2011 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

ON JAN. 18TH, 2014 I WAS LEAVING FL TO RETURN TO NC, WHEN I STARTED UP MY PRIUS AND WAITED FOR THE GAS ENGINE TO START, IT DID NOT WANT TO START. IT SOUNDED LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE, MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND THE WHOLE CAR SHOOK. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN RESTARTED IT A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE ISSUE AGAIN. I DROVE BACK TO NC AND DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE ISSUE AT ALL. THE CAR WAS DUE FOR MAINTENANCE, SO B-4 TAKING IT IN, I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ONLINE. I FOUND NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE "PRIUSCHAT.COM" WEB SITE, THERE WERE ALSO LINKS TO YOUTUBE VIDS THAT SHOWED THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO FOUND THAT THERE IS A TSB OUT FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT IT ONLY COVERS CERTAIN VINS AND THE DEALERS USUALLY REQUIRE THAT THEY CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM B-4 THEY WILL PERFORM THE TSB. THE REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, BUT THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE RESOLVING THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED WITH THE 2010 MODEL WITH THE 1.8L MOTOR AND HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED. *TR

I PURCHASED A SET OF 4 MICHELIN DEFENDER XT TIRES FOR MY 2011 PRIUS II FROM COSTCO ON 11/29/2013. THE TIRES ARE MARKETED BY MICHELIN AS LLR (LOW ROLLING RESISTANCE) TIRES. HOWEVER UPON INSTALLING THEM AND OPERATING THE VEHICLE FOR NEARLY 1000 MILES, I FOUND THE MPG TO BE NEARLY 10 MPG. LESS THAN THE OEM TIRES THAT THESE REPLACED. THE ROLLING RESISTANCE OF THESE TIRES ARE HIGH. VEHICLE ALMOST FEELS LIKE BEING DRIVEN OVER SAND. AS SOON AS I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE DECELERATES RAPIDLY, MUCH FASTER THAN THE OEM TIRES. I CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE, ALIGNMENT, AND WHEEL BEARINGS, ALL ARE WITHIN SPECS. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE HYSTERESIS LOSSES IN THIS TIRE MATERIAL ARE FAIRLY HIGH. THIS TIRE SHOULD NOT BE SOLD AS A LOW ROLLING RESISTANCE TIRE. IT IS BEING FALSELY ADVERTISED AS HAVING THIS CAPABILITY TO INCREASE SALES. THE MPG DIFFERENCE WAS MEASURED BY CALCULATING THE TRUE MILES FROM MY GPS UNIT AND DIVIDING THE RESULT BY THE GALLONS TO FULL AT THE SAME PUMP. THIS WAS DONE THREE TIMES TO ACCURATELY ACCESS THE TRUE MPG DIFFERENCE. NO OTHER FACTORS ON THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHANGED. ONLY CHANGE HAS BEEN REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRES. *TR

UNNECESSARY MINOR INJURY PRODUCING DESIGN MY PRIUS, WHICH I LIKE, HAS SEVERAL TIMES GIVEN ME A MINOR BRUISE THAT LASTS FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE FRONT PASSENGER DOORS, AT THE BOTTOM CORNERS, END IN A SHARP RIGHT ANGLE. IN CONTRAST, MANY OTHER CAR DOORS HAVE A SLIGHTLY ROUNDED BOTTOM CORNER WHICH HAVE NEVER INJURED ME. AS I AM WALKING AROUND THE PRIUS, LOADING AND UNLOADING FOR EXAMPLE, THAT SHARP CORNER SEEMS TO CATCH MY SHIN AND BRUISE IT. I AM IN MY 70'S AND GUESS THAT THESE MINOR INJURIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN WITH CHILDREN AND SENIORS. IF THIS WAS A NEEDED ELEMENT OF DESIGN, THEN I WOULD NOT CALL THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION. HOWEVER IT SEEMS TO BE PRIMARILY POOR ERGONOMICS ON THE PART OF THE DESIGNER. IF THE INJURY POTENTIAL OF SHARP CORNERS WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF CAR MANUFACTURERS, PERHAPS, WHEN DESIGNS ARE CHANGED, THE SAFER CORNER COULD BE INCORPORATED AT ESSENTIALLY NO COST AND NUMBERS OF FUTURE MINOR INJURIES COULD BE AVOIDED. *TR

