2010 Toyota Prius Complaint Log

THE HEADLIGHT BEAMS DO NOT DISPERSE AND PROJECT FAR ENOUGH DOWN THE ROAD TO SEE CLEARLY AT NIGHT REQUIRING THE USE OF HIGH BEAMS REGULARLY. AFTER CONTACTING TOYOTA ON-LINE, THEY RECOMMENDED RETURNING TO THE DEALER, WHO CHECKED THE LIGHTS AND INDICATED THAT THEY MEET MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ENGAGED THE PANIC STOP BUTTON BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE STOPPING AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,000. UPDATED 02/02/11 *CN

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT WAS RECALLED FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE AUTOMOBILE JOLTS FORWARD FOR A SPLIT SECOND WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE AUTOMOBILE ALSO PASSES OVER A BUMP OR POTHOLE. I TOOK THE AUTOMOBILE BACK TO THE DEALER PURSUANT TO THE RECALL TO BE FIXED. THE DEALER DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM REMAINS EVEN AFTER THE RECALL AND SUPPOSED REMEDY. I HAVE READ THAT OTHERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED BY THE RECALL IN OTHER CHATROOMS. I AM SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE RECALL DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN SHE HEARD A LOUD BANG. UPON EXAMINATION, SHE NOTICED THAT THE SUNROOF HAD SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN OBJECT WOULD HAVE HAD TO HIT THE VEHICLE TO CAUSE THE SUNROOF TO SHATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,433.

I HAD TAKEN AN EXIT AFTER HAVING DRIVEN ABOUT 15 MILES ON HWY 85 & HAD MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AS THERE WAS RED SIGNAL AHEAD. BEFORE COMING TO A FULL STOP THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN SO PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR BUT THAN HAD TO BRAKE ALMOST WITHIN SECONDS AS I SAW A CAR AHEAD AT THE NEXT GREEN LIGHT NOT MOVING. THE CAR FELT LIKE IT SURGED & DROVE WHAT I BELIEVE WAS ABNORMAL DISTANCE WITH MY FRONT CRASHING UNDER THE BACK OF AN OLD BUICK. I HAD 3 OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE CAR WHO FELT THE SAME JERK. THE ROAD WAS WET FROM PRIOR RAIN. THERE WAS NOT MUCH DAMAGE TO THE CAR I CRASHED INTO BUT MY CAR WAS CONSIDERED TOTAL LOSS, 15 MONTHS OLD WITH 28K MILES. NO AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. IRONICALLY I HAD PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP JUST THAT MORNING BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE JERKING WHEN APPLYING BRAKES WHEN SHE DRIVES 20 MILES TO WORK IN A STOP & GO TRAFFIC ON HWY 280. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME SHE HAD COMPLAINED TO DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS EITHER. THE DEALERSHIP LIKE BEFORE REPORTED NOTHING WRONG. THE CAR HAD THE SW UPGRADE DONE WHEN IT WAS RECALLED IN FEB/MAR. POST THE CRASH INCIDENT TOYOTA HAD THEIR EXPERT EXAMINE THE BRAKES WHO REPORTED, BRAKE RESERVOIR FLUID LEVEL 5MM ABOVE THE MAX LEVEL & SOME WHITE SUBSTANCE SUSPENDED IN IT NEAR THE SURFACE, BUT STILL BRAKE SYSTEM TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION.

2010 PRIUS -- FM RADIO HAS INTERMITTENT STATIC -- ANTENNA WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED AND STATIC CONTINUES -- SIGNAL IS COMING IN STRONG ON RADIO BUT STATIC PERSISTS -- HAPPENS ON ALL FM STATIONS BETWEEN WASHINGTON DC AND BANGOR, MAINE. *TR

EVEN AFTER THE BRAKE RECALL REPAIR HAS BEEN PERFORMED, MY CAR'S BRAKES SUDDENLY AND MOMENTARILY LOSE BRAKING POWER OVER UNEVEN OR ROUGH SURFACES. PROBLEM SEEMS COMPOUNDED WHEN TURNING. *TR

THE REAR WINDOW ON 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS , WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT,GENERATES THE VERTICAL LIGHT BARS ATTACHED TO THE SOURCE OF LIGHT , EX: HEADLIGHT OF THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE, THUS IMAGE OF THE CARS TRAFFIC ON THE BUSY HIGHWAY IS TOTALLY DISTORTED BY THE PRESENCE OF THE THESE UNWARRANTED LIGHT EFFECTS. THIS DEFECT INTRODUCES THE SAFETY ISSUE WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE DRIVER IS PRESENTED WITH THE LIGHT EFFECTS THAT TOTALLY BLURS THE BACK VIEW .THE ISSUE IS AUGMENTED IF THE REAR WINDOW IS TINTED . THE ISSUE HAD BEEN VERIFIED BY ROUND ROCK(TEXAS) TOYOTA AND APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A TEST ESCAPE. HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM ARGUING THAT THERE IS INSUFFICIENT FIELD DATA THAT WOULD JUSTIFY ACTION TO BE TAKEN. BEING THE USER OF THE MULTIPLE TOYOTA PRODUCT IN THE PAST, I CAN EXPRESS THE HEAVY CONCERN ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SAFETY BREACH WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, PRIMARILY IN HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. *TR

