2002 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

POWER STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY (RACK AND PENION) IS FAILING. CAR SHAKES WHEN TURNING AND BACKING UP.EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSES TO COVER UNTIL SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILS OR IT BECAMES A "SAFETY ISSUE".*AK

TWO BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92 [P175/65 R14 84S, DOT EL(PJDH4801] TIRES FAILED ON MY 2002 PRIUS WITHIN ONE WEEK. THESE ARE THE TIRES INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. OUR VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 25,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND IS DRIVEN PRIMARILY FOR COMMUTING ON FREEWAYS. WE DISCOVERED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXTREMELY LOW ON AIR WHEN RETURNING TO A PARKING GARAGE ON 4/12/03. AS WE WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE A GAS STATION MY HUSBAND CHANGED THE FAILED TIRE WITH THE TEMPORARY TIRE AND HAD THE THE FAILED TIRE REPAIRED THE NEXT DAY. WHEN SERVICED WE WERE TOLD THE TIRE HAD A PIN HOLE AND IRREGULAR WEAR PATTERN. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ITS SCHEDULED 22,500 MILE SERVICE AND TO HAD THE TIRES INSPECTED AND THE FRONT END ALIGNED. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THE TIRES WEAR PATTERN WE WERE TOLD THE "TIRES WERE MARGINAL" AND THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT TO REPLACE THE TIRES IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. THE SECOND TIRE FAILED TODAY WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS CUT OFF IN A PARKING LOT (TRAVELING LESS THAN 5 MILES AN HOUR AND SWERVED TO AVOID BEING HIT AND HIT THE PARKING CURB), THE TIRE FAILED AND REQUIRED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT WITH THE TEMPORARY TIRE. WE ARE HAVING ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED, AT THIS TIME, DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE TWO BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92 [P175/65 R14 84S, DOT EL9PJDH4801] WITHIN A SEVEN DAY PERIOD. *NLM

I JUNE OF 2202 I BOUGHT TOYOTA PRIUS. I WAS GETTING 44MPG ON THE HIGHWAY AND 49 IN THE CITY. THEN THE COLD WEATHER COMES AND NOW I GET ONLY 35MPG IN THE CITY THAT IS A DROP OF OVER 28%. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TWICE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SUPPOSELY SCOPE IT AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND THAT THE COLD WEATHER WAS THE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM THAT THEIR EXCUSE WAS LAME AND THAT WAS NOT EXCEPTABLE. IF A CARS GAS MILEAGE DROPS THAT DRAMACTICLY THERE HAS TO BE A PROBLEM OR THEIR IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THERE SHOULD NOT BE A 28% DROP OFF IN A CAR PERFORMANCE IN COLD WEATHER. THERE ADVERTISEMENT PITCH WAS THAT THE CAR WILL GET BETTER MILEAGE IN THE CITY THAN THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE OF THEIR HYBRID SYSTEM, IT DID NOT SAY THAT THE SYSTEM ONLY WORK IN WARM WEATHER

THE VEHICLE WAS HIT AT 25 MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER YET THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *TS *NLM

WHILE IN MOTION CONSUMER NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE HAD DROPPED TWO MARKERS. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD, THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR DEMONSTRATED THREE SYMBOLS, A. TAKE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALER, B. MASTER WARNING LIGHT, C. TAKE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY. CONSUMER SPOKE WITH A TOYOTA REP TO NO AVAIL. AFTER CALLING A TOW COMPANY, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEED OF GASOLINE, THE TOW TRUCK BOUGHT THE CONSUMER SOME FUEL FOR THE VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM WAS IMMEDIATELY REMEDIED, THE CONSUMER IS DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA'S SERVICE AND BELIEVES THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, THE FAULTY FUEL GAUGE WAS LATER REPLACED. *JG *NLM *JB

STEERING WHEEEL WAS SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY AT LOW SPEED. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT POWER STEERING RACK WAS DEFECTIVE. THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS.*AK

I HAVE HAD THREE TIRE BLOWOUTS, ONE WITHIN 24 HOURS AFTER PURCHASE OF THE TIRE.*AK

STEERING COLUMN AND CAR VIBRATE WHEN TURNING OR BACKING. LESSER VIBRATION IN STEERING ALSO SENSED WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT. BROUGHT CAR INTO DEALER ON AUGUST 14, 2002. AM TOLD THAT REPLACEMENT STEERING RACK IS UNAVAILABLE AND DATE OF RECEIPT OF ONE IS NOT KNOWN. REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO TOYOTA CONSUMER SERVICES AND FILE # 200208260148 WAS ASSIGNED TO MY REPORT. THERE IS ALSO EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION OF PROBLEMS WITH PRIOUS STEERING ON SEVERAL WEB SITES AT WHICH I DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE 2001 MODEL. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT CORRECTED DEFECT ON 2002 MODEL.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT DUE TO FAULTY BATTERY.*JB

VEHICLE REFUSES TO START. TOWED VEHICLE . REPLACED BATTERY , PROBLEM RE0CCURRED. A