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 2005 Toyota Prius. The contact stated when the vehicle stalled all of the warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated the dealer reprogrammed the computer, but the vehicle only functioned normally for one month. The contact stated the failure was being diagnosed by the dealer for one week. The fuel pressure was also being checked to see if it met specifications. The failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 75,500.
Driving North on I75 at approximately 65 mph. The gas gauge had 3 bars illuminated. The vsc warning light and the red triangle with the exclamation point came on. I lost the ability to accelerate and the car suddenly went dead. Luckily I was able to make to relative safety on the side to interstate. The car was towed to a dealer who said the car ran out gas! they also said that the "fuel register unit was operating as designed." How was that possible" the charge? over $1200! according to Toyota corporate and the dealership, repeated unsuccessful attempts to start the car will, by design, cause irreparable damage to the ECU code id box which can cost $1200 - $1800 to replace. This "design" is apparently in the name of anti-theft protection. (why not just immobilize the car instead of partial self-destruction") even given the high extent and documented history of gas gauge display malfunctions and many other related electrical problems, Toyota corporate would offer no financial assistance, no reimbursement of any portion of the repair. This is the second time the car has lost all power in the middle of heavy traffic. That time, 08/09/10, the water pump failed. Subsequent to that, I received a recall notice to replace the water pump.
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while he was adding fuel to his vehicle, the gasoline pump clicked notifying that the vehicle was full; however, when he removed the pump from the vehicle gasoline started flowing onto the ground. The failure and current mileages were 56340.
Over the past several I've noticed at least twice that after filling up my car with gasoline that the gauge reflecting gasoline status does not reset correctly, e.g., it tank was half full, filling up does not cause it to reset to "full". I suspect that this is due to some type of electronics error. In over 50 years of driving I've never had a car that didn't correctly reset to "full" upon "filling up". last incident date was in February 2010. Prior occasion was approximately 5-6 months earlier.
The gas "bladder" on my 2005 Toyota Prius will not expand correctly. This limits the total amount of fuel that can be put into the car to as little as 7 gal. In cold weather. The rated volume is 11.4 gal.
- Madison, WI, USA
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About 2 years ago, on route 840 in utica, I floored the gas pedal on my 2005 Toyota Prius to pass a car. The Prius does not have a lot of power, so flooring it was sometimes necessary to pass uphill. When I took my foot off the gas pedal, the car was still accelerating. I touched the brakes. Nothing. Finally, I pushed down hard on the brakes and got the car to the side of the road and turned it off. I have rubber mats. I thought one of them had gone under the pedal. "case solved" so I thought. Last December, again passing a truck uphill on route 840, I floored the pruis gas pedal. The same thing happened! this time I knew it was not the mat because I had drilled holes in it and attached it to the mat posts. It was inches away from the gas pedal when this happened. I pushed the brakes down hard and struggled the car to the side of the road right before the lanes merged and the truck would have cut me off (into a swamp). The brakes, with a burning smell, fought the racing car. I finally got it turned off. When I turned it back on, the gas was still racing! I turned it off again. After waiting, it started normally. It has done it every time the pedal was floored(seldom). I went to the internet and found this had been a problem and Toyota was planning a Prius recall, with parts to repair available in April. I was very scared to drive the car, but can't afford to sell it (wrong) or buy another. So I decided to wait for the recall. I have been driving on pins and needles since. And now there is no recall for the Prius gas pedal! I'm glad for the brake recall because my Prius has done that once too, but freaked out about no sticking gas pedal recall for the Prius. I went to the dealer today for 115,000K service and told them about this. "technician can not replicate problem". just like so many stories from other Toyota owners on the web. This will be many a Prius driver's epitaph without government action. Please make Toyota fix these sticking Prius accelerators
I was driving to work and with 3 bars of fuel showing on the fuel gauge, the gas engine stopped and I continued to a safe street to park with the electric motor (which has about a 1 mile range). I had the vehicle towed to the nearest Toyota dealer. There inspection revealed multiple failure codes but that it basically ran out of gas. They reset/recalibrated the ecms and I picked up the car 2 days later. I contacted Toyota about this issue and they denied any responsibility and advised that I should not run below 25% of the tanks capacity. The 2010 Prius uses a rigid gas tank versus the flexible gas tank in my vehicle (I believe they know it is a problem but are doing nothing but advise people to not go below 25% fuel capacity. Since the tank may be from 10 to 11.9 gallons this is not that clear). The Toyota case number is 0910135219 which is already closed (denied).
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Plano, IL, USA