2005 Toyota Prius Engine

I TOOK MY TOYOTA PRIUS IN FOR THE RECALL NOTED IN PE05029 AND SINCE HAVE LOST 8 MILES PER GALLON IN PERFORMANCE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE TO LET THEM KNOW AND ASKED IF THEY COULD TELL ME IF OTHER CUSTOMERS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE REPLY WAS THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE INFORMATION IS PROPRIETARY AND THAT THEY WOULD RECORD MY COMPLAINT BUT COULD GIVE ME NO FURTHER INFORMATION. I AM NOT SURE THE CAR WOULD STILL MEET THE EPA MILEAGE RATING ORIGINALLY GIVEN. *NM

CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING 2005 PRIUS ENGINE STALLING. *TS *JB

ENGINE STALLS. *JB

2005 TOYOTA PRIUS WENT INTO A SUDDEN ENGINE STALLING MODE. I DO REALIZE THAT TOYOTA HAS A RECALL ON SUCH VEHICLES, BUT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT I TOOK IT TO, THE SAME PLACE WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, THAT HAD A "PRIUS EXPERT" HAS BEEN DIAGNOSING THIS PROBLEM FOR A DAY WITH NO ANSWERS / ANTICIPATED FIX DATE. THIS IS ANNOYING TO SAY THE LEAST, AS TOYOTA DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO TRAIN IT'S DEALERSHIPS ON THEIR OWN RECALL INFORMATION. I COULD STEER AND OPERATE THE VEHICLE IN ELECTRIC ONLY MODE. PRESSING THE POWER KEY WOULD NOT POWER OFF THE CAR. HENCE THE BATTERY STARTED TO DRAIN. OPENING THE PASSENGER DOOR AND PRESSING THE POWER KEY, SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP THE CAR, NOT SURE WHETHER THIS WAS TIMING, OR SOME COINCIDENCE. STARTING THE CAR AGAIN, MADE THE GASOLINE ENGINE COME ON FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPLENISHING THE CHARGE FOR THE BATTERY, WITH THE DASH STILL DISPLAYING THE SAME ISSUES. ALSO, PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AGAIN, DOES NOT RAISE THE RPM OF THE GASOLINE ENGINE. ITS STALLING CONTINUES AFTER A POWER CYCLE. *AK

I TOOK MY PRIUS IN FOR RECALL, NOTED IN PE05029, ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 9, 2005. I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE PRIUS BEFORE THE RECALL BUT DID THE RECALL BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS OTHERS WERE HAVING. I HAD 25,000 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS BEFORE I TOOK THE CAR TO TOYOTA TO DO THE RECALL. SINCE THEN ON TWO OCCASIONS, ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 14, 2006 AND ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 16, 2006, I HAVE HAD THE ENGINE START TO REV UP WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I DRIVE USING ONLY ONE FOOT SO THE GAS PEDAL DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING. THE ENGINE SEEMED TO REV TO ABOUT 2000 RPMS. THIS IS AN ESTIMATE ON MY OWN PART FROM THE SOUND AND NOT A MEASUREMENT. ON THE FIRST OCCASION I TURNED OFF THE CLIMATE CONTROL AS I WAS PROCEEDING TO SHUT DOWN THE CAR AND THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL IDLE AND THEN TURNED OFF AS IT NORMALLY WOULD AT A STOP LIGHT. I LEFT THE CLIMATE CONTROL OFF AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND HAD NO MORE PROBLEMS THAT DAY. ON THE SECOND OCCASION I EASED UP SLIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SEE IF THE ENGINE WAS ACTUALLY PROPELLING THE CAR FORWARD AND THE CAR MOVED FORWARD BUT NO STRONGER THAN IT NORMALLY DOES WITH THE ELECTRIC MOTOR. SO, THE ENGINE ALTHOUGH REVVING UP SEEMED TO BE DISCONNECTED FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN. I BELIEVE I NOTICED ON BOTH OCCASIONS THAT THE BATTERY WAS FULLY CHARGES WITH NO WHITE SPACE AT THE TOP AS USUAL. PROBABLY BECAUSE THE ENGINE RUNS MORE ANYWAY SINCE THE RECALL AS CAN BE NOTED BY THE LOSS IN FUEL ECONOMY. I REPORTED IT TO THE DEALERS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR RECALL AND WAS TOLD THAT UNLESS IT WAS A REPEATABLE PROBLEM THEY PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING. I REQUESTED THAT HE REPORT IT TO TOYOTA ANYWAY. *NM

2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, WHEN COASTING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE ENGINE CUTS OUT SO IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCELERATE.

