2011 Toyota Prius

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SOUND. HE NOTICED THAT THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED AND THE GLASS SHATTERED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. DCH TOYOTA OF TORRANCE (2909 CA-1, TORRANCE, CA 90505, (424) 271-2340) INFORMED THE CONTACT TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED WITH OTHER VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,360.

THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IN THE PRIUS IS DEFECTIVE. IT IS PRONE TO GROWING MILDEW AND/OR MOLD IN THE SYSTEM, WHICH RESULTS IN TOXIC AIR BEING PUMPED INTO THE CAR. I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THERE IS A LARGE BODY OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE MILDEW PROBLEM ONLINE WHICH SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG PRIUS FROM 2010 TO THE PRESENT. SINCE NOTICING THE MILDEW SMELL IN MY CAR, I HAVE HAD SEVERE ALLERGY PROBLEMS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN THAT IS ADVERSELY AFFECTING MY HEALTH, AND GIVEN ITS PREVALENCE AMONG CARS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL, I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY. THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FLUSH DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AND IN FACT MAY HAVE MADE IT WORSE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 20 WITH MY WIFE WHEN THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. THERE ARE TWO PANES OF GLASS AND THE EXTERIOR PANE SENT SHARDS OF GLASS OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE INTERNAL PANE OF GLASS STAYED IN PLACE BUT SOME SHARDS OF GLASS FELL ON MY WIFE AND MYSELF. THE TOYOTA DEALER SAYS THIS WAS DUE TO A CRACK FROM DEBRIS WHICH HIT THE CAR AND COMPROMISED THE INTEGRITY OF THE SUNROOF. THEY COULD NOT PROVE OR SHOW ANY MARK INDICATING THIS AS A FACT. IT WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION AND I FEEL OUR SUNROOF WAS MATERIALLY FLAWED AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROBLEM. *TR

STARTING ON/ABOUT FEBRUARY 1ST, 2011, ANY POINT SOURCE OF LIGHT (I.E., TRAFFIC SIGNAL, HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT) VIEWED THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CREATES AN OPTICAL EFFECT OF MULTIPLE IMAGES. THE EFFECT TYPICALLY MANIFESTS AS A TRIPLE IMAGE WHEN THE LIGHT IS VIEWED FROM A DISTANCE -- ONE FALSE IMAGE, EACH ABOVE AND BELOW THE ACTUAL LIGHT. AS THE LIGHT SOURCE IS APPROACHED, THE IMAGES CONVERGE ON THE CENTER (ACTUAL) LIGHT SOURCE, GOING FROM THREE (ONE FALSE ABOVE AND BELOW) TO EVENTUALLY ONE IMAGE WHEN THE LIGHT SOURCE IS VERY CLOSE (SUCH AS A CAR PASSING, GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION). THIS EFFECT HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY OCCURRING SINCE IT WAS FIRST NOTICED, AND IT OCCURS WITH ALL SOURCES OF LIGHT. IT IS MOST NOTICEABLE AND DISTRACTING WITH HEADLIGHTS APPROACHING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT NIGHT (ESPECIALLY A DARK NIGHT ON A DARK ROAD). *TR

STARTING ON/ABOUT 12 OCTOBER 2011, ANY POINT SOURCE OF LIGHT (I.E., TRAFFIC SIGNAL, HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT) VIEWED THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CREATES AN OPTICAL EFFECT OF MULTIPLE IMAGES, SOMEWHAT LIKE VIEWING THE LIGHT THROUGH A PRISM. THE EFFECT TYPICALLY MANIFESTS AS A QUINTUPLE IMAGE WHEN THE LIGHT IS VIEWED FROM A DISTANCE -- TWO FALSE IMAGES EACH ABOVE AND BELOW THE ACTUAL LIGHT. AS THE LIGHT SOURCE IS APPROACHED, THE IMAGES CONVERGE ON THE CENTER (ACTUAL) LIGHT SOURCE, GOING FROM FIVE TO THREE (ONE FALSE ABOVE AND BELOW) TO EVENTUALLY NEARLY ONE IMAGE WHEN AT A STOP LINE. THIS EFFECT HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY OCCURRING SINCE OCTOBER 2011, AND IT OCCURS WITH ALL SOURCES OF LIGHT. RED AND YELLOW COLORS ARE THE MOST VISIBLE/PRONOUNCED, BUT IT IS ALSO SEEN WITH GREEN OR OTHER COLORS OF LIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE, THE PRISMATIC EFFECT IS VERY DISTRACTING, ESPECIALLY IN AN URBAN/SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE ARE MANY TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND OTHER VEHICLES IN THE AREA. *TR