I HAVE HAD REPEATED ISSUES WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS SINCE PURCHASING MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULBS BURN OUT AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY 2-6 MONTHS. REPLACEMENT BULBS HAVE INCLUDED BULBS PURCHASED FROM TOYOTA AND AUTO PARTS STORES VARYING IN PRICE LEVEL AND LUMENS. I HAVE HAD TWO INSTANCES WHERE BOTH HEADLIGHTS SIMULTANEOUSLY MALFUNCTIONED WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE FIRST WAS WHEN I HAD MY CAR TURNED OFF FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND CHECKED THE HEADLIGHT BULB CONNECTIONS. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES USING THE HIGH BEAMS. I TOOK MY CAR TO OXMOOR TOYOTA, THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW, AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT MY CAR WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THEY REPLACED BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULBS WITH TOYOTA BULBS. THE SECOND TIME THAT BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED THE CAR WAS PARKED BUT RUNNING WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE SWITCHED OFF BUT THE CAR REMAINED RUNNING. WHEN I SWITCHED THE LIGHTS ON, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. I TURNED CAR OFF AND CHECKED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULB CONNECTIONS. THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, BACKUP LIGHTS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. I DROVE HOME APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES WITH THE HIGH BEAMS. ONCE HOME, I VERIFIED THAT THE FUSE WAS NOT BURNED OUT. TWO MONTHS LATER THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BROUGHT MY CAR TO SEE IF TOYOTA HAD FOUND A SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT THEY ONLY ISSUE WAS THE BURNED OUT LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULB. *TR

TL*THE DRIVER OWNED A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AT 35 MPH. AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE REAR PASSENGER WAS KILLED DUE TO A SEVERE NECK INJURY. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE HEAD RESTRAINT WAS NOT POSITIONED PROPERLY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE REGARDING THE HEAD RESTRAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 03/15/11*LJ

ON 2010 PRIUS, BRAKES SEEM TO RELEASE, GENERALLY FOR A MOMENT, AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP ON PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. CAR SEEMS TO ACCELERATE MOMENTARILY, UNTIL BRAKES ARE HIT AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES BUT IS SOMETIMES HARD TO RECREATE. CAR HAS 3000 MILES. DEALER SAYS BRAKES OPERATING AS DESIGNED AND RECALL ADJUSTMENT HAS BEEN MADE. *TR

I OWN A NEW 2010 PRIUS. IT HAS 1800 MILES ON IT. WHILE DRIVING WITH SOMEONE ELSE IN THE PRIUS, THERE WAS A BRAKING PROBLEM. WE BOTH FELT A LOSS OF BRAKING BY THE PRIUS WHEN I WAS BRAKING FOR A RIGHT TURN AND WENT OVER A BUMPY SECTION ON THE ROAD SURFACE. THE PRIUS EXPERIENCED A MOMENTARY COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING OVER THE BUMPS. IT FELT LIKE WE ACTUALLY ACCELERATED FOR AN INSTANT. IN ANY CASE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED FIRMLY THE WHOLE TIME. THE PRIUS THEN SLOWED DOWN NORMALLY, AND I MADE THE TURN AT THE CORNER. BUT WE BOTH LOOKED AT EACH OTHER IN SURPRISE AT WHAT WE FELT DURING THAT BRAKING EVENT LEADING INTO THE TURN. I CALLED THE DEALER AND HAD THEM LOOK UP THE COMPUTER PATCH HISTORY ON THIS CAR. THE DEALER STATED THAT ALL THE COMPUTER PATCHES HAD ALREADY BEEN APPLIED TO THIS CAR BEFORE IT WAS DELIVERED AS NEW. SO FAR, THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE NEW PRIUS FOR ONLY 1800 MILES. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW OFF THE DEALER LOT AUG 2010. IT HAPPENED IN OCT 2010. EXTREME LOSS OF BRAKING OVER BUMPY ROAD SURFACE. I HAVE MANY YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE IN MANY TYPES OF CARS ON MANY DIFFERENT ROAD SURFACES. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF MOMENTARY COMPLETE BRAKE LOSS BEFORE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE STOPPED, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE POWER OFF BUTTON TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN DRIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO AUTOMATICALLY GO INTO PARK WHEN THE POWER OFF BUTTON WAS PUSHED. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY, CRASHING INTO A PEDESTRIAN. THE PEDESTRIAN WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUSTAINED A BROKEN TIBIA AND CRUSHED RIGHT ANKLE BONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

CAR OCCASIONALLY UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATES WHEN HITTING A BUMP FOR MAYBE A SECOND. DANGEROUS WHEN IT HAPPENS AS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC SIGNAL. HAPPENS MAYBE ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS. *TR

