2009 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT INTENTION. AFTER REPEATED BRAKE APPLICATION THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. HE STRUCK A CURB WHICH DAMAGED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 4000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AT 10-15 MPH, THE VEHICLE FORCEFULLY SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER ON A SEPARATE OCCASION FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE WHICH THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 2/26/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE AT TIMES UPON STARTING THE ENGINE. IT WOULD ALSO LURCH WHILE IN PARK. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE 2 INCIDENTS WHERE HER FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHICH CAUSED 2 MINOR ACCIDENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ELECTRICAL AND BRAKE WORK. HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SURGE WHEN STARTED INTERMITTENTLY. UPDATED 08/24/10*JB

ON OUR 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS THE DRIVERS HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT SHORTLY AFTER TURNING IT ON I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRING CURRENTLY TRYING TO GET TOYOTA TO RESOLVE PROBLEM AT NO COST TO ME. *TR

NOXIOUS FUMES INSIDE VEHICLE. SMELLS LIKE BURNING PLASTIC / METAL. FUMES BURN EYES AND PERMEATE CLOTHING, CAUSE LIGHT-HEADEDNESS. DLR HAS TRIED 3X TO REPAIR, CAN NOT IDENTIFY SOURCE. DLR'S SVC MGR CONFIRMS IT IS NOT A NORMAL ODOR FOR THIS VEHICLE, AGREES FUMES GIVE HEADACHE. MFR'S TECH DEPT CLAIMS IT IS NORMAL, DESPITE NOT HAVING EXAMINED VEHICLE. (MFR IS WILLING TO SEND FIELD SVC TECH IN APPX 1 MONTH, WILL NOT PROVIDE LOANER OR OTHERWISE ACCOMMODATE ME IN THE INTERIM.) MFR SUGGESTED IT IS A PERSONAL HEALTH ISSUE AND THAT I "SHOULD CONSIDER IF VEHICLE IS RIGHT FOR ME." *TR

I WAS FIRST IN LINE AT A RED LIGHT. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. I ACCELERATED AGGRESSIVELY IN ORDER TO CHANGE LANES AS I PULLED AWAY. WHEN I WAS ACROSS THE INTERSECTION I LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. SHOCKED I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE, BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT ON THE ACCELERATION. THERE WAS NOTHING IN FRONT OF ME SO I PULLED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HIT THE POWER BUTTON AND THE CAR STOPPED. I GOT OUT AND IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE MAT. THEY WERE NOT NEAR THE GAS PEDAL. I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN AND IT SEEMED FINE. I TOOK ALL SIDE STREETS TO GET HOME AND STAYED AWAY FROM ALL CARS AND PEOPLE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO TOYOTA THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE EVENT AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. MY CAR WAS A PRIUS 2009 PACKAGE #3 WITH 7500 MILES ON IT. UNTIL THAT DAY, IT DROVE PERFECTLY AND I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH IT. I WON'T DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN. *TR

I HAVE NOTICED FOR SOME TIME NOW ALLOT OF TOYOTA PRIUS CARS DRIVING IN DARK CONDITIONS WITH NO HEADLIGHTS ON. THE TAIL LIGHTS ARE ON BUT NO HEADLIGHTS. THIS WOULD SUGGEST TO ME THAT THERE IS A MANUAL HEADLIGHT SWITCH OR ELSE DIFFERENT PARAMETERS FOR THE HEAD AND TAIL LIGHTS. AS FOR THE REASON, I BELIEVE TO CONSERVE POWER ON THE ELECTRIC BATTERIES. IF THE DRIVER IS IN CONTROL OF THE HEADLIGHTS THIS CONTROL SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY. IT IS RARE IN THIS DAY AND AGE FOR A MANUAL HEADLAMP SWITCH EVEN ON THE MOST BASIC CARS, SO I BELIEVE TOYOTA WAS FULLY AWARE OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND WHAT THE DRIVERS WERE LIKELY TO DO. BUT YET TOYOTA MADE SURE THEY WERE LEGALLY COVERED WITH THE TAIL LIGHTS. AFTER ALL IF THE DRIVER HITS A CAR OR PEDESTRIAN ITS THE DRIVERS FAULT BUT IF TOYOTA PRIUS CARS SUDDENLY START GETTING REAR ENDED, ITS TOYOTA'S FAULT. IF THE HEADLAMP IS NOT IN CONTROL OF THE DRIVER WHY THE DIFFERENCE IN TIMING WHEN THEY COME ON? I WOULD SUGGEST AGAIN TO CONSERVE POWER AND MAKE THEIR CARS GO FARTHER ON ELECTRIC POWER AT THE EXPENSE OF PUBLIC SAFETY. I AM WRITING THIS PRIMARILY FROM A PEDESTRIAN POINT OF VIEW BECAUSE I AM A RUNNER AND HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF SEMI CLOSE CALLS BECAUSE OF THE HEADLIGHT ISSUE AND ONE CLOSER CALL BECAUSE THEY ARE SO QUIET. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT GOES OFF INTERMITTENTLY. I NOTICED IT AROUND MAY 2009, AND REPORTED IT DURING MY MAY PRE-PAID TOYOTA SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE., WHICH WAS THE LAST ONE FOR MY PLAN. TOYOTA SAID THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM. THE INCIDENT IS NOTED ON MY TOYOTA PAPERWORK. *TR

I OWN A TOYOTA PRIUS. ON JUNE 22, THE FUEL GAUGE STARTED TO ACT UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER HAVING MY CAR FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS THEY CLAIMED IT WAS FIXED. THEY REPLACED ALMOST EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE FUEL. I THEN TOOK IT BACK LESS THAN A MONTH LATER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND JUST TO NEVER LET MY TANK GO BELOW 1/4. TO ME, THIS IS A DANGER. I NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH GAS IS IN MY GAS TANK OR WHEN I MAY RUN OUT OF GAS. I THEN TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE PRIUS, YET TOYOTA DOES NOTHING TO FIX THIS. EVERY FEW DAYS I HAVE TO STOP AND GET GAS BECAUSE MY GAS GAUGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. I AM DRIVING AROUND AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN EVER THE CONTACT WORE POLARIZED SUNGLASSES THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYED DIM LIGHTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RESOLUTION. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,400. UPDATED 9/17/09 *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN EVER THE CONTACT WORE POLARIZED SUNGLASSES THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYED DIM LIGHTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RESOLUTION. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,400. UPDATED 9/17/09 *CN UPDATED 09/18/09.*JB