I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH AND VEHICLE STALLED. I COASTED OVER TO ROAD SHOULDER, TURNED OFF VEHICLE POWER AND RESTARTED VEHICLE WITHOUT ISSUE. CALLED TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE SOFTWARE RECALL FOR SOFTWARE PROBLEM FOR STALLING ENGINES. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS PROBLEM IF I WAS NOT IN THE RIGHT LANE AND ABLE TO MOVE TO SHOULDER, CLEARING TRAFFIC IMMEDIATELY. *JB

I WAS DRIVING 20MPH WHEN A RED ALERT LIGHT CAME ON THE SCREEN ON MY PRIUS; IT SAID GPS UNDERNEATH IT SO I IGNORED IT, THINKING I WOULD BE OK SINCE I DID NOT NEED MY GPS SYSTEM. I SPED UP TO ABOUT 30MPH AND SUDDENLY WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE ALTHOUGH I WAS PRESSING DOWN ON MY ACCELERATOR. I CAME TO A STOP AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A GREEN; LUCKILY THERE WAS NO COLLISION. THE ELECTRIC MODE REMAINED INTACT FOR THE NEXT 2.5HRS UNTLI THE CAR WAS TOWED SO I COULD STILL TURN THE CAR ON.

TRAVELING ON NJ TURNPIKE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN NEW 2005 PRIUS LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ATTEMPTS AT ACCELERATION TO KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC. WAS ABLE TO MOVE OVER 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND STOP ON SIDE OF HIGHWAY. TURNED OFF CAR AND RESTARTED AFTER LESS THAN A MINUTE. NO FURTHER INCIDENTS SINCE. TOOK CAR TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THEY COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THE FAILURE AFTER MONITORING THE COMPUTER. *NM

WITH APPROXIMATELY 7100 MILES ON MY CAR ON FRIDAY MARCH 25, 2005 I WAS DRIVING ON LOCAL ROADS BETWEEN 20 TO 40 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE CAR BEGAN BUCKING VERY BADLY .. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. WORRIED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY COMPLETELY STALL AND QUIT ON THE OPEN ROAD I RETURNED HOME AND CALLED MY LOCAL ARLINGTON TOYOTA DEALER. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN THE FOLLOWING MORNING (SATURDAY MARCH 26,2005) TO CHECK OUT THE PROBLEM.THEY HAD THE CAR ALL DAY AND STILL COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHY THE CAR WAS STALLING. SINCE I WAS SCHEDULE TO BE AWAY THE FOLLOWING WEEK (TRIP TO LAS VEGAS). I GAVE PERMISSION FOR TECHS TO KEEP CAR ALL WEEK IF NECESSARY. ON MONDAY OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I RECIEVED A CALL FROM TECH AT MY HOTEL THAT THEY HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM. HE CLAIMED IT WAS A MISFIRE IN #1 CYCLINDER. SO THEY REPLACED SPARK PLUG #1. HOWEVER, HE ALSO TOLD ME NOT GET THE CAR ENGINE WET. HE WARNED THAT IF I EVER RETURNED THE CAR WITH A WET ENGINE AGAIN THAT MY WARRANTY WOULD BE VOIDED. I TOLD HIM THAT I NEVER OPEN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THAT I WOULD NEVER INTENTIONALLY PUT WATER DIRECTLY ON THE ENGINE. PARTICULLARY ON SUCH A SOPHISTICATED CAR SUCH AS A HYBRID. IN THE PAST 10,000 MILES THAT I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE I HAVE TAKEN IT THROUGH THE CAR WASH A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES.I PICKED UP THE CAR UPON MY RETURN FROM LAS VEGAS ON FRIDAY APRIL 1,2005. I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE EVER SINCE. HOWEVER, SINCE THE RECENT RASH OF NEWS REPORTS OF COMPLAINTS FILED AROUND THE COUNTRY OF THE PRIUS STALLING I AM WONDERING IF THE TECH AT ARLINGTON TOYOTA HAD MISDIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM I EXPERIENCE THIS PAST MARCH.