LOSS OF BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. HAPPENS WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. YOU DON'T LOSE BRAKING POWER COMPLETELY, BUT IT WOULD BE LIKE YOU HAD LIFTED YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKES PARTIALLY. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE (A LITTLE OVER A YEAR). I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT FACTORS MAKE IT HAPPEN. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS SPEED, SEVERITY OF THE BUMPS, OR BRAKING PRESSURE, OR COMBINATION. I KNOW THAT TEMPERATURE MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, AS IT HAS HAPPENED IN WINTER AND SUMMER. THE LAST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN A BICYCLIST MOVED IN FRONT OF MY CAR TO AVOID BUMPS. I APPLIED THE BRAKES (IT WAS NOT SEVERE), AND AS I WENT OVER THE BUMPS, I LOST BRAKING POWER. MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. TOYOTA HAS DONE A RECALL ON THE BRAKES, BUT I CONTINUE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER OWNERS, AND THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, EVEN AFTER THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKING DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS. HE ALSO STATED THE ENGINE RACED BRIEFLY, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN GEAR AT THE TIME. UPDATED IVOQ 03/01/11 *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2010 PRIUS. WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH, I CONTACTED TOYOTA, COMPLAINING OF THE BRAKES, WHICH WERE NOT CONSISTENTLY SMOOTH. IN GENERAL, THE BRAKES WORK FINE, BUT IF I HIT A BUMP OR DITCH, THE BRAKES SUDDENLY STOP WORKING FOR A SPLIT SECOND, AND THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS LURCHING FORWARD, BEFORE THE BRAKES SUDDENLY START WORKING AGAIN. TOYOTA SERVICE WAS NEVER ABLE TO "REPRODUCE" THE PROBLEM, AND EVENTUALLY I GAVE UP. A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THE CAR WAS RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO BE FIXED. UNFORTUNATELY, THE RECALL WORK HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKES STILL SEEM TO OCCASIONALLY MALFUNCTION WHEN THE CAR DRIVES OVER A ROUGH PATCH. TOYOTA SEEMS TO BELIEVE THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED, BUT IT HAS NOT BE SOLVED. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE SINCE THE RECALL.

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FROM 35 MPH TO 45 MPH. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE TRAVELING 2 MPH THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THAT THEY WOULD NOT ENGAGE CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A WALL. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 1500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WHEN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN HALT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100.

I PURCHASED A 2010 PRIUS. WITHIN A 100 MILES, THE BRAKE PEDAL RANDOMLY LOCKED UP, THE BRAKES GRABBED AND BROUGHT MY CAR TO AN ABRUPT HALT. THE BRAKE PEDAL REMAINED LOCKED FOR ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD UNTIL AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL UNLOCKED ITSELF. INITIALLY THIS HAPPENED IN REVERSE MODE SEVERAL TIMES, THEN IT WAS HAPPENING ONCE A WEEK AND IN FORWARD MODE AS WELL AS REVERSE. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIRS, MOST RECENTLY TOYOTA HAD MY CAR FOR A MONTH. NOTE THAT DURING THIS MONTH LONG INVESTIGATION NOTHING WAS DONE TO MY CAR, IT JUST SAT THERE. UPON MY LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP THE BRAKE PEDAL ACTUALLY LOCK UP! THE FIELD REPRESENTATIVE CONFIRMED THE PEDAL TO BE LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE FOR 30 SECONDS OR LONGER. HE TOOK MEASUREMENTS AND THE ENGINEER TOOK PHOTOS OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AS IT WAS UP IN THE AIR AND NOT DEPRESSED AS A NORMAL PEDAL WOULD BE. HE INSTRUCTED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO SEND ME HOME IN A LOANER CAR AND NOT THE PRIUS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS SO RELIEVED THAT SOMEONE FINALLY SAW THE BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED UP AND NOT RELEASE. AFTER AN ADDITIONAL WEEK, THE DEALER CONTACTED ME AND SAID THAT TOYOTA DETERMINED THAT THIS CONDITION IS NORMAL AND THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED! WHEN I REQUESTED THAT THE PHOTOS AND MEASUREMENTS OF THE LOCKED UP BRAKE PEDAL BE INCLUDED IN MY SERVICE REPORT, THE FIELD REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED TO FURNISH THAT DATA. INSTEAD, HE DENIED HE WITNESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL LOCK UP. THERE WERE NO CODES, NO WARNING LIGHTS OR WARNING SOUNDS, A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKES LOCKING UP. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE THAT 1% OF THE PRIUS CARS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND ARE WORKING ON A FIX! I BELIEVE THAT THE DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT HAVE RESULTED IN AN INHERENTLY DANGEROUS PRODUCT AND TOYOTA IS TRYING TO COVER IT UP. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS, I BELIEVE MANY PEOPLE ARE AT RISK. 1% OF A MILLION CARS IS A LOT OF DRIVERS, PASSENGERS AND OTHERS SHARING THE ROAD. *TR

