2009 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 60 MPH AFTER HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT OVERNIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,224.

I WAS DRIVING MY NEWLY PURCHASED 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS (VIN# [XXX]) ON RT 66 IN ARLINGTON VIRGINIA ON MARCH 31, 2010. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50-60 MILES PER HOUR AND ACCELERATING. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO SLOW THE CAR AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE, BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW, AND IN FACT I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE 'GUNNING' AND IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I PRESSED THE BRAKE DOWN AS FAR AS IT WOULD GO AND WHILE THE CAR SLOWED ITS ACCELERATION, IT DID NOT SLOW OR STOP THE CAR. AS SOON AS I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AGAIN AND I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE RACING. I PRESSED THE BRAKE AGAIN, AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED ' THE CAR SLOWED ITS ACCELERATION, BUT DID NOT SLOW ITS OVERALL SPEED. AS SOON AS I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED. I DID THIS THREE TIMES, BECOMING INCREASINGLY AFRAID. I THEN JAMMED MY FOOT HARD ON THE BRAKE AND PULLED OFF ONTO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND IT FINALLY STOPPED. I SAT THERE FOR A FEW MOMENTS, THEN TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND GOT BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY. AS SOON AS I GOT UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN ' THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND THE BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR. I PULLED OVER A SECOND TIME AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AS THE ONLY WAS I COULD FIND TO STOP IT. I TURNED THE CAR ON AGAIN, AND THIS TIME WAS ABLE TO REACH MY DESTINATION WITH NO MORE INCIDENTS. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE CARMAX DEALER FROM WHOM IT WAS PURCHASED AND HAVE BEEN ON HOLD TO REPORT THIS DIRECTLY TO TOYOTA FOR OVER 30 MINUTES, BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET THROUGH. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

FAX ON BEHALF OF RE A SAFETY CONCERN RELATED TO THEIR 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS; RESPOND ATTN CAROLINE/NYC OFFICE. *TGW FOUR DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMERS WIFE WAS HEADING DOWN A GENTLE INCLINE TOWARD A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION SHORTLY AFTER A LIGHT SNOWFALL, THE STREET WAS WET, BUT THERE WAS NO ICE ON THE ROAD. AS SHE BRAKED TO SLOW DOWN, SHE NOTICED THERE WAS NO DECELERATION AND CONTINUED TO PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO NO AVAIL. TO AVOID CRASHING INTO OTHER CARS, SHE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT INTO A CURB AND CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL, AXLE AND UNDERCARRIAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND AFTER THE INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER IMPLIED THE CONSUMERS WIFE MUST HAVE APPLIED THE BRAKES INCORRECTLY AND WAS NOT ACCUSTOMED TO ABS. A FEW MONTHS LATER ON ANOTHER WET RAINY DAY, THERE WAS A SIMILAR INCIDENT OF BRAKE FAILURE. *JB

WHEN BRAKING ON THE PRIUS IF YOU HIT A POTHOLE THE CAR LOSES TRACTION AND SKIPS OVE THE POTHOLE. LOSS OF FEELING FOR THE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OF A SECOND OR TWO. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME WHEN BRAKING AND HITING A POTHOLE OR MANHOLE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON EIGHT DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND AND SPEED UP. AT TIMES, IT WOULD EVENTUALLY INCREASE IN SPEED AND THEN IMMEDIATELY STALL THEREAFTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE WITH BRAKE/ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE WAITING FOR HER HUSBAND, SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK MODE. SHE THEN DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE BUILDING. SHE PUT THE GEAR INTO REVERSE AND LET THE VEHICLE GO AT ITS OWN SPEED. SHE STATED SHE NEVER TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR, BUT AS SHE WAS ABOUT TO TURN THE WHEEL TO GO THROUGH THE FRONT ENTRANCE, THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED QUICKLY. THE CONSUMER QUICKLY PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, BUT THEY DIDN'T WORK. SHE QUICKLY TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING A PEDESTRIAN. SHE RAN OVER 2 TREES, WHICH BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. *JB

