2001 Toyota Prius

THE CAR ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGH SPEED ON IT'S OWN IN A PARKING LOT AND RAMMED ITSELF INTO THE WALL DEPLOYING AIRBAGS. MY MOTHER WAS DRIVING AND WAS SENT TO THE E.R. SHE WAS SLOWLY BACKING UP WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED FIRST IN REVERSE HITTING A WALL AND THEN SWITCHED IN DRIVE ON IT'S OWN WITH HIGH ACCELERATION RUNNING INTO THE OPPOSITE WALL WHICH DEPLOYED THE BAGS. AFTER READING ONLINE ABOUT THESE VEHICLES, THE ACCELERATION SURGING IS A COMMON PROBLEM.

MY CAR IS EXPERIENCING WHAT IS KNOWN ONLLINE AS "THE BIG HAND SYNDROM". WHILE DRIVING, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CHANGES RESISTANCE AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE GRABS THE CAR AND IT DRAMATICALLY SLOWS. YOU THEN HAVE TO PRESS HARDER ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO MAINTAIN SPEED. WELL ONE DAY, THE CAR STOPPED WORKING, NO MATTER HOW HARD I PRESSED ON THE PEDAL IT WOULD NO ACCELERATE. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE REPLACED THE PEDAL AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUES, AND REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AGAIN. I'M STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUSES AND THE TOYOTA DEALER SAID THERES NOTHING THEY CAN DO EXCEPT KEEP REPLACING THE PEDAL CAUSE THATS THE CODE IT IS THROWING UP. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY VEHICLE AS I CAN AND DO LOSE ACCELERATION AT ANY GIVEN TIME. IT DOESNT SEEM TO MATTER HOW FAST IM GOING OR THE DRIVING CONDITIONS. IT IS COMPLETELY RANDOM, AND CANNOT BE REPLICATED ON COMAND. THE DATE LISTED IS THE FIRST INSTANCE, AND IT HAS HAPPENED TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT OR MAKE RECORD.

THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHILE DRIVING 65+ MPH ON THE FREEWAY. THE CHECK HYBRID WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR BECAME DANGEROUSLY UNRESPONSIVE, LUCKILY WE WERE NEAR AN EXIT AND WERE ABLE TO COAST TO SAFETY. THE HYBRID SYSTEM WAS EXPECTING INFORMATION FROM THE ACCELERATOR, AND WHEN IT DOESN'T RECEIVE IT, EITHER THE GAS ENGINE, OR THE ELECTRIC ENGINE, OR BOTH ENGINES FAIL TO OPERATE. TOYOTA HAS SERVICE BULLETIN 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS UNKNOWN OR OTHER SERVICE BULLETIN 117006 ACTION NUMBER: 635861 SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 117006... REPORT DATE: SEP 12, 2002 COMPONENT: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.... SUMMARY: SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A MASTER, HYBRID AND MALFUNCTION INDICATOR WARNING LIGHT ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1120. ,,, P1120 TOYOTA DESCRIPTION ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR IS MOUNTED ON THE THROTTLE BODY AND IT HAS THE 2 SENSORS TO DETECTS THE ACCELERATOR POSITION AND A MALFUNCTION OF THE ACCELERATOR POSITION. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR IS CONNECTED WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BY THE ACCELERATOR WIRE. THE ECM JUDGES THE CURRENT OPENING ANGLE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM THESE SENSOR SIGNAL INPUTS AND IT CONTROLS THE THROTTLE MOTOR BASED ON THESE SIGNALS. IF THE THE P1120 CODE IS STORED, THE ECM SHUTS DOWN THE POWER FOR THE THROTTLE MOTOR AND THE MAGNETIC CLUTCH, AND THE THROTTLE VALVE IS FULLY CLOSED BY THE RETURN SPRING. HOWEVER, THE OPENING ANGLE OF THE THROTTLE VALVE CAN BE CONTROLLED BY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THROUGH THE THROTTLE CABLE. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR ASSEMBLY IS PROBABLY AT FAULT, WHICH IS A HIGH COST ITEM $300 DOLLARS OR MORE WHICH TOYOTA WOULD BALK AT REPLACING IN A RECALL. THIS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE, BUT I DON'T RECALL THE DATE.....UPDATED 08/24/15 *BF

CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND DID NOT SLOW DOWN UNTIL MY FOOT HIT THE BRAKE. BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MCGEE TOYOTA AND THEY REPLACED THE GAS PEDAL. IT WAS A $600.+ REPAIR. WITHIN THE YEAR THE NEWS REPORTED ABNORMAL ACCELERATION WITH THE PRIUS LINE AND I QUICKLY CONTACTED TOYOTA MANAGEMENT. THEY DENIED MY CLAIM SAYING THAT THESE INCIDENCES WERE AS A RESULT OF FLOOR MATS? I REPORTED IT TO [XXX](MA) REPRESENTATIVE FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE (THIS WAS OVER TWO YEARS AGO). I RECENTLY HEARD ABOUT YOUR AGENCY AND DECIDED TO FILE A REPORT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ON TWO OCCASIONS, I EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN MY 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT HAPPENED I THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR BY MISTAKE. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR. I DIDN'T BELIEVE ANYONE WOULD BELIEVE MY STORY BECAUSE OF THE AUDI 5000 INCIDENTS. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THEN TOYOTA BEGAN ITS RECALLS. *TR

