2002 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRUIS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER MANIPULATION OF THE HEADLIGHT SELECTOR SWITCH THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT ACTIVATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

RIGHT FRONT DISC BRAKE PADS WERE INSPECTED ON 9-3-2009 BUT ON 10-23-2009 GRINDING NOISE BEGAN. PADS AND ROTORS ON FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED. TOLD METAL TO METAL CONTACT HAD DEVELOPED AND VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2002. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. INTERMITTENTLY THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHILE MAKING RIGHT AND LEFT TURNS. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED AND ERROR CODES INDICATED THAT THE TORQUE SENSOR FAILED. A DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $2,000; ALTHOUGH, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V285000, HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNDER 89,000. UPDATED 04/05/10 *BF UPDATED 05/05/10.*JB

AT THE END OF AN 8 HOUR TRIP FROM VA TO TN, ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE CAR AND IT LOST POWER. WE LIMPED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND LEARNED THAT THE TRANSAXLE (TRANSMISSION) AND INVERTER HAD FAILED. METAL FRAGMENTS WERE FOUND IN THE TRANSAXLE FLUID. THE COST TO REPLACE BOTH IS ESTIMATED AT $7,500. THE CAR HAS 113K MILES ON IT AND WAS DEALER-MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO TOYOTA PLAN. *TR

TIRE THREAD SEPARATION OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 60-70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING VEHICLE TO WEAVE NEARLY OUT OF CONTROL. A COLLISION WAS AVOIDED BY THE DRIVER. DAMAGE TO THE FENDER, BUMPER AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. TIRE BRAND WAS BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA 175/65R14 DOT IC8I E20 1604 EQ8R. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE LARGE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO OUT OF WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE OUT-OF-WARRANTY DIVISION, BUT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 108,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REMAINS ILLUMINATED, REGARDLESS IF THE BRAKES ARE ENGAGED OR NOT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THEY DISCOVERED A LEAK IN THE BRAKES. BRAKE FLUID WAS ADDED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE, BUT THE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY INFORMED HIM NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. WEEKS LATER, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE ACTIVATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. HE REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE LAMP IN THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, BUT WAS UNSURE IF THAT WOULD PERMANENTLY REMEDY THE ISSUE. BOTH OF THE DEFECTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 3/11/09 *CN UPDATED 03/16/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 65 MPH, THE EMERGENCY AND POWER STEERING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE POWER STEERING WOULD LOCK AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, THE WARNING INDICATORS WOULD NO LONGER ILLUMINATE; HOWEVER, THERE WAS A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE LIABILITY OF THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 96,000. UPDATED 3/16/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS AN OCCASSIONAL SHIMMY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. UPDATED 03/19/09.*JB

WHILE ON A TRIP AND AFTER START UP ON A COLD MORNING, I LEFT THE HOTEL PARKING LOT AND WAS PROCEEDING TO THE ON RAMP FOR THE INTERSTATE. WHILE I WAS TURNING LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY FOR 3-4 SECONDS BEFORE IT SUBSIDED. I NOTICED THIS SHUTTERING OR STIFFNESS A FEW MORE TIMES BEFORE WE RETURNED FROM OUR TRIP. AFTER RETURNING HOME, WE TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER. THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND STATED, "CHECKED TO FIND POWER STEERING RACK & PINION GEAR IS CAUSING PROBLEM EST $2160.85. WOULD NEED TO ORDER PART # 44200-49055." *TR

BRAKE AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON. BRAKES LOST COMPLETE BRAKING ABILITY. LUCKILY WE WERE ON A HILL OFF THE INTERSTATE EXIT WHEN THIS HAPPENED SO THE CAR COULD NOT GO FURTHER, THOUGH IT ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF US (THAT PERSON TURNED OFF ROAD). THIS IS 100% DANGEROUS! THE CAR CURRENTLY SITS AT MY HOUSE. TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WHEN BRAKE PADS WERE CHECKED LAST I WAS TOLD BRAKES WERE 80% NEW, SO IT IS CLEARLY NOT THE PADS. *TR