2004 Toyota Prius VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY IN TRAFFIC, AFTER A PARTICULARLY ROUGH TRANSMISSION SHIFT, THE LARGE RED EXCLAMATION MARK WARNING INSIDE A TRIANGLE LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD, ALONG WITH THE YELLOW "CHECK ENGINE" AND "VSC" (VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL) WARNINGS. THE CAR WAS PULLED OVER TO A SAFE LOCATION AND STOPPED. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES AND THE WARNINGS CONTINUED. ON THE FOURTH OR FIFTH TURN-ON, THE PROBLEM CLEARED ITSELF AND HAS NOT RECURRED. THIS IS THE SECOND ELECTRONIC GLITCH THAT HAS OCCURRED ON THIS VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST WAS REPORTED AS ODI ID NUMBER 10407518. BOTH TIMES, THE PROBLEMS, WHICH HAD DIFFERENT SYMPTOMS, CORRECTED THEMSELVES AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES. SINCE THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST CASE, THE DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN INFORMED IN THIS CASE. IT HAS BEEN EXCEEDINGLY FORTUNATE THAT BOTH OF THESE ELECTRONIC GLITCHES, NEITHER OF WHICH WERE RELATED TO FLOORMATS BY THE WAY, WERE NOT OF THE SUDDEN-UNWANTED-ACCELERATION VARIETY. THE RANDOMNESS OF BOTH THE TIMING AND THE SYMPTOMS OF THESE ELECTRONIC GLITCHES SUGGEST THAT SUDDEN UNWANTED ACCELERATION COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN THE RESULT. *TR

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES ACCELERATION PROBLEMS *TGW WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMER SWERVED INTO THE NEXT LANE TO AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE MOTOR REVVED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FISHTAIL. THEN THE MOTOR RETURNED TO NORMAL AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, BUT WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL AND THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY TOYOTA. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 12 MPH SHE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE DAMAGING THE BRAKE LINE WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACTS VEHICLE TO CONTUNIALLY MOVE AFTER THE CRASH. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT HAD TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP DUE TO THE DAMAGED BRAKE LINE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). MY 2004 PRIUS ALMOST KILLED US IN 2004. IT ACCELERATED SO FAST, THAT I HAD TO GO IN THE MEDIAN. WE COULD NOT SOW IT DOWN OR STOP IT, THERE WAS A BRIDGE AHEAD, SO I MANAGED TO GET BACK ON THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER AND TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR AND SLOW IT DOWN. SINCE THEN HAS BLAMED EVEYRTHING ON ME, I FELL ASLEEP,ETC. I DID NOT KNOW UNTIL KNOW THAT IT WAS THE CAR THAT CAUSED IT. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! SHE INSISTED WE GET RID OF THE CAR, I SOLD IT TO CARMAX IN LAS VEGAS,WHERE WE LIVED. [XXX] *TR

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED SOMEONE ELSE DROVE HER VEHICLE AND HE EXPERIENCED SLUGGISH ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. A MESSAGE FLASHED QUICKLY, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO READ IT. *JB

MAY 29, 2006 - I WAS PULLING INTO A SCHOOL PARKING SPACE WHEN THE PRIUS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, AND ALTHOUGH I HIT THE BRAKES, THE ENGINE STARTED TO ROAR, AND THE CAR JUMPED A CONCRETE PARKING LOT CURB, WENT INTO A DRAINAGE SWALE, AND STOPPED ONLY WHEN IT HIT AN IRON FENCE AROUND THE SCHOOL WHERE I WORKED. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA TO BE FIXED. TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THEY PUT IT DOWN AS "CAR JUMPED CURB." I WROTE TO TOYOTA ON OCTOBER 11, 2009, DESCRIBING THE INCIDENT AND ENCLOSING DOCUMENTATION FOR THE REPAIRS. THEY SAID THEY WERE SORRY ABOUT THE INCIDENT "HOWEVER, AS WE WERE NOT PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO INSPECT YOUR VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, WE HAVE NO WAY OF ADDRESSING YOUR SPECIFIC CLAIM AND ARE UNABLE TO OFFER FURTHER ASSISTANCE TO YOU IN THIS MATTER." TOYOTA WANTED ME TO HAVE THEM INSPECT MY CAR FOR A PROBLEM THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED. *TR

