2012 Toyota Prius

I WAS DRIVING ON MY RESIDENTIAL STREET AND STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN INTO MY DRIVEWAY. THE CAR FAILED TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP, AND INSTEAD WENT OVER THE CURB, VEERING TO THE RIGHT AND SIDE SWIPED THE LEFT SIDE OF MY NEIGHBOR'S CAR, NARROWLY MISSING HIS GARAGE.THE CAR THEN SIDE SWIPED A TREE ON MY LEFT (ON PROPERTY BETWEEN MY AND NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY.) THE FRONT END OF THE CAR CRASHED INTO A TREE, SAVING ME FROM ROLLING ABOUT 900 FEET TO THE STREET BELOW. THE ENTIRE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT THE BRAKES NEVER ENGAGED (PEDAL WAS DOWN TO FLOOR) AND I FRANTICALLY TRIED TO STEER TO AVOID HITTING ANYTHING. A WITNESS, STANDING ON THE STREET, CONFIRMED MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON. CAR WAS SERVICED BY TOYOTA (WORLD CLASS INSPECTION) 15 DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT. INSPECTION REPORT INDICATED BRAKE FLUID LEVEL AND BRAKE LINING WERE "CHECKED AND OK." AFTER THE INCIDENT THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SITE WHERE THE OPERATOR DEMONSTRATED TO ME THAT THE BRAKES WERE NONEXISTENT AND THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WAS STILL APPROPRIATE. CAR WAS DEEMED TOTALED. *TR

I WAS GETTING READY TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT. THE CAR WAS IN PARK, SO I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE, STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN REVERSE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD ROAR AND THE CAR SHOT FULL SPEED IN REVERSE, COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. IT CLIPPED THE BUMPER OF A PARKED CAR AND SOME SHOPPING CARTS, THEN BACKED INTO A WALL WHICH STOPPED THE CAR. MIRACULOUSLY NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED. *TR

A DEAD MOUSE WAS FOUND IN THE CABIN AIR FILTER. THE DEALER CHARGED ME TO CHANGE THE FILTER AND CLEAN OUT THE AIR SYSTEM. I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. I HAD SEVERAL UNEXPLAINED MESSES IN THE CAR (BLAMED MY CHILDREN) THEN FOUND A LIVE MOUSE IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. OPENED UP THE GLOVE BOX ALL THE WAY AND EXPOSED WHAT WAS BEHIND IT AND FOUND THE MICE HAD SHREDDED UP THE INSULATION AROUND THE WIRING SYSTEM. WE REMOVED A GALLON SIZED BAGGIE OF INSULATION THAT MADE A VERY COZY AND LARGE MOUSE NEST. NOW THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME AGAIN FOR A MOUSE ISSUE. WHERE WILL THIS END? IN READING ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS TOYOTA PRIUS HAS A BIG PROBLEM WITH NOT SEALING UP THE CAR FOR VERMIN. HANTA VIRUS IS A VERY BIG CONCERN FOR ME, AS IS THE THOUGHT OF A MOUSE SCURRYING NEAR OR OVER ME WHILE I AM DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE INTERIOR SPLASH PROTECTOR BECAME DISENGAGED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SPLASH PROTECTOR. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE DEFECT WAS DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING TOO LOW TO THE GROUND AND WHEN PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE SPLASH PROTECTORS WOULD MAKE CONTACT WITH THE CURB CAUSING THEM TO BECOME LOOSE AND EVENTUALLY DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE PROTECTORS WOULD ALSO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE TIRES ONCE THEY BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED AT THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

INTERIOR WATER LEAKAGE THAT DRIPS DOWN FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE DOWN TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FLOORS. FIRST OCCURRENCE OCCURRED AROUND 14K MILES. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IT WAS LEAKING BEFORE BUT I DID NOT NOTICE IT BECAUSE I HAVE WEATHER PROOFING FLOOR MATS, THE WETNESS OCCURS UNDER THE MAT. THE DEALER SAYS CLOGGED AC TUBING BY DEBRIS. THEY CLEANED IT OUT BUT CHARGE ME $100. SECOND OCCURRENCE IN DEC 6 2013 AT 16K MILES. IT RAIN THE NIGHT BEFORE. I SUSPECT IT IS A DESIGN FLOW IF THERE ARE TREND FOR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OR MY CAR HAS A DEFECTIVE PART(S). THE CONSISTENT DAMPNESS UNDER THE FLOOR MATS COULD LEAD TO LONG TERM ISSUE WITH THE CAR. *TR