I HAVE PREVIOUSLY (2010 OR 2011) FILED A DETAILED REPORT OF THE CONSISTENT ANOMALY THAT OCCURS WHILE BRAKING ON A ROUGH SURFACE OR UPON HITTING A POTHOLE, MANHOLE COVER, ETC. IN THIS SITUATION, THE FEEDBACK FROM THE VEHICLE SUGGESTS THAT THE BRAKES HAVE DISENGAGED. BASED UPON 2+ YEARS OF ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE, I WOULD NOTE THAT: (1) THIS ANOMALY OCCURS CONSISTENTLY, AND IT HAS NOT DISAPPEARED OR ATTENUATED, (2) I BELIEVE THAT STOPPING DISTANCES ARE LONGER THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED WITHOUT THIS ANOMALY, (3) MY PRIUS WAS MANUFACTURED AFTER THE 2010 SOFTWARE FIX, AND (4) OTHER DRIVERS OF 2010 AND LATER PRIUS CARS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PHENOMENON WHEN I ASKED ABOUT IT (SEE BELOW). MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD NOTE THE FOLLOWING SOURCE OF EVIDENCE WHICH YOU MIGHT EASILY PURSUE FURTHER. I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY (NYC) FOR MOST OF THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE NYC TAXI FLEET INCLUDES A SIZABLE NUMBER OF TOYOTA PRIUS CARS. EVERY TIME I TAKE A PRIUS TAXI, I ASK THE DRIVER IF HE HAS ENCOUNTERED A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHEN BRAKING ON ROUGH SURFACES. IN MORE THAN A DOZEN SUCH INSTANCES, DRIVERS HAVE CONSISTENTLY REPORTED THIS SAME PROBLEM. WHILE YOU MAY NOT WANT TO TRUST MY EVIDENCE ON THIS MATTER, IT WOULD BE VERY CHEAP FOR NHTSA TO SEND AN INVESTIGATOR TO SOME OF THE LARGE TAXI GARAGES IN NYC TO INTERVIEW DRIVERS WITH EXPERIENCE DRIVING PRIUS TAXI CABS. GIVEN THE LARGE NUMBER OF MILES LOGGED BY TAXI DRIVERS, THIS COULD BE AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INFORMATION FROM HIGHLY EXPERIENCED DRIVERS --- WHO MUST REGULARLY CONTEND WITH NYC'S MYRIAD POTHOLES. I WOULD FINALLY NOTE THAT --- OTHER THAN THIS ANOMALY --- I LOVE MY PRIUS. IT IS A GREAT CAR. I WOULD JUST LIKE FOR TOYOTA TO FIGURE OUR WHAT IS CAUSING THIS ANOMALY AND FIX IT. *TR

VEHICLE SURGES WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHILE TRAVELING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS OR ROUGH PAVEMENT. SURGE LASTS FOR 1 TO 2 SECONDS UNTIL BRAKING RESUMES. VEHICLE BEHAVIOR CAN BE EASILY REPLICATED. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAS A NASTY HABIT OF LOSING BRAKE PRESSURE OVER BUMPS. THIS CAN BE DUPLICATED EASILY AND IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT TOYOTA HAS YET TO RECTIFY. SIMPLY DRIVE OVER A BUMP SUCH AS A BREAK IN CONCRETE ON A BRIDGE, POTHOLE, ETC. AND HOLD ON TIGHT. THIS CAN RESULT IN A CRASH AND SERIOUS INJURY AS OCCUPANTS EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKING FORCE WHICH CAN INDUCE PANIC AND COLLISION. *TR

SINCE WE HAVE HAD THE 2010 PRIUS, WHEN WE DRIVE IT OVER A BUMP OR ROUGH ROAD, USUALLY AT A LOW SPEED, AND APPLY THE BRAKE SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE CAR SEEMS TO ACCELERATE BRIEFLY. I TOLD MY TOYOTA DEALER ABOUT IT THE FIRST TIME WE BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE, BUT THEY SAID THEY'D NEVER HEARD OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I TRY TO AVOID BRAKING WHEN I GO OVER BUMPS, BUT I WORRY THAT ONE DAY I WILL HIS SOMETHING OF SOMEONE ON THE OTHER SIDE. THE WEIRD ACCELERATION CAN BE FELT BY THE PASSENGER TOO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN THE SYSTEM INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INVERTER COOLER PUMP HAD OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,135.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS COMING TO A STOP TO PARK HER VEHICLE WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED WHERE THEY DID NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL AND THERE WERE FRONT END DAMAGES AND NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA COLLISION SHOP. THERE HAVE BEEN NO DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO INDICATE WHY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6000.

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS OCCASIONAL LOSS OF BRAKE PERFORMANCE IMMEDIATELY UPON START-UP OF VEHICLE. ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THERE WAS NOTED LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY AFTER SHIFTING INTO REVERSE IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING ON THE IGNITION. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO FEEL HARD, AND ALLOWED THE CAR TO SLOWLY MOVE AGAINST THE OPERATOR'S INTENTIONS. AFTER ABOUT 5 SECONDS, THE BRAKES BEGIN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT TAKES A FEW SECONDS FOR BRAKE PRESSURE TO COME UP AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND THAT I SHOULD WAIT BEFORE SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THIS INSTRUCTION SEEMS COUNTERACTIVE TOWARDS SAFETY, AND THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR UNTIL BRAKE PRESSURE IS PRESENT. A SIMPLE SOFTWARE UPDATE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN. *TR

WE WERE BACKING DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY IN OUR 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. AS WE APPROACHED THE STREET OUR CAR SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD WHINING NOISE AND STARTED ACCELERATING BACKWARDS. BEFORE WE COULD DO ANYTHING, WE BACKED INTO THE CAR PARKED ACROSS FROM OUR DRIVEWAY. AFTER WE COLLECTED OURSELVES, WE DECIDED TO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF THE STREET INTO OUR DRIVEWAY. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAPPENED AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME MY HUSBAND REACHED OVER AND HIT THE PARK BUTTON AND WE STOPPED BEFORE WE HIT ANYTHING. I HAVE DRIVEN OUR OTHER TWO CARS DOWN OUR LONG DRIVEWAY SINCE, AND WE ONLY USE THE ACCELERATOR TO START THE CAR MOVING. AFTER THAT, WE ARE BRAKING ALL THE WAY DOWN THE DRIVE. THE ACCELERATION OCCURRED NEAR THE STREET WHERE WE PAUSE TO CHECK ON THE TRAFFIC. NOW THAT I HAVE CHECKED MYSELF WITH OUR OTHER CARS, I AM SURE I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVE, AS I BRAKE ALL THE WAY DOWN. OUR PRIUS IS OVER AT THE DEALER, AND WE HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA. WE ARE AFRAID OF THE CAR. WE DID HAVE THE CAR FIXED AT THE RECALL. *TR

THE FRONT BUMPER IS SO LOW THAT I HAVE TO GO OVER BUMPS AND DIPS VERY SLOWLY, WHEN TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY I'M VERY AFRAID I'LL GET HIT FROM BEHIND BY CARS GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION BECAUSE I HAVE TO ENTER THE DRIVEWAY SO SLOWLY. I'VE HAD NUMEROUS CLOSE CALLS. MY BUMPER HAS DAMAGE FROM DRAGGING WHEN GOING THRU A DIP. *TR

BRAKE FAILURE. 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS IV -- THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES LOSE PRESSURE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL LOSES PRESSURE (REGARDLESS OF HOW HARD I PRESS ON THE BRAKES AS THIS IS HAPPENING). THE BRAKES ARE TEMPORARILY DISABLED AND THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATES AS A RESULT OF ITS MOMENTUM PRIOR TO INITIALIZING THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE PASSES OVER A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN THE TEXTURE/FRICTION OF THE ROAD SURFACE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE DOZENS OF TIMES, WHEN DRIVING OVER METAL SURFACES (MANHOLE COVERS, POTHOLE COVERS, TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION COVERS, METAL EXPANSION INSERTS IN BRIDGES, ETC), AS WELL AS SMALL PATCHES OF CONDENSATION (SUCH AS SMALL PUDDLES UNDER A BRIDGE WHEN THE SURROUNDING ROAD IS DRY). THE FAILURE IS NOT RELATED TO HYDROPLANING, AND HAS OCCURRED AT SPEEDS AS LOW AS 15 MPH. THE FAILURE CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE UNTIL A FEW SECONDS AFTER IT HAS PASSED OVER THE SLICK SURFACE. AFTER RETURNING TO THE REGULAR ROAD SURFACE, THE BRAKES SLOWLY REGAIN TRACTION AND RESUME THEIR FUNCTION OF SLOWING THE VEHICLE DOWN. THIS FAILURE OCCURS EVERY TIME THESE CRITERIA ARE MET -- REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ROAD CONDITIONS ARE WET OR DRY. SO FAR NO ACCIDENTS HAVE RESULTED FROM THIS FAILURE ON MY VEHICLE, BUT I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CONTROL THE PROBLEM OR DECREASE ITS EFFECTS. AGAIN, THIS PROBLEM OCCURS EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS, SUCH AS IN CITY TRAFFIC WHILE BRAKING TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. MANY TIMES IT HAS CAUSED ME TO NEARLY HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MINE. SO I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO LEAVE AN EXTRA 40 FEET BETWEEN MY VEHICLE AND ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME, WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS FEASIBLE BECAUSE I LIVE IN AN URBAN AREA. I HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THIS VEHICLE INTO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AS PART OF THEIR RECALL TO FIX THE SOFTWARE WHICH CONTROLS THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE HYBRID BRAKES AND THE NORMAL DISK BRAKES. LOCAL DEALERSHIPS HAVE CONSISTENTLY DENIED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE AND THE TOYOTA COMPANY WILL NOT RETURN MY PHONE CALLS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH HE HEARD A HARSH ABNORMAL SOUND. THE NOISE WAS HEARD ONE THOUSAND TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.

WHEN I GO OVER A PATCHED IN THE ROADWAY AND APPLY MY BRAKES MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT SKIPS.MOMENTARILY.. VEH.ICLE WAS IN MOTION.

SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE: WHEN BRAKING WHILE TURNING OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT, BRAKES SEEM TO ACCELERATE OR LOOSEN TEMPORARILY. SO WHEN IS NHTSA GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? OR ARE THEY WAITING FOR A "SIGNIFICANT" NUMBER OF DEATHS FIRST? *TR

WHILE I WAS BRAKING TO STOP AT THE RED LIGHT, THE CAR ACCELERATED. I MOVED THE STEERING WHEEL TO HIT THE CURB TO PREVENT CROSSING THE RED LIGHT. IT HAPPENED TO ME COUPLE OF TIMES. THEN I REALIZE IT HAPPENS ONLY WHEN I AM DRIVING OVER UNEVEN SURFACE OR OVER BUMPS. IT IS REALLY SCARY. I ALMOST HIT A CAR SEATTLE DOWNTOWN GOING DOWN THE HIT BECAUSE MY CAR ACCELERATED INSTEAD OF STOPPING. I TOOK IT THE CAR DEALER BUT THEY SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID THAT I MIGHT GET IN A BIG ACCIDENT. *TR

