2002 Toyota Prius

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 65-75 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS WHEN ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SUDDENLY, A STRONG BURNING ODOR CIRCULATED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CRUISE CONTROL, POWER WINDOWS SYSTEM AND CELLULAR PHONE POWER OUTLET BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED OPERATION WITH CAUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE TRANSAXLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTIONS. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS AND EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

AT THE END OF AN 8 HOUR TRIP FROM VA TO TN, ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE CAR AND IT LOST POWER. WE LIMPED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND LEARNED THAT THE TRANSAXLE (TRANSMISSION) AND INVERTER HAD FAILED. METAL FRAGMENTS WERE FOUND IN THE TRANSAXLE FLUID. THE COST TO REPLACE BOTH IS ESTIMATED AT $7,500. THE CAR HAS 113K MILES ON IT AND WAS DEALER-MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO TOYOTA PLAN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED VIOLENTLY WHEN MAKING SHARP RIGHT AND LEFT TURNS. DURING THIS FAILURE THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR DIMMED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER SENSOR PROVIDED ABNORMAL READINGS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LOCATION OF THE GEAR SHIFTER ALLOWED THE GEARS TO BE SHIFTED BY ACCIDENT. THE GEARS WERE CHANGED ACCIDENTALLY FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHILE PULLING OUT FROM A STOP LIGHT. THE LACK OF A LOCKING MECHANISM ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO BE SLIPPED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE BY ACCIDENT AS WELL. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 03/28/06. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON THE CAR STALLED AND EVENTUALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005 THE CAR SLOWED DOWN TO 37 MPH. THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE CAR STOPPED. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE ACCELERATOR ASSEMBLY, WHICH WAS REPLACED AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE. ON NOVEMBER 14, 2005 THE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND THEN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE COOLANT SENSOR IN THE TRANSAXLE. THE TRANSAXLE WAS REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR ON NOVEMBER 23, 2005 THE PROBLEM STOPPED. PRIOR TO SEPTEMBER 6, 2005 THE ONBOARD COMPUTER WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE AFOREMENTIONED PROBLEM. THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK UPDATED 12/2705. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER NOTICED A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THE FIRST FAILURE OF THE FRONT TIRES WAS JULY 2,2003 AT 20624 MILES. NEW REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE PUT ON THE REAR. THE OLD TIRES WERE MOVED TO THE FRONT. THE FRONT TIRES FAILED SEP 27 2003. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE TIRES WORE OUT BADLY ON THE INSIDE AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. TIRE SIZE P175/65R14XL. THE VEHICLE JERKED WHEN STARTED. NO PROBLEM FOUND. *AK *TT *JB