2001 Toyota Prius

SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE WILL DRIVE NORMALLY FOR AWHILE, BUT PROBLEM SEEMED TO OCCUR AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 1-2 YEARS. THE LAST TIME, I SPENT $900 TO REPLACE AN ACCELERATOR SENSOR. THIS TIME, THE DEALERSHIP STATED I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ECM, AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FOR A TOTAL CHARGE OF $3500. THERE WERE NO GENERIC CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, THE ONE TO BE USED WAS $1700. ALSO, HAD BEEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE THERE HAD BEEN ISSUES FOLLOWING AN OIL CHANGE WHERE THE DEALER SAID THAT OIL WAS WHERE IT SHOULDN'T BE.*AK

2001 TOYOTA PRIUS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THREE INCIDENTS LATE AUG 2006 FIRST WEEK OCT 2006 SECOND WEEK OCT 2006 IN ALL CASES VEHICLE WILL NOT START FOR 15 MINUTES BUT THEN RUNS NORMALLY. BROUGHT TO DEALER AFTER FIRST INCIDENT AND THEY COMPLETED A RECALL REPLACEMENT OF CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. BROUGHT TO DEALER AFTER THIRD INCIDENT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSES PROBLEM OR REPRODUCE AFTER 90 MILES TEST DRIVING. CALL TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE REVEALED TOYOTA HAS NO CENTRAL POINT TO COLLECT VEHICLE SAFETY PROBLEMS WHEN SPECIFICALLY ASKED IF TOYOTA WAS INTERESTED IN DISCOVERING THE SAFETY PROBLEM IN MY VEHICLE, THE ANSWER WAS "NO" I HAVE BEEN REASSURED BY TOYOTA THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR REPLACEMENT WAS PERFORMED PROPERLY THERE IS NO SOFTWARE PROBLEM WITH 2001 PRIUS SIMILAR TO THE 2004 PRIUS PROBLEM WHICH RESULTED KIN SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND LEAD TO RECALL ACTION. THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEM SIMILAR TO MINE WITH 2001 PRIUS. *JB

REPEATED INCIDENTS OF STALLING OF THE GASOLINE ENGINE. BATTERY CONTINUES TO FUEL VEHICLE AT LOW SPEED. WILL RESTART AFTER SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF. CONTINUES TO DO THIS AT ANY AND ALL SPEEDS. HAVE HAD VEHICLE GAS TANK BLADDER REPLACED AT OUR EXPENSE (OVER 600.00) COMPUTERS REPLACED (MULTIPLE) ON RECALLS. NOT ONLY A NUISANCE BUT VERY DANGEROUS. DEALER HAS GIVEN NO HELP IN FINDING THE CAUSE. *NM

MY FRIEND WAS DRIVING MY 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS ON THE HIGHWAY, GOING 65 MPH. I WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. A WARNING SYMBOL WITH THE TRIANGLE/EXCLAMATION MARK APPEARED ON MY SCREEN. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY DIED. WE TRIED TO GET OFF OF THE ROAD. MACK TRUCKS WERE SWERVING INTO THE EXIT LANES TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. <P> WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR ME, MY PASSENGERS AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE HIGHWAY. <P> YOUR AGENCY HAS INVESTIGATED THIS EXACT PROBLEM, WHICH LED TO A RECALL BY TOYOTA. TOYOTA BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON A "SOFTWARE GLITCH." THE PROBLEM IS GOES MUCH DEEPER THAN A ''SOFTWARE GLITCH'' -'' IT REMAINS UNRESOLVED. I HAD MY CAR SERVICED FOR THIS ''SOFTWARE GLITCH'' RECALL (ENGINE'S COMPUTER (ECM) REPLACED AND CIRCUIT OPEN RELAY CHECKED), BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. THE ENGINE STILL CUTS OUT AT HIGH SPEEDS. MY CAR HAS HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM BEFORE AND AFTER GETTING IT SERVICED BASED ON THE RECALL ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THIS LIFE AND DEATH DEFECT NEEDS A BETTER SOLUTION THAN SIMPLY ATTRIBUTING IT TO A "SOFTWARE GLITCH." *JB

