFIC LANE, I REALIZED THAT TRAFFIC WAS COMING. I NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY TO AVOID GETTING HIT. I QUICKLY MOVED THE SHIFT LEVER TO D AND ACCELERATED. THE CAR LURCHED BACKWARDS INSTEAD OF FORWARDS. I HIT THE BRAKE AND QUICKLY BUT CAREFULLY SHIFTED TO D AGAIN. APPROACHING TRAFFIC WAS NOW ALMOST AT MY LOCATION. I ACCELERATED AGAIN BUT THE CAR LURCHED BACKWARDS, NOT FORWARDS, AGAIN. THE CAR HAD IGNORED BOTH INPUTS FROM ME AND REMAINED IN REVERSE. LUCKILY THE APPROACHING TRAFFIC SLOWED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO ME, GIVING ME TIME TO SLOWLY AND DELIBERATELY MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER TO D. THIS TIME THE CAR MOVED FORWARD. I CAN EASILY SHIFT THE LEVER TOO QUICKLY, WHICH RESULTS IN NO GEAR CHANGE. TOYOTA SAID THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION IS NORMAL FOR THE PRIUS. ALSO, THERE IS A COLUMN-MOUNTED STALK TOO CLOSE TO THE DASH-MOUNTED GEAR SHIFT LEVER. IT IS EASY TO MOMENTARILY PUT YOUR HAND ON THE WRONG STALK WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT GEARS. FINALLY, THE CAR LOUDLY BEEPS WHENEVER REVERSE IS SELECTED. THIS IS INSIDE, NOT OUTSIDE I ASSUME TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN REVERSE. THAT LOUD, DISTRACTING INTERIOR BEEPER IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I WAS NOT AWARE OF HEARING IT WHEN I HAD THE BACKING INCIDENTS DESCRIBED ABOVE BUT I AM VERY AWARE OF IT WHEN I AM CAREFULLY BACKING UP AND TRYING TO WATCH AND LISTEN FOR PEDESTRIANS, CARS, ETC. BEHIND ME. MY TOYOTA DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT CANNOT BE DISCONNECTED. ALL DRIVERS FROM OWNERS TO VALETS, EXPECT THE GEARS TO CHANGE WHEN THEY SHIFT. THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE WARNED ABOUT THE PRIUS UNTIL TOYOTA MAKES A TRANSMISSION FIX SUCH AS RETROFITTING THE CARS WITH A CONVENTIONAL SHIFT MECHANISM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10123850June 1, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
1) I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM TOYOTA ABOUT A NAVIGATION SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE UPDATE WAS PERFORMED. 2)AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, IN LESS THAN 2 MILES, THE CAR ENGINE STALLED AS I WAS DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. 3) MY CAR HAS THE SMARTKEY SYSTEM, SO AT THE TIME, THE KEY WAS NOT INSERTED. AFTER INSERTING THE KEY, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. THIS OCCURRED AGAIN AFEW DAYS LATER, AND THE CAR WAS RESTARTED ONLY AFTER INSERTING THE KAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10123853June 1, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ON MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED WHEN LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. THE ELECTRIC ENGINE CONTINUED FOR A SHORT TIME TO GET BACK TO THE DEALER, THEN EVERYTHING WAS DEAD. AFTER WORKING ON IT FOR SEVERAL HOURS THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT DID GET IT OPERATING AGAIN AND I CONTINUED THE TRIP WITH INCIDENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10123866June 1, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. HE STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING EVERY WARNING LIGHT IN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FLASH, THEN THE CAR DIED. HE TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AGAIN AND IT DONE THE SAME THING. AFTER THIS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. HE CALLED TOYOTA ,THEY SENT SOMEONE WITH GAS BECAUSE THE ADD FUEL LIGHT WAS FLASHING, AND THEY PUT GAS IN THE VEHICLE. IT STILL WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR AND COULD NOT GET IT TO START. SOMEONE KEPT PRESSING BUTTONS AND GOT THE CAR TO START, THEN, IT STARTED EVERY TIME. THE NEXT TIME WHILE DRIVING WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS IT WENT FROM THREE QUARTERS TANK TO GAS DOWN TO EMPTY INSTANTLY. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A GAS STATION TO GET GAS AND THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT WAS FLASHING. HE CALLED TOYOTA BACK, AND THEY WOULD TOW HIM TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. INSTEAD HE DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY DID CHECKED THE FUEL LINES AND IT SHOULD BE FINE. TOYOTA DENIED ALL PROBLEMS WITH THE CARS, THE INDIVIDUAL WHO TOWED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TOLD HIM THAT THEY HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. HE DECIDED TO TRADE IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE HE DID NOT FEEL SAFE. IT HAD SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS, HIGH BEAMS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES, AND DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT OPEN OCCASIONALLY. THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED ON MAY 1, 2005 ,AND HE TRADED THE VEHICLE IN ON MAY 16, 2005 . IT WAS IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10121966May 23, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS AT 40MPH WHEN I ACCELERATED TO PASS A CAR AND THEN HAD TO STOP BRIEFLY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN I PULLED AWAY FROM THE LIGHT I NOTICED THAT THE CAR FELT VERY SLUGGISH AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE OVER 40 MPH. I THEN REALIZED THAT I WAS DRIVING ON THE HYBRID SYSTEM ONLY AND THAT THE ENGINE HAD STALLED. A BIG RED EXCLAMATION POINT LIT UP ON THE DASH AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A PARKING PLACE OFF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR IT DID NOTHING. I CALLED TOYOTA SERVICE AND EXPLAINED MY PROBLEM AND HE ARRANGED A TOW TRUCK PICK UP MY CAR BUT TOLD ME THAT SINCE IT WAS 5PM THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT UNTIL THE MORNING. THE NEXT MORNING THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND ALTHOUGH THEY RAN EXTENSIVE TESTING THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. THEY WANTED ME TO COME AND PICK IT UP BUT I REFUSED STATING THAT THERE DEFINETLY WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND THAT I WAS JUST GLAD THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN EARLIER IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS ON I-95 GOING 80 MPH WITH A SEMI IN BACK OF ME. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT I HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH ON MY OWN AT PRIUSONLINE AND YAHOO PRIUS FORUM AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND IN MOST CASES IT WAS FOUND TO BE DUE TO A FEW CODES THAT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED IN THE CARS COMPUTER. I THEN ASKED THEM TO CHECK THESE SPECIFIC CODES. WHEN I CALLED BACK THE NEXT DAY THEY SAID THAT THEY RAN THE CODES AND FOUND NOTHING AND HAD TAKEN THE CAR FOR A LONG DRIVE BUT HAD NO PROBLEMS. THEY RELEASED IT TO ME AND IT HAS DRIVEN JUST AS PERFECTLY FOR ME AS IT DID UP UNTIL THE 1 SECOND BEFORE IT'S ENGINE QUIT WITHOUT WARNING. I KNOW THAT SOMETHING POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS HAPPENED TO MY CAR THAT DAY AND THAT THERE IS JUST AS MUCH CHANCE THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN SINCE NOTHING WAS FIXED. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN HELP TO AVOID SOMETHING POTENTIALY TRAGIC HAPPENING TO ME OR SOMEONE ELSE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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