WE PURCHASED A 2009 PRIUS, 11/08. IN 3/16/09 IT ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY ON THE NJ TURNPIKE NEAR NEWARK AIRPORT, A SPEED JUDGED AT 85 MILES/HOUR. I WAS THE DRIVER, THERE WERE 4 PASSENGERS. CLEARLY UNATTENDED ACCELERATION NOT CAUSED BY A FLOOR MAT. SCENARIO: TRAVELING IN RIGHT LANE, CAME UP BEHIND CEMENT MIXER TRAVELING AT 45-50 MI/HOUR; ACCELERATED QUICKLY TO GET INTO MIDDLE LANE; MIDDLE LANE TRAFFIC CONSTANT, TRAVELING MIN. 70 MI/HOUR; ONCE IN MIDDLE LANE, DE-ACCELERATED; INSTEAD OF DE-ACCELERATING, THE CAR ENGINE ROARED, TAKING OFF AT AN UNBELIEVABLE SPEED; TURNED ON FLASHERS, PUT FOOT ON BRAKE; ABLE TO CONTROL SPEED OF CAR, BREAKING ALL THE TIME, ENGINE ROARING. NO PLACE TO PULL OVER. ONLY THOUGHT: GET TO TOLL BOOTH, HOPE I COULD STOP IT COMPLETELY WITH BRAKE; SUDDENLY, AFTER ABOUT 5 MIN., THERE WAS A SOUND IN THE ENGINE (?) LIKE A THUD; CAR RESUMED NORMAL OPERATIONS. FOLLOW-UP: WENT INTO NYC, DROVE CAR HOME THAT EVENING, 3 HOUR DRIVE; HUSBAND TOOK CAR TO VINELAND TOYOTA DEALER WHERE BOUGHT; THEY SAID BLACK BOX SHOWED THAT, IN ADDITION TO MOST RECENT ACCELERATION, THERE WERE PRIOR ACCELERATIONS; WE NEVER NOTICED THEM; THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT; SAID MAT HAD BEEN THE PROBLEM; HUSBAND, FORMER CEO/AMER. LUNG ASSOC., CONTACTED TOYOTA REGIONAL, SAYING THAT HE WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH DIAGNOSIS OF PROBLEM - WE WERE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR. KNEW MANAGEMENT BECAUSE OF TOYOTA'S SUPPORT OF ALA. IN FACT, AFTER HIS RETIREMENT, ENDORSED '02 PRIUS IN TOYOTA BROCHURE, AND WAS FEATURED IN 2 TOYOTA VIDEOS; MANAGEMENT SENT TECHS FROM REG. OFFICE; REPS CONCURRED WITH DEALER: PROBLEM WAS FLOOR MAT. OUTCOME: NO WORK WE KNOW OF WAS DONE TO RECTIFY ACCELERATION; MAT REMOVED, BUT COULDN'T SEE HOW IT INTERFERED WITH PEDAL. COULDN'T REPLICATE THE EVENT BY MOVING MAT AROUND. NO EXPLANATION FOR THUD; LITTLE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE MAT COULD SLIP BACK IN PLACE. DON'T TRUST CAR! PLEASE ADVISE US OF YOUR INTENT ON THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *TR

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER EXPRESSES DISCONTENT DUE TO A BREAK IN OF HIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER QUESTIONS THE SMART KEY KEYLESS/WIRELESS ENTRY DESIGN. *TGW

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THERE WERE TWO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TESTED OR INVESTIGATED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT.

TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH UP HILL, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO AN 18-WHEEL TRUCK. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEG AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA HELICOPTER. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND WAS TOWED BACK TO THE RENTAL CAR COMPANY. THE CONTACT SECURED LEGAL COUNCIL TO HANDLE THE MATTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,299 AND THE CURRENT WAS UNKNOWN.