2009 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PUTTING HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE POLICE WERE NOT CALLED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V388000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ISSUED AFTER THIS INCIDENT AND THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE HAD NOT OCCURRED SINCE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

EVENT: INCOMPLETE BRAKE FEEL, DURING SLOW AND STEADY APPLICATION OF BRAKES ON SLICK OR ROUGH ROAD SURFACES, WHEN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) IS ACTIVATED IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN TIRE TRACTION. THE SYSTEM ENGAGES AND DISENGAGES RAPIDLY (MANY TIMES PER SECOND) AS THE CONTROL SYSTEM SENSES AND REACTS TO THE TIRE SLIPPAGE. IF THE SAME BRAKE FORCE IS APPLIED UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, IN THE WORST CASE, THIS MAY LEAD TO AN INCREASE OF VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE AND THUS RAISE THE POSSIBILITY OF A CRASH. TOYOTA SAYS THAT THE OLDER PRIUSES, LIKE MINE, USE A DIFFERENT ABS SYSTEM, AND SO ARE NOT SUBJECT TO RECALL. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A SIMILAR ISSUE. FAILURE: WHENEVER THERE IS A SLICK, WET ROAD. CORRECTION: I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER, ALL SYSTEMS WERE CHECKED SAFE, TIRES' PSI WERE ADJUSTED, IT WAS FELT THAT THERE WAS SOME TIRE NOISE. INCIDENT CONTINUES INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AT A RAPID RATE OF SPEED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL. THE CONTACT WAS UNINJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TRADED THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER. SHE STATED SHE HAD EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENTS PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,001 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,045.

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. AT NO TIME DID THE SEAT BELTS CATCH NOR DID THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY. MY DAUGHTER'S FACE COLLIDED WITH THE DASHBOARD DUE TO THE SEAT BELTS NOT WORKING AND NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. SO FAR TOYOTA SAYS THAT THERE IS NOTHING TO FIX, THE CAR PERFORMED AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO. *TR

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH BRAKING SYSTEM *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP, HE REALIZED THEY DID NOT ENGAGE AND NEITHER DID THE ABS. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED AT THE SAME SLOW SPEED FINALLY COMING TO STOP ONLY AFTER A TRUCK SHEARED OFF THE FRONT LICENSE PLATE ON THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *JB

MY 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS, SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED IT APRIL 2009, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES SEEM TO FAIL. WHEN I BRAKE AND HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ENGAGE AND RELEASE THE BRAKES. IT FEELS AS IF I AM SLIDING ON ICE. I DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE TOYOTA DEALER LAST MONTH, WHO DISMISSED THIS AS NORMAL ANTI-LOCK BRAKE ACTIVITY. I FEEL THESE CARS NEED TO BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS AT 50-55 MPH ON A SINGLE LANE HIGHWAY OUTSIDE OF PRESCOTT AZ, THE DRIVE SYSTEM SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND NO RESPONSE WAS FELT WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. LOTS OF INDICATORS CAME ON AND MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THERE WAS JUST SUFFICIENT ROOM FOR FOLLOWING TRAFFIC TO GO PAST. AFTER SPENDING A FEW MINUTES GOING THROUGH THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND FINDING NO EASY ANSWER TO EXPLAIN THIS CONDITION, WE TRIED AND WERE ABLE TO RE-START THE CAR. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WHEN RECENTLY CHECKED HAD INDICATED SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 1/4 FULL AND THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING UP HILL WHEN THE EVENT HAPPENED. NO ADD FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT NOR LOW FUEL ALARM HAD OCCURRED PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. WHEN THE CAR WAS RESTARTED IT WAS ON A MORE LEVEL BUT NOT FLAT SURFACE. WE PROCEEDED ON OUR TRAVEL WITH THE FLASHERS ON AND AT A SPEED NO HIGHER THAN 30-35 MPH. SOON THEREAFTER WE DID OBSERVE BOTH AN ADD FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT AND THEN A FLASHING LIGHT ON THE FUEL GAUGE ITSELF. WE STOPPED AT THE NEAREST GAS STATION AND ADDED FUEL. THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE FUEL GAUGE AND ELECTRONICALLY RECORDED HISTORY. THE REPORT SHOWED THAT THE CAR RESPONDED TO AN EMPTY FUEL TANK BY SHUTTING IF THE ENGINE AND THEN THE BATTERY DRIVE WHEN ITS CHARGE WENT TOO LOW (TO PROTECT THE BATTERY). WE WERE TOLD THE THIS CAR HAS A BLADDER TYPE FUEL STORAGE DEVICE AND THAT IT CAN ACT FUNNY WHEN IT GETS LOW. THE CAR WAS CHECKED OUT FINE AND RETURNED TO US WITH THE WORDS NO WISDOM TO NOT LET THE CAR GET TOO LOW ON FUEL. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE ENGINE AND DRIVE SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN UNDER HIGH SPEED DRIVING CONDITIONS WITHOUT ANY LOW FUEL WARNING INDICATORS BEING ACTIVATED. *TR

WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OUR 2009 PRIUS TRIED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN AND MY HUSBAND HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKES TO KEEP IT FROM MOVING FORWARD. TOYOTA WAS ABLE TO GET INFO OFF THEIR BLACK BOX SHOWING BOTH THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT THE SAME TIME. WE KEEP HOPING THEY ARE RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM BUT THEIR CALL THIS WEEK (AFTER REPORTING THIS ABOUT 90 DAYS AGO AND 2 BLACK BOX DOWNLOADS AT THE DEALERSHIP) SAYS IT WAS DRIVER ERROR SINCE THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE IT AND THEIR ENGINEERS SAY IT IS WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING RANGE. TOYOTA REP "L" SAYS TOYOTA IS NOT RELEASING HOW MANY UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION ISSUES THEY HAVE HAD SINCE IT IS PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AND THAT THEY WILL NOT DISCUSS OTHER TRENDS OR CASES THEY ARE NOT LOOKING FOR TRENDS BETWEEN REPORTS ONLY DOWNLOADING EACH INDIVIDUAL CAR'S INFO NOT LOOKING AT WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE COMPLAINT. SHE SAYS TOYOTA AND YOUR GOVERNMENT CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WHICH MEANS IT MUST BE SAFE. SAFE? WE HAVE NOT LET OUR KIDS RIDE IN THIS CAR FOR OVER 6 MONTHS AS WE HOPED A SOLUTION WOULD COME UP FROM TOYOTA BUT NOW WE JUST REALLY NEED INFO TO KNOW WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON WITH THESE VEHICLES AND HOW MANY ACCIDENTS THERE REALLY ARE. THE TOYOTA REP ON THE PHONE SAYS THEY HAVE NEVER DUPLICATED A CUSTOMER CONCERN AND THAT OURS IS UNUSUAL BECAUSE PEOPLE USUALLY REPORT RIGHT AWAY AND AFTER AN ACCIDENT. I HAD ASKED HOW BUSY THEY ARE SINCE IT TOOK SO LOOOONG TO RESPOND AND SHE STATED SHE TAKES ABOUT 2-5 CALLS A DAY, BUT PREVIOUSLY HAD BEEN TAKING 10-15 PER DAY AND THERE ARE ABOUT 40 PEOPLE IN HER POSITION. HOW MANY ISSUES ARE THERE AND IS THIS A BIG DEAL ABOUT NOTHING OR A BIG COVERUP? WE JUST WANT TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION FOR OUR FAMILY PLEASE HELP! *TR

I WAS INVOLVED IN 2 IDENTICAL ACCIDENTS OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS WITH THE SAME CAR, A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. IN DECEMBER '09 I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT. I WAS COMPLETELY IN THE SPOT AND WENT TO COME TO A FULL STOP WHEN MY 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A CAR. THEN AGAIN ON JUNE 21, 2010, I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT AND THE SAME CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS I WENT TO COME TO A FULL STOP IN THE PARKING SPOT. THIS TIME THE CAR JUMPED THE CURB AND WENT THROUGH A CHAIN LINK FENCE. BOTH TIMES I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO THE SPOT, BOTH TIMES I WAS BRAKING AND BOTH TIMES THE CAR ACCELERATED AS I WENT TO COME TO A FULL STOP. THE DEC '09 ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE, THE JUNE'10 ACCIDENT WAS NOT. *TR

TWO UNACCOUNTED ACCELERATION SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENTS WITH 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. AFTER ACCIDENT OF APRIL 30, 2010 PER MY REQUEST, VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A CONSULTANT FROM TOYOTA.[MAY 26, 2010]. TOYOTA IS SAYING CAR IS SAFE. CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME ON MAY 28, 2010. FIRST ACCIDENT OCCURRED AUGUST, 31, 2009. BOTH ACCIDENTS OCCURRED UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES; DRIVING AT SLOW ACCELERATION WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN. ACCIDENT #1 TURNING A CORNER, ACCIDENT #2 PULLING INTO A PARKING SLOT IN A PARKING LOT. BOTH TIMES ENGINE REVVED AND CAR LURCHED FORWARD. IN FIRST ACCIDENT CAR CRASHED INTO A TREE, IN SECOND ACCIDENT CAR RAN OVER A LANDSCAPING BOULDER WHICH STOPPED IT FROM CRASHING INTO THE STREET. THE BOULDER WAS STUCK UNDER THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR. TWO WHEELS ON EACH SIDE OF IT AND FRONT WHEELS WERE OFF OF THE GROUND. THE FRONT WHEELS WERE STILL TURNING AFTER I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. I GOT BACK IN THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I AM REQUESTING TOYOTA REPLACE THIS VEHICLE WITH A LIKE VALUE VEHICLE. I HAVE PICTURES TAKEN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT OF APRIL 30, 2010 AND DETAILED EXPLANATIONS OF BOTH ACCIDENTS. DAMAGES FROM BOTH ACCIDENTS WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000 DOLLARS . MY INSURANCE COMPANY FOUND ME AT FAULT FOR THE ACCIDENT OF AUGUST 31, 2009 BECAUSE ALL OF THE CAR'S WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND I GLANCED AT THE DASH. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS FOUND ME NOT AT FAULT FOR THE ACCIDENT OF APRIL 30, 2010. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA AFTER THE ACCIDENT OF APRIL 30TH. HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ACCIDENTS. MY CAR HAS HAD A NUMBER OF UNUSUAL ISSUES SINCE ITS PURCHASE. THIS IS DOCUMENTED WITH TOYOTA SERVICE. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW AND HAS 11,000 MILES ON IT. UPDATED IVOQ 09/08/10*JB *TR