2010 PRIUS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP IF VEHICLE HITS BUMPS, POTHOLES, MANHOLES, ETC., THE VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEMS LETS GO FOR A MOMENT AND THE VEHICLE WILL KEEP MOVING FORWARD. I HAVE HAD MY PRIUS INTO MY SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE "RECALL" BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. MY SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH TOYOTA WHO TELLS THEM IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND TO ADVISE OWNER OF SUCH. THIS IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. MY FAMILY WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR AND MY FRIENDS WON'T GET IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD TO EITHER LIVE WITH THE VEHICLE OR TRADE IT IN. NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER IN MY BOOK. THIS CAN HAPPEN WITH THE VEHICLE 5 OR MORE TIMES A DAY DEPENDING ON WHERE I AM DRIVING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OVER ROUGH TERRAIN THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY FAILED TO ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED NOR WAS THERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 6000.

MY TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLIGHTS GO OFF FREQUENTLY WHILE DRIVING. I MUST TURN THEM OFF AND ON TO HAVE THEM COME BACK ON. IT USED TO BE ONE OR THE OTHER AT A TIME, HOWEVER NOW BOTH LIGHTS WILL GO OFF AT ONCE. I WAS DRIVING IN VERY DARK CONDITIONS WHEN IT HAPPENED LAST TIME AND THE ROAD WAS PITCH BLACK. THE FACT THAT IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT IS THE ONLY WAY I KNEW BOTH LIGHTS WERE OUT. IF I AM DRIVING AT DUSK OR DAWN, IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO TELL THAT MY LIGHTS ARE OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING, BUT VERY DIFFICULT FOR OTHERS TO SEE ME COMING DOWN THE ROAD. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW SECONDS FOR AN ACCIDENT TO HAPPEN. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND INITIALLY SAID THAT THE REPLACEMENT WOULD BE COVERED. THEN CAME BACK AND SAID THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED SO IT WOULD BE OUT OF MY POCKET. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I COULD JUST CONTINUE TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF WHEN IT HAPPENS BECAUSE THE LIFE OF THE BULBS SHOULD NOT BE UP YET. THAT IS NOT A GOOD SOLUTION TO ME BECAUSE I DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHEN ONE OR BOTH LIGHTS GOES OUT AND WHEN IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT FOR OTHER DRIVERS TO SEE ME. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A KNOWN HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE RECTIFIED BY RECALLING/REPLACING THESE BULBS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST WITH REPAIRS IF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 6,000.

I PURCHASED A 2010 PRIUS LEVEL 4. INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE IS AN AUTO DIMMING REAR VIEW MIRROR WITH HOMELINK. THE AUTO DIMMING FUNCTION DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT SEEMS TO BE VERY DISTANCE DEPENDENT. THERE IS A NARROW FOCAL RANGE THAT THE SENSOR REACTS TO. IF A VEHICLE IS TO CLOSE OR TO FAR AWAY THE AUTO DIMMING FUNCTION DOES NOT REALLY DIM VERY MUCH. CONSIDERING HOW LOW THE VEHICLE IS THIS IS INCREDIBLE ANNOYING AND UN-SAFE. ALSO THIS VEHICLE HAS SPLIT REAR GLASS IN THE HATCH BACK. THE CENTER BAR I BELIEVE ALSO BLOCKS THE LIGHT FROM HEADLIGHTS FROM REACHING THE SENSOR. IF YOU TILT THE MIRROR UP SO THAT YOU DO NOT SEE THE CENTER BAR (ONLY THE TOP PORTION OF THE REAR GLASS), THE MIRROR SEEMS TO WORK BETTER. AS A SIDE NOTE, I PURCHASED A MANUAL FLIP MIRROR WITH THE CORRECT PART # FOR A 2010 PRIUS FROM MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THE NEW MIRROR HAS A DIFFERENT MOUNTING STYLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE REARVIEW MIRROR WAS HANGING TWO INCHES LOWER THAN NORMAL REARVIEW MIRRORS AND WAS OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVERS VIEW OF THE ROADWAY TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REARVIEW MIRROR DESIGN WAS NEWER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

MY PRIUS ENGINE WOULD NOT CUT OFF WHILE I HAD MY WIFE'S AVALON ELECTRONIC KEY IN MY POCKET TOUCHING MY PRIUS ELECTRONIC KEY. I WAS SITTING STILL BUT EACH TIME I CUT OFF THE ENGINE BY HOLDING DOWN THE POWER BUTTON, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE WOULD START BACK UP. IT WASN'T UNTIL I MOVED THE AVALON KEY FROM MY VEHICLE THAT THE PRIUS RESTORED NORMAL ACTIONS. COULD THIS CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA'S PRODUCTS? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS BRAKING FROM 2 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FELL FARTHER INTO THE FLOORBOARD THAN NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A CURB, SIDEWALK AND OVER A GRASSY AREA BEFORE CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,000. UPDATED 11/23/10 *BF UPDATED 11/23/10