ENGINE STALLING OCCURRING RANDOMLY WHILE CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEED BETWEEN APPROX. 54 TO 64 MPH CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN ON THE FREEWAY. THIS PROBLEM IS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS BECAUSE ENGINE STALLS AT FREEWAY SPEED WHICH COULD RESULT IN REAR END CRASH FROM ON-COMING VEHICLES TRAVELING BEHIND AT FREEWAY SPEEDS --- FURTHERMORE THE VEHICLE MUST BE STOPPED AT THE FREEWAY EDGE TO BE RESTARTED BEFORE PROBLEM IS CORRECTED. RESTARTING VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE MADE A MANDATORY RECALL ITEM. [PRIUS SCANNER SHOWS DTC CODE P1120 FOR ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY PROBLEM AND THERE IS A MANUFACTURER TSB CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM (TSB EG018-02)]. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR REPLACED PURSUANT TO THE RECENT RECALL NOTICE AND THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR HAD BEEN LEAKING OIL PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT. ALSO DRIVERS REAR AXLE HUB BEARING FAILED PREMATURELY AND WAS RECENTLY REPLACED. *JB

2001 TOYOTA PRIUS, 60649 ODOMETER MILES. AFTER BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY AND COMING TO A FULL STOP, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH (RIGHT AND LEFT), TRAVELING AT LEAST 1 (MAYBE 2) INCHES IN EACH DIRECTION. BETWEEN 5 AND 10 OSCILLATIONS OCCURRED. I WAS NOT TRYING TO TURN THE WHEEL AT THE TIME AND THE MOTION JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL OUT OF MY HANDS (I WAS QUITE SHOCKED). IT WAS ALL OVER IN LESS THAN 2 SECONDS. I THEN DROVE THE CAR BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY (NO PROBLEM) AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE CAR DEALER. DEALER FOUND BAD SENSOR IN THE STEERING RACK REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE RACK. *NM

POTENTIAL FOR FATAL INJURY DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL BECAUSE OF FAULTY DRIVER'S SIDE REAR AXLE HUB BEARING FAILURE WITH SEPARATION OF WHEEL FROM VEHICLE AT 137,758 MILES (SUCH BEARINGS SHOULD HAVE EFFECTIVE LIFE, OR MTBF, OF GREATER THAN 300,000 MILES) -- INTERMITTENT NOISE BEGAN IN 2003 AND CONTINUED TO GET PROGRESSIVELY WORSE CULMINATING IN 80-100 DECIBEL SOUND LEVEL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT -- INSPECTION OF VEHICLE INDICATED REAR AXLE HUB BEARING GRINDING NOISE ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR AXLE HUB -- REPLACED REAR AXLE HUB ASSEMBLY ON AUGUST 17, 2006 AND NOISE IS NOW COMPLETELY GONE -- THE REMOVED HUB IS NEARLY AT A COMPLETE FAILURE POINT WITH SEVERE GRINDING IN ITS SEALED BEARING -- I HAVE RETAINED REMOVED HUB AND CAN SHIP TO NHTSA OR NTSB FOR INSPECTION -- PLEASE ADVISE AT FSCORPIO@SBCGLOBAL.NET OR 209-937-0644 (OFFICE DAY PHONE). *NM

