This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after sitting idle for a few days. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and they advised the contact that the failure was due to the battery being unused for more than 10 days. The dealer advised that the battery should have been disconnected before allowing the vehicle to sit idle for so long. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after receiving a jump start. The failure mileage was approximately 6,500.
Passenger door latch failed in my Toyota Prius, it opened as I was moving, then I closed from inside and when I got to my destination it did not open anyway, even with remote. So I got out thru other door.
My windshield wipers stopped working for a short time. I have an idea of what could cause this issue among other problems. I had a problem with a vehicle I once owned that the engine would stop for no reason. The dealer could not find a problem but as a precaution he replaced the small wiring harness. My car never failed again. About 6 months later amc came out with a directive to replace the small wiring harness on all of these cars. The problem was that the two ends of the harness were manufactured by different companies that used different plastic.the plastic in the connectors would react with one another and produce a gas. The gas would coat the contacts and cause them to go open. In my case when I restarted my car the contacts would arc and it would run okay until the contacts got coated again. I think this condition could cause almost every problem Toyota is having. I don't know if this condition is related to any of the problems they are having but it might be worth looking into it.
2010 Toyota Prius, no accidents, but close calls. When I am slowing to a stop, and if the vehicle hits a rough spot in the road, for example a pothole, the brake pedal lowers slightly and the car appears to have the anti lock braking take over and the car speed decreases slowly under the control of the ABS and may not stop in the remaining distance to a stop sigh or traffic light. At least 4 times, 3 since the software update for my car, I have been stopping and within about 20 feet of the stop sigh there was a significant bump or pothole and with my foot on the brake continuously I noticed that the brake pedal depressed slightly and my rate of slowing decreased and my car drifted past the stop sign. This all happened with my foot still on the brake. I told the Toyota dealer about this and was informed that it is the way the car is designed, that any time that the computer senses a wheel slip, the ABS takes over. But on dry road conditions, this is problematic because in my area there are often un repaired roads with ruts, potholes, bumps and etc. Near the intersections. Having the ABS take over provides a lag time in the stopping of the car and each time I have gone past the stop sign and slightly into the intersection approximately 5 feet into the path of other vehicles. I am an engineer with nasa and know what I am doing and have been told that this is a design feature, but this feature can and has left me exceeding my planned stopping distance and could have lead to an accident.
My Toyota Prius headlights go off frequently while driving. I must turn them off and on to have them come back on. It used to be one or the other at a time, however now both lights will go off at once. I was driving in very dark conditions when it happened last time and the road was pitch black. The fact that it was late at night is the only way I knew both lights were out. If I am driving at dusk or dawn, it is a major safety concern because it would be difficult to tell that my lights are off while I'm driving, but very difficult for others to see me coming down the road. It only takes a few seconds for an accident to happen. The Toyota dealership acknowledged that it is a known issue and initially said that the replacement would be covered. Then came back and said they have not been recalled so it would be out of my pocket. I was also told that I could just continue to turn the lights on and off when it happens because the life of the bulbs should not be up yet. That is not a good solution to me because I don't always know when one or both lights goes out and when it might be difficult for other drivers to see me. I feel that this is a known hazard that should be rectified by recalling/replacing these bulbs.
- Centennial, CO, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
My Prius engine would not cut off while I had my wife's avalon electronic key in my pocket touching my Prius electronic key. I was sitting still but each time I cut off the engine by holding down the power button, with my foot on the brake, the engine would start back up. It wasn't until I moved the avalon key from my vehicle that the Prius restored normal actions. Could this contribute to the problems with Toyota's products?
The first time I drove my brand new 2010 Toyota Prius at night and the dashboard cluster was illuminated, I saw what appears to be smudges on the inside of the split screen. The defects appear only on the portion of the split screen that regulates the hybrid system -- in other words, the computer that controls the car. I brought the car to my local Toyota dealership for a warranty repair. They stated "some type of fluid or cleaner has gotten behind the cluster and spotted. Not covered by warranty." If this were correct, and it is not, the screen would have to be porous; which in itself would be a manufacturing defect. I contacted Toyota customer service in California and they stand by the dealer and state "this is not a defect Toyota motors will cover. We consider your case closed." My private mechanic thinks there might be a problem with the evaporator behind and integrated with the dash - coupled with the heat & humidity - which might be causing the blotting out of portions of the hybrid screen cluster. Further, he tells me that whether or not this can effect the safety of the hybrid system and the operation of the vehicle, he does not know. He states that in order to determine what is causing this the complete dash assembly must be removed. I cannot believe Toyota motor corporation has learned nothing from their mistakes of the recent past and is denying any responsibility on the part of the manufacturer of this brand new automobile. I believe this problem is a manufacturing defect that has probably shown up on other vehicles and will continue to show up on additional vehicles no matter how adamantly Toyota motor corporation denies it is a manufacturing defect. I watched what I thought were sincere apologies by Mr. Toyota when he appeared before the United States congress. Looks as though nothing has changed in corporate Japan Toyota.