REPORTED INCIDENT TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER SUPPORT -- INCIDENT: 050412-000111 RESPONSES RECEIVED FROM TOYOTA WAS THAT THE COMPUTER WAS FIXED BASED ON A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. NO RECURRENCE SINCE THE FIX. TO: TOYOTA CUSTOMER SUPPORT SIR OR MADAM: I BOUGHT MY 2005 PRIUS NEW FROM MECHANICSVILLE TOYOTA ON DECEMBER 1, 2004 AND GENERALLY WAS QUITE SATISFIED WITH THE CAR AND THE GREAT GAS MILEAGE IT PROVIDES. HOWEVER, LAST THURSDAY, 4/7/05, WITH 4738 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH WENT ON INCLUDING THE MASTER WARNING LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC LIGHT, AND THE MULTI INFORMATION DISPLAY IS SHOWING THE RED HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT. THE CAR LOST POWER AND I HAD TO LIMP IT HOME. THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION DISPLAY FOR THE BATTERY PACK SHOWED ONE RED BAR AND THE FUEL GAUGE HAD TWO BARS LEFT. I CALLED TOYOTA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WHICH PROMPTLY DISPATCHED A TOW TRUCK AND DELIVERED THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THE FOLLOWING MORNING, FRIDAY, 4/8/05, AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE ONLY EXPLANATION I GOT WAS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSSUE WITH 2 BARS OF FUEL LEFT AND THE CAUSE WAS THAT THE ENGINE SUCKED IN AIR WITH STOPS OR TURNS. IS THERE A FURTHER EXPLANATION OR FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM? I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I CROSS RAILROAD TRACKS TO AND FROM WORK DAILY AND DEFINITELY WILL NOT WANT THIS CAR TO STALL ON THE TRACKS OR ANYWHERE ON THE ROAD. MY WIFE AND I ARE A MULTIPLE TOYOTA OWNERS: 95 CAMRY WAGON AND 93 PREVIA. I USED TO OWN AN 83 TERCEL AND MY WIFE AND STEP DAUGHTER HAVE AND STILL OWN A 96 TERCEL. THESE CARS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY RELIABLE SO THAT MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE PRIUS COMES AS A SHOCK. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ON THIS SAFETY ISSUE. SINCERELY, APOLINAR ILOG GLEN ALLEN, VA EMAIL: [email protected]

I PURCHASED A 2005 PRIUS IN JANUARY 2005. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT IT HAD ABOUT 8500 MILES ON IT. IT HAD BEEN PERFORMING WELL AND I HAD BEEN GETTING EXCELLENT GAS MILEAGE AND THE INTERNAL MILEAGE INDICATORS HAS PROVEN TO BE VERY ACCURATE. WHILE DRIVING ON SC HIGHWAY 31 AT ABOUT 60-65 MILES PER HOUR THE GASOLINE ENGINE QUIT SLOWING ME TO ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR. THE DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH WITH WARNING SIGNALS INCLUDING THE RED TRIANGLE, CHECK ENGINE, VSC, BREAKING SYSTEM AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT ELSE. A FEW MILES BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, MY FUEL INDICATOR STARTED TO BLINK, BUT WAS SURE THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE GAS SINCE I HAVE OFTEN GONE MANY MILES BEFORE FINDING GAS IN SIMILAR SITUATION AND KNEW FROM PAST EXPERIENCE, MY MILEGE,AND FUEL USAGE INDICATOR THAT I HAD ABOUT TWO GALLONS LEFT IN THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS AN UNFAMILIAR ROAD TO ME SO I CONTINUED TO TRAVEL USING THE BATTERY HOPING THAT AN EXIT WOULD APPEAR. THE BATTERY QUICKLY BECAME SO DEPLETED THAT I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TRIED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND FOUND IT UNRESPONSIVE. AFTER A FEW TRIES IT DID POWER DOWN. I CALLED AAA FOR ASSISTANCE. DURING MY WAIT, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT IT AGAIN FAILED WITHIN A COUPLE OF MILES, BUT I WAS ABLE TO REACH AN EXIT AND PULL OFF. AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE, I TRIED TO RESTART AGAIN AND THIS TIME ONLY GOT THE RED TRIANGLE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AAA DID ADD GASOLINE TO THE CAR, BUT THE FUEL INDICATOR CONTINUED TO BLINK AND THE BAR NEVER ROSE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SPARKS TOYOTA IN MYRTLE BEACH, SC WHO CALLED TO SAY THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS LOW FUEL. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT THE CASE AS THIS HAD NOT HAPPENED BEFORE WHEN THE LOW FUEL INDICATOR CAME ON.

DEAR NHSTA, ON MAY 20 OF 2005 I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE GAS ENGINE STOPPED WORKING AND 4 DASH WARNING/FAULTS LIGHTS CAME ON (RED TRIANGLE; CHECK ENGINE; BRAKE FAULT; VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL FAULT). I CONTINUED DRIVING FOR 3 MILES ON THE ELECTRIC MOTOR UNTIL THE BATTERY CHARGE LIGHT INDICATED NEAR COMPLETE BATTERY DISCHARGE. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, WAITED 30 SECONDS AND TURNED THE CAR BACK ON. IMMEDIATELY THE GASOLINE ENGINE STARTED AND THE BATTERY BEGAN TO CHARGE. AT THIS POINT ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE AND RED TRIANGLE LIGHTS CAME ON. I DROVE TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHO SAID THAT MY PROBLEM SOUNDED LIKE THE STALLING PROBLEMS WITH THE 33 REPORTED CASES OF 2004/05 PRIUS STALLING. TOYOTA UPGRADED THE ENGINE ECU AND THE CAR HAS BEEN FINE EVER SINCE. HOWEVER, I WANTED TO LET NHSTA KNOW SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THIS PRIUS STALLING PROBLEM AFFECTS MORE THAN JUST 33 PRIUS OWNERS. ALSO, I WORRY THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT THE PROBLEM IS FIXED PREMANENTLY. THANKS, GARY BEAUPRE

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, PURCHASED NEW IN OCT 2004. I WAS DRIVING ON I-57 IN ILLINOIS AT 65 MPH. TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS 91F. LOW FUEL WARNING SIGNAL BEGAN TO FLASH. SINCE I PLANNED TO GAS UP ABOUT 25 MILES AWAY, I CONTINUED DRIVING. SHOULD HAVE HAD APPROXIMATELY 2 GALLONS OF FUEL LEFT. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING. THE "RED TRIANGLE OF DEATH" AND THE YELLOW "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. REALIZED THAT THE ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVE SYSTEM WAS STILL WORKING. NOTICED THAT I WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES FROM AN EXIT. SLOWED TO ABOUT 45 MPH AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE USING THE PRIUS' BATTERIES AND ELECTRIC MOTORS. PULLED INTO A SHELL STATION AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. BEGAN TO REFUEL. AFTER ABOUT 4 GALLONS, THE PUMP CLICKED OFF. TRIED AGAIN - IT CLICKED OFF. TRIED AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO REFUEL NORMALLY. IN ALL, I ADDED 9.767 GALLONS. IF THE CAR HAS 11.9 GALLON TANK, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN 2.1 GALLONS LEFT WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. UPON RESTART, SAME ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON, BUT WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THEY WENT OFF. DIGITAL FUEL GAUGE INCREASED, ONE BLOCK AT A TIME, UNTIL IT INDICATED FULL. CAR SEEMED TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY. RESUMED 65 MPH. CAR HAS CONTINUED TO OPERATE NORMALLY SINCE. THE SHUTTING OFF OF THE ENGINE WAS ABRUPT AND WOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY PROBLEM HAD SOMEONE BEEN FOLLOWING ME TOO CLOSELY, OR IF I HAD NEEDED FULL POWER TO AVOID TRAFFIC OR AN OBSTACLE. HAD READ ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER PRIUS OWNERS AND THAT SOME HAD REPORTED NOT BEING ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. FOR THAT REASON, I CHOSE NOT TO PULL OFF ON THE SHOULDER AND STOP THE CAR (FOR FEAR THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART IT), AND WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE WITH THE ELECTRIC MOTORS TO A NEARBY EXIT. HAVE NOT YET TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. HAVE NOT HAD ANY PARTS REPLACED OR SOFTWARE UPGRADED. WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE OR SERVICE INFORMATION YOU MAY KNOW OF.

