2012 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

HEAD RESTRAINT (HEAD REST) ON DRIVER SEAT DOES NOT STAY IN PLACE. AFTER I ADJUST IT, IT RISES VERY SLOWLY. IF I DO NOT CONTINUALLY READJUST IT (3 OR 4 TIMES A DAY), IT RISES ABOVE MY HEAD. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY CONCERN. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR (NEW) AND I HAVE ASKED TOYOTA SEVERAL TIMES TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT, AND THEY SAY THAT IT IS 'NORMAL'. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS DURING MY LIFETIME, AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE IN ANY OF THEM. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN TO THE PASSENGER HEAD RESTRAINT. I DO NOT THINK IT IS 'NORMAL', AND IF IT IS 'NORMAL' FOR TOYOTA, THEN ALL TOYOTA CARS HAVE A SAFETY PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY JUST REFER THE PROBLEM BACK TO MY LOCAL DEALER, WHO CONTINUES TO GIVE ME THE SAME ANSWER. *TR

DESIGN OF CAR INCLUDES A FLAW CAUSING A HUGE VERTICAL BLINDSPOT ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR. BECAUSE THERE IS A BAR THAT RUNS VERTICAL ON BOTH SIDES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGERS' WINDOWS, THIS, ALONG WITH THE PILLAR COMING DOWN THE WINDSHIELD CONTRIBUTE TO AN EXTREMELY LARGE SPOT WHERE OBJECTS IN ROAD CANNOT BE SEEN. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS FOR PEDESTRIAN FOOT-TRAFFIC CROSSING PERPENDICULAR TO THE CAR. PEDS IN CROSSWALKS OR IN PARKING LOTS ARE AT TIMES, COMPLETELY MASKED BY THIS BLIND SPOT BY THE COMBINATION OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD PILLARS AND FRONT WINDOW SUB-PILLARS. OTHER CARS (SUCH AS HONDA INSIGHT) WITH A DRAMATICALLY ANGLED WINDSHIELD AVOID THIS BY USING A SMALLER SUB-PILLAR ON THE FRONT WINDOW, ALLOWING FOR THINGS TO BE SEEN FAR MORE EASILY. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE IT CAUSES A PEDESTRIAN INJURY OR DEATH. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE REPAIRED. *TR

ON COLD MORNINGS THE CAR MAKES A GROANING NOISE FROM THE REAR FOR APROX A 1/2 BLOCK. MY DEALER WAS ABLE TO VERIFY THE PROBLEM WHEN I LEFT THE CAR OVERNIGHT PARKED OUTSIDE. THEY SAID THEY ARE WAITING FOR TOYOTA TO COME UP WITH A FIX. THE CAR NOW HAS JUST OVER 10,000 MILES BUT IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MOST OF THE TIME WE HAVE OWNED IT. *TR

BRAND NEW PRIUS 2012 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, LIGHTS, ESPECIALLY RED IN COLOR, WHEN VIEWED FROM FRONT WINDSHIELD, APPEAR AS THREE DISTINCT IMAGES. ONE DARK IMAGE ALONG WITH TWO FAINT IMAGE ONE ABOVE AND ONE BELOW THE DARK ONE. I GOT THE CAR IN NOV END, REPORTED THE ISSUE IN DEC 17 TO TOYOTA, THEN WENT TO DEALER BEFORE CHRISTMAS. TECHNICIAN THERE ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE AND ORDERED A NEW GLASS. WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED ON 11 JAN BUT SAW THE SAME ISSUE, TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE CAR AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE IS STILL THERE. TOYOTA REP WILL COME AND LOOK INTO THE ISSUE. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS SOMETIMES THERE ARE LOTS OF RED TAIL LIGHTS AHEAD. I SEE LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE ......BELOW ARE ODI ID NUMBER FOR PRIUS 2012. SEEMS LIKE COMMON PROBLEM. NOT SURE IF TOYOTA IS WAITING FOR ACCIDENTS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE BEFORE FIXING IT. ODI ID NUMBER : 10490622 ODI ID NUMBER : 10485390 ODI ID NUMBER : 10485239 ODI ID NUMBER : 10483605 ODI ID NUMBER : 10483561 ODI ID NUMBER : 10482102 ODI ID NUMBER : 10479684. *TR