New 2010 Prius ll commuter car suddenly accelerates or scoots when both feet are on the brake. The vehicle takes the same route to and from work daily. On every trip, when the right front wheel passes over a recessed manhole, the vehicle accelerates. I immediately push harder on the brake to stop the vehicle. The manhole is about 30 feet in front of an intersection, so I am already decelerating and braking when I cross over the manhole. This is scary because, if I the car doesn't stop, it will take me out into the middle of the intersection. Both feet are on the brake. I have driven for over 40 years, and this the strangest thing I have ever experienced.
I was on a trip to Arizona and when driving in my 2010 Prius from flagstaff to phoenix during the evening, the batter display's top segment glowed red many times in the descent from flagstaff. It was a very difficult to drive to keep the top segment from turning red as the vehicle was coasting and I did not want to exceed the speed limit so I really did not now what to do. I decided to shift to neutral so the engine was not breaking. However in neutral I was wearing out my vehicles brakes which also worried me because of the possibility of overheating the brakes. I looked in my vehicle manual but nothing as in the booklet about this type of occurrence. So I asked my Toyota service personnel at rudy luther Toyota in golden valley, mn and they had not heard of this problem. He gave me a the telephone number for customer service representatives at Toyota and after discussing this incident with many people in customer service at Toyota, the end result was "that the battery was fully charged and when this occurs the top bar will glow red but this will not effect the battery". I do not know if this is true or Toyota is just putting me off but others at the following Toyota forum have also experienced this problem. Is this a safety problem, I do not know. Is it a battery warranty problem, I do not know. But please look at this forum thread and maybe you can discuss this more fully with Toyota. priuschat.com/forums/gen-III-2010-Prius-main-forum/67994-all-bars-battery-indicator-4.html on the return trip and here in Minnesota I have not had this problem occur as there are not many long descents.
2010 Toyota Prius. The consumer stated he experienced two safety issues; loss of brake effectiveness and engine race when the consumer applied the brakes when going over bumps/rough roads, or in marginal conditions due to snow/ice when approaching a stop sign, he would lose braking effectiveness. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for a recall repair on March 24, 2010. However, he continued to experience loss of brake effectiveness. The consumer pulled into a neighbor's driveway after driving less than one mile from his home. After pushing the park button, but before pushing the power button, the engine began to race. It was not at an extreme high RPM and it was not for an extended period time, but it did last for several seconds. After the vehicle went down to normal RPM, after a S second or two, it began all over again. The consumer stated it was not a surge as the vehicle was not in gear at the time.
Although I took my vehicle in for the recall (2010 Prius) last week, the vehicle repeated the loss of brake/surge issue this morning. I also reported to my Toyota dealer last week about abnormal, sudden braking. When applying normal pressure to the brakes, on several occasions the brakes have locked violently, sending me and my passengers against our seat belts. Toyota claimed that the recall may make that better. It has not. Thirdly, I reported last week to Toyota that the car has on occasion shaken violently and made a loud clanking noise (like a washing machine off balance) upon start up, causing me to jump out F the car for fear of it blowing up. They said they had never heard of this. My co-worker, a fellow 2010 Prius owner, reported the same issue.
Suggestion for testing toyoto acceleration problem: The tracks on a printed circuit board can behave as an antenna and generate false signals to the processor. Cell phone, gps signal radiation, etc., could be causing false signals on the board(s) in the toyoto vehicles. Check it out !!
True! gear problem! remember airbus flipping our of control when they came out with fly by wire? the joy stick gear is default to shift into neutral when normal push bring it in to reverse. No way to put it in neutral. I thought the same thing & was in denial until I realize that its impossible to put it into neutral when thing is speeding out of control. Don't take it lightly- I did bought a 2010 Prius just now & realize - U can't put it - in neutral. I was in denial. Also, ventilator fan suddenly accelerates when U try to switch the modes.