CAR LURCHES FORWARD WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON BUMPY OR UNEVEN SURFACES, AS WELL AS SLIPPERY SURFACES SUCH AS METAL PLATES THAT YOU SOMETIMES FIND COVERING CITY STREETS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. ON ICE, WHEN APPLIED FORCEFULLY, NO BRAKING ACTION OCCURS WHATSOEVER, EVEN WHEN PUMPED OR RELEASE AND REAPPLIED. IN JAN 2013, CAR SLID MORE THAN 150' ON A LIGHTLY SNOWY ROAD INTO A DITCH. MY SENSE IS ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE, BUT IT COULD BE SOME OTHER COMPUTER OVERRIDE THAT KICKS IN. WHEN STOPPING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A BUMPY ROAD, OR OVER ONE OF THOSE CONSTRUCTION PLATES, IT'S SCARY, AND I FEEL LUCKY I HAVEN'T HIT ANYONE. *TR

POWER WINDOW SWITCH FAILS TO CLOSE WINDOW WHEN LIFTED UP INTO THE FULL AUTO-UP MODE. THE WINDOW GOES TO THE TOP OF THE DOOR AND THEN REBOUNDS TO APPROXIMATELY 1/2 WAY DOWN. DRIVER IS REQUIRED TO PUT WINDOW UP BY ONLY LIFTING SLIGHTLY ON THE SWITCH TO MANUALLY STOP IT. *TR

MY SON WAS DRIVING MY PRIUS 2011 - I WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. WE WERE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND HE HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE. SUDDENLY THE CAR SURGED AHEAD ALTHOUGH MY SON STILL HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE. IMMEDIATELY LIGHTS CAME UP ON THE DASH - BRAKE, ABS? AND PICTURE OF A CAR WITH SKID MARKS. THE BRAKES WERE THEN SPONGY, THERE SOMETIMES AND THEN NOT. I HAVE IT IN THE TOYOTA SHOP NOW AND THE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN ESTIMATED TO BE $4,440. I DID NOT BUY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. WE MET WITH THE DEALER AND THEY WERE NO HELP. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY OFFERED ME $1,500.00 AFTER I PAY THE BILL AND TOLD ME IT COULD TAKE UP TO 8 WEEKS FOR ME TO RECEIVE PAYMENT. *TR

LOVE MY PRIUS UNTIL I STARTED TO BECOME SCARED DAILY BY THE UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO THE CAR'S TENDENCY TO LURCH FORWARD WHILE BRAKING OVER BUMPY GROUND OR POTHOLES WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN TO TURN. IT'S RATHER STARTLING AND FORTUNATELY HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT YET FOR NO OTHER CAR HAS BEEN AROUND WHEN THIS HAPPENS. A DIFFERENT STORY WITH THE OTHER MORE SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM WHEN NEEDING TO COME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP DUE TO SUDDEN STOPPING OF THE CAR IN FRONT. ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I EXPERIENCED THE "NO BRAKE" ISSUE WHEN SUDDENLY NEEDING TO PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKE FOR A STOPPED CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD PLENTY OF DISTANCE FOR STOPPING BUT BECAUSE OF THE "NO BRAKE" ISSUE HAD TO STEER OFF TO THE SIDE TO MISS THE CAR. SHOCKED AND CONFUSED AT WHAT HAPPENED, THOUGHT MAYBE I DID SOMETHING WRONG BY NOT PUMPING THE BRAKE. THEN TWO DAYS AGO, I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN IT TURNED GREEN, TRAFFIC STARTED MOVING BUT THEN SUDDENLY STOPPED FOR AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE TO GO THROUGH THE INTERCEPTION. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE HARD AND JUST KEPT MOVING RIGHT INTO THE REAR OF THE TRUCK IN FRONT. I NOW HAVE ABOUT $1,800 OF DAMAGES FOR THE TRUCK (NO DAMAGE CAUSED TO IT) HAD AN HITCH WHICH PUNCTURED MY BUMPER AND BENT THE AIR CONDENSER. I HAVE DECIDED NOT TO FIX IT FOR IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. WHEN I DECIDE WHAT'S MY NEXT SAFE CAR TO PURCHASE, I WILL HAVE IT FIXED AND TRADE IT IN FOR IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR I'M NOW SCARED TO DRIVE IT. THE DEALERSHIP REPLY TO MY CONCERN IS THE SAME AS WITH EVERYONE ELSE'S COMPLAINT AND REVIEW I HAVE READ, THIS IS HOW THE BRAKE SYSTEM WORKS AND NO ERROR. THEY DO NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS FAULTY BRAKE SYSTEM WHICH CREATES UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. FORTUNATELY IT WAS A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME THIS TIME. BUT WHAT IF IT'S A PERSON WALKING ACROSS THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME NEXT TIME?? *TR