WHEN STARTING TO DRIVE THE CAR AFTER IS HAS BEEN SITTING FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS AND ESPECIALLY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, THE VEHICLE MAKES A GROANING NOISE WHICH SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM THE LEFT REAR TIRE AREA. IT LASTS FOR ABOUT THE FIRST 50 FEET AND THEN IT STOPS MAKING THE NOISE. THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH TEMPERATURES VARYING BETWEEN 40 TO 75 DEGREES. WHEN IT IS REALLY HOT IN THE MORNING, THE NOISE IS NOT PRESENT. THE DEALER HAS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY SAY THAT THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM WITH NO SOLUTION. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 4 DAYS SHORT OF A YEAR WITH 12,250 MILES ON IT AND IT DOES IT ALL THE TIME. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THE CAR IS FINE OTHERWISE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, ALL LIGHTS, ESPECIALLY RED IN COLOR, WHICH ARE VIEWED FROM FRONT WINDSHIELD, APPEAR AS THREE DISTINCT IMAGES. THE SOURCE LIGHT, THEN A DISTINCT SHADOWED LIGHT ABOVE AND BELOW THE SOURCE. THIS SAFETY ISSUE IS EXTREMELY COMPOUNDED WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT IN HIGH TRAFFIC SITUATIONS WHERE THERE ARE HUNDRENDS OF TAILIGHTS IN FRONT OF ME. ALL THOSE LIGHTS ARE ESSENTIALLY TRIPPLED CAUSING CONFUSION AND DISTRACTION. TOYOTA REFUSES TO AKNOWLEGE THE ISSUE. THROUGH RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH MANY FRUSTRATED OWNERS JUST LIVING WITH IT BECAUSE TOYOTA WONT FIX IT. IT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE HELP MAKE TOYOTA RECTIFY THIS HUGE SAFETY ISSUE BEFORE IT CAUSES PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS!! *TR

CIGARETTE/POWER OUTLET FUSE ALWAYS BLOWS VERY FREQUENTLY - EVEN WITH A GPS USE OF CELLPHONE CHARGER ONLY. HAVE BEEN TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THE ISSUE AFTER SEVERAL COMPLAINTS. REPLACING FUSES DOES NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR PEOPLE DEPENDENT ON GPS AND COMMUNICATION SPECIALLY FOR LONG TRAVELS. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID RESTRAIN HER. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE FOR TREATMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,200.

2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MALFUNCTION OF VEHICLE SEAT BELT AND AIRBAGS. *SMD THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2012. THE VEHICLE RECEIVED SEVERE FRONT-END DAMAGE TO THE EXTENT OF ALMOST $12,000. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK BY AN ON-COMING VEHICLE, HER SEAT BELT DID NOT PREVENT HER FROM HITTING HER CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL NOR DID THE AIR BAG DEPLOY IN TIME. SHE RECEIVED SEVERE BRUISING, SEVERE PAIN AND DISCOMFORT, AND STRESS. ALSO, THE LOWER DASH KNEE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY IN TIME TO PREVENT SEVERE BRUISING TO HIS WIFE'S KNEES. TOYOTA SENT THE CONSUMER A LETTER STATING THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE AIR BAGS OR SEAT BELT. *JB

1. WHEN VEHICLE TRANSITIONED FROM BATTERY TO MOTOR, SIGNIFICANT IMPACT RESULTED 2. BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO FLOOR, DASH WARNING LIGHT CAME ON [VEHICLE TOWED] 3. ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE DEALERS LOT, BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO FLOOR. TECHNICIAN WITNESSED. *TR UPDATED 01/15/13