DRIVING MY 2001 PRIUS DOWN RT 95 IN CT. SUDDENLY LOST POWER. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE - ELECTRIC DRIVE ONLY, NO GAS POWER. I MADE TO THE EXIT IN WESPORT AND FOUND A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP OPEN. THE DIAGNOSIS, VIA CODES, WAS FAILED ACCELERATOR PEDAL. RESETTING THE COMPUTER AND RESTARTING THE CAR A FEW TIMES ALLOWED IT TO WORK ENOUGH FOR ME TO GET HOME. I HAVE STILL NOT REPAIRED THE ACCELERATOR. LATELY THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS NEARLY EVERY TIME I START THE CAR...THE ENGINE STALLS IMMEDIATELY OR LOSES POWER DOWN THE ROAD. RESTARTING 2 OR 3 TIMES "FIXES" THE PROBLEM MOST OF THE TIME. MY RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON, AND CALLED "BIG HAND SYNDROME" AMONG 1ST GENERATION PRIUS OWNERS, AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL REPAIR IS THE COMMON FIX. I BELIEVE THE 2001-2003 PRIUS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE TOYOTA ACCELERATOR PEDAL RECALL. *TR

2001 TOYOTA PRIUS. WE HAD A TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID GAS/ELECTRIC CAR THE FIRST THAT CAME INTO THE USA. THE CAR WOULD REACH A CERTAIN MILEAGE AND THE COMPUTER WHICH CONTROLLED EVERYTHING IN THE CAR WOULD GO BAD. WE WOULD GET A FEW MILES FROM HOME AND THE CAR WOULD NOT WORK. IT WOULD SHUT OFF. WE WOULD HAVE TO SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THAN THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO 35 MILES AN HOUR OR LESS AND WE WOULD HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND GO HOME. ON ONE TRIP TO CALIFORNIA, WHEN WE GOT TO COLORADO THE SCREEN SAID THE GO TO A SERVICE DEALER. WE HAD TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN NORTHGLENN COLORADO AND WENT TO THE DEALER . WE HAD TO TAKE THE CAR INTO THE DEALER SO MANY TIMES. THEY WOULD REPLACE THE COMPUTER AND ALL THE PARTS, EVEN THE GAS TANK. THE CAR WOULD ALSO LOCK YOU INSIDE AND YOU COULD NOT GET OUT. THE COMPUTER AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN OF THIS MODEL ARE ALL BAD. THEY REACH A CERTAIN MILEAGE AND BAD. THEY WERE DOING ALL THE RECALLS FROM OUR CAR. THEY PROMISED US A NEW PRIUS SIGNATURE TOYOTA IN BENTON HARBOR MI, AND NEVER GOT IT. FINALLY IN 2005 THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRADE OUR PRIUS CAR FOR ANOTHER CAR COROLLA, BUT THEY CHARGED US $8,000.00 MORE. PLEASE HELP US GET OUR MONEY BACK. NO LAWYER WILL TAKE IT SINCE COMES FROM JAPAN. WE HAD TRIED EVERYTHING AND COULD GET NO HELP. WROTE TOYOTA AND NEVER GOT THEM TO REPLY TO US. TRIED THEIR MEDIATION AND THEY HELD THE PAPERS UNTIL THE TIME RAN OUT THAN SENT US A PAPER SAYING NOT VALID ANY MORE. HELP US GET OUR MONEY BACK. LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT PRIUS CARS ARE BAD. DO NOT BUY. *TR THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE GAS PEDAL WOULD BECOME STUCK AT TIMES, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO INCREASE IN SPEED. UPDATED 04/27/10 UPDATED 10/29/10

WHILE DRIVING ALONG ON INTERSTATE, GOT WARNING TRIANGLE AND LOW MAIN BATTERY INFORMATION. IMMEDIATELY, CAR BEGAN TO SPEED-UP ON ITS OWN. I APPLIED VERY HARD BRAKING TO TRY AND SLOW DOWN WHILE TRYING TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT LANE WITH TRAFFIC ON MY RIGHT. CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN BUT I MANAGED TO AVOID TRAFFIC AND GET ONTO THE RIGHT LANE, WHERE THERE WAS AN EXIT FROM THE INTERSTATE. I MADE THE EXIT AND WAS ABLE TO GET CONTROL OF THE ACCELERATION. I THEN DROVE THE ROUGH RUNNING CAR TO THE MY DEALER OFF THAT EXIT. THEY REPLACED THE MAIN BATTERY, AND EVERYTHING IS NOW FINE. I FEEL THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT NOBODY GOT HURT! *TR

I SAW THAT THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT IS MAKING TOYOTA LOOK INTO THE FOLLOWING COMPLAINT IN NEWER MODEL PRIUSES. "THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD OR TEMPORARILY LOST BRAKING AFTER DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE OR OTHER UNEVEN SURFACE. THIS IS A REOCCURING PROBLEM." MY 2001 PRIUS HAS THIS PROBLEM ALL THE TIME. IN ADDITION THE CAR HAD THE HYBRID BATTERIES CATCH ON FIRE , THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAIL, THE ECU FOR THE BRAKES FAIL, THE POWER STEERING FAIL, THE BRAKE PUMP LEAK, THE COMPUTER FAIL (WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO IMPROPERLY SHIFT GEARS). THESE ISSUES WERE ALL FIXED FOR FREE BY TOYOTA EXCEPT THE ECU FOR THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PUMP WHICH WERE FIXED, BUT AT MY EXPENSE. NO INJURIES OCCURED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN PARK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY AND CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A WHIPLASH AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE AND WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR BODY STRUCTURE DAMAGES. THE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.