2011 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

UPON ICE START UP AT TIMES, THERE IS A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE EMANATING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. GOES AWAY AFTER 10 SECONDS AND CAR DRIVES FINE. HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THOUGH THERE IS A TSB ISSUED, DEALER WOULD NOT FIX UNLESS ISSUE IS REPLICATED DESPITE SHOWING THEM WHAT MY CAR DID ON VIDEO. MOST NOTICEABLE AFTER CAR WAS RUN FOR A VERY BRIEF TIME HOURS BEFORE. ALSO NOTICE THE LAST FEW WEEKS, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, UPON ICE STARTING UP, THE ENGINE IS ROUGH AND THE SHIFT TO ICE IS NOTICEABLE. PREVIOUSLY IT WAS SMOOTH. NO CODES HAVE APPEARED AND THE CAR APPEARS TO RUN NORMAL OTHERWISE. I WOULD LIKE THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN 2 SEPARATE TSBS (ENGINE MOUNTS AND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET). *TR

STARTING ON/ABOUT FEBRUARY 1ST, 2011, ANY POINT SOURCE OF LIGHT (I.E., TRAFFIC SIGNAL, HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT) VIEWED THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CREATES AN OPTICAL EFFECT OF MULTIPLE IMAGES. THE EFFECT TYPICALLY MANIFESTS AS A TRIPLE IMAGE WHEN THE LIGHT IS VIEWED FROM A DISTANCE -- ONE FALSE IMAGE, EACH ABOVE AND BELOW THE ACTUAL LIGHT. AS THE LIGHT SOURCE IS APPROACHED, THE IMAGES CONVERGE ON THE CENTER (ACTUAL) LIGHT SOURCE, GOING FROM THREE (ONE FALSE ABOVE AND BELOW) TO EVENTUALLY ONE IMAGE WHEN THE LIGHT SOURCE IS VERY CLOSE (SUCH AS A CAR PASSING, GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION). THIS EFFECT HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY OCCURRING SINCE IT WAS FIRST NOTICED, AND IT OCCURS WITH ALL SOURCES OF LIGHT. IT IS MOST NOTICEABLE AND DISTRACTING WITH HEADLIGHTS APPROACHING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT NIGHT (ESPECIALLY A DARK NIGHT ON A DARK ROAD). *TR

STARTING ON/ABOUT 12 OCTOBER 2011, ANY POINT SOURCE OF LIGHT (I.E., TRAFFIC SIGNAL, HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT) VIEWED THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CREATES AN OPTICAL EFFECT OF MULTIPLE IMAGES, SOMEWHAT LIKE VIEWING THE LIGHT THROUGH A PRISM. THE EFFECT TYPICALLY MANIFESTS AS A QUINTUPLE IMAGE WHEN THE LIGHT IS VIEWED FROM A DISTANCE -- TWO FALSE IMAGES EACH ABOVE AND BELOW THE ACTUAL LIGHT. AS THE LIGHT SOURCE IS APPROACHED, THE IMAGES CONVERGE ON THE CENTER (ACTUAL) LIGHT SOURCE, GOING FROM FIVE TO THREE (ONE FALSE ABOVE AND BELOW) TO EVENTUALLY NEARLY ONE IMAGE WHEN AT A STOP LINE. THIS EFFECT HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY OCCURRING SINCE OCTOBER 2011, AND IT OCCURS WITH ALL SOURCES OF LIGHT. RED AND YELLOW COLORS ARE THE MOST VISIBLE/PRONOUNCED, BUT IT IS ALSO SEEN WITH GREEN OR OTHER COLORS OF LIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE, THE PRISMATIC EFFECT IS VERY DISTRACTING, ESPECIALLY IN AN URBAN/SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE ARE MANY TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND OTHER VEHICLES IN THE AREA. *TR

THE CAR SUDDENLY DECELERATED FROM 65 MILES AN HOUR TO ABOUT 5 MILES PER HOUR WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT NIGHT WITH THE SHOULDER BLOCKED DUE TO ROAD CONSTRUCTION. THIS SAME PROBLEM WAS PRESENT IN THE 2004 PRIUS AND WAS APPARENTLY THE SUBJECT OF NHTSA INVESTIGATION. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 30, 2010 FOR 650,000 UNITS OF THE 2010 PRIUS. TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IN THE EARLIER MODELS AND ADMITS IT DOESN'T KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IN THE 2011 PRIUS. THIS DEFECT PRESENTS A GREAT DANGER, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *KB

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDE WINDOWS WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY FOGGY AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO UTILIZE THE SIDE-VIEW MIRRORS WHEN NEEDED. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO OPEN THE WINDOWS IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE WINDOWS BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY DEFECT AND THAT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000. KMJ - UPDATED 02/09/12*LJ THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE LEFT SIDE VIEW MIRROR VIBRATED AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE DEALER FOUND THE MIRROR WAS LOSING ITS HOUSING. UPDATED 02/27/12