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDE WINDOWS WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY FOGGY AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO UTILIZE THE SIDE-VIEW MIRRORS WHEN NEEDED. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO OPEN THE WINDOWS IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE WINDOWS BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY DEFECT AND THAT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000. KMJ - UPDATED 02/09/12*LJ THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE LEFT SIDE VIEW MIRROR VIBRATED AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE DEALER FOUND THE MIRROR WAS LOSING ITS HOUSING. UPDATED 02/27/12

I WAS A FRONT PASSENGER IN A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WE JUST GOT IN THE CAR. MY FRIEND TURNED IT ON. I LOWERED MY WINDOW AND PLACED MY ARM IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION JUST OVER THE WINDOWS LOWER MOLDING. MY FRIEND WENT TO RAISE MY WINDOW BECAUSE HE WANTED THE A/C ON. HE USED HIS AUTO UP FEATURE FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE. BEFORE I COULD REMOVE MY ARM, THE WINDOW WAS ALREADY MOVING UP. IT STARTED TO SQUEEZE MY ARM IN THE VERTICAL POSITION. I HAD MY THUMB INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND MY FOUR FINGERS OUT SIDE THE WINDOW FROM THE TOP. I COULD NOT RELEASE MY HAND FROM EITHER DIRECTION. MEANWHILE THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE FROM THE BOTTOM. SO BAD, I STARTED TO YELL AT MY FRIEND TO LOWER THE WINDOW. HE SAID IT WOULDN'T GO DOWN. I STARTED TO PANIC BECAUSE THE PAIN WAS VERY BAD. I WAS ABOUT TO PUNCH THE WINDOW BUT QUICKLY REACHED ACROSS MY BODY USING MY LEFT HAND. I USED MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW CONTROL AND WAS ABLE TO LOWER THE WINDOW. THIS SO-CALLED AUTO-DOWN PINCH PROTECTION DOES NOT ACTIVATE RIGHT AWAY. I FIRMLY BELIEVE IT ACTIVATES ONLY PAST A CERTAIN POINT. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA'S WEBSITE, THIS FEATURE SHOULD APPLY TO ALL POSITIONS BUT IN FACT DOES NOT. THE BACK OF MY ARM WAS SORE FOR DAYS AND DID BRUISE. WE TESTED MY FRIENDS CAR AGAIN ANOTHER DAY AND DISCOVERED THE EXACT SAME THING HAD HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME WE ONLY USED OUR HANDS TO APPLY PRESSURE AT THE VERY BOTTOM INSTEAD OF ONLY AT THE TOP OR IN THE MIDDLE. THIS IS A HUGE CONCERN. TOYOTA WAS EMAILED BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM A REPRESENTATIVE. IN MY OPINION, I SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL BACK OR A PHONE CALL AT THE LEAST. IT SADDENS ME BECAUSE I TOO AM THE OWNER OF TWO TOYOTAS. WHERE IS THE PRIORITY NOW? *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN FOGGY OR RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, CONDENSATION WOULD BUILD ON EACH WINDOW, PREVENTING THE CONTACT FROM SEEING THE ROADWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROSTER WOULD NOT CLEAR THE WINDOWS. SHE ALSO TRIED OPENING THE WINDOWS TO ALLOW THE CONDENSATION TO EVAPORATE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT REPAIRS COULD NOT BE MADE BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,059. ...UPDATE 01/20/12 *BF UPDATED 01/25/12