WHILE HEADING UP MY DRIVEWAY IN MY 2004 PRIUS, THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, I THREW IT INTO REVERSE AND TURNED BACK TOWARD MY GARAGE WHERE IT CRASHED THRU THE WALL. *TR

1) EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE: POST-"90L CAMPAIGN" RECALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS, VEHICLE DRIVING AT ~15 MPH ON A FLAT CLEAR ROAD. 2) THE FAILURE: UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OBSERVED. ACCELERATED, WITHOUT ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED, TO ~27 MPH. BRAKES SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED. RELEASE OF BRAKE RESUMED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. "RODE THE BRAKE TO DELIVER VEHICLE TO SAFE PARKING LOCATION. CONSEQUENCE: UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CONTROLLABLE BY BRAKING. 3) NOTHING HAS YET BEEN DONE TO CORRECT FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN OR MOVED SINCE FAILURE, SINCE DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY OWNER PENDING ANY USEFUL RESPONSE TO NOTIFICATION OF THIS INCIDENT BY TOYOTA INC. (NO USEFUL RESPONSE AS OF YET.) THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONSUMERS CONCERN. UPDATED 08/30/10 UPDATE IVOQ 09/01/10*JB *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL REPEATED PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THE ISSUE WAS NOT A BIG DEAL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 102,595.

WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING MY 2004 PRIUS I EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. IN THE OLD DAYS (I'M 71) IF YOU EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION YOU WOULD RIGHT OFF CHECK YOUR GAS PEDAL AND FLOOR MATS. THAT KIND OF PROBLEM WASN'T ALL THAT UNCOMMON WHEN YOU OWNED OLD CARS. IF YOU DIDN'T FIND A PROBLEM IN THE AREA OF THE GAS PEDAL YOU WOULD PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND USUALLY FIND THE THROTTLE SPRING ON THE CARBURETOR MESSED UP IN SOME WAY OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. WELL, WHEN IT HAPPENED ON MY PRIUS GOING ABOUT 40 MPH ON A STRETCH OF ROAD NOT SO FAR FROM MY HOME I INSTINCTIVELY CHECKED MY FLOOR MATS AND THROTTLE SHAFT FOR INTERFERENCE OR STICKING. NO PROBLEMS FOUND. I GOT THE CAR STOPPED - DON'T REMEMBER HOW (WITH YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE YOU INSTINCTIVELY TRY THINGS UNTIL YOU FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKS). ANYHOW, AFTER THAT I WENT DIRECTLY TO MYTOYOTA DEALER WHERE THEY CHECKED IT OUT BUT FOUND NOTHING. THE PROBLEM NEVER OCCURRED AGAIN. NOW I SEE THIS CLAIM THAT IT'S NOT AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM ON THIS DRIVE-BY-WIRE CAR. I DON'T BELIEVE IT. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IF IT HAPPENS JUST ONE TIME ON MY ONE PRIUS IN THOUSANDS OF MILES OF DRIVING, THAT MAKES AN INCIDENT OF THIS SORT PRETTY RARE, RARE ENOUGH TO WHERE IT'S UNLIKELY TO OCCUR UNDER CONTROLLED TESTS (IT WOULD BE INFINITELY EASIER TO FIND THE PROVERBIAL NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK). VIRTUALLY EVERY MICROPROCESSOR CONTROLLED PRODUCT I'VE EVER USED HAS REQUIRED A RESET NOW AND THEN. USUALLY THERE'S NO INDICATION OF WHY THE PRODUCT LOCKED UP (OR WHATEVER). IF YOU USE SATELLITE TV, A DSS MODEM, OR OWN A PC I'M SURE YOU'VE EXPERIENCED IT. WHY IT SHOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT WITH CAR MICROPROCESSORS IS BEYOND ME. THE ANSWER IS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO REQUIRE SOME KIND OF FAIL-SAFE APPARATUS ON EVERY DRIVE-BY-WIRE CAR IN THE FUTURE (I SEE TOYOTA IS ALREADY IMPLEMENTING THIS CONCEPT INTO THEIR 2011 CARS). HECK, MY LIFE OR THE LIFE OF MY CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN MIGHT VERY WELL DEPEND ON IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE RPMS SUDDENLY INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE THE CONTACT'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND HE WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO DATE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 103,690.

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS I WAS MERGING TO MY LEFT. AS I WAS MERGING I FELT THE CAR ACCELERATE AND THE DECREASE IN PRESSURE AGAINST MY FOOT AS THE PEDAL DEPRESSED ON IT'S OWN. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR AFTER FORCEFULLY STEPPING ON THE BRAKES TWICE, AT WHICH TIME THE GAS PEDAL CAME BACK UP.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION TWICE ON JANUARY 16, 2008 AND MARCH 6, 2008. WHILE HE WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 100 MPH. HE CONTINUOUSLY APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL HE WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, BECAUSE THE FLOOR MAT WAS TRAPPED UNDER THE GAS PEDAL. THE DEALER REPLACED AND SECURED THE FLOOR MAT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. HE HAS NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,154 MILES AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 80 MPH BEFORE THE PEDAL RELEASED.THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. NO REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRUIS . THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HE ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BY APPLYING THE BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN . THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALER. THE CONTACT DOES NOT WANT TO PICK THE VEHICLE UP DUE TO THE SAFETY RISK. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52000. UPDATED 03/04/10 *BF UPDATED 07/23/10*JB

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. ON OCTOBER 19, 2009, THE CAR ACCELERATED BY ITSELF TO 65 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE, SLOW DOWN THE CAR AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD THE CAR TOLLED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT "DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM." THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE THE FLOOR MAT OUT. IN THE MEANTIME, THEY CHARGED ME $1400 TO REPLACE A WATER PUMP AND PERFORM OTHER MAINTENANCE SERVICES. THE RECENT ACCELERATION RECALL BY TOYOTA DOES NOT INCLUDE MY CAR ALTHOUGH I HAD THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. WHEN I CALLED THE COMPANY TO INQUIRE THE REASON FOR THIS, THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS MODEL WAS MADE IN JAPAN WITH A DIFFERENT PART MANUFACTURE, THUS IT IS NOT UNDER THE ACCELERATION RECALL, JUST THE FLOOR MAT RECALL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE FLOOR MAT BECAME STUCK INSIDE THE ACCELERATOR PAD. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND THE CONTACT PRESSED A BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWO TIMES AFTER RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED FOR RECALL 09V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: ACCELERATOR PEDAL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,767. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,734.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE ENTERING AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DURING TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT INTENTION. SHE SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE FLOOR-MAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. HOWEVER WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED SHE NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR-MAT DID NOT INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN HE APPLIED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AT 50 MPH IN THE DARK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSEQUENTLY THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HE SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE 605 FREEWAY IN THE CARPOOL LANE AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR WHEN WITHOUT WARNING, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND MASTER HYBRID WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I HAD TO CROSS FOUR LANES OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC TO PULL TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AS THE CAR LOST POWER. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR SAFELY TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER SINCE IT WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY EXPERIENCE. FORTUNATELY, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED. THE DEALER ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO A SHORT. THE HYBRID VEHICLE CONTROL COMPUTER WAS REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT PART NUMBER IS 89981-47270. *TR

DT: VEHICLE STALLED /DIED. AND LOST POWER DUE TO THROTTLE FAILURE. *AK

MY WIFE WAS COASTING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE ENGINE APPARENTLY EXPERIENCED A POWER SURGE CAUSING THE CAR TO SHOOT FORWARD VIOLENTLY GOING THROUGH A FENCE AND OVER A TWO FOOT RETAINING WALL, ACROSS A DRIVEWAY AND CRASHING INTO ANOTHER CAR. WHETHER IT WAS THE GAS ENGINE OR ELECTRIC DRIVE IS NOT CLEAR. OUR DAUGHTER WHO WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OBSERVED THAT MY WIFE'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THE WHOLE TIME. BOTH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER RECEIVED NECK INJURIES REQUIRING TREATMENT. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE STALLED/LOST POWER ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *AK

DT: WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH VEHICLE LOST POWER/DIED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY. *AK

THE ACCLERATOR STUCK CONTINUOUSLY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND SHUTDOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM ,AND THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO SOLUTION. *AK