WAS EXITING THE HIGHWAY AND WAS BRAKING ON THE OFF RAMP WHEN I LOST BRAKES AND HAD TO DRIVE UP ON THE BANK. UPON RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND RE-ENGAGING THE BRAKES, I HAD BRAKES AND CAME TO A STOP. *JS

WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHILE AT THE RED LIGHT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. *JS

IN JANUARY 2012, I PURCHASED A NEW 2011 PRIUS III BECAUSE I COMMUTE ROUGHLY 90 MILES PER DAY BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL. THINKING THIS WAS THE OPTIMAL VEHICLE I DIDN'T THINK TWICE WHEN SIGNING ON THE LINE. THIS WAS MY FIRST NEW VEHICLE, AND TO BE HONEST I HAD HEARD NOTHING BUT GREAT THINGS ABOUT TOYOTA & THOUGHT I WAS GOING CRAZY WHEN I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH MY BRAKES. PRIOR TO OWNING THIS VEHICLE I OWN A SUBARU IMPREZA SPORT THAT WE HAD TRADED DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE FROM THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO BALANCE THE AWD SYSTEM & PUT A HOLE IN MY BRAKE LINE. BEING THE MY PRIOR CAR HAD BRAKE ISSUES I DENIED THE FACT THAT MY BRAND NEW CAR COULD HAVE THEM AS WELL. THE ISSUE IS THAT ANYTIME YOU HIT ICE, POT HOLES, GRAVEL ROAD, WET ROADS, BUMPY ROADS ETC, YOU LOSE CONTROL OF THE BRAKES. IT FEELS AS IF THEY SLIP/ACCELERATE AND LEAVE YOU IN A MOMENT OF PANIC BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALWAYS A SITUATION YOU CAN AVOID. MY CAR HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP THREE TIMES OVER THE ISSUE WITH A COMPLAINT ON MY BRAKING SYSTEM, AND APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY KNOWN PROBLEM FROM TOYOTA. IT TOOK MY DEALERSHIP 3 COMPLAINTS BEFORE THEY CONSULTED THEIR PRIUS TECH, AND BASICALLY PRINTED OFF A PAPER WITH EVERY COMPLAINT I LISTED ABOVE WITH NO SOLUTION. THEY TOLD US TO CALL THE TOYOTA CARE NUMBER, WHICH HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN ITSELF. WHEN MY FATHER SPOKE TO THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE ON WEDNESDAY THEY SAID THEY HAD TO ALLOW THEM THREE DAYS TO ILLICIT A RESPONSE TO THE COMPLAINT. KEEP I'M MIND THAT THE THREE DAYS FALLS ONTO A SATURDAY, AND THEY THEREFORE WON'T OWE US A RESPONSE UNTIL MONDAY, QUITE FRANKLY THEY WON'T HAVE A SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO LET THEIR CONSUMERS DRIVE AROUND WITH BRAKE ISSUES THAT HAVE PUT NOT ONLY ME BUT OTHERS AS WELL INTO NUMEROUS DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATIONS.