2013 Toyota Prius

I WAS DRIVING HOME IN MY 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015, AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30P.M. WHILE TURNING RIGHT FROM THE STREET ON WHICH I LIVE INTO MY DRIVEWAY, THE CAR, AFTER I APPLIED THE BRAKES, SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD. IN SPITE OF CONTINUOUSLY PUSHING DOWN ON THE BRAKES, THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. THE DRIVEWAY SHOWS SKID MARKS FROM MY ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE CAR. THE CAR DID NOT STOP. THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CAR SHOT FORWARD, CRASHING INTO THE CLOSED WOODEN GARAGE DOOR AND THE WALL TO THE LEFT OF THE GARAGE DOOR. THE GARAGE DOOR BROKE AND ONE HALF OF THE GARAGE DOOR SPLIT AND WAS PUSHED INTO THE GARAGE. THE GARAGE DOOR COLLAPSED ON MY CAR AS WELL AS ITEMS STORED IN THE GARAGE INCLUDING PARTS OF THE GARAGE STRUCTURE AND LARGE SECTIONS OF A STORAGE UNIT, WHICH WAS BOLTED TO THE WALL. APPROXIMATELY 90% OF MY CAR WAS INSIDE THE GARAGE. I TRIED TO EXIT THE CAR THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I CRAWLED TO THE TRUNK AREA AND COULD NOT FIND A MECHANICAL RELEASE FOR THAT DOOR. FINALLY I FORCED OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR AND EXITED THE CAR THROUGH THE BROKEN WALL. IF THE BRAKES HAD NOT FAILED THIS WOULD HAVE NOT HAVE HAPPENED. AS A RESULT OF THE BRAKE FAILURE, I HAVE INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL LOSS, INCLUDING THE GARAGE DOOR (A TOTAL LOSS), DAMAGE TO STRUCTURAL SUPPORT TO THE GARAGE WALL, A BUILT-IN GARAGE STORAGE UNIT, CONTENTS STORED IN THE GARAGE AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, I DID NOT SUFFER ANY MAJOR PHYSICAL INJURIES, ALTHOUGH FOLLOWING THE COLLISION I EXPERIENCED AND CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE MUSCLE, JOINT, HIP, NECK AND BACK PAIN AND DISCOMFORT. IN ADDITION, I CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS FROM THIS INCIDENT. I WANT TOYOTA TO PERFORM A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC SAFETY CHECK OF ALL SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE BRAKES AND ANY SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS THE BRAKING SYSTEM.

RECURRING PROBLEM. WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY "SLIDE" RATHER THAN BRAKE WHEN THE CAR GOES OVER DIFFERENT ROAD SURFACES. THIS HAPPENS FOR ABOUT THE LENGTH OF THE CAR OR LESS (PROBABLY THE LENGTH OF THE DIFFERENT SURFACE) AND THEN THE BRAKING CONTINUES ONCE THE ROAD IS CONSISTENT AGAIN. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE DEALER AND THEY INDICATE THIS IS A KNOWN SYMPTOM OF THE CAR'S DEGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM FUNCTIONING "PROPERLY" WHEN ALL TIRES ARE NOT WORKING IN SYNC. I THINK IT'S A DEFECT THAT WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO REAR-END COLLISIONS. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHEN GOING OVER STEEL PLATES, POTHOLES, APPROACHING TOLL-BOOTH STOPS - ALL IN GOOD WEATHER, AND ON SLICK ROAD SURFACES DURING POOR WEATHER.

I REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH CASUED THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY AND SERIOUS FRONT END DAMAGE. MY CONCERN IS THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE BACK DOORS OR HATCH BACK WHCIH WERE NOT DAMAGED. UNDERSTANDABLY THE POWER WAS LIKLELY CUT SO THE AUTOMATIC UNLOCK VIA THE KEY DIDNT WORK, BUT WE COULD NOT EVEN OPEN THE BACK DOORS FROM WITHIN THE VEHICLE. I WAS ALONE BUT HAD MY CHILDREN BEEN WITH ME AND INJURED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO GET A BACK SEAT PASSENGER OUT THROUGH THE FRONT. THE FRONT DOORS WERE DAMAGED BUT BENT AND NOT FULLY ENGAGED SO MAYBE THAT IS WHY I WAS ABLE TO PUCH THEM OPEN.

ABS, BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON POSTED LIMITS ON HIGHWAY UNDER DRY CONDITIONS. AT SAME TIME, BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY REQUIRED MORE PRESSURE TO STOP CAR. WARNING LIGHTS STAYED ON, AND RETURNED AFTER CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN. DEALER STATED IT WAS BRAKE STROKE SENSOR MALFUNCTION AND REPLACED PART. CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW AND HAD ONLY DRIVEN IT FOR A FEW WEEKS. EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN JUNE 2015 AND JULY 2015. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, DRY CONDITIONS, ALL THREE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRED MUCH MORE PRESSURE TO WORK. STEERING ALSO LOST SOME POWER. DEALER DIAGNOSED A STROKE SENSOR MALFUNCTION. COMPUTER CODE WAS C1247. FIRST DEALER I TOOK IT TO IN JUNE 2015 COULDN'T RECREATE THE PROBLEM, CLEARED THE CODE, AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS FIXED. WROTE "CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE" ON MY RECEIPT. 2 WEEKS LATER SAME PROBLEM REAPPEARED AND A DIFFERENT DEALER SAID BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS FAILING.

