2007 Toyota Prius Speed Control & Cruise Problems

Unknown I had just financed the vehicle 2-3 days prior.

ON WARMER DAYS THE CAR WILL NOT STAY IN GEAR AND WILL MOVE INTO NEUTRAL BY ITSELF. THIS HAPPENS IN DRIVE AND REVERSE. IT ALSO DOES NOT GO INTO PARK FROM NEUTRAL. THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY, AND HAPPENS MOST OFTEN WHEN THE CAR IS STARTING TO MOVE FROM A STANDSTILL AND DRIVE OR REVERSE ARE FIRST ENGAGED. THE CAR STARTS TO MOVE AND THEN POPS INTO NEUTRAL AND STOPS ACCELERATING.

THE TRACTION-CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE PRIUS IS, I BELIEVE, DANGEROUS. WHEN THE SLIGHTEST DEGREE OF WHEEL SLIP IS DETECTED, IT ESSENTIALLY SHUTS OFF POWER TO THE WHEELS FOR A MOMENT. ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, WHEN ACCELERATING TO MERGE IN WITH TRAFFIC ON A WET ROAD, THE SYSTEM'S REACTION HAS SLOWED ME DOWN TO WHAT I BELIEVE IS A DANGEROUS EXTENT. ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS, I HAVE ENDED UP STUCK IN SNOW BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS SO EAGER TO KEEP ME FROM SPINNING WHEELS AT ALL. I CONTACTED TOYOTA, AND THEIR REPLY WAS TO THE EFFECT THAT THIS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE DRIVE TRAIN, AND THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO REMEDY WHAT I SEE AS A DANGEROUS FLAW. THE ONLY CONCEIVABLE WAY SUCH A SYSTEM COULD BE PROTECTING THE DRIVE TRAIN WOULD BE BY LIMITING ENGINE RPM TO A SAFE POINT; HOWEVER, THE SYSTEM GOES FAR BEYOND JUST KEEPING RPM DOWN. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE RESPONSE TO "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN" IS NOT REALLY ACCURATE. IT HAS HAPPENED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, AND THE DATE LISTED IS MERELY THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE. ALSO, THE SPEED IS JUST FROM THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE.

WHILE BACKING SLOWLY INTO A PARKING SPOT OF AN INNER CITY SUPERMARKET IN A BUSY RESIDENTIAL AREA THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. IT WENT OVER A 1 FT CONCRETE CURB LIMITER INTO THE STREET AND AFTER A 180 DEGREE LOOP IN REVERSE I FINALLY HIT THE E-BRAKE HARD WHILE AT THE SAME TIME I RAN OVER A PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC LIGHT AND HIT A TREE WITH THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TO A FULL STOP. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DURING ALL THIS PERIOD OF PROBABLY LESS THAN 10 SECONDS THE FOOT BRAKE WAS NOT RESPONDING ANY MORE. AFTER IMPACT THE ENGINE DID NOT START ANYMORE AND THE CAR WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE.

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IN TRAFFIC ON A CITY ROAD WITH A POSTED 35 MPH SPEED LIMIT, THE CAR FELT AS THOUGH IT SURGED FORWARD BRIEFLY AND ACCELERATED FOLLOWED BY THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE DASHBOARD LIGHT COMING ON AND OFF AND THEN THE BRAKES FINALLY STARTED WORKING TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 TIMES THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND HAS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO REAR-END OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH IN THE GARAGE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,626. UPDATED 01/21/16*LJ *AS

AFTER SPEEDING UP TO PASS ANOTHER CAR ON A SLIGHT UPGRADE (2 LANE COUNTRY ROAD), MY PRIUS CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I COULD NOT SLOW THE CAR DOWN TO THE SPEED LIMIT USING THE BRAKE PEDAL. FOR ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES, I KEPT TRYING TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN, LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO PULL OVER WHERE I WOULDN'T HIT ANYTHING. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT STUCK & NO FLOOR MAT WAS TOUCHING EITHER PEDAL. THE ONLY WAY I COULD STOP WAS WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I THOUGHT THE CAR MIGHT EXPLODE, BUT LATER REALIZED THE SMOKE WAS POURING OUT FROM MY BRAKES. I MANEUVERED TO THE BERM OF A BRIDGE OVER A LAKE, JUST BEFORE THE ROAD WENT DOWN TO ONE LANE FOR CONSTRUCTION. THEN I TURNED THE CAR OFF. TEN MINUTES AFTER THIS ORDEAL (VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY), I RESTARTED THE CAR, BUT THE ENGINE BEGAN RACING AGAIN WITHOUT ANY TOUCH ON THE GAS PEDAL, SO I QUICKLY TURNED IT OFF. LUCKILY, I HADN'T COLLIDED WITH ANYTHING.

