2001 Toyota Prius Electrical System

2001 PRIUS WAS PARKED IN GARAGE ~6HRS, FIRE STARTED AND SMOLDERED, APPARENTLY USING UP OXYGEN INSIDE THE CAR. I WENT IN THE GARAGE FOR SOMETHING ELSE, NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON AND OPENED THE CAR DOOR TO TURN THEM OFF. WHEN THE DOOR WAS OPENED, ACRID SMOKE POURED OUT, AND THE FIRE WAS GIVEN FRESH OXYGEN, AND IT TOOK OFF. WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM HEAT, LEFT FRONT DASH MELTED. FIRE DEPT PUT OUT THE FIRE QUICKLY, BUT THE CAR IS RUINED AND THE CAUSE UNKNOWN. THANKFULLY NO DAMAGE TO GARAGE, HOUSE OR PEOPLE. I HAD SMELLED A FUNNY SMELL HOURS BEFORE, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING OUTSIDE, SO THE FIRE HAD BEEN SMOLDERING FOR SOME TIME. LIGHTS APPARENTLY WENT ON BECAUSE THE FIRE/HEAT HAD SHORTED SOMETHING. *TR

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY EARLY AM, STILL DARK, GAS ENGINE FAILED, ECU FAILURE SHOWN ON SCREEN. ELECTRIC MOTOR WAS GOING AT MAXIMUM WITH NO "GAS" PEDAL APPLIED. PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF. 300V BATT ALREADY FULLY DISCHARGED WHEN IT GOT TO THE DEALER. THEY CHARGED IT AND IT HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN BEFORE SELLING IN 2006. 2001 PRIUS. LATER ON HAD TWO BAD RACK & PINION, THE 2ND ONE FAILED A COUPLE MONTHS AFTER REPLACEMENT ON A LONG FREEWAY TRIP AT MILE 300. VERY HARD TO STEER EVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TOYOTA REPLACED AGAIN. *TR

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.

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

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WALKED OUTSIDE AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE'S WINDOWS WERE BLACK. SHE OPENED THE DOOR AND SMOKE BILLOWED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. SHE SHUT THE DOOR AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE WEATHER WAS DRY AND SUNNY. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 79,000.

AUXILIARY BATTERY ON TOYOTA PRIUS 2001 AND TOYOTA PRIUS 2004 FAIL IF THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEN AT LEAST EVERY 7-10 DAYS. THIS PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING. WE PURCHASED A 2001 PRIUS USED MARCH 2004, AND A NEW 2004 PRIUS IN JUNE 2004. THE AUXILIARY BATTERY FAILED ON THE 2001 PRIUS TWICE, AND WE REPLACED IT ONCE. RECENTLY THE DEALER SERVICE REP TOLD US THAT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT THE BATTERY WILL NOT HOLD A CHARGE UNLESS DRIVEN EVERY 7-10 DAYS, AND SHOULD BE "DISCONNECTED" IF PARKED FOR "PROLONGED TIME." THIS IS POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM FOR CAR NOT STARTING, SUCH AS IF RETURNING ON PLANE AFTER 2-3 WEEK VACATION AND NOT BEING ABLE TO START THE CAR, RISK FOR VULNERABILITY AWAITING JUMP START. TOYOTA'S ONLY RESPONSE IS "WELL, IT'S A HYBRID." THEY SAY THE "HUNDREDS OF COMPUTERS IN THE CAR DRAIN THE BATTERY WHEN PARKED." THEY COULD HAVE DESIGNED IN SOME AUTOMATIC OR SIMPLE SWITCH TO ADDRESS THIS. THEY ALSO COULD NOTIFY THE POTENTIAL CUSTOMER OF THIS DESIGN FLAW. THEY DID NOT INFORM US, OR ANY OF THE OTHER PRIUS OWNERS WE HAVE RECENTLY DISCUSSED THE ISSUE WITH. THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR 2001 MODEL MAKES NO MENTION OF IT. IN THE 2004 MANUAL, THERE IS A BRIEF MENTION OF NEED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY IF PARKED FOR "PROLONGED TIME" BUT DOES NOT DEFINE THAT. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH OTHER FEATURES OF THE PRIUS AND OTHER TOYOT AS WE OWNED IN THE PAST, WE CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SERIOUS AND RISKY DESIGN FLAW. FURTHERMORE, WE CONSIDER TOYOTA'S SALES PEOPLE AND SALES BROCHURES FAILURE TO NOTIFY US OF THIS PROBLEM TO BE A SIGNIFICANT BREACH OF GOODWILL AND RESPECT FOR CUSTOMER SAFETY AND SATISFACTION. *AK

I OWN A 2001 PRIUS PURCHASED JULY OF 2001 MY WIFE AND I HAVE HAD A NEAR STALL SO MANY TIMES WE HAVE LOST COUNT. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF PURCHASE 2001 AND WE HAVE HAD THE CAR CHECKED AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY CAN NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. I GUESS WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY OUR PRIUS DOES NOT STALL COMPLETELY JUST SLOWS TO 15-37 MILES PER THEN WE HAVE TO STOP AND WAIT FOR THE LIGHTS TO CLEAR. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING ALMOST DAILY. THE LAST TIME WE TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AND HAD THEM CHECK TO FIND THE PROBLEM THEY DID NOT INFORM US THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ALL ALONG. WE LOVE THE CAR AS FAR AS MILEAGE AND ENJOY DRIVING THE PRIUS. WE HAVE ALWAYS SPOKEN HIGHLY OF THE TOYOTA CORPORATION BUT WE ARE GETTING RATHER ANNOYED THEY CANNOT FIX OUR PROBLEM OR THE PROBLEMS OF OTHER PRUIS OWNERS. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF TOYOTA HAS SENT OUT A WARNING TO ALL OWNERS. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY PROBLEMS AND WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR FIVE YEARS. WE HAD ONE RECALL THE BATTERIES WERE REDONE, BUT NO STALL WARNINGS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME PETER KALOUS. *NM