I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WHEN A BOX TRUCK DROVE INTO MY CAR, PUSHING IT INTO THE CAR INFRONT OF ME, OVER A CURB, AND THEN OFF THE ROAD. THERE WAS SEVERE DAMAGE TO EACH SIDE OF MY CAR; INCLUDING THE CRUMPLED BACKEND. THE DIVERS SEAT GAVE OUT AND FELL BACKWARDS SOMEHOW CAUSING THE HEADREST TO TWIST OFF LEAVING THE LEG OF IT BENT TOWARDS BY MY HEAD. THERE WAS NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT IN THE ACCIDENT. THE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE CAR DEEMED IT TOTALED. HOW IS IT THAT THERE WAS SEAT, HEADREST, AND AIRBAG FAILURE?

FRONT PASSENGER'S AIRBAG SENSOR DOESN'T SENSE MEDIUM WEIGHT PASSENGER. I'VE TALKED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IF SOMEONE OVER 70LBS IN PASSENGER SEAT, THE LIGHT WILL COME ON "AIRBAG ON" AND STAY ON. IF THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE SEAT THAT IS LIGHTWEIGHT, THE LIGHT WILL SAY "AIRBAG OFF." IF THERE IS NOTHING IN THE SEAT, THE LIGHT WILL REMAIN OFF. MY WIFE IS ABOUT 110 LBS BUT THE WARNING LIGHT "AIRBAG OFF" IS ON MOST OF THE TIME. SOMETIMES I NOTICE IT AND ASK MY WIFE TO GET OUT AND THEN GET BACK IN TO ACTIVATE IT. SEEMS LIKE IT WORKS THAT WAY. MANY TIMES I DID NOT PAY ATTENTION TO IT UNTIL WE CAME TO OUR DESTINATIONS. I DID ASK MY WIFE TO LIFT HER BODY UP FOR A FEW SECONDS AND SIT DOWN BUT THE WARNING LIGHT "AIRBAG OFF" JUST STAY ON. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BECAUSE THE SENSOR IS NON-ADJUSTABLE AND THERE IS NO RECALL FOR IT. *TR

THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW. IN MY 2013 PRIUS AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT HAVE DRIVEN OVER THE CEMENT MEDIAN BARRIER. THE WINDSHIELD PILLAR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IN AN OBSTRUCTION ( BLIND SPOT) WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. I ALWAYS SEEM TO BE LEANING TOWARDS THE CENTER SEAT COLUMN WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN AND EVEN GOING AROUND A BEND TO THE LEFT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. THE LITTLE WINDOW THEY HAVE IN FRONT DOESN'T HELP WITH THIS. IN SPEAKING WITH A FRIEND WHO HAS THE SAME CAR, HE STATED HE NEARLY HIT A MAN CROSSING THE STREET BECAUSE OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 PRIUS. I'VE OWN SEVERAL TOYOTAS AND NEVER HAD A REASON TO SUSPECT TOYOTA WOULD PUT ANYTHING BUT THE BEST QUALITY ACCESSORIES ON THEIR CARS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE POOR QUALITY NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND BACKUP CAMERA THAT CAME STANDARD WITH MY NEW 2013 PRIUS. THEY ARE NOT ONLY POOR QUALITY, BUT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS TO USE. TOYOTA'S NAVIGATION SYSTEM VERY DIFFICULT TO READ, EVEN CONFUSING. I DON'T EVEN CONSIDER IT SAFE TO USE SINCE IT TAKES SO MUCH ATTENTION TO READ IT. IT'S VERY DISTRACTING TO USE IN TRAFFIC. AS FOR THE BACKUP CAMERA, IT IS NOT ONLY USELESS BUT ACTUALLY DANGEROUS. IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A FISH EYE LENS USED IN PHOTOGRAPHY TO DELIBERATELY DISTORT PERCEPTION. IT HAS NO LINES FOR GUIDANCE AND NO RELIABLE DEPTH PERCEPTION. YOU CAN LOOK AT SOMEBODY STANDING BEHIND THE CAR IN THE BACKUP SCREEN, THEN LOOK AT THEM OUT THE BACK WINDOW AND YOU WILL FIND THE PERSON MUCH CLOSER TO THE CAR THAN DISPLAYED IN THE BACKUP CAMERA. THE DRIVER CANNOT EVEN TELL WHERE THE SIDES OF THE CAR ARE MUCH LESS THE DISTANCE TO AN OBJECT. THESE TWO PROBLEMS MAKE THE BACKUP SYSTEM DANGEROUS TO USE. THIS PRODUCT ONLY CREATES AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. SINCE I WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR THESE TWO NEXT TO WORTHLESS, EVEN DANGEROUS ACCESSORIES, I'D LIKE THEM RECALLED AND REPLACED WITH THE QUALITY, SAFE ACCESSORIES I USE TO TRUST AND RELY UPON TOYOTA TO PUT ON THEIR CARS OR BE GIVEN A FULL REFUND FOR WHAT I PAID FOR THEM. I BELIEVE THE ITEMS SHOULD BE TESTED BY GOVERNMENT AND RECALLED. I CANNOT BUT WONDER HOW MANY ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN CAUSE BY THESE TWO POORLY DESIGNED ACCESSORIES. THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SEEMINGLY NEW, TOYOTA POOR QUALITY STANDARDS FOR THEIR ACCESSORIES AND IS IN NO WAY A REFLECTION ON THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. TOYOTA DESIGNED THE CAR AND SELECTED THE ACCESSORIES, NOT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR