What 516 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Prius V

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE A TRACTION CONTROL SWITCH. DUE TO THE SWITCH NOT BEING IN THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INHERENT TO THE MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 77,000. UPDATED 05/06/16*LJ

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE DEALER UPDATED THE SOFTWARE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY DIF NOT HAVE THE CORRECT CODE FOR THE SOFTWARE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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FOUND OUT THE VIOLENT ENGINE SHAKING AND THE MYSTERY LOSS OF COOLANT WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE LEAKS IS DUE TO A LEAKING HEAD GASKET THAT HIS COMMON TO MANY OWNERS. CAR NOW RUNS ROUGH AND MILEAGE IS AFFECTED. MANY OTHER OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE HTTP://PRIUSCHAT.COM/THREADS/NEW-SERVICE-BULLETIN-FOR-ENGINE-KNOCKING-AT-STARTUP-T-SB-0012-10.102200/PAGE-40

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ON START UP IN COLD WEATHER, <40*, AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF NOT BEING USED, THE ENGINE RATTLES LIKE THERE'S A LOOSE ENGINE MOUNT. IT LASTS SEVERAL SECONDS, THEN STOPS. AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP IT'S FINE. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND I HAD TSB-0204-11 INSTALLED AT 38,000 MILES (12/18/13) AND HAD NO PROBLEM THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED YESTERDAY, 1/3/16, 76,000 MI, AND I'LL CHECK WITH MY MECHANIC FOR CODES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE HEADLAMPS FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

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EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. RECENTLY I NOTICE OIL PRESSURE LOW LIGHT LIGHTS FREQUENTLY. IT USED THE OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY TIME THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT COME UP. ABOUT EVERY 5000 MILES. NOW THE LOW OIL PRESSURE COMES ALMOST EVERY 1000 MILES. THE CAR ONLY HAS 89K MILES.

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THE SPIRAL CABLE IS DEFECTIVE, HORN STOPPED WORKING TWO WEEKS AGO, CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING LAST WEEK. THERE HAS BEEN ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CABLE. TOYOTA HAS HAD RECALLS FOR THE TACOMA AND YARIS THAT USE THE SAME PART NUMBER. THE AIR BAG USES THE SAME CABLE. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS CABLE IS $890.00. SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR A RECALL, SOMEONE DIEING.

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WHILE DRIVING AND BRAKING ON A BUMPY ROAD SURFACE, THE BRAKES WILL INITIALLY WORK, QUIT WORKING MOMENTARILY, THEN REENGAGE. THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY. I JUST TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAY THE BRAKES ARE FINE AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THERE WAS A TOYOTA RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE ON 2010 MODELS. I'M AFRAID THIS ISSUE WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. HOW CAN I GET TOYOTA TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM?

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I OWN A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS WHICH I PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR FROM ARLINGTON TOYOTA IN ARLINGTON, VA. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS THREE TIMES. AS OF NOV 2015, THE CAR HAD 29,105 MILES ON IT WHICH INDICATES I DO NOT PUT A LOT OF MILES ON THE CAR. ON ALL THREE OCCASIONS, BOTH LOW BEAMS WERE INOPERABLE WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT ON THE ROAD DRIVING. ON EVERY OCCASION, THE DEALER TOLD ME THE BULBS WERE BURNED OUT. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS THE NIGHT OF SEPT 10, 2015. THIS TIME THE DEALER TOLD ME TOYOTA HAS A WIRING SOLUTION THAT WOULD EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE HEADLIGHTS, BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. THE "SOLUTION" WOULD BE EXPENSIVE. I TOLD THEM THAT STATEMENT TELLS ME THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE WIRING OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND THE FIX SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY TOYOTA UNDER A RECALL NOTICE. I HAVE NOTED THAT PRIUS OWNERS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING OF THIS SAME ISSUE SINCE 2007 AND A RECALL HAD HAPPENED IN 2011 FOR EARLIER YEAR CARS. THE PROBLEM REMAINS, AND THERE IS DEFECT IN THE CAR'S WIRING OR PERFORMANCE. GIVEN THE CURRENT VW DIESEL FIASCO, I HOPE THIS ISSUE CAN BE ADDRESSED BY THE NHSTA AND FORCE TOYOTA TO PROVIDE SAFE LIGHTING TO US PRIUS OWNERS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO DECELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE PUMPED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

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I AM 5'4" TALL AND LIKE THE SEAT IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THERE IS NO WAY I CAN ADJUST THE HEADREST SO THAT IT ALLOWS ME TO SIT UPRIGHT AND NOT HAVE MY HEAD FORCED FORWARD AND DOWN BY THE HEADREST. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A NEW "SAFETY" REGULATION. THIS REGULATION NEEDS TO BE CHANGED SO PEOPLE OF MY HEIGHT CAN DRIVE THE CAR WITHOUT THEIR HEADS BEING FORCED DOWN. I USE A FOAM CUSHION BETWEEN MY BACK AND THE SEAT TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS TERRIBLE DESIGN FLAW. I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BUY A CAR THAT IS BOTH SAFE AND FITS ME. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WITH MY HEAD FORCED DOWN. BY THE WAY, YOUR NEXT BOX INDICATES BAD WEBSITE DESIGN. I WANT TO PUT IN N/A OR ALWAYS SINCE THERE IS NO ONE TIME FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT THE STUPID WEB DESIGNER DOESN'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE AN OPTION.

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I WAS MOVING FORWARD IN A TURN LANE ON A CITY STREET PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. A VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT OF MY CAR AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE A QUICK STOP TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. IMMEDIATELY RED WARNING LIGHTS LIT UP INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. THE REPAIR STATEMENT FROM THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER WITH MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR REQUIRED OVER TWO WEEKS TO COMPLETE AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROCEDURE IN THE SERVICE MANUAL FOR REPAIRING THE PROBLEM WAS INCORRECT.

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I WAS PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE, (WHILE ON A VILLAGE STREET) BECAUSE MY HEADLIGHT BULB WAS BURNED OUT. (AGAIN!) I HAVE HAD 4 HEADLIGHT BULBS REPLACED ON THE 2011 PRIUS AND IT IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD! TOYOTA HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE WIRING HARNESS, THAT SHORTS OUT THE BULBS PREMATURELY, BUT NO RECALL. PLEASE RECALL THE PRIUS FOR THE WIRING HARNESS, SO I CAN STOP GETTING PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE! 09\15 THANK YOU! *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. DURING THE CRASH, THE FRONT END SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.

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TOYOTA PRIUS 3 HEADLIGHTS QUIT WORKING ON LOW BEAM WITHOUT ANY INDICATION UPON STARTING CAR. IT APPEARS THAT IF ONE BULB BURNS OUT, BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAIL TO WORK, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE OTHER HEADLIGHT SHORTING OUT THE WORKING HEADLIGHT. EACH TIME THE LIGHTS HAVE WORKED JUST A FEW HOURS BEFORE AND WHEN WE RETURN TO CAR, THEY WILL NOT TURN ON.THIS HAS OCCURRED APPROX 3 TIMES NOW FORCING US TO DRIVE SIGNIFICANT DISTANCES WITH HIGH BEAMS ON. LIGHTS APPEAR TO WORK OK AFTER REPLACEMENT OF BOTH BULBS. PLEASE ISSUE A REPAIR RECALL TO FIX THIS ISSUE WHICH LEAVES A DRIVER WITH ABSOLUTELY NO LIGHTS.

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ON AT LEAST SIX OCCASIONS, I HAVE LOST CONTROL FOR A SECOND OR TWO WHILE BRAKING. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY CROSSING ANY SORT OF UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DARTED FORWARD AS I SLOWED. AFTER READING A LARGE NUMBER OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS VIA A WEB SEARCH, I DECIDED I NEEDED TO REPORT THIS POSSIBLY DANGEROUS ISSUE.

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WHILE PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL IN A BUMPY ROAD ,I FEEL THE CAR ACCELERATES AND TRY TO JUMP AND I USUALLY PRESS THE BRAKE HARD TO STOP. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS SEVERAL TIMES BUT NEVER REPORT. TO CLARIFY MORE , IT HAPPENS WHILE PRESSING THE BRAKE.

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THERE ARE 3 ISSUES I AM HAVING WITH THIS PRIUS. THE BRAKES ARE THE FIRST PROBLEM. AS OTHERS HAVE STATED, I TOO HAVE THE SAME LURCHING FORWARD WHEN BRAKING OVER BUMBY OR ROUGH ROADS. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. SECOND, THE SUSPENSION IS CREAKING AND CRUNCHING WHEN MAKING TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS UNDER 20MPH. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE WHEELS ARE TURNED ALL THE WAY RIGHT AND ALL THE WAY LEFT. THIS CRUNCHING NOISE HAPPENS WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, MAKING U-TURNS, COMING TO A STOP ON AN INCLINE, AND BRAKING OVER SPEED BUMPS. I'VE HAD THE DEALER LOOK AT THIS FOR THE LAST YEAR WHEN I COME IN FOR SERVICE AND ONE TECH SAYS THEY CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT, ANOTHER TECH SAYS HE HEARS IT BUT CAN'T FIND THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM, THE SERVICE MGR. ALSO WENT ON A DRIVE WITH ME AND REPRODUCES THE NOISE CONCERN BUT THE TECHS COULDN'T FIND IT. MOST WERE SUGGESTING NEW FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS-STRUTS, TOWERS, LINKS, ETC. I REPLACED THE TWO FRONT STRUTS AND ALL OF THE EXTRA COMPONENTS-THE NOISE CONCERN IS STILL THERE. I AM VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS. THIRD ISSUE IS THE ICE-MOTOR. WHEN STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD AND MAKES A CREAKING SOUND. IT'S APPEARS THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. THE ENGINE SEEMS LIKE IT IS LOOSE. THE ENGINE ALSO MAKES RATTLING SOUND WHEN CRUISING LIGHTLY AT 15-25 MPH WITH THE ACCELERATOR PRESSED SLIGHTLY. THE SOUND IS COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE, UNDER THE DASHBOARD-GLOVE COMPARTMENT AREA. THIS IS A RATTLE SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I'VE HAD THIS LOOKED AT AS WELL AND THE DEALER STATES THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE IT. I HAVE RECORDED ALL SOUNDS RELATED TO THESE CONCERNS AND AM TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER THIS MONTH.

