2006 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

MY WIFE [XXX] HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE VICTORIAN ON MAIN ST IN SANTA MONICA ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2. FROM STANDSTILL, HER 2006 PRIUS SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO A VERY HIGH RATE ON ITS OWN AND THE CAR'S BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY NON-RESPONSIVE. IN THIS RELATIVELY CONFINED PARKING AREA, AFTER A FRIGHTENING PERIOD OF TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SHE MADE A SPLIT-SECOND DECISION TO CRASH INTO A TREE AT A RELATIVELY HIGH SPEED IN ORDER TO AVOID STEERING THE CAR ONTO MAIN ST. AND CAUSING A MUCH MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT THAT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED MANY PEOPLE, AUTOMOBILES AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY AND POSSIBLY RESULTED IN MULTIPLE DEATHS AND MULTIPLE SERIOUS INJURIES. SHE SUSTAINED A BROKEN FOOT. HER PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISING. BOTH WERE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO ST. JOHN'S HOSPITAL. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE 2 OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. AS A RESULT, AND ONLY BECAUSE OF [XXX] QUICK THINKING AND POTENTIALLY SACRIFICIAL ACTION, [XXX], HER PASSENGER AND MANY OTHER NON-SUSPECTING PEOPLE ARE ALIVE TODAY. IT IS APPARENTLY WELL-ESTABLISHED THAT THE PRIUS CAN ACCELERATE IN THIS MANNER. IN THIS CASE, THE CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD APPEAR TO BE STRAIGHT FORWARD: A CAR PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND STARTED SUDDENLY ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN AND REFUSES TO ALLOW THE DRIVER CONTROL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS WORKED SPORADICALLY. IT HAPPENED THE SAME DAY I PURCHASED THE CAR USED FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, BUT I DIDN'T NOTICE IT RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE IT WAS DAYTIME. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY SAID I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE HID BULB WHICH COSTS $300!!!!! AFTER COMPLAINING TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED IT AT NO CHARGE, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MIGHT BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY REPLACED ANY ASSOCIATED PARTS OR NOT, SINCE THE INVOICE THEY GAVE ME JUST LISTED "ENGINE ELECRICAL CONCERN" WITHOUT AN ITEMIZED LIST.

ON THE MORNING OF MAY,04,2015 UPON ENTERING THE CAR AND STARTING IT UP THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILS TO DISPLAY. NOT CERTAIN WHAT THE ISSUE WAS I PERFORMED VARIOUS CHECK INCLUDING THE THE ACCESSORY BATTERY AND ATTEMPTED MULTIPLE TIMES STARTING AND STOPPING THE CAR TO NO AVAIL. I LEFT THE CAR WHERE IT WAS AND A FEW HOURS LATER WHEN I RETURNED EVERYTHING WORKED FINE FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS THEN THE ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE ISSUE IS OCCURRING NOW MORE FREQUENTLY INCLUDING WHEN DRIVING (STOPPED THEN GO). FURTHERMORE, WHENEVER THIS ISSUE OCCURS IT BECOMES ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO POWER THE ENGINE OFF AND SINCE THEIR IS NO CLUSTER DISPLAY TO LET YOU KNOW VITAL SAFETY INFORMATION, INCLUDING SPEED, GAS, MILEAGE, GEAR (D-R-N) THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE AND HAZARDOUS CONDITION FOR OPERATORS OF THIS VEHICLE. TOYOTA MOTOR CORP. IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THIS HAZARD WHICH RESULTS FROM A MANUFACTURE DEFECTIVE COMBINATION METER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION THE NEXT MORNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY HUSBAND TO WORK WHEN I NOTICED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS COMPLETELY DARK. TRIED TURNING THE CAR OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN WITH NO EFFECT -- PANEL WAS STILL DARK. IT'S PARTICULARLY WORRISOME THAT I HAD NO SPEEDOMETER TO TELL HOW FAST I WAS GOING, NOR WOULD ANY OF THE OTHER INDICATOR LIGHTS COME ON. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE CAR OFF A SECOND TIME, IT WOULDN'T POWER DOWN, AND I COULDN'T EXTRACT THE KEY. I COULDN'T EVEN LOCK THE CAR SO I COULD LEAVE IT THERE TO SEEK AID. IN DOING RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN FAULT WITH THE COMBINATION METER AND TOYOTA KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM AND ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION. HOWEVER, THEIR WARRANTY ONLY COVERED CARS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM WHEN THE LETTER WENT OUT AND DURING A SPECIFIED DATE RANGE, IRREGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. THEY WOULD NOT HAVE REPLACED THE PART DURING THE WARRANTY EXTENSION BECAUSE I HAD NOT YET EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM, AND NOW THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART BECAUSE MY EXPERIENCE HAPPENED 4 MONTHS AFTER THEIR ARBITRARY CUT-OFF DATE. A FAULTY PART IS A FAULTY PART AND SHOULD BE REPLACED WHEN THEY KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE A TIME LIMIT. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE DRIVING, HOW MUCH GAS YOU HAVE, ETC. AND YOU CAN'T SHUT IT DOWN OR LOCK IT EITHER....UPDATED 08/25/15 *BF UPDATED 12/3/2015 *JS