DRIVING 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS (POV) IN TRAFFIC WHEN HYBRID SYSTEM SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY SHUT DOWN. WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINS. WHEN WAS ABLE TO RESTART "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ON. NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OR INJURIES OCCURED AS A RESULT OF FAILURE.

MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS FAILED WITH ENGINE SHUTDOWN AT 65 MPH ON FLORIDA TURNPIKE. AFTER RESTARTING ON SHOULDER, VEHICLE WOULD ONLY ACHIEVE 52 MPH, THEN FAILED AGAIN.

DT: CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING HER VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, AND IT STARTED BACK. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATES THE COMPUTER DID NOT REGISTER THE EVENT, SO THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE LOCAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THIS WAS THE FIRST COMPLAINT THEY HAD RECEIVED. *TT

I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS AT 40MPH WHEN I ACCELERATED TO PASS A CAR AND THEN HAD TO STOP BRIEFLY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN I PULLED AWAY FROM THE LIGHT I NOTICED THAT THE CAR FELT VERY SLUGGISH AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE OVER 40 MPH. I THEN REALIZED THAT I WAS DRIVING ON THE HYBRID SYSTEM ONLY AND THAT THE ENGINE HAD STALLED. A BIG RED EXCLAMATION POINT LIT UP ON THE DASH AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A PARKING PLACE OFF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR IT DID NOTHING. I CALLED TOYOTA SERVICE AND EXPLAINED MY PROBLEM AND HE ARRANGED A TOW TRUCK PICK UP MY CAR BUT TOLD ME THAT SINCE IT WAS 5PM THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT UNTIL THE MORNING. THE NEXT MORNING THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND ALTHOUGH THEY RAN EXTENSIVE TESTING THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. THEY WANTED ME TO COME AND PICK IT UP BUT I REFUSED STATING THAT THERE DEFINETLY WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND THAT I WAS JUST GLAD THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN EARLIER IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS ON I-95 GOING 80 MPH WITH A SEMI IN BACK OF ME. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT I HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH ON MY OWN AT PRIUSONLINE AND YAHOO PRIUS FORUM AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND IN MOST CASES IT WAS FOUND TO BE DUE TO A FEW CODES THAT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED IN THE CARS COMPUTER. I THEN ASKED THEM TO CHECK THESE SPECIFIC CODES. WHEN I CALLED BACK THE NEXT DAY THEY SAID THAT THEY RAN THE CODES AND FOUND NOTHING AND HAD TAKEN THE CAR FOR A LONG DRIVE BUT HAD NO PROBLEMS. THEY RELEASED IT TO ME AND IT HAS DRIVEN JUST AS PERFECTLY FOR ME AS IT DID UP UNTIL THE 1 SECOND BEFORE IT'S ENGINE QUIT WITHOUT WARNING. I KNOW THAT SOMETHING POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS HAPPENED TO MY CAR THAT DAY AND THAT THERE IS JUST AS MUCH CHANCE THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN SINCE NOTHING WAS FIXED. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN HELP TO AVOID SOMETHING POTENTIALY TRAGIC HAPPENING TO ME OR SOMEONE ELSE.

BOUGHT A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS ON 5/16/05. ON THE SECOND DAY IT LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60+MPH. ENGINE LIGHT AND ! LIGHT ON. CAR RAN WELL ENOUGH TO TAKE TO DEALER AFTER RE-STARTING A FEW TIMES. LIGHTS REMAINED ON UNTIL RE-STARTED AT DEALER. CAR REMAINS AT DEALER.

1. I BOUGHT A NEW PRIUS IN EARLY MARCH OF 2005. I WAS COASTING TO STOP (AROUND 8-10 MPH) FOR A YIELD SIGN AND WHEN I HIT THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE. FUNNY, BUT THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS ONLY OCCANSIONALLY! 2. STIMES THE VEHICLES SEEMS TO COME TO A STALL, AT LOW SPEEDS WHILE MAKING A TURN OR BEFORE COMING TO AN DEAD STOP. I PERSONALLY HAVE FELT THE VEHICLE GOING OFF THE POWER DURING A TURN, AT LOW SPEEDS <10 MPH. 3. I TRIED TO FIND ANY RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCESSFULL.