THE WINDSHIELD CAUSES MOST LIGHT SOURCES, PARTICULARLY LED LIGHTS, STREET LIGHTS, AND ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS (BASICALLY ANY BRIGHT LIGHT SOURCE), TO APPEAR WITH A "GHOSTING" IMAGE. THE "GHOSTING" APPEARS IN THE WINDSHIELD VERTICALLY BELOW THE LIGHT SOURCE AS ONE, TWO, OR EVEN THREE IMAGES. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD TWICE ALREADY, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO IMPROVEMENT. IN FACT, THE FIRST AND SECOND REPLACEMENTS ARE WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL. I ALSO OWN A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA, AND I DRIVE VARIOUS CHEVY EQUINOXES AND FORD ESCAPES WHERE I WORK - I DO NOT EXPERIENCE THE "GHOSTING" EFFECT IN THOSE VEHICLES. PERSONNEL FROM THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM TOYOTA HAVE ALSO OBSERVED THIS PHENOMENA WITH THE WINDSHIELDS IN MY PRIUS PLUG-IN. I WAS TOLD BY A REPRESENTATIVE IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AFTER THE LAST REPLACEMENT THAT EVEN THE TOYOTA ENGINEERS WEREN'T HAPPY WITH THE REPLACEMENT. IT HAS NOW BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE THE LAST WINDSHIELD WAS INSTALLED. I NOTIFIED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT (DURING MY DRIVE HOME THAT SAME DAY) AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS UNSATISFACTORY, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOTIFY ME WHEN TOYOTA DECIDED WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT NEXT. TO DATE NOT ONLY HAVE I HEARD NOTHING, BUT THE LAST THREE PHONE CALLS TO THE SERVICE ADVISER HAVE GONE TO VOICE MAIL, AND I RECEIVED NO REPLY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD POPPING NOISE (CRACKING) WAS HEARD WITH NO OBSERVED DAMAGE, AND LATER THAT DAY THE WINDSHIELD GREW A LONG CRACK IN WINDSHIELD WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. AN EDGE CRACK FORMED ON THE WINDSHIELD EXTREME OUTER EDGE IN THE CHAMFER ABOUT 2/3 OF THE WAY UP ON THE DRIVER?S SIDE A-PILLAR. THE WINDSHIELD BY IT?S DESIGN APPEARS TO BE RATHER THIN, AND THE WINDSHIELD EDGE IS EXPOSED, NOT COVERED OR EMBEDDED IN PLASTIC OR RUBBER OR TRIM MATERIAL. THE WINDSHIELD EDGE AS OBSERVED HAS A VERY SMALL CHAMFER AND DOES NOT HAVE A GENEROUS BEVEL (ROUND) THAT IS HIGHLY POLISHED SUCH AS FOUND ON THE PASSENGER WINDOW EDGES OR OLDER WINDSHIELDS I AM FAMILIAR WITH. I TOOK THE CAR TO TOYOTA OF BOWIE AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER, HE BELIEVES THERE WAS AN IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD AT THE VERY EXTREME EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE CRACK ROOT IS ON THE CHAMFER AND THEIR DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT REPLACE IT UNDER ANY WARRANTY. THE SERVICE MANGER DID NOT LOOK AT THE CRACK WITH ANY TOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, A MAGNIFYING CLASS OR THE USE OF A BALL POINT PEN TO DETERMINE ANY IMPACT LOCATION OR IF IT IS IN FACT A STRESS CRACK THAT HAS FORMED. THE SERVICE MANAGER DID NOT OFFER TO ARRANGE TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AND TOLD ME TO GO TO A GLASS COMPANY. WHEN THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS ASKED ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS OR CONCERNS WITH TOYOTA WINDSHIELDS OR EXPOSED GLASS EDGE WINDSHIELDS WITH A SMALL CHAMFER, HE SAID THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS OR RECALLS. I HAVE ONLY OWNED THE CAR EIGHT MONTHS AND PLAN TO WRITE TOYOTA TO LEARN WHEN A MORE ROBUST CRACK RESISTANT WINDSHIELD CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE. NOTE: PICTURES CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE. *TR

DESIGN OF CAR INCLUDES A FLAW CAUSING A HUGE VERTICAL BLINDSPOT ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR. BECAUSE THERE IS A BAR THAT RUNS VERTICAL ON BOTH SIDES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGERS' WINDOWS, THIS, ALONG WITH THE PILLAR COMING DOWN THE WINDSHIELD CONTRIBUTE TO AN EXTREMELY LARGE SPOT WHERE OBJECTS IN ROAD CANNOT BE SEEN. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS FOR PEDESTRIAN FOOT-TRAFFIC CROSSING PERPENDICULAR TO THE CAR. PEDS IN CROSSWALKS OR IN PARKING LOTS ARE AT TIMES, COMPLETELY MASKED BY THIS BLIND SPOT BY THE COMBINATION OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD PILLARS AND FRONT WINDOW SUB-PILLARS. OTHER CARS (SUCH AS HONDA INSIGHT) WITH A DRAMATICALLY ANGLED WINDSHIELD AVOID THIS BY USING A SMALLER SUB-PILLAR ON THE FRONT WINDOW, ALLOWING FOR THINGS TO BE SEEN FAR MORE EASILY. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE IT CAUSES A PEDESTRIAN INJURY OR DEATH. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE REPAIRED. *TR

WHEN STARTING TO DRIVE THE CAR AFTER IS HAS BEEN SITTING FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS AND ESPECIALLY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, THE VEHICLE MAKES A GROANING NOISE WHICH SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM THE LEFT REAR TIRE AREA. IT LASTS FOR ABOUT THE FIRST 50 FEET AND THEN IT STOPS MAKING THE NOISE. THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH TEMPERATURES VARYING BETWEEN 40 TO 75 DEGREES. WHEN IT IS REALLY HOT IN THE MORNING, THE NOISE IS NOT PRESENT. THE DEALER HAS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY SAY THAT THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM WITH NO SOLUTION. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 4 DAYS SHORT OF A YEAR WITH 12,250 MILES ON IT AND IT DOES IT ALL THE TIME. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THE CAR IS FINE OTHERWISE. *TR