2001 Toyota Prius

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE SPEED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER IT TO THE SHOULDER. WHILE ON THE SHOULDER, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED WITHOUT WARNING AND REVERSED FULL THROTTLE INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD AND EYE INJURIES AND A BROKEN RIB. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH DID NOT PRODUCE ANY ERROR CODES. THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $500, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT IF A FAILURE OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE WOULD CORRECT ITSELF AND WOULD NOT DISPLAY ANY FAILURE CODES TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. SHE IS CURRENTLY NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND IT IS AT THE REPAIR SHOP BEING INSPECTED FOR THE REVERSING FAILURE AND FOR RESETTING THE COMPUTER MEMORY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN PARK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY AND CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A WHIPLASH AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE AND WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR BODY STRUCTURE DAMAGES. THE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

HV BATTERY FAILURE, PRIOR TO FAILURE OF HV BATTERY VEHICLE EXHIBITED ERROR CODES INDICATING THAT AT LEAST TWO BATTERY MODULES HAD A GREATER THAN 1.2 VOLTS BETWEEN MAX MODULE VOLTAGE AND MIN MODULE VOLTAGE (HV BATTERY CONSIST OF 38 BATTERY MODULES 7.2 VOLTS EACH). HOWEVER, VEHICLE STILL OPERATED ALTHOUGH IN A FAIL SAFE MODE (NO CRUISE CONTROL IN FAIL SAFE MODE, ETC). UPON ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE HEARD LOUD EXPLOSIVE POP SOUND AND VEHICLE WOULD THEN NOT START. AFTER REMOVAL AND DISASSEMBLY THE HV BATTERY PACK I DISCOVERED THA TWO BATTERY MODULES, OUT OF THE TOTAL OF 38, HAD A CIRCULAR BURN BETWEEN THEIR AJOINING PLASTIC CASES AND THE TOP OF ONE OF THE TWO MODULES HAD EXPLODED OPEN -- EXPOSING THE BATTERY PLATES INSIDE (BOTH BURNED CELLS NO LONGER MEASURED 7.2 VOLTS, BUT ABOUT 0.32 VOLTS). BURNT SMOKE RESIDUE SHOWED ON TOP OF THE HV BATTERY PACK INSIDE METAL HOUSING AS WELL AS ON THE ONE BATTERY MODULE THAT HAD AN EXPLODED TOP. I REPLACED THE HV BATTERY PACK NO FURTHER ERROR CODES HAVE BEEN NOTED SINCE REPLACEMENT. DAMAGED MODULES SHOWED EVIDENCE OF AN EXPLOSIVE FORCE OCCURRING AND BURNING OR SHORTING BETWEEN BATTERY MODULES. *TR

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN BACKING WHEN BACKING UP AFTER MORNING START UP, THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO CONFIRM PROBLEM, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES AND WE NOW HAVE LIGHT MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN MOVING FORWARD AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN A STRAIT LINE THIS MOVEMENT IS A SLIGHT TUG FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE WARNING INDICATOR HAS COME ON AND IS RESET WHEN RESTARTING, LOOKING AT THE 2000 RECALL IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME CONDITION. *TR

LTR FROM SENATOR BROWN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT, RE PROBLEMS WITH HIS 2001 PRIUS. *NJ A SAFETY ALERT WAS ISSUED FOR THE FAILURE OF THE MAIN COMPUTER, WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE SHUTTING ITSELF OFF. THE CONSUMER STATED THE COMPUTER FAILED ON HIS VEHICLE AFTER 1 YEAR OF SERVICE. IT TOOK TOYOTA 18 MONTHS TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. AFTER A COSTLY REPLACEMENT OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE ECM WAS FINALLY REPLACED. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED REGARDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ECM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ECM WAS DEFECTIVE WHEN IT LEFT THE FACTORY, HOWEVER TOYOTA WAS NOT WILLING TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS TOO OLD. THE POWER STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. *JB

MY WIFE'S 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH 108K MILES STOPPED BEING ABLE TO BE DRIVEN WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING IT HOME. IT STOPPED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND MORE WARNING LIGHTS THAN I'D EVER SEEN CAME ON. IT WOULD NOT DRIVE MORE THAN A FEW MPH AND WOULD SHAKE AND RUN ROUGHLY. IT HAD TO BE TOWED APPROX 81 MILES TO A TOYOTA DEALER NEAR OUR HOME. THEY TOLD US THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR ABOUT $7000 INCLUDING LABOR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A SOMEWHAT COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS (PRIUSCHAT.COM). ALSO, THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL REFERENCES TO TOYOTA COVERING PART OR MOST OF THE BILL, EVEN ON VEHICLES NOT UNDER WARRANTY. IF THAT'S NOT ADMITTING A DEFECT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. *TR