DRIVING ALONG AND THE HEADLIGHTS JUST GO OUT IN HE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. FAULTY HEADLIGHTS.

MY HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OFF WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE TO TURN THEM OFF THEN ON AGAIN TO GET THEM TO WORK. SOMETIMES ONE, SOMETIMES BOTH, NOT ALWAYS AT THE SAME MOMENT. YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS! NHTSA: I AM GOING TO HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE IF I AM INJURED!! ISSUE A RECALL NOW!! NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE09019

THIS IS MY SECOND PRIUS AND BOTH HAVE BEEN EXCELLENT EXCEPT FOR THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS ONE. IT IS A 2006 WITH HID LIGHTS. THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT ALWAYS COMES ON IN THE MORNING WHEN I LEAVE FOR WORK, BUT IT STARTED GOING OFF AFTER SEVERAL MILES (MAYBE 20-30, OR SO). THIS FIRST STARTED HAPPENING ABOUT OCTOBER, 2013. IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE UNTIL THE HEADLIGHT NOW GOES OFF IN ONLY A FEW MILES (5 - 10). INTERESTINGLY, THE HEADLIGHT SEEMED TO STAY ON LONGER DURING THE COLDER WEATHER (AROUND ZERO DEGREES) THIS WINTER. OTHER THAN CHECKING FOR A LOOSE CONNECTION, I HAVE NOT TRIED TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHT REPAIRED OR REPLACED. IT CERTAINLY NEEDS TO BE BECAUSE DRIVING IN THE WINTER DARKNESS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. THANK YOU.

POWER TRAIN OVER-ENGAGEMENT: WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW ENOUGH TO MAKE A 90 DEGREE RIGHT TURN, AFTER LETTING OFF ACCELERATOR BEFORE APPLYING THE BRAKE, THE POWER TRAIN CONTINUED TO ENGAGE, EVEN DURING BRAKING, FOR A FEW SECONDS CAUSING EXTRA INERTIA ENTERING CORNER WITH DEFINITE LOSS OF TRACTION.* *THERE IS NO WARNING, VERY DISCONCERTING, CAUSING MILD TO SEVERE ANXIETY. * THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 50 TIMES IN LAST 7 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. *HAPPENS IN MANY STOPPING CONDITIONS: SLOW, FAST (USUALLY UNDER 30MPH) *IRRESPECTIVE OF STRAIGHT OR CHANGING DIRECTION *IF OTHER VEHICLE HAD BEEN PRESENT, A COLLISION WOULD HAVE BEEN EMINENT. *IN ICY CONDITION VEHICLE COULD HAVE ENDED OFF ROAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A WARNING WHISTLE AND A BURNING PLASTIC ODOR. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE GENERAL EMERGENCY, ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE RELAYS, FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, BRAKE PADS, AND BRAKE ACTUATORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.