I PURCHASED A NEW 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS (MODEL 3) IN LATE JULY 2010. IN ALMOST EVERY RESPECT, THIS CAR IS WONDERFUL. HOWEVER, THE CAR HAS CONSISTENTLY DIMINISHED (APPARENT) BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE CAR GOES OVER A PATCH OF ROUGH ROAD, POTHOLE, ETC. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED WITH A CONSISTENT PRESSURE, THE CAR "FEELS" AS IF THE BRAKES DISENGAGE UPON ENTERING A ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME. (FOR EXAMPLE, I NOTICE IT EVERY TIME I SLOW DOWN AT MY STREET CORNER WHERE THERE IS A LONG-STANDING PATCH OF ROUGH PAVEMENT.) SINCE 1994 I HAVE OWNED 7 CARS WITH ABS (HONDAS, NISSANS, AND TOYOTA CAMRYS), I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR SENSATION IN ANY OF THESE OTHER CARS. I HAVE ADAPTED MY DRIVING STYLE TO THIS ANOMALY, BUT I WORRY ABOUT MY KIDS AND FRIENDS WHO MAY OCCASIONALLY DRIVE MY PRIUS. IT IS UNNERVING TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND HAVE THEM FEEL LIKE THEY ARE DISENGAGING WHEN YOU ENTER A ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD. SINCE THIS PROBLEM OCCURS CONSISTENTLY, I THINK IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO TEST TO SEE IF THIS APPARENT BRAKING ANOMALY IS ACTUALLY INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCES. (FOR EXAMPLE, TEST PRIUS VS. MODEL WITHOUT APPARENT BRAKING ANOMALY ON SMOOTH AND ROUGH ROADS TO SEE IF RELATIVE BRAKING DISTANCES OF PRIUS ARE MORE HEAVILY AFFECTED BY ROUGH ROADS THAT COMPARISON MODEL.) P.S. AFTER PURCHASING MY NEW PRIUS, I NOTED THAT MY DEALER'S SERVICE BLOG, HAD SEVERAL REPORTS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS THAT WERE NOT CORRECTED AFTER SERVICING BY THE DEALER. SOME POSTS NOTED THAT THE DEALER HAD APPLIED A SOFTWARE FIX THAT TOYOTA DISTRIBUTED IN EARLY 2010. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED AFTER THAT FIX. *TR

THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGE MECHANISM IN MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS DOES NOT DISENGAGE QUICKLY ENOUGH WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE. I HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE HARDER THAN ANY PRIOR VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED TO KILL THE CRUISE CONTROL AND IF I RELEASE THE BRAKE BEFORE THE CRUISE CONTROL IS RELEASED THEN THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NO SAFETY ISSUE AND WOULD NOT SPEAK TO ME FURTHER ABOUT IT WITHOUT GOING TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER HAD ALREADY TOLD ME THAT IT IS OPERATING NORMALLY AND THAT THIS IS HOW THE 2010 NEW PRIUS MODEL YEAR OPERATES. I HAVE A 2006 PRIUS AS WELL AND THE CRUISE DISENGAGES NORMALLY. MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE AND HAVE DOCUMENTED THEIR EXPERIENCES ON THE FORUM PRIUSCHAT.COM . THEY HAVE EVEN FIXED THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES BY MOVING THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGEMENT CLOSER TO THE TOP OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THAT THEY CAN DEPRESS THEIR BRAKES AND SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THEIR BRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON AND THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND CRUISE CONTROL KILL SWITCH ARE LINKED TOGETHER. *TR

WAS DRIVING PRIUS 2010 MODEL II WITH BRAKE SOFTWARE APPLIED BY DEALER ABOUT 1.5 MONTHS AGO. TODAY (7/27/2010) I EXITED HIGHWAY AND BEGAN GENTLE BRAKING ON OFFRAMP, AS SUGGESTED BY MANUAL TO MAXIMIZE REGENERATION. ABOUT HALF-WAY DOWN OFFRAMP, I REALIZED CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS COMPLETELY STOPPED AND THAT I HAD TO STOP MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN I WAS PLANNING TO. I DON'T RECALL BEING PARTICULARLY DISTRACTED, BUT I CAN'T RULE OUT I NOTICED THE STOPPED VEHICLE LATER THAN I SHOULD HAVE. IN ANY EVENT, I'M NOT SURE HOW HARD I PRESSED THE BRAKES, BUT I RECALL DISTINCTLY THINKING "OH, MY GOD. NOTHING IS HAPPENING" AND 1-2 SECS LATER I PLOWED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE COLLISION WAS HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE TEMPORARY PAIN TO THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT NO AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED AND THE PRIUS APPEARS TO NOT HAVE MAJOR FRONTAL DAMAGE - HOOD IS BENT BACK AND MAYBE SLIGHT FRAME DISTORTION => THE IMPACT CLEARLY WAS NOT AT THE ~40-50 MPH I WAS GOING WHEN JUST EXITING THE HIGHWAY, SO SOME BRAKING CLEARLY DID OCCUR -- BUT I HAVE THE DISTINCT FEELING THAT MY PREVIOUS CAR (SUBARU OUTBOOK) WOULD HAVE EASILY STOPPED IN TIME. AFTER ACCIDENT, I TESTED BRAKES BY GOING 15-20 MPH IN PARKING LOT AND BRAKING HARD. ALWAYS STOPPED QUICKLY, I'M GUESSING W/100% FRICTION BRAKING. SO BRAKES ARE PROBABLY NOT "DEFECTIVE" IN SENSE OF LOST HYDRAULIC FLUID, ETC... BUT I HAVE NEVER BEFORE EXPERIENCED THE FEELING "I'M NOT STOPPING" EXCEPT ONCE WHEN LOSING TRACTION ON ICY ROAD WITH A NON-HYBRID. THE FACT HAD TIME TO THINK THIS THOUGHT AT ALL PROBABLY MEANS MAYBE 0.5-1.5 SEC PASSED WHILE BRAKING INEFFECTIVE. CHECKED FOR TIRE/SKID MARKS ON ROAD OR EVIDENCE OF STRONG TIRE WEAR AND FOUND NONE, WHILE I HAVE ON OTHER CARS WHEN I HAVE HAD TO BRAKE HARD => PRIUS NOT BRAKING HARD DESPITE EMERGENCY. SEEM TO HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN TRANSITION BETWEEN REGEN & FRICTION MODE? THIS IS STILL DISCUSSED IN PRIUS FORUMS -- SOFTWARE FIX NOT GOOD ENOUGH!? THIS IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS. BTW,CAR WAS IN "ECO" MODE. *TR

1. PULLING IN TO A PARKING SPACE, SLIGHT UPHILL ANGLE, STEPPED ON BRAKE AND CAR LURCHED FORWARD OVER A BARRIER AND INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. 2. THE VEHICLE GAVE NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO HOOD, BUMPER, RIGHT FENDER AND RADIATOR. 3. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. ONCE REPAIRED, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC OF BRAKE FAILURE PROBLEM WHERE IT CURRENTLY REMAINS. *TR

THE FIRST TIME I DROVE MY BRAND NEW 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS AT NIGHT AND THE DASHBOARD CLUSTER WAS ILLUMINATED, I SAW WHAT APPEARS TO BE SMUDGES ON THE INSIDE OF THE SPLIT SCREEN. THE DEFECTS APPEAR ONLY ON THE PORTION OF THE SPLIT SCREEN THAT REGULATES THE HYBRID SYSTEM -- IN OTHER WORDS, THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE CAR. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR A WARRANTY REPAIR. THEY STATED "SOME TYPE OF FLUID OR CLEANER HAS GOTTEN BEHIND THE CLUSTER AND SPOTTED. NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY." IF THIS WERE CORRECT, AND IT IS NOT, THE SCREEN WOULD HAVE TO BE POROUS; WHICH IN ITSELF WOULD BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE IN CALIFORNIA AND THEY STAND BY THE DEALER AND STATE "THIS IS NOT A DEFECT TOYOTA MOTORS WILL COVER. WE CONSIDER YOUR CASE CLOSED." MY PRIVATE MECHANIC THINKS THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE EVAPORATOR BEHIND AND INTEGRATED WITH THE DASH - COUPLED WITH THE HEAT & HUMIDITY - WHICH MIGHT BE CAUSING THE BLOTTING OUT OF PORTIONS OF THE HYBRID SCREEN CLUSTER. FURTHER, HE TELLS ME THAT WHETHER OR NOT THIS CAN EFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE HYBRID SYSTEM AND THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, HE DOES NOT KNOW. HE STATES THAT IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS THE COMPLETE DASH ASSEMBLY MUST BE REMOVED. I CANNOT BELIEVE TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION HAS LEARNED NOTHING FROM THEIR MISTAKES OF THE RECENT PAST AND IS DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY ON THE PART OF THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS BRAND NEW AUTOMOBILE. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT HAS PROBABLY SHOWN UP ON OTHER VEHICLES AND WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW UP ON ADDITIONAL VEHICLES NO MATTER HOW ADAMANTLY TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION DENIES IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I WATCHED WHAT I THOUGHT WERE SINCERE APOLOGIES BY MR. TOYOTA WHEN HE APPEARED BEFORE THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. LOOKS AS THOUGH NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN CORPORATE JAPAN TOYOTA. *TR

CASE OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN A NEW 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS: I WAS PARKING MY CAR IN A PULL-IN PARKING SPOT IN AN OFFICE BUILDING PARKING LOT. WHILE STRAIGHTENING THE CAR OUT IN THE SPOT, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND JUMPED A CURB IN FRONT OF LANDSCAPED SHRUBBERY. A LARGE WOODY BUSH, AND SOFT DIRT STOPPED THE VEHICLE. NO ONE ELSE WAS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE CAR HAS ONLY 2200 MILES ON IT. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD BY THE DEALER, TOYOTA SCION OF EATONTOWN, NJ. *TR

TOYOTA PRIUS ACCELERATES SUDDENLY WHEN DRIVEN OVER BUMPS, SUCH AS SPEED BUMPS OR OTHER BUMPS IN THE ROAD, USUALLY WHEN GOING UNDER 30MPH, AND OFTEN WITH THE BRAKES BEING LIGHTLY PRESSED. *TR

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP OUR 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD, AND CONTINUED TO MOVE. I LET OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND REAPPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOTHING FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS - AT WHICH POINT THE CAR STOPPED. AFTER CONTACTING BOTH OUR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, AND THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY WILL NOT LOOK AT THE CAR UNTIL NEXT WEEK. *TR