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION PE05029 CONCERNING THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE INVESTIGATION, BUT WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN DUE TO THE VIN. THE VEHICLE STALLED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED, AND ULTIMATELY STALLED OUT. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, VARIOUS WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. *JB

THE FOLLOWING HAS HAPPENED ON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, 3 TIMES I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES FROM HOME AT SPEEDS OF 65 TO 70 MILES PER HOUR. ON THESE OCCASIONS THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS HAVE COME ON AND THE GASOLINE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRIC MOTOR WILL CONTINUE OPERATING IN A LIMITED CAPACITY, SO I CAN STEER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WILL START WORKING AGAIN WHEN I TRY TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT NOT FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, THIS HAS BEEN VERY FRIGHTENING, AS I AM USUALLY ALONE IN THE CAR. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED I HAD TO WAIT APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT DUSK BEFORE THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. I HAD CALLED SEVERAL TOW TRUCKS, BUT THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT COME FOR ANOTHER 45 MINUTES TO 2 HOURS AS THEY WERE THAT BUSY. I HAVE HAD MY CAR INTO THE TOYOTA SHOP EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENED AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME NOTHING IS WRONG. WELL, SOMETHING IS WRONG...I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM THE ONLY PERSON HAVING THIS TROUBLE. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO MAKE THEM FIX THIS PROBLEM. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED AND IN GOOD FAITH, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF GAS PRICES. BUT NOW I GUESS I KNOW WHY IT WAS TRADED IN AFTER ONLY 2 YEARS. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS OCTOBER 10TH, 2005. *JB

MY CAR (2001 PRIUS) WAS AT A DEALERSHIP (MARINA DEL REY TOYOTA) FOR SERVICE. WHILE PARKED, WITH NO ONE INSIDE AND THE IGNITION OFF, THE MAIN PROPULSION BATTERY CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED THROUGH THE VEHICLE INTERIOR, CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS. TOYOTA BLAMES THE FIRE ON A BATTERY DEFECT. *JB

I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS. ON 05/12/05 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE 405 FREEWAY. THE CAR SUDDENLY HESITATED, THEN LOST MOST OF ITS POWER AND THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I RESTARTED IT. THE LIGHTS STAYED ON, BUT IT DROVE OK. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER. THEY RESET THE WARNING LIGHTS AND TOLD ME THE GAS PEDAL SENSOR WAS BAD. I DID NOT GET IT REPLACED. CAR HAS RUN OK SINCE THEN. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURENCE. IT ALSO HAPPENED ABOUT ONE AND A HALF YEARS AGO. SIMULAR SYMTOMS. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THEY RESET THE WARNING SYSTEM. NO OTHER WORK WAS DONE OR PERFORMED. THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. VERY HAZARDOUS. CAR JUST STUMBLES AND LOSES MOST OF ITS POWER. A SECOND MAJOR DEFECT WAS THE FRONT END, WHICH STARTED TO HAVE STEERING PROBLEMS TOYOTA REPLACED ENTIRE FRONT END UNDER WARRENTEE.

WHILE COMING DOWN A STEEP MOUNTAIN COASTING, THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHOWED A FAILURE AND I WAS ABLE TO RESUME AFTER A TECH TOLD ME TO SHUT IT DOWN AND RESTART. ADDITIONALLY , WHEN IN STALLED SLOW TRAFFIC THE BATTERY SEEMED TO DRAIN EXCESSIVELY ON ONLY ONE OCCASION. NEITHER OF THESE EVENTS HAS RECURRED.

GAS MOTOR FAILED TO CONTINUE OPERATING WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD TWICE. ONCE IN AUGUST,2003,AGAIN MARCH,2004.VEHICLE LOST POWER BOTH TIMES-CREATED A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE I CCOULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEED ON ROADS WHERE SPEED LIMITS WERE 40 AND 50 MPH.THERE WAS TRAFFIC AROUND THE VEHICLE IN BOTH INSTANCES. ON SECOND INCIDENT-NARROWLY AVOIDED A COLLISION FROM THE REAR.OTHER VEHICLE SWERVED TO AVOID MY VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED DEFECTIVE COMPUTER IN 2003 AND DEFECTIVE ACCELERATOR SENSOR UNIT 2004.*AK

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

CONSUMER STATES DROVE HIS NEW AUTO APPROX 300 MILES AND HAD IT PARKED, WHEN HE WENT TO GET HIS AUTO THE PANEL LIGHTS WERE LIT, WARNING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AFTER CALLING A DEALER AND DRIVING HIS AUTO, HE WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE AUTO. CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM IS ON OUR WEB SITE. NLM

ON FOUR DIFFERENT DATES, 5/01, 8/9/01, 8/10/01, 8/19/01, THE ABOVE MENTIONED PRIUS HAS LOST POWER IN INTERSTATE TRAFFIC CAUSING DRIVER TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND PROCEED ON BATTERY POWER TO NEXT EXIT. THIS WOULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN AREAS OF OUR STATE WHERE HIGHWAYS ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND CONCRETE BARRICADES TAKE THE PLACE OF SHOULDERS. AFTER THE FOURTH INCIDENT THE DEALER IS ORDERING SOME REPLACEMENT COMPUTER PART. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FREQUENCY OF THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER SIMILAR VEHICILES SINCE THEY ARE NEW TO THE UNITED STATES DRIVING COMMUNITY.*AK