ON MAY 16, 2015, WHILE DRIVING MY SECOND-GENERATION 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS ON THE FREEWAY, I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, ALONG WITH THE ILLUMINATION ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL OF THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT, MASTER WARNING LIGHT AND HYBRID WARNING LIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SUMMON EMERGENCY HELP. A NEARBY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HYBRID INVERTER WATER PUMP, WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT ADVISE ME OF A SAFETY RECALL. TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER TODAY STATED THAT THE ORIGINAL HYBRID INVERTER WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED ON APRIL 7, 2011, UNDER TOYOTA LIMITED SERVICE NOTICE A0N; HENCE, TOYOTA REFUSED MY PHONE REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MY MAY, 2015, REPAIR EXPENSE. THE 2011 "A0N" REPLACEMENT PUMP APPEARS TO HAVE FAILED BY THE SAME FAILURE MECHANISM LEADING TO RECALL CAMPAIGN "C0U", WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM THE A0N FAILURE MECHANISM.

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE DASH SYMBOLS VSC, ABS AND THE (!) TURNED ON AND THE CAR STARTED TO BEEP INSIDE. ALARMED AT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, I HIT THE BRAKES TO FIND THAT THEY WERE NOT WORKING AND THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE WHEN PUSHING DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING PEOPLE WALKING AROUND. AFTER A MINUTE OR 2 OF COASTING I WAS APPROACHING A DEAD END AND CHOSE TO LITERALLY STAND ON MY BRAKES WHICH DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY STOP THE CAR. AFTER STANDING ON THE BRAKES WITH MY FULL WEIGHT, THE CAR SLOWLY CAME TO A ROLLING STOP WHERE I PROCEEDED TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURN IT OFF. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING AT 50MPH WHEN AN ALARM SOUNDED IN THE CAR AND 4 LIGHTS LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD ? THE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, MASTER WARNING LIGHT, VSC AND MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY ADVISED THE HYBRID WATER PUMP NEEDED REPLACING. I THEN DISCOVERED THERE IS A RECALL ON THE HYBRID WATER PUMPS BUT WAS ADVISED MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE LIST FOR THE RECALL. THE DETAILS OF MY MISHAP CORRELATE TO THE TOYOTA RECALL NOTICE THAT TOYOTA PUT OUT REGARDING THE HYBRID WATER PUMPS. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE RECALL LIST TO HAVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE ADDRESSED AND THAT THE RECALL NOTICE DOES NOT ADEQUATELY COVER ALL TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH THIS POSSIBLE ISSUE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, SUDDENLY NOTICED SLIGHT JOLT AND ILLUMINATION OF VARIOUS WARNING LIGHTS IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (CHECK ENGINE, LARGE WARNING SIGN, EMERGENCY CAR DANGER SIGN, VSC SIGN). HYBRID SYSTEM CEASED FUNCTIONING, LEADING THE CAR TO DRIVE USING GASOLINE ENGINE ONLY. DEALERSHIP DETERMINED HYBRID ELECTRIC WATER PUMP WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING, NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $570. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ABOUT 60MPH, VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST BRAKES. BRAKE, ABS AND VSC IDIOT LIGHT WENT ON. INSIDE VEHICLE BUZZER SOUNDED. VERY LITTLE HYDRAULIC BRAKING. WAS ONLY ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE BECAUSE I WAS GOING UP HILL. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH, THE POWER WAS LOST AND THE ACCELERATOR DID NOT RESPOND TO BEING DEPRESSED. THE CAR WAS STEERED FROM THE MIDDLE LANE ON A THREE LANE HIGHWAY TO GRADUALLY COAST INTO THE SAFETY LANE OFF THE HIGHWAY WHERE THE BRAKE WAS USED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE POWER BUTTON WAS THEN DEPRESSED AND THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND WE REENTERED THE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS THE ONLY SUCH INCIDENT IN SEVEN YEARS OF OWNERSHIP OF THIS VEHICLE. THIS INCIDENT HAS NOT RECURRED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 7 MPH AND PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, HE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES AND IT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE KEPT MOVING FORWARD, WENT OVER A DIVIDER, AND CRASHED INTO TWO VEHICLES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLES FRONT BUMPER WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000. *TR UPDATED 06/25/13 *LJ

