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 2008 Toyota Prius. While idling at a stop light, the engine revved, and then the vehicle accelerated. She has called the Toyota manufactured, and was advised that the floor-mats caused the failure. She was waiting for a representative to call her back. The vehicle has not been taken to the dealer. The failure mileage was 50,000.
Accelerator pedal on vehicle failed to return to non accelerating position after accelerating on freeway. Vehicle continued to accelerate even while braking. I had to wedge my foot underneath the accelerator pedal to lift it to the full upward position. This incident occurred while accelerating sharply, and has not occurred with gentle acceleration. I have avoided any sudden acceleration with this vehicle, for fear of a recurrence of this problem. There was no floor mat interference while this was occurring, it felt as though the accelerator pedal was being operated without foot contact, as I could feel the pedal depress underneath my resting foot. I am a very experienced driver and have driven commercially for 20 years and have never experienced anything like this.
Vehicle body lurches forward when gas engine starts. This happens when the vehicle starts from cold, or when the vehicle is in park and the gas engine starts. We told the dealership this, but they said it was nothing. This happens every so often, not sure what leads up to it.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota pruis. While driving with the cruise control set at 60 mph, the vehicle began to accelerate without intention. After repeated brake application, he was able to stop the vehicle. However there were small flames inside of the passenger and driver front wheels. The fire was extinguished. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer. The technician was unable to duplicate the failure. The front brakes were replaced under the warranty. The failure mileage was 16,368. The current mileage was unknown. Updated 12/07/09. The consumer stated the floor mats were not the cause of the incident. Updated 12/08/09
Needing maximum acceleration to avoid being struck from behind, I thrust the accelerator to the floor in my '08 Prius. Safely avoiding a possible collision, my auto continued to accelerate. The accelerator was stuck in the full down position and could not be budged either by hand or by repeated stomping to release it. I made sure the floor mat was not interfering with the accelerator, which it wasn't. I braked hard and turned off the 4 lane street to the right and was about to turn off the engine when it released as rapidly as it began. I reported it to Toyota at my next oil service - but they had no prior experience of this type of complaint. I have since refrained maximum acceleration - but am afraid to let anyone else drive my auto. Now that I am aware that there is no direct mechanical connection to to investigate or correct in the fuel system, but instead an electronic one, ("fly by wire" like the new commercial jets), I am even more on edge. Thank god, the Prius is underpowered. In a more powerful auto, the engine would have overpowered the brakes and led to a possible disaster. Electronics malfunction sporadically! please investigate!!!
- Del Mar, CA, USA
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I own a 2008 Toyota Prius. In April of 2008, 4 months after I bought the vehicle, I was pulling into a spot in the parking structure at work. All of a sudden the engine gunned and the car lurched forward, went over the bumper guard in the spot, and was stopped by the concrete overhang, which totally crunched the hood. At the time, I said to myself, "why aren't the brakes working?" I think this problem may be related to the gas pedal problems currently being reported concerning the Toyota. Thanks for your assistance.
I have a 2008 Toyota Prius that has an acceleration problem which is not attributable to the floor mat. I also had a 2004 Toyota Prius with the same problem that resulted in a collision that totaled the vehicle. The 2008 Prius was taken to the dealership for the acceleration problem but they can not reproduce it. The 2004 Prius was totaled in a collision where the vehicle would not stop.
While driving my employer's 2008 (or 2009) Toyota Prius several times in summer of 2009, I pressed the accelerator pedal to the floor to pass, and the pedal stuck in the wide open position. This happened several separate times during the summer of 2009. The car was sent to local Toyota dealership, where it was supposedly fixed, however it stuck several times again after repair? this problem had nothing to do with floormats. This happened to other drivers at work of this same car too. I am a professional driver with 40 years of driving experience.
I am not being melodramatic when I say that I thought I was going to die today. My 2008 Prius accelerated almost out of control. I was merging onto an expressway when the accelerator seemed to have a life of its own and took off at an incredibly high rate of speed. It would not stop, kept getting faster and faster. I managed to slow down the vehicle. It was fine for the 20 minute drive down that expressway. After getting off and getting into city traffic I was stopped at a red light. When the car lunged forward. Thank god I had my foot hard on the brake. It did not brake away only lunged 6 - 12 inches.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius hybrid. While entering the parking garage the vehicle accelerated without intention. As a consequence the vehicle crashed into a parked vehicle. Prior to the failure he noticed that the electric power "off" switch was engaged. The estimated cost for damages for each vehicle was $1,000. The failure mileage was 39,000. The current mileage was 40,000.