I WAS A FRONT PASSENGER IN A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WE JUST GOT IN THE CAR. MY FRIEND TURNED IT ON. I LOWERED MY WINDOW AND PLACED MY ARM IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION JUST OVER THE WINDOWS LOWER MOLDING. MY FRIEND WENT TO RAISE MY WINDOW BECAUSE HE WANTED THE A/C ON. HE USED HIS AUTO UP FEATURE FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE. BEFORE I COULD REMOVE MY ARM, THE WINDOW WAS ALREADY MOVING UP. IT STARTED TO SQUEEZE MY ARM IN THE VERTICAL POSITION. I HAD MY THUMB INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND MY FOUR FINGERS OUT SIDE THE WINDOW FROM THE TOP. I COULD NOT RELEASE MY HAND FROM EITHER DIRECTION. MEANWHILE THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE FROM THE BOTTOM. SO BAD, I STARTED TO YELL AT MY FRIEND TO LOWER THE WINDOW. HE SAID IT WOULDN'T GO DOWN. I STARTED TO PANIC BECAUSE THE PAIN WAS VERY BAD. I WAS ABOUT TO PUNCH THE WINDOW BUT QUICKLY REACHED ACROSS MY BODY USING MY LEFT HAND. I USED MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW CONTROL AND WAS ABLE TO LOWER THE WINDOW. THIS SO-CALLED AUTO-DOWN PINCH PROTECTION DOES NOT ACTIVATE RIGHT AWAY. I FIRMLY BELIEVE IT ACTIVATES ONLY PAST A CERTAIN POINT. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA'S WEBSITE, THIS FEATURE SHOULD APPLY TO ALL POSITIONS BUT IN FACT DOES NOT. THE BACK OF MY ARM WAS SORE FOR DAYS AND DID BRUISE. WE TESTED MY FRIENDS CAR AGAIN ANOTHER DAY AND DISCOVERED THE EXACT SAME THING HAD HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME WE ONLY USED OUR HANDS TO APPLY PRESSURE AT THE VERY BOTTOM INSTEAD OF ONLY AT THE TOP OR IN THE MIDDLE. THIS IS A HUGE CONCERN. TOYOTA WAS EMAILED BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM A REPRESENTATIVE. IN MY OPINION, I SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL BACK OR A PHONE CALL AT THE LEAST. IT SADDENS ME BECAUSE I TOO AM THE OWNER OF TWO TOYOTAS. WHERE IS THE PRIORITY NOW? *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN FOGGY OR RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, CONDENSATION WOULD BUILD ON EACH WINDOW, PREVENTING THE CONTACT FROM SEEING THE ROADWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROSTER WOULD NOT CLEAR THE WINDOWS. SHE ALSO TRIED OPENING THE WINDOWS TO ALLOW THE CONDENSATION TO EVAPORATE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT REPAIRS COULD NOT BE MADE BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,059. ...UPDATE 01/20/12 *BF UPDATED 01/25/12

WHILE STEPPING FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE AND SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE MOVED APPROXIMATELY 18 INCHES BACKWARDS THEN STOPPED SUDDENLY. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON AT LEAST THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, ALTHOUGH USUALLY WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. THIS TIME I PAID CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE POSITION OF MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. IT WAS FIRMLY PRESSED, BUT TRAVELED ONLY 1-2 INCHES. AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND I WAS SATISFIED THAT I HADN'T MADE A MISTAKE I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND REAPPLIED IT. THIS TIME IT TRAVELED THE NORMAL 3-4 INCHES. EACH TIME I HAVE THE CAR SERVICED AT THE DEALER I MENTION THIS TO THE TECHNICIAN. THEY REPLY THAT THEY'VE HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING, BUT OFFER NO SOLUTION. *TR

MY BRAND NEW 2011 PRIUS CLASS FIVE WITH ALLOY WHEEL, MAKE A LOT OF NOISE COMING FROM FRONT LEFT TIRE. TIRE IS BRAND NEW, TRY A TIRE ROTATE, WHEEL IS STILL MAKING NOISE AT 5MPH TO 70. TAKE IT TO DEALER THEY SAY IT NORMAL WHEN I DON'T THINK IT NORMAL. VERY STARING FOR A BRAND NEW CAR TO MAKE THESE NOISE. *TR

UPON STARTING VEHICLE, A VERY LOUD KNOCKING NOISE, ACCOMPANIED BY SHAKING OCCURRED. AT THIS TIME NO FAILURE/WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. MOVED CAR FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET, AND PLACED CAR IN PARK, KNOCKING/SHAKING DID NOT ABATE. TURNED CAR OFF. THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR, UPON STARTING HAD THE SAME LOUD KNOCKING/SHAKING. IT WAS AUDIBLE FROM SEVERAL FEET AWAY FROM THE CAR. ON THE SECOND TIME, IT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A WARNING LIGHT TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *TR