2010 Toyota Prius III ABS recall was applied by dealer Toyota city of brooklyn park, mn on 3/17/10. Prior to this recall update to my car, I had experienced the issue once since purchase of the car on 10/23/09. Now since the ABS update has been applied, I have experienced the issue 3 times in 5 days. The last experience was today and the worst yet where I felt I lost brakes completely while slowing the car and braking. I estimate my speed was about 15 mph going over a minor pot hole.
I believed the problem is in the brain box of the 2008-2010 Prius/etc in are area where the navy generate low frequency signals are garage doors go up and down at will.we had no idea until the navy admitted it. Now whit cell towers set up every where and who knows what signal are generated thru them. Who to say that it is at some point it effecting some of the Toyota after all they are rolling computers when they stop the erratic behavior and then reboot without a trace.
I have a complaint about the Toyota problem. Information is available from myself, since I have a specific skill that gives me the ability to diagnose theses type of problems that others do not have in their skill-set. I have a doctorate in a certain field that allows an understanding of these and other usually un answerable problems with computers and equipment. Even the faa problems with denial of service in the system is pretty simply answered. So now, lets get to the complaint, you folks would never engage me and pay my consultant fee to fix these problems, as I have tried and tried to inform so called smart bureaucrats and engineers on this and other problems, because you boys and girls are just too smart to go down any road that you have not been approved to go down usually' there is a fix for the Toyota problem, but I do not believe Toyota really wants it fixed, and I know that sounds goofy, but if you knew other sensitive information that I know, you might agree. So, bottom line, the us govt. Personnel will as usual round file any offers of assistance from guys with my set of skills, and the problems will continue to create the terrorism events here. I can usually shame you kind of folks and say something like, prove me wrong, and that doesn't even get a flinch either.
My prior Prius was repurchased by Toyota 09/09 with severe electrical issues which only escalated. I believe the man in ca because that happened to us on the highway, and our car behaved as if it were 'possessed'. now my 2010 is having intermittent issues, including an anti-skid/ braking light that we'd thought was remedied by resetting an ABS actuator Friday-it was on since test driving the car-but I was told many excuses, and eventually they were aware but did not know how to correct this. (?) I'm concerned about driving this vehicle as my 2007 trapped us in the car twice-911 called in a panic-plus my small daughter's safety was at risk just by owning that crazy car. Please see if you can locate that car and inspect it-you will see this is not some chance situation-and now I am extremely concerned about our new car 'performing as designed' when brake warning light comes on when applied! feel free contacting me on this!!
I have a 2010 Toyota Prius. There are three driving modes: Ev, eco and power. Ev is all electric, for very short distances at speeds under 25 mph. Every time I use the ev mode, and accelerate past 10 (ten) miles per hour, the system beeps and the display alerts that I am exceeding the speed, and shifts onto another mode. I am unable to use the ev mode as advertised by Toyota. I have taken the auto to the dealership and they refuse to acknowledge the auto operates in full electric mode, at low speeds, for short distances.
Driving my 2010 Prius when suddenly the auto turned off. Interior lights came on and dash stated key was located within the cabin indicating car was off. Dealership notified and computer saw the error message. Dealership stated that they don't know what happened but call back if it happens again.
Purchased 2010 Prius on Aug ll,09. Have returned to dealer 5 times, beginning on Sept.29, 09, to report same problem...which is that at random times when I shift from "P" to either "D" or "R", the vehicle lunges and when I apply the brake, it is like hitting a brick wall. This process is repeated several times in sequence...lunge, brake, lunge, brake..then it corrects itself and drives normally. I cannot predict when this will occur, sometimes it is weeks and hundreds of miles between occurrences; sometimes only a few miles and hours between incidents. The dealer always says they have not been able to reproduce the problem, therefore no diagnosis or repair. I have reported to Toyota customer ser. And was assigned a case #. have had ongoing conversation with tcs rep to report this and several other problems, I.e. various warning lights at inappropriate times..."key detected in vehicle" while driving down the road... etc. Am always told "scan shows no problems". I think there is a problem with electronics. Unsafe, frightening. Latest incident on 3/05/10. Dealer installed software fix for brake recall on 2/10/10. At times must repeatedly move gear shift lever before it responds.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Corpuis Cristy, TX, USA