EXPERIENCE: DRIVING A 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS BETWEEN 60 AND 65 MPH ON I-494 IN EAGAN MINNESOTA. THE SENSOR ON THE VEHICLE'S ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY FAILED I.E. THE ABILITY TO GET GAS TO THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED REPAIR DEALER AND THE PART, WHICH FAILED, WAS REPLACED. MY COMPLAINT HAS TWO PARTS: (1) TOYOTA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE A CRITICAL PART LIKE THE SENSOR ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY AS A PART OF MAJOR SIGNIFICANCE. I BELIEVE IT IS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND MUST BE CORRECTED BY TOYOTA. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER THE PART WAS NOT DEFECTIVE AND IT FAILED BECAUSE NORMAL USE. I AM APPALLED TO LEARN THAT A 6 YEAR OLD CAR WITH 50,226 MILES IS EQUIPPED WITH ACCELERATOR UNIT WHICH CAN FAIL WHEN THE AVERAGE USE IS 8,371 MILES PER YEAR. I AM ALSO AMAZED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IS NOT INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THIS PERFORMANCE AS A MAJOR DEFECT. THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD NO RECORD OF OTHER INCIDENTS WITH THIS PART. YET WHEN I TALKED TO THE PRIUS SERVICE TEAM SUPERVISOR AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, I WAS INFORMED BY EACH ONE THEY HAD REPLACED 4 TO 5 OF THEM. IF MY SMALL SURVEY REVEALED THAT NUMBER I CAN ONLY GUESS WHAT A NATIONWIDE SURVEY WOULD REVEAL. 2) IN RESPONSE TO MY ASKING TOYOTA TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE $810.41 BILL THEIR RESPONSE WAS I SHOULD SUBMIT MY REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY OR TO THE FIRM WHICH OWNS THE CAR. CLEARLY, A SITUATION OF SHIFTING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING QUALITY OEM PARTS TO A THIRD PARTY TO ABSORB THE COST AND IGNORING THE MAJOR SAFETY IMPLICATIONS CREATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR STOPS FUNCTIONING IN A VEHICLE DRIVEN LESS THAN THE AVERAGE CAR. *JB

ON TWO OCCASIONS, ONE WHEN MY CAR (2001 TOYOTA PRIUS) HAD 71,000 MILES AND ONE AT 80,000, A SPOKE ON A WHEEL CRACKED, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE WHEEL. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, AN INDEPENDENT TIRE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DEFECT IN THE WHEEL. BOTH SAID THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT TOYOTA SHOULD REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE WHEELS. THE TOYOTA OFFICE THAT HANDLES THESE MATTERS CONTENDS THAT THE WHEEL WAS DAMAGED WHILE DRIVING (BASED ON THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS ASSESSMENT) ON BOTH OCCASIONS. HOWEVER, THE TIRE DEALERSHIPS SAID THERE IS NO DAMAGE THAT CAN WARRANT SUCH AN ASSESSMENT. FOR MYSELF AND OTHER PRIUS OWNERS, I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS OTHER WHEELS BEGIN TO CRACK.

ON JUNE 6, 2006 I TOOK OUR 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE PRIUS MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT WAS "NORMAL" AND THAT THERE WAS "NOTHING WRONG." I RESPONDED THAT I KNEW THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. ON JUNE 15, 2006 ON THE WAY INTO WORK, THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OVER AT A RELATIVELY SAFE SPOT. HAD IT STALLED IN HEAVIER TRAFFIC OR IN A DIFFERENT LANE, WE COULD HAVE DIED THERE. THE SCREEN SHOWED "MAIN BATTERY FAILURE," AND THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN TESTED IT AND THE ONLY CODE SHOWN WAS AN "ACCELERATOR ASSEMBLY PEDAL." NEITHER I NOR THE TECHNICIAN FELT THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM; THE TECHNICIAN FELT THAT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE INVERTER--THE PART THAT CYCLES POWER BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN GAS AND ELECTRIC. HOWEVER, TOYOTA REGIONAL REFUSED TO REPLACE THE INVERTER, SAYING "WE ARE NOT JUST GOING TO THROW PARTS AT THE PROBLEM TRYING TO SOLVE IT." I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR ASSEMBLY PEDAL AT MY EXPENSE, EVEN THOUGH THAT WILL LIKELY NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE TOYOTA "WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE UNLESS YOU DO." THIS TYPE OF POWERING DOWN AND STOPPING IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA PRIUS CARS, MORE SO WITH 2004-05 (FOR WHICH AN NHTSA INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN OPENED), BUT ALSO WITH 2001-03. THERE WERE FEWER OF THE 2001-03 CARS ON THE ROAD, SO THE NUMBER OF REPORTED INSTANCES IS LESS, BUT THE INTERNET CONTAINS MANY COMPLAINTS FROM TOYOTA PRIUS OWNERS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. AS PRIUS CARS AGE, THIS SAFETY DEFECT WILL BECOME INCREASING APPARENT AND HAZARDOUS. *JB