I OWN A 2001 PRIUS. MY CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM FOR WHICH THE NHTSA ISSUED A SAFETY ALERT IN 2005, FAILURE OF THE MAIN COMPUTER, RESULTING IN THE GASOLINE ENGINE'S SHUTTING ITSELF OFF. THE COMPUTER FAILED AFTER ONE YEAR OF SERVICE. IT TOOK TOYOTA 18 MONTHS TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. I HAVE INVOICES DOCUMENTING ALL THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED. THE DEALER HAD ME REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY AT MY COST OF $450 AND REPLACED THE WRONG COMPUTER (THE ONE CONTROLLING THE POWER STEERING). THIS MONTH I GAVE UP AND HAD A COMPETENT DEALER REPLACE THE ECM. THE DOCUMENTS I RECEIVED INCLUDED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OF JUNE 12, 2003. THE BULLETIN STATES THAT FOR THE ECM IN THE 2001-2003 MODEL YEAR PRIUS THE ECM PART NUMBER HAS BEEN REVISED. THE RELEVANT INFORMATION TABLE IS LABELED "PRODUCTION CHANGE INFORMATION." IN OTHER WORDS THE ECM IN MY CAR WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE TIME THE CAR LEFT THE FACTORY BUT TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE NOW THE CAR IS TOO OLD. THIS CAR IS A LEMON. IT IS ONE OF THE FIRST PRIUS GENERATION MARKETED IN THE U.S. THE POWER STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. THERE WERE 2 OR 3 OTHER RECALLS AS WELL. HOWEVER, I AM A RETIRED PROFESSOR AND NOW THAT I HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM AT MY EXPENSE I NEED TO KEEP THE CAR IN ORDER TO GET TO MY PART-TIME TEACHING JOB. THE REPAIRS TO THE ECM ALONE HAVE COST ME $1848.19. I WANT TOYOTA TO REIMBURSE ME. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE. BY THE WAY, A SAFETY ALERT ON THESE MODELS AS USED PURCHASES MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA. G.JAY WEINROTH *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS. IN 2002, WE EXPERIENCED A SHUTTER AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS. THE ELECTRIC MOTOR-ASSISTED POWER STEERING (EMPS) RACK HAD FAILED AT 13,396 MILES. TOYOTA REPLACED THE EMPS RACK UNDER WARRANTY. IN 2006 AT 65,427 MILES, WE REPORTED TO TOYOTA THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE MAKING A TURN AND THE INSTRUMENT WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP. TOYOTA REPLACED THE SECOND RACK AT NO CHARGE. IN 2008 AT +105,000 MILES, WE EXPERIENCED A NOISE IN THE FRONT END THAT SOUNDED LIKE RUBBER BUSHINGS SQUEAKING WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. TOYOTA INFORMED US THE EMPS RACK HAD FAILED A THIRD TIME. TOYOTA ALSO TOLD US THAT IT IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR THE NEW PARTS AND NOT THE LABOR. A CHECK OF THE INTERNET BLOGS INDICATES THAT FAILURE OF THE EMPS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FIRST GENERATION PRIUS, FIRST INTRODUCED IN 2001. NUMEROUS OWNERS HAVE REPORTED EMPS FAILURE ON THEIR VEHICLES. SECOND OWNERS OF THE PRIUS APPEAR TO BE LESS LIKELY TO GET A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION OF THIS PROBLEM FROM TOYOTA THAN FIRST OWNERS. UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE CAN BE A SCARY AND UNEXPECTED EVENT POTENTIALLY LEADING TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PERSONAL INJURY. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT NHTSA INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION. *TR

IN 2007 I HAD A SIDE IMPACT WITH MY VEHICLE. I TOLD TOYOTA TO CHECK FOR ANY DAMAGE WITH THE COMPUTER COMPONENTS IN THE CAR. THEY SAID THEY CHECKED EVERYTHING OUT AND SAID IT WAS FINE. MONDAY I HAD THE COMPUTER AND INVERTER GO OUT ON MY 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS AND I ASKED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AAA TO CHECK IF IT COULD BE RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT. THERE RESPONSE SAID IT WAS INTERNAL SHORTS IN THE SYSTEM NOT CAUSED BY THE ACCIDENT. THE HYBRID COMPUTER AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEM JUST DECIDED TO SHORT OUT. THE COST TO GET IT REPAIR IT IS $4,800.00. THE MILEAGE IS 190,000, PAST WARRANTY. NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE PART JUST THE COMPUTER ELECTRICS PART. I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY AND I STILL OWE $10,100 ON IT YET. *TR