2001 Toyota Prius

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAD GONE OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WAS COASTING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, WHEN SHE PLACED HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SURGED INTO THE GARAGE AND DAMAGED ITEMS. THE CONSUMER NO LONGER WANTS THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE FEELS UNSAFE. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT TOYOTA DIDN'T WANT TO EXCEPT RESPONSIBILTY, EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE MANAGER DID REPORT THAT THE GAS ENGINE SURGE COULD OCCUR IN ORDER TO CHARGE THE BATTERY. *SCC *DT

THE FRONT TIRES WORE OUT UNEVENLY. THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRES WORE TO THE POINT THAT AIR WAS LEAKING OUT. CONSUMER TIRES WERE NOT APART OF A RECALL TOYOTA ISSUED ACCORDING TO THE VIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE TIRES ARE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE 92, TUBELESS STEEL BELTED RADIAL M+S. P175/65 R14 84S. DOT # EL 9P T9902, JDH 2301 E92Z. CONSUMER REQUEST RECALL INFORMATION ON THESE TIRES STATED ABOVE. *JG

CONSUMER STATES HE CAN NOT SEE ANY OF THE INSTRUMENTS ON THE PANEL IN THE DAYLIGHT FROM THE CRUISE CONTOL LIGHT, TO THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL, AS WELL AS NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS, AND THE SPEEDOMETER READING CAN'T BE READ AS WELL, CONSUMER CAN'T NOT SEE THE PRE SET READING FOR THE RADIO UNLESS IT IS NIGHT TIME, ALSO THE GAS LEVEL BAR NO LONGER LIGHTS UP TO WARN THE CONSUMER THAT THE FUEL IS LOW.*JB

AFTER SITTING FOR AS MANY AS 2 DAYS WITHOUT DRIVING, THERE IS A BATTERY FAILURE. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS (8-10 TIMES), AND THE DEALER HAS SENT A TOW TRUCK OUT TO EITHER START THE CAR OR TOW THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP. AT ONE POINT, THE CAR WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR 3 WEEKS WHILE THEY WORKED ON SOLVING THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE PUT IN SEVERAL NEW BATTERIES, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. THE LATEST OCCASION WAS THIS PAST WEEK (OCTOBER, 2002). I WAS WITHOUT THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND AT THE DEALERSHIP EXCEPT FOR BATTERY FAILURE. IN THE PAST THE DEALERSHIP HAS PROVIDED ME WITH A BATTERY CHARGER, BUT THE BATTERY CHARGER IS CURRENTLY NOT WORKING PROPERLY. DT

THE POWER STEERING CUTS OUT AT RANDOM TIMES. THE DEALER SAYS I NEED A NEW STEERING RACK, BUT IT HAS BEEN WEEKS AND NO RACK HAS SHOWN UP. NOW I'M HEARING FROM OTHER PRIUS OWNERS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AND TOYOTA IS REDESIGNING THE WHOLE STEERING SYSTEM. MEANWHILE I'M STUCK WITH A CAR WHERE THE POWER STEERING CAN CUT OUT AT ANY TIME.

DEALER INFORMS THAT 2 OTHER VEHICLES ARE IN FOR REPAIR FOR THE SAME FAILURE. ALL THREE VEHICLES CAME IN WITHIN A 2 WEEK PERIOD. I HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF TIME TO REPAIR RANGING FROM 2 TO 4 WEEKS BECAUSE OF UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS. DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT FEELS THAT THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. STEERING WHEEL EXPERIENCES "MINOR JERKS OR TICS". SERVICE WRITTER SAYS THIS IS BECAUSE OF ERRANT ELECTRICAL SIGNALS BEING SENT TO POWER ASSIST.*AK

CONTINUED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR POSSIBLE CAUSE VEHICLE WEIGHT AND ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. I AM ON MY THIRD SET OF TIRES IN 30,000 MILES AND THE TIRES THAT ARE NOW ON THE CAR ARE WEARING POORLY AFTER LESS THEN 5,000 MILES. TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM ANY FURTHER THEN THEY HAVE. THE CAR WONDERS IN SLIGHTLY WINDY CONDITIONS AND FREEWAY DRIVING WHICH FELLS UNSAFE. TOYOTA HAS HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER AND DO A VALVE JOB DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER I EXPERIENCED, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.*AK