2012 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NAVIGATION WOULD STOP GIVING VERBAL DIRECTIONS WHEN WITHIN 3 MILES OF DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 7,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WAS WORKING AS DESIGNED. UPDATED 1/18/2013*JS

MY PRIUS V FIVE WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2012. LOCATION OF THE CAR IS NW OF WA STATE WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MID 50S (AND BELOW) WITH HIGH LEVEL OF HUMIDITY. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER 2012, I'M EXPERIENCING A NOISE THAT WOULD BEST BE DESCRIBED AS AN "OWL HOOTING." MY PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE AFTER THE CAR HAS PARKED FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME (EG. IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT). SOMETIMES, MERELY PARKING FOR 10 MINUTES ON THE SCHOOL'S PARKING LOT IS ENOUGH TO MAKE THE NOISE APPEAR AGAIN. THE "HOOTING" DEFINITELY "OSCILLATES" WITH THE ROTATION OF THE TIRE AND EMANATES FROM MY REAR RIGHT SIDE, BUT IS ESPECIALLY LOUD WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS. THE NOISE DISAPPEARS AFTER DRIVING A FEW HUNDRED YARDS, BUT IS LOUD ENOUGH TO TURN HEADS. I'M ABLE TO REPRODUCE THIS PROBLEM EVERY SINGLE MORNING SINCE OCTOBER 2012. THE SERVICE TECHS WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THE NOISE, BUT COULDN'T REPAIR THE DEFECT. INSTEAD, AN OPEN CASE/TICKET WAS SUBMITTED TO TOYOTA'S HEADQUARTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE NOTICED THAT WHEN THE LIGHTS WERE VIEWED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL PRISM EFFECT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN IMAGE LOCATED ABOVE AND BELOW THE ACTUAL LIGHT SOURCE THAT OCCURRED WITH ALL LIGHT SOURCES SUCH AS HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, STREET LIGHTS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ETC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE A TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT NO REPAIRS WERE NEEDED AND THAT THE ISSUE WAS NOT A DEFECT BUT RATHER A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,200. UPDATED 12/10/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED ONCE. THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD HAD THE SAME DEFECT THE CASE WAS TAKEN TO ARBITRATION WHEN TOYOTA REFUSED TO FIND A REMEDY FOR THE SAFETY DEFECT. ARBITRATION WAS LOST DUE TO "LACK OF EVIDENCE". UPDATED 12/18/2012*JS

BRAND NEW 2012 PRIUS DRIVING OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP AT NIGHT, NOTICED A RATHER BOTHERSOME TRAIT: LIGHTS VIEWED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD HAVE A PRISM EFFECT WHERE THERE IS A "GHOST" IMAGE LOCATED ABOVE AND BELOW THE ACTUAL LIGHT SOURCE. I WANTED TO KNOW IF THIS WAS DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD, OR JUST HOW THE PRIUS IS DUE TO THE VERY LOW ANGLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT IS DEFINITELY A PRISM TYPE EFFECT AS IT DIFFERS BY COLOR, AND AS YOU APPROACH THE LIGHT SOURCE, THE GHOST IMAGES MERGE INTO THE SINGLE IMAGE. THIS HAPPENS WITH ALL LIGHT SOURCES, THE SUN (WORST OF ALL), HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS,STREET LIGHTS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ETC. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THIS GHOSTING OF THE LIGHT SOURCES IS REALLY DISTRACTING AND MAKES IT LOOK LIKE YOU ARE LOOKING AT A BLURRED IMAGE. NOTHING IS CRISP OR CLEAR. IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT MY WIFE AND I ARE NOT DRIVING THE CAR AT NIGHT AND USING ANOTHER VEHICLE. WE HAVE HAD OTHERS IN THE CAR TO CONFIRM THE ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER WITH THE ISSUE AND THEY HAVE YET TO REPLY... *TR

THE VEHICLE EMITS A REPETITIVE 'WOO......WOO.....' THAT VARIES WITH SPEED/WHEEL REVOLUTION (SOMETHING RUBBING DURING EACH REVOLUTION). TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY TO TELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE GROAN IS COMING FROM THE REAR-PASSENGER SIDE. THE SOUND IS USUALLY PRESENT AFTER THE CAR HAS SAT OVERNIGHT OR AFTER PROLONGED PARKING AND LAST FOR 100-300 FEET OF DRIVING. I'VE EVEN HEARD IT AFTER FOUR HOURS OF BEING PARKED AT WORK. IT WILL TYPICALLY MAKE THIS SOUND FOR A FEW DAYS AFTER A RAIN EVENT. THE SOUND HAS OCCURRED IN BOTH FORWARD AND REVERSE AND WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON OR OFF PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN APRIL AND HAVE HEARD IT ALL THE WAY TO THE PRESENT. DURING A TIRE REPLACEMENT I MADE NOTE OF THE ISSUE TO THE DEALER, WHO ATTRIBUTED IT TO ROTOR OXIDATION. I RESPONDED THAT I'VE HEARD THE GRIND/GROAN OF RUST BEING WORN OFF THE ROTOR WHEN FIRST APPLY THE BRAKES, AND THIS IS NOT THAT SOUND. I WENT IN WITH A RECORDING ON MY PHONE AND THE TECHNICIAN AGREED IT WASN'T RUST. THEY REPAIRED THE TIRE AND TRIED TO REPRODUCE THE CONDITION WITHOUT SUCCESS. THEY DID TEAR DOWN THE BRAKE AND FOUND NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THE FACT THAT THIS ISSUE PERSISTS ON MULTIPLE VEHICLES OF THIS MODEL IS INDICATIVE OF A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR

THE WINDSHIELD HAS A SERIOUS OPTICAL ILLUSION DURING NIGHT TIME DRIVING. THE WINDSHIELD CREATES A GHOST IMAGE OF THE ORIGINAL LIGHT SOURCE - THE GHOST IMAGE APPEARS ABOVE AND BELOW THE ORIGINAL LIGHT SOURCE. FOR EXAMPLE, AT NIGHT THE RED TRAFFIC LIGHT WILL HAVE A GHOST IMAGE OF THE RED LIGHT ABOVE AND BELOW IT, ULTIMATELY SHOWING THREE RED LIGHTS (GHOST IMAGE(1), ORIGINAL LIGHT(2), AND ANOTHER GHOST IMAGE (3)). THIS CAN ALSO BE SEEN WITH THE YELLOW AND GREEN TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ONCOMING CAR HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, STREET LIGHTS, AND PEDESTRIAN WALK SIGNS. *TR

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

THERE IS A GHOSTING IMAGE SEEN THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON MY NEW 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS II THAT IS AFFECTING NIGHT TIME DRIVING AND THE VISIBILITY OF LIGHTS, ESPECIALLY RED LIGHTS. WHEN YOU ARE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT AND YOU APPROACH A LIGHT THERE IS A GHOST IMAGE OF THE LIGHT ABOVE AND BELOW THE ACTUAL LIGHT SOURCE UNTIL YOU GET WITHIN A FEW FEET OF THE LIGHT SOURCE THEN IT DISAPPEARS. THIS IS BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MYSELF AS WELL AS MANY OTHER 2012 PRIUS OWNERS THAT I HAVE TALKED TO ABOUT THIS. I HAVE 20/20 VISION WITH NO NEED FOR GLASSES AND THIS IS BEGINNING TO CAUSE A STRAIN ON MY VISION, AS I IMAGINE FOR OTHERS AN EVEN GREATER STRAIN. I HAVE HEARD OF MANY OTHERS EVEN HAVING TWO GHOST IMAGES BELOW AND ABOVE THE LIGHT SOURCE. BELOW IS HOW IT WOULD LOOK. GHOST IMAGE OF LIGHT ACTUAL LIGHT SOURCE GHOST IMAGE OF LIGHT *TR

VEHICLE IS PARKED OUTSIDE, AND DURING MORNING COLD START, THE VEHICLE PRODUCES A MOANING/WOOING SOUND FOR APPROX. 50-75 YARDS WITH VEHICLE MOVING UNDER 25 MPH. THE SOUND IS BEING GENERATED FROM THE FRONT WHEEL WELLS. SOUND GENERATED IS RELATED TO VEHICLE SPEED. THE FASTER THE VEHICLE MOVES, THE MORE FREQUENT THE SOUND BEING PRODUCED DURING THE FIRST 50-75 YARDS. STRANGE SOUND IS GONE AFTER THAT, AND DOES NOT RETURN UNTIL THE NEXT COOL/COLD START. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, AND DEALER TOOK OFF THE FRONT WHEEL TO INSPECT BRAKES, WHEELS, AND TIRES, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE OR REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. ABNORMAL SOUND IS ONLY PRODUCED DURING MORNING COLD STARTS AND WHEN VEHICLE IS LEFT TO COOL(I.E. PARKING LOT AT WORK). *TR

REPEATING SEVERAL-SECOND GROANING OR GRINDING NOISE HEARD FROM REAR WHEEL AREA UPON STARTUP MOTION. THE NOISE IS SEVERE AND SOUNDS LIKE LOW-PITCH METAL GRINDING. IT'S POTENTIALLY BRAKE RELATED BUT COULD BE SUSPENSION BUSHINGS OR OTHER COMPONENTS RUBBING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. IT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE TYPICAL BRAKE GLAZING. THE NOISE OCCURS IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TYPICALLY AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS OR OVERNIGHT. NOISE CONTINUES FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AT STOP AND START. NOISE IS LOUD ENOUGH TO STARTLE AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER. THE ABSOLUTE SEVERITY AND INDICATION OF THE SOUND IS ENOUGH TO QUESTION SAFE ONGOING FUNCTIONALITY OF BRAKING AND/OR SUSPENSION SYSTEMS. MULTIPLE REPORTS ARE DOCUMENTED ONLINE AT PRIUSCHAT.COM. TOYOTA DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A FIX OR RESOLUTION AT TIME OF WRITING, 10/2012. THIS IS FOR 2012 PRIUS V MODEL FIVE. *TR