What 516 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Prius C

A FEW MONTHS AGO I HAD THE REQUIRED SOFTWARE UPDATE TO ADJUST THE SAFETY FEATURE IN THE HYBRID SYSTEM IN CASE OF A FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING ON A SIDE STREET ON 3/1/19 I PRESSED THE GAS AFTER BEING STOPPED, THE CAR JERKED, AND THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON. THIS WAS ON RAILROAD TRACKS BUT THE CAR DID DRIVE ON THE GAS ENGINE A SHORT DISTANCE TO MAKE IT OVER THE RAILROAD TRACKS. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHO STATED THE INVERTER WAS BAD, BUT THAT TOYOTA WOULD REPLACE IT AS THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT TOYOTA IS IGNORING. I ALSO OWN A 2014 TOYOTA PRIUS V WHICH IS ALSO PRONE TO THIS ISSUE. TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BEYOND A MERE SOFTWARE UPDATE.

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I WAS ON DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN SUDDENLY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON AND BRAKES SEEMED TO HAVE LOCKED. THE CONDITIONS OF THE ROAD WERE DRY AND I WAS DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT. THIS OCCURED ON A FEW DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. ONE DAY BRAKE LIGHT, ABS AND TRACTION LIGHT ALL APPEARED. TOOK IT INTO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED IT WAS BRAKE BOOSTER.

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THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON AT ONCE, AND THE BRAKES REQUIRED SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO OPERATE. WE DROVE HE VEHICLE HOME, AND THEN TO A NEARBY REPAIR SHOP. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAD AN INTERNAL LEAK, AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THIS IS THE SAME PART THAT WAS ADDRESSED IN A CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR THE 2010 MY PRIUS; HOWEVER, THE 0211 PRIUS IS NOT COVERED. 110,000 MILES.

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TOYOTA HAD A CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM ZJB FOR DEFAULT BRAKE BOOSTER/MASTER CYLINDERS ON THE 2010 PRIUS MODELS. I HAVE A 2011 PRIUS THAT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFERED. THIS WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT ON THE 2010 MODELS IS GOOD THRU 11/30/19 REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE HAS THE EXACT PROBLEM THERE IS NO RECOGNITION FOR SUPPORT DUE TO THE YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE. I WAS NOT AWARE I EVEN HAD A PROBLEM UNTIL I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR A SOFTWARE RECALL UPDATE. WE WERE EXPERIENCING HEAVY RAIN AND MY INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON WHICH IS WHY THEY CHECKED THIS AND CONFIRMED THE ISSUE ALTHOUGH MY BRAKES ARE WORKING FINE. I AM NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY TOYOTA IS NOT HONORING THE FIX FOR THE DEFAULT OR WHY AFTER DISCOVERING THIS ISSUE IN 2010 THE 2011 WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME HELP IN THIS MATTER.

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WENT IN TO HAVE THE SPARK PLUGS AND 2 COILS(CYLINDERS 1 & 2) STARTED SHAKING, KNOCKING AND SMOKING AT THE TIME I PICKED IT UP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND HASN'T GONE OFF. THE MECHANIC I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO SAYS IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR, TRYING TO DETERMINE THIS, SINCE HE STATED IT IS NOW MY HEAD GASKET THAT NEEDS REPLACING.

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ALTHOUGH TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE IN OCTOBER OF 2018 FOR OUR 2011 PRIUS, THE AFFECTED PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND THE LETTER STATED WE WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE REPAIR COULD BE MADE. ON FEB. 5 OUR CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING CAME ON AND THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE WITH DIMINISHED ACCELERATION/POWER--CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE IN OUR AREA'S HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE AUTO NATION TOYOTA FT MYERS, FL DEALERSHIP SAID THE CAR SHOULD BE DRIVEN IN TO THE SERVICE DEPT. (BUT TOLD MY HUSBAND ONCE IT WAS THERE, IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO OPERATE) AND IT WOULD BE CHECKED AND THEN "GRACIOUSLY" SAID THE INVERTER SYSTEM WOULD BE REPLACED AT NO COST (APPROX. $3800) TO US AS TOYOTA OPTED TO "EXTEND THE WARRANTY". THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN OCTOBER WHEN INITIALLY NOTIFIED AND BEFORE IT FAILED AND BECAME A SAFETY ISSUE AND BEFORE WE WERE TOLD TO "DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP". I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA AND I WORRY ABOUT OTHER PRIUS DRIVERS STILL ON THE ROAD.

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AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AFTER BEING REAR ENDED STRAIGHT ON AT 55 MPH, NOT A SINGLE AIRBAG DEPLOYED.

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THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF HOW I BECAME AWARE OF THE POWER BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER PROBLEM WITH MY 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. 'UPON DISCOVERY OF MULTIPLE LIGHTS DISPLAYED ON DASHBOARD SUCH AS BRAKE, ABS SYSTEM & TRACTION LIGHTS, DURING DRIVING THE BRAKING PERFORMANCE HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY & THE CAR NO LONGER PERFORMS BRAKING FUNCTION ADEQUATELY. UNABLE TO RELY ON SAFE BRAKING DUE TO BRAKE RESISTANCE FELT WITH STIFFENING IN WHICH PEDAL DEPRESSES DEEPLY & MORE TIME IS REQUIRED TO COME TO A FULL STOP. WHEN BRAKING THE HYBRID BATTERY DOES NOT CHARGE & RUNS DANGEROUSLY LOW RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE HYBRID BATTERY WHICH CAN LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL COST TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. 'CAR BROUGHT TO FIRESTONE FOR DIAGNOSTICS. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION BY THEIR TECHNICIAN IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER/MASTER CYLINDER WAS DAMAGED & MALFUNCTIONING AND WAS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. INFORMED REPAIR WOULD BE IN EXCESS OF $1,500.00. SEE ENCLOSED SUPPORTIVE DOCUMENTATION FROM FIRESTONE DIAGNOSTICS.

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ABS ACTUATOR MALFUNCTION

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND WAS STIFF. THE CONTACT HAD TO TAP THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE AND ABS INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CHARLES MAUND TOYOTA (8400 RESEARCH BLVD, AUSTIN, TX 78758 (866) 797-4354) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1901140996. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,384. *TT*JB

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BRAKE ACCUMULATOR FAILURE. SPECIFICALLY REPAIR T-SB-0079-18 ABS, TRACTION, BRAKE LIGHTS ON. BRAKES NOT AS RESPONSIVE/SPONGEY. NO REGENERATIVE ENERGY FROM BRAKING

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THE ATTRACTION BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS COME ON, THE BRAKE BECOME SPONGEY AND FAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE , I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT WHILE THIS HAPPENS WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE

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ABS LIGHTS ON ,TRACKS WARNING LIGHTS ON AND VSC LIGHTS ON .ITS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. TOYOTA SHOULD FIX IT . TOYOTA SHOULD OWN ITS PROBLEM

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V684000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE CONTACT CALLED WESTBURY TOYOTA AT 516-272-4499 (LOCATED AT 1121 OLD COUNTRY RD, WESTBURY, NY 11590) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PART WAS AVAILABLE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 116,480. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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BRAKE BOOSTER AND ACTUATOR FAILED AND ERROR CODE C1391. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND TOYOTA KNOWS THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF CASES INVOLVED WITH THIS ISSUE. THE YEAR PRIOR SAW A MASSIVE RECALL OF 87,000 VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THE SAME ISSUE HAS CARRIED OVER AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ISSUE.

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BRAKE ACTUATOR HAS GONE OUT GIVING A CODE OF C1391. I HAVE HAD THE CAR LESS THAN A YEAR AND THE BRAKES ARE NOW GRABBY AND NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE GEN 2 PRIUS (MY PREVIOUS CAR) AND WAS COVERED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. APPARENTLY THE GEN 3 PRIUS HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND TOYOTA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY OF THE 2010 PRIUS TO THE MANUFACTURING DATE OF 11/2010. MY PRIUS WAS MANUFACTURED IN 12/2010 AND I WAS JUST NOTIFIED IT WOULD BE $4000 TO FIX THE ISSUE THAT IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT. APPARENTLY TOYOTA DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME AND IT'S A DIRECT SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE BRAKES DON'T WORK AS INTENDED.

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MY CAR ONLY HAD 120K MILES AND THE BREAK BOOSTOR AND ACTUATOR BREAKS DOWN WHILE WE WERE ON THE ROAD. MY WIFE DRIVES THE CAR WITH MY 3-CHILDRENS. SHE WAS ALMOST HIT THE OTHER CAR ON HIGHWAY BECAUSE THE BREAKS SYSTEM STOPS WORKING AT NORMAL MODE. THE DASH BOARD SHOWS ALL KINDS OF BREAK, TRACTION CONTROL, AND ABS LIGHTS . THIS IS A LIFE THREATNING ISSUE AND TOYOT NEEDS TO REPLACE THIS PART WITH NO CHARGE BECASUE IT HAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECTS AND THOUSANDS OF PRIUS OWNER HAS THE SAME ISSU.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40-50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. MARIETTA TOYOTA (750 COBB PKWY S, MARIETTA, GA 30060, (770) 422-1490) WAS NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,000.

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THE PROBLEM MY CAR EXPERIENCED HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON I-110 IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA AND PRESENTED ITSELF ABRUPTLY (THROUGH THE CAR'S WARNING INDICATORS AT LEAST) ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 31ST HEADED TO PENSACOLA BEACH FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND FROM OUR HOME IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA. ALL THE CAR'S BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE MASTER BRAKE LIGHT, THE ABS LIGHT, FIVE DIFFERENT LIGHTS IN ALL. I PULLED OFF THE INTERSTATE, WENT TO AN AUTOZONE STORE, CHECKED THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL AND BRAKE PADS (ALL LOOKED NOMINAL) AND GOT THE CAR'S COMPUTER CHECKED FOR WARNING CODES (NONE CAME UP). SEEING NOTHING CATASTROPHIC, BUT BEING UNSURE OF WHETHER OUR CAR WAS REALLY SAFE TO DRIVE EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKES STILL FELT FUNCTIONAL (IF A BIT OFF), WE GOT THE CAR BACK TO BATON ROUGE AND BROUGHT IT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP'S (ALL-STAR TOYOTA, ON AIRLINE HIGHWAY) SERVICE DEPARTMENT. WE HAD NOTICED FOR SOME WEEKS PRIOR INCREASINGLY FREQUENT BUZZING SOUNDS ' ANYONE WITH A PRIUS KNOWS THESE, SUCH AS WHEN YOU TURN THE CAR OFF ' MADE BY (I'M TOLD) THE CAR'S BRAKE ACTUATOR PRESSURIZING THE BRAKE FLUID. THIS ESCALATING FREQUENCY OF THE NOISE, AND A CERTAIN CONSTANT 'PULSING' OF THE SOUND WHEN THE BRAKE WAS SLIGHTLY APPLIED, BUT NOT PUSHED DOWN TO THE FLOOR ' I NOW UNDERSTAND TO BE SYMPTOMATIC OF A FAILING BRAKE ACTUATOR. FOLLOWING SOME RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED IN 2013 TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL FOR THOUSANDS OF 2010 PRIUS AND OTHER TOYOTA AUTOMOBILES FOR A PROBLEM WITH BRAKE ACTUATORS; ALSO, IN 2016, A WARRANTY EXTENSION AND PART REPLACEMENT WAS OFFERED TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF 2004 THROUGH 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS VEHICLES FOR PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE ACTUATORS. IN THAT MORE RECENT MATTER, OWNERS WERE OFFERED A WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 10 YEARS AFTER FIRST USE OF THE CAR OR 150,000 MILES, OR UNLIMITED MILEAGE OR AGE UP TO THE END OF 2017.

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TAKATA RECALL MY 2011 PRIUS HAS AN ISSUE WHERE THE BRAKE BECOMES SPONGY AT RANDOM WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. THE BRAKE, ABS, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ALL ILLUMINATE SIMULTANEOUSLY. AFTER RESETTING THE COMPUTER, THE ISSUE COMES BACK WITHIN 10-30 MINUTES OF DRIVING AT RANDOM. TOYOTA TOLD ME IT IS A $3,000 FIX AND THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY YEAR. MY CAR HAS 110,393 MILES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V684000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KEARNY MESA TOYOTA (4910 KEARNY MESA RD, SAN DIEGO, CA, 858-413-9625) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPUTERS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1812113112. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.

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ON DECEMBER 8TH, 2018, I WAS DRIVING EASTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 10 IN PHOENIX, AZ AT APPROXIMATELY MILEPOST 141 AROUND 5:45 PM. SUDDENLY, I HEARD A LARGE, *BANG* WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED MYSELF FOR INJURIES AND FELT THE CAR TO DETERMINE IF A TIRE WAS BLOWN. I WAS INTACT, AND THE TIRES SEEMED OK AS WELL, BUT I HEARD THE NOISE OF AIR ESCAPING FROM THE VEHICLE. AFTER TURNING SOUTH ON I-17, I EXITED ON THE FIRST STREET, EXIT 199, JEFFERSON ST. I TURNED LEFT AND LOOKED FOR A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER. IT ISN'T A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, SO I SLOWED DOWN AND CONTINUED TO LOOK AROUND THE VEHICLE AS I TRIED TO FIND THE PLACE WHERE THE AIR WAS ESCAPING. FINALLY, I CRACKED OPEN THE SLIDING DOOR AT THE TOP OF MY SUNROOF, AND I NOTICED SHARDS OF GLASS. I IMMEDIATELY CLOSED IT AND WAS RELIEVED IT HAD NOT BEEN OPEN WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. I DECIDED I MUST GET HOME IMMEDIATELY, PROCEEDED BACK TO THE FREEWAY, AND DROVE HOME. WHEN I ARRIVED, I NOTICED THE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED - ONE MAIN HORIZONTAL SHATTER AT THE CENTER AND TWO MORE VERTICAL SHATTERS AT EACH END. I CHECKED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE FOR A PROJECTILE AND FOUND NOTHING. AFTER RESEARCHING FURTHER, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE GLASS HAD BROKEN SIMPLY DUE TO POOR DESIGN. I IMMEDIATELY FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, FARMERS. THE CLAIM NUMBER IS 910380. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED TOYOTA TO GET A RESPONSE, BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. I AM FORTUNATE THAT THE SUNROOF WAS NOT EXPOSED. THERE IS A PAPER-THIN SLIDING DOOR THAT BLOCKS THE SUN. EVEN THOUGH THE SUN HAD SET, I HAD LEFT IT CLOSED, AND IT PROTECTED ME FROM THE SHARDS OF GLASS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO ADDRESS. IT IS DECEMBER IN ARIZONA, AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 69 DEGREES WHEN I LEFT TO RETURN HOME YESTERDAY. IT'S NOT A HEAT ISSUE. IT'S LIKELY A GLASS DEFECT. I LOOK FORWARD TO OBTAINING MORE INFORMATION.

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TOYOTA AFTER 2 MONTHS HAS NOT RESOLVED THIS ISSUE/RECALL. SINCE THAT I HAVE TO STOP TO SHARE MY CAR ON TURO AND I'LL HAVE A LOST OF INCOME. I'M ASKING FOR A COMPENSATION

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2011 PRIUS INTERMITTENTLY CHANGES FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. THE CAR CONTINUES TO ROLL BUT SLOWS DOWN. A WARNING COMES UP ON THE SCREEN THAT THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL. I CAN POP THE GEARSHIFT INTO DRIVE AND IT SEEMS FINE, AND MAY OR MAY NOT BEHAVE THE SAME WAY AGAIN. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY AS WELL AS ON CITY STREETS. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY CORRELATION TO ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION OR TO MOVEMENT (TURNS OR CHANGING LANES). I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER WHO STATES THAT THE SYSTEMS CHECK OUT FINE AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. (IT IS INTERMITTENT AND I AM NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE IT EITHER.) I NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM UNTIL AFTER I HAD MY CAR THOROUGHLY STEAM CLEANED. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO ME BY ANOTHER PRIUS OWNER THAT IT MIGHT BE A SWITCH. BUT, AGAIN, THE DEALER SAYS THE SYSTEMS CHECK OUT FINE.

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AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY MY CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE AND I REALIZED MY ENGINE HAD CAUGHT FIRE, I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT, THE WHOLE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES IN NO TIME

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