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LEFT CAR RUNNING THE NIGHT BEFORE. DIDN'T KNOW IT. LOCKED CAR THAT EVENING. BATTERY DEAD NEXT DAY. SHOULDN'T THERE HAVE BEEN A WARNING WHEN I LOCKED CAR, THAT CAR WAS NOT OFF?

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JUST WANT TO ADD TO THE LIST OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CAR LUNGING FORWARD WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, PRIMARILY WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN BUT NOT ALWAYS. IT IS ALWAYS UNEXPECTED. I'VE HAD TO CHANGE THE WAY I DRIVE, BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS SURE I COULD STOP IT IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR IN TO A TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER TWICE TO LOOK AT IT. THEY EITHER CAN'T GET IT TO HAPPEN WHILE THEY HAVE THE CAR OR THEY SAY IT'S NORMAL. IT'S NOT NORMAL FOR ANY CAR I'VE EVER HAD IN TWENTY PLUS YEARS OF DRIVING. IT HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE AND MORE FREQUENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE THREE YEARS THAT I'VE HAD THE CAR.

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TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA WHO SAID CODES INDICATED FAILURE OF MASTER CYLINDER. COST OF REPAIR $3,400. I THINK THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE PART PROBLEM.

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THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A TYPICAL SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT DURING A NORMAL SUNNY DAY. THE VEHICLE STARTS NORMALLY AS THE BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED. AFTER PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE, THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED BACK AS THE VEHICLE STARTS TO BACK UP. THE BRAKE FELT VERY STIFF AND WOULD NOT DEPRESS UNTIL THE FOOT IS LIFTED AND RE-STEPPED ON IT. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES IN THE LAST 3.5 YEARS, NO SPECIFIC PLACE OR TIME. WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DUPLICATED AT THE DEALERSHIPS. THE DEALER SAID IT'S SAFETY FEATURE WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKES TOO HARD, IT LOCKS UP AS IN A HAND BRAKE. HOWEVER, THE LOCKUP I EXPERIENCED IS DIFFERENT AND ONLY HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY DURING REVERSE WHERE THE BRAKES IS NOT STOPPING THE CAR FROM MOVING. SEEMS TO OCCUR MORE OFTEN ON SLOPED SURFACES THAN FLAT, BUT CANNOT DUPLICATE AS IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY, USUALLY WITH MULTIPLE PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. THIS CAN BE A REAL SAFETY HAZARD IF SOME ONE IS BEHIND THE VEHICLE.

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2011 PRIUS DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. SHE SAID THE CAR JUST TOOK OFF ON HER ON IT'S OWN SHE TRIED TO BRAKE BUT IT WOULDN'T STOP. IT CRASHED INTO THE MOTORHOME THAT I WAS DRIVING. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE CAR WAS TOTALED DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, A SCRAPING TYPE NOISE WAS HEARD UNDER THE VEHICLE AND A BUMP WAS FELT. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL DISLODGED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,255. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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VIN # [XXX] TOYOTA PRIUS 2011, DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80 EAST, AT 65 MPH, SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE HOOD, HEADLIGHT AND WIRE SMELLED AND BURNED, CAR WAS ALMOST IN FIRE. SHUT OFF CAR AND HEADLIGHT AND SMOKE STOP. BOTH HEADLIGHT ARE DAMAGE DUE TO FIRE. KEPT BOTH HEAD LIGHT OFF, GOT HOME AND DID NOT USE THE CAR FOR A FEW MONTHS. CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT DEALER REFUSE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, TELLING ME I HAVE USE AN AFTERMARKET BULB. THE BULB THAT CAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS THE BULB THAT CAME WITH THE CAR AS NEW. I TRIED TO TAPE UP THE BURNED WIRE TO GET THE CAR SAFETY HOME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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