POSSIBLY RELEVANT TO CURRENT PRIUS SOFTWARE RELIABILITY INVESTIGATION NUMBER : PE05029 I SPOKE TO GILLES LABELLE OF WESTBORO TOYOTA IN WESTBOROUGH MASSACHUSETTS REGARDING THE TOYOTA PRIUS (THIS WAS A PRE-SALES CONVERSATION; I DO NOT AT PRESENT OWN A PRIUS THOUGH UNTIL THIS CONVERSATION I WAS VERY CLOSE BUYING ONE; NOW I FIND MYSELF TAKING A STEP BACK TO ENSURE I'VE DONE MY OWN DUE DILIGENCE). HE MENTIONED THE USE OF A RESET SEQUENCE TO "REBOOT" THE CAR IN THE EVENT OF PROBLEMS AS A WAY TO AVOID THE NEED TO HAVE THE CAR SERVICED; I ASKED HIM HOW OFTEN HE HAD TO REBOOT HIS OWN PRIUS; HE DIDN'T ANSWER DIRECTLY BUT INSTEAD SAID THAT HE HAD HELPED ABOUT 100 CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE REBOOT PROCESS. I AM A OPERATING SYSTEMS SOFTWARE ENGINEER BY PROFESSION AND WAS ALARMED AT THIS "JUST HIT RESET" ATTITUDE TOWARDS SYSTEMS FAILURES; IDEALLY CRASHES IN THE FIELD SHOULD BE RARE ENOUGH THAT EACH ONE CAN BE ROOT-CAUSED, RATHER THAN SHRUGGED OFF. *JB

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE GASOLINE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED BUT THE ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTINUED TO RUN ALLOWING ME TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY, ALBEIT AT A REDUCED SPEED. I MANAGED TO DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE TO 1.5 MILES UNTIL THE ELECTRIC MOTOR BATTERY WAS CONMPLETELY DEPLETED. THE VEHILCE WOULD NOT RESTART AND I ARRANGED TO HAVE IT TOWED. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW SERVICE I TRIED TO RESTART IT A NUMBER OF TIMES AND AFTER 35 - 40 MINUTES IT STARTED AND SINCE THEN HAS HAD NO ISSUES. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY THE CRUSIE CONTROL WAS SET AND THERE WERE BETWEEN 1.6 AND 2 GALLONS OF GASOLINE REMAINING IN THE TANK. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IF I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE FAST LANE AS THE CAR WENT FROM 65 MPH TO 35 - 40 MPH IN SECONDS! I ALSO BARELY MADE IT OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS ACTUALLY STICKING INTO THE TRAVEL LANE SOMEWHAT WHEN THE ELCTRIC MOTOR ALSO COMPLETLY DIED. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA OF THE PROBLEM BUT NO CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WERE TAKEN AND THEY DID NOT INFORM ME OF ANY ISSUES.

I WAS DRIVING MY TOYOTA PRIUS ON THE FREEWAY AND THE VEHICLE DIED AT 55 MPH. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE ACCELERATOR. FORTUNATELY, TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A SECURE SPOT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED ON THE APPROACH TO THE BAY BRIDGE, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A POTENTIAL DISASTER HAD IT DIED ON THE BRIDGE ITSELF. THE CAR DID NOT START AGAIN ON MY FIRST ATTEMPT, BUT IT DID START 5 MINUTES LATER. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY INSTALLED NEW INFORMATION INTO THE COMPUTER. I WANT TO KNOW WHY, IF THEY KNOW IT NEEDS NEW INFORMATION, DID I NOT RECEIVE A LETTER ASKING ME TO COME IN FOR SERVICE? THIS COULD HAVE BEEN REALLY DISASTROUS, AND I FEAR THAT IT WILL BE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. *JB

DT: WHILE DRIVING 2005, TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 15-20 MPH ON A 2 LANE ROAD THE ENGINE DIED. AFTER A SHORT TIME IT DID RESTART. *AK

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO A GAS STATION ON A MAJOR ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE DIED AND THE VEHICLE SHIFTED TO BATTERY POWER. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE GAS STATION AND IT WAS CLEAR I HAD NOT RUN OUT OF GAS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN FINE SINCE SO I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT UNTIL THE MEDIA REPORTS CAME OUT.