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE ENTERING ONE OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN EMISSION TESTING CENTERS FOR ANNUAL REQUIRED TEST. I HAD 10 TO 15 SECONDS TO RESPOND AFTER THE CAR TOOK OFF. I PLACED BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP, AS THERE WAS NO TIME TO TRY ANYTHING ELSE. I HAD TO CHOOSE TO HIT THE TESTING CENTER OR A POST; I MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO HIT THE POST. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. INSURER DECLARED PRIUS A TOTAL LOSS. CAR HAD 2009 RECALL FOR FLOOR MATS AND ACCELERATOR AT TOYOTA DEALER. PICTURE AFTER CRASH, SHOWED THE FLOOR MATS IN PLACE. CAR HAD 50,000 MILE MAINTENANCE AT DEALER 11 DAYS PRIOR TO CRASH. UPDATED 02/28/12 *BF

I USE MY CRUISE CONTROL AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE, SO I BELIEVE THAT IF THE LEVER IS FLEXED EVEN A LITTLE BIT 20-30 TIMES A DAY THE STRESS WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK IT. MINE DIDN'T JUST SNAP, IT REFUSED TO FUNCTION FOR A DAY OR TWO WHEN THE AMOUNT OF FLEX IN THE NEARLY BROKEN LEVER DIDN'T MAKE THE CANCEL SWITCH ENGAGE. IT BROKE COMPLETELY WHILE ENGAGING IT. I FOUND OUT THAT OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE BY DOING A SIMPLE SEARCH ON THE WEB.

FOR A LONG TIME MY PRIUS HAS HAD PAUSES IN ACCELERATION OCCASIONALLY WHEN LEAVING A STOPPED POSITION. YOU PRESS ON THE GAS AND THERE IS A COUPLE OF SECOND PAUSE BEFORE IT ACCELERATES. YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC BECAUSE WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE TIME TO GO, WITH THE PAUSE IT IS NO LONGER SAFE TO PULL OUT. I CALL IT STALLING OUT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR PRIUS THAT BEGAN ON JANUARY 17,2013. IT STATES: THE CORRODED WIRE MAY BREAK AND THE WATER PUMP COULD STOP. IT COULD CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT BETWEEN COIL WIRES AND A POSSIBLE OPEN FUSE, CREATING A STALL LIKE CONDITION. THE REMEDY IS THAT TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE ELECTRIC WATER PUMP AT NO CHARGE. I HAVE THE STALL LIKE CONDITION AND DURING MY LAST SERVICE AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HE TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW WATER PUMP. I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT MY PROBLEM AND THE RECALL. THEY RESPONDED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECALL AND THEY WOULD OFFER ME NO ASSISTANCE IN THE $500 PAYMENT FOR THE WATER PUMP. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE HAS THE PROBLEMS LISTED IN THE RECALL AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED. *TR

MY CRUISE CONTROL LEVER BROKE OFF RIGHT AT THE BASE. THERE'S NOTHING BUT THE WIRES KEEPING IT ON. I HAD TO TAPE IT TO THE STEERING WHEEL SO IT WOULDN'T MAKE NOISES FROM FLOPPING AROUND WHEN I MADE TURNS.I HAVE NEVER USED EXCESSIVE FORCE, AND MY HANDS AREN'T ALL THAT STRONG. THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED REGULARLY AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE CONSTRUCTED IN A WAY TO WITHSTAND REGULAR USE. HOWEVER, IT'S OBVIOUS TOYOTA USED FAULTY CHEAP PARTS HERE THAT DON'T WITHSTAND THE INTENDED USE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HERE AND ON OTHER WEBSITES REGARDING THIS ISSUE AFFECTING NUMEROUS CARS SO IT'S NOT A RAMDON BUT RATHER COMMEN ISSUE. TOYOTA SHOULD OFFER A CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM TO REPLACE THIS PART FREE OF CHARGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AS THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED OVER A SLAB OF CONCRETE BARRIERS AND CRASHED INTO THE BRICK WALL OF A BUILDING. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: ACCELERATOR PEDAL) PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE PARKING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OVER A CONCRETE CURB AND ONTO THE SIDEWALK. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 41,100.