Driving on pch in corona del Mar, ca at a speed of approx. 25 mph. Trying to brake at a pedestrian crosswalk where a car was already stopped in front of the Prius. Car did not brake, instead it accelerated and the car that was already stopped at the crosswalk was rearended. Driver of Prius injured ankle. Prius is totaled. Police report was filed.
Was stopped in traffic, at a light. Light changed to green. Car ahead of pulled forward. I moved forward, ~15-20mph. Car ahead stopped. I released accelerator and pressed on brake pedal. Car did not slow down, kept moving forward as if accelerator was pressed. Brake pedal felt 'hard', it did not move down. I kept pressing the brake pedal. Brakes finally took hold and car stopped. Luckily I did not hit the car in front of me.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. While driving 60 mph, the vehicle accelerated unexpectedly. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle did not stop accelerating. The vehicle was literally in a "runaway" mode and the engine had to be turned off in order to stop the vehicle. The failure has occurred at least 12 times in the past year. Toyota claims to be unaware of this failure and refuses to investigate the complaints. The failure mileage was 4,200.
I own a 2008 Toyota Prius. On 12jul2008 I was returning home and driving on hwy 70 East, near goldsboro, nc. I was traveling at a speed of approx 55-60 mph. The vehicle was in cruise control. The traffic was getting heavy and I had to slow down. So I put on the brakes and the cruise control did not respond or disengage at that time. So I kept applying pressure on the brake pedal and pulled off of the roadway. When I lifted my foot off of the brake pedal the vehicle again wanted to accelerate. I had to turn the ignition system off and wait a short time. I re-started the vehicle and every seem to be ok. On 13jul09 I had the vehicle checked out by a Toyota of new bern, and they couldn't find anything wrong with the vehicle. They stated they would open a case on it and notify there company. I just wanted to write this notice in case it happens again to me or someone else.
I drive a 2008 Toyota Prius. As I was driving out of the gas station and stepped on the accelerator, the car continued going faster. The brake did not work, the only way the car stopped was by hitting another car. See also 10265332.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. While driving 50 mph, the vehicle accelerated to a high speed and would not slow down. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle still would not stop. He had to push the power button in order to turn off the vehicle. The vehicle was able to be restarted, but it would not reset itself. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and is currently being repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 3,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. While driving 20 mph, the accelerator in the vehicle launched the vehicle into oncoming traffic. The contact crashed into another vehicle. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. He does not want to drive the vehicle again and feels that the issue should be taken seriously by the manufacturer. The failure and current mileages were 6,000. See also 10273044.
On a slight incline, with front wheels turned, car started normally then accelerated by itself and was difficult to stop with both feet on brake pedal. Acceleration was not suddenly fast but was increasing when I turned car into gravel drive leading up a hill. Car stopped with braking and was successfully turned off in the manner required by manual. Car restarted and no further problem was experienced.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. While driving 75 mph with the cruise control activated, the contact accelerated past 80 mph to pass another vehicle. The vehicle would not slow down afterwards and accelerated past 90 mph. She depressed the brake pedal, but the cruise control would not disengage. The contact attempted to tap the brake pedal and shut off the cruise control manually, but was unsuccessful. She managed to pull to the shoulder of the road and shut off the engine. Upon restarting, the vehicle accelerated again without depressing the accelerator pedal. She attempted to reset the cruise control to 60 mph, but it would not respond. The contact waited 30 minutes before restarting the vehicle and it appeared to have moved from the locked position of acceleration. The failure and current mileages were less than 7,250.
I have a 2008 Toyota Prius with 10K miles on it. Several weeks ago while driving 65 on the highway, the cruise control kicked out and the car rapidly decelerated, almost like it was braking. I could not re-set the cruise control again until after stopping and restarting the car. The problem has again happened 3 more times in the past week. Auto dealership says they cannot do anything about it unless I bring it in and can recreate the problem. Very dangerous when cruise control kicks out and people are driving closely behind me.
- Gilman, WI, USA
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Sherman, CT, USA