2016 Toyota Prius

I was hit when someone ran a stop sign. Pushed into oncoming traffic and hit a truck. My Toyota Prius was totaled. No air bags deployed. Seatbelt did not tighten either. I have contacted Toyota. Someone retrieved the data from recorder. I have a copy but it was to long to send with pics. Toyota claim # [XXX] (sorry for one pic I couldn’t delete) INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”

Vehicle stalls for 5-10 seconds when stopped at a red light. Seems to happen sporadically and is difficult to reproduce. There have been other reports of it online here: https://priuschat.com/threads/tsb-nimh-only-reduced-power-when-accelerating-from-a-stop.187455/ https://priuschat.com/threads/2017-prius-2-no-acceleration-movement-from-full-stop.209317/ https://priuschat.com/threads/2016-prius-2-stalling.200606/

THIS ISSUE HAPPENS RANDOMLY. WHEN POWERING THE CAR ON, AND WHILE THE CAR IS DOING ITS ROUTINE DASHBOARD LIGHT-UPS AND THE DINGING SOUNDS, SOMETIMES THE FORWARD SONARS WOULD BEEP AND DETECT THE OBJECT IN FRONT OF THE CAR. THE FORWARD WARNING INDICATOR SHOWS UP ON THE MULTI-INFORMATION SCREEN EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS STILL IN PARK AND WHILE THE NORMAL SYSTEM STARTUP IS TAKING PLACE. IT IS NOT SUPPOSE TO DO THAT, AS THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL IN PARK AND RUNNING THE SYSTEM STARTUP TESTS.

WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK AND THEN ENGAGING THE FOOT PARKING BRAKE ON A SLOPE, SUCH AS MY DRIVEWAY, AND THEN TURNING OFF THE CAR, THE CAR ROLLS BACK SIGNIFICANTLY. THEN, WHILE EXITING THE CAR, THE REAR BRAKES MAKE LOUD GRINDING AND CREAKY NOISES AS THE CAR SETTLES DOWNWARDS SLIGHTLY. THEN, WHEN ENTERING THE CAR, THE BRAKES MAKE THE SAME CREAKY AND GRINDING SOUNDS. WHEN HOLDING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO POWER ON THE CAR, THEN DISENGAGING THE FOOT PARKING BRAKE, THEN SHIFTING THE CAR FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR DRIVE, THE CAR JERKS ABRUPTLY AND AT THE SAME TIME MAKES A LOUD AND STUCK DISENGAGEMENT SOUND, AS IF THE CAR WAS BEING HELD ON THE HILL/DRIVEWAY SOLELY BY THE PARKING PAWL. IT SEEMS LIKE THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT HOLDING THE CAR, AND INSTEAD, THE PARKING PAWL IS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED A SECOND VEHICLE SUDDENLY CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE PUSHING IT INTO THE REAR END OF A THIRD VEHICLE POSITIONED AHEAD. DURING THE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END AND WAS DESTROYED BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

I'VE NOTICED A FEW TIMES WHILE DRIVING THAT MY PRIUS STARTED ACCELERATING WHEN MY FOOT WAS OFF THE PEDAL. IT HASN'T CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR ANYTHING TOO SCARY YET BUT IT IS DISCONCERTING. I NOTICED OTHERS HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS AND WANTED TO ADD THAT I SEEM TO BE EXPERIENCING THE ISSUE TOO. IT'S POSSIBLE IT'S JUST MY VEHICLE SPECIFICALLY; I'VE NOT HAD TIME TO TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC YET.

SPONTANEOUS ACCELERATION INCIDENT. I WAS SLOWLY PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING GARAGE. AS I STRAIGHTENED IT OUT TO COMPLETE THE MANEUVER, THE CAR TOOK OFF ON ITS OWN AND HIT THE WALL OF THE PARKING GARAGE THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE WITH NO DAMAGE. TOYOTA HAS HAD RECALLS IN PRIOR YEARS FOR THIS PROBLEM - BROKEN THROTTLE RETURN SWITCH - BUT THEY INSIST THIS ISN'T THE PROBLEM HERE. ESSENTIALLY THEY ARE CLAIMING THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN, THAT WHAT I EXPERIENCED WITH THE CAR JUST TAKING OFF ON ITS OWN DIDN'T HAPPEN. THE CAR ISN'T SAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT GETTING THIS REPAIRED, BUT THEY CLAIM IT DOESN'T NEED REPAIR. IN THEIR RESPONSE LETTER, TOYOTA SAID, "THE EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR) RECORDED THAT THERE WAS ACCELERATOR PEDAL APPLICATION AND NO BRAKE APPLICATION LEADING UP TO THE IMPACT." OF COURSE THERE WAS NO BRAKE APPLICATION, THERE WAS NO TIME TO APPLY THE BRAKE! THE CAR TOOK OFF LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL AND RAMMED INTO THE WALL IN 2-3 SECONDS! THIS IS NOT ONLY A DANGER FOR ME AND MY CAR BUT COULD BE FOR OTHER PRIUS OWNERS AS WELL. I HAVE A YOUTUBE VIDEO ON HOW TO DO THE REPAIR BUT I CAN NOT UPLOAD IT HERE.

THE GPS SYSTEM REPORTS INACCURATE SYSTEM LOCATION. I LIVE IN HENDERSON, NV, BUT IT SHOWS THE LOCATION AS BOULDER CITY, NV. THIS IS AN 11 MILE DIFFERENCE. I HAVE TOYOTA'S SOS FEATURE (LIKE ONSTAR), SO IF EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED, THEY WOULD NOT COME TO THE CORRECT LOCATION. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS ONLY MY CAR OR OTHERS. THE SOS REP SEEMED TO BE AWARE, BUT NO NOTICE WAS SENT OUT TO CUSTOMERS FOR SERVICE OR RECALLS.