What 516 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Prius V

WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKING ABNORMALITIES FOR 1-2 MONTHS, AND WHEN OUR BRAKE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON WE HAD IT CHECKED OUT. INITIALLY, ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO, THE TOYOTA DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. COULD NOT DETECT AN ISSUE, SO SIMPLY RESET THE COMPUTER. BUT, AGAIN, THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT RETURNED AND AGAIN, WE RETURNED THE CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPT. ON THIS OCCASION, THEY TOLD US THAT NITROGEN GAS HAS LEAKED FROM THE ACCUMULATOR INTO THE BRAKING SYSTEM. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS IS A SIMILAR PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY 2010 PRIUS OWNERS. WE WOULD LOVE FOR TOYOTA TO FIX THIS ISSUE RATHER THAN US COVER THE $5000 FOR BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACEMENT.

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THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS AT 2,500 MILES. WHILE APPLYING BRAKES ON A ROUGH ROAD OR WHEN CROSSING A POT HOLE, CRACKED ROAD, OR BRIDGE JOINT THE BRAKES FAIL MOMENTARILY ALLOWING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD. IT HIS HAPPENS REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED. I COULD BE TRAVELING AT 15 OR 50 MPH AND THE BRAKES WILL FAIL AND LURCH FORWARD. I PURCHASED THE PRIUS NEW IN 2011 AND HAVE TOLD THE SERVICE FOLKS AT TOYOTA ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND ARE NOT ABLE TO FIND A REASON FOR THIS BRAKE FAILURE. THIS IS DANGEROUS. I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I START BRAKING A GOOD DISTANCE FROM A CAR IN FRONT OF ME AS I AM AFRAID THIS DEFECT WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. IF I HAVE TO BRAKE SUDDENLY AND AM DRIVING OVER ANY ROAD THAT IS NOT SMOOTH MY BRAKES FAIL AND LURCH FORWARD. HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO GET INJURED OR DIE BEFORE TOYOTA FIXES THIS DEFECT?

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE INTO A SPACE AT APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED INTO A SEMI CIRCLE AND STRUCK A PARKED VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, BUT NO DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE OF MICE IN THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MICE ENTERED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE REAR UNDERCARRIAGE VENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

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YOKOHAMA TIRES 195/65R15 DOT#479N-EBM1212. PREMATURE WEAR. PALM BEACH TOYOTA WILL NOT HONOR 60 K WARRANTY. PREMATURE WEAR AT 25K MILES. YOKOHAMA STOPPED MANUFACTURING THIS TIRE BECAUSE OF COMPLAINTS, SO CANNOT GET EQUAL TIRE.PALM BEACH TOYOTA WANTS TO CHARGE ME PRICE OF NEW TIRE. I HAVE 60 K WARRANTY. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, A 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN WAS MADE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED AND JUMPED THE CURB. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,081.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION OR STATIONARY, THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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A DRIVER MADE A LEFT TURN IN FRONT OF MY CAR AND I HIT THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR OF HIS SUV. MY FRONT END WAS TOTALED OUT. I RECEIVED A NECK AND HEAD INJURY AS WELL AS A SHOULDER AND HAND. HAD MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED LIKE THEY WERE DESIGNED TO MY INJURIES WOULD HAVE BEEN MINIMIZED. *TR

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UPON START UP IN THE COLD THE ENGINE SHAKES VIOLENTLY FOR 15 SECONDS. *TR

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ON FRIDAY, JAN. 16, 2014 MY HUSBAND MADE A RIGHT HAD TURN FROM A STOP SIGN ONTO A ROAD IN TOLEDO, OH. AN ONCOMING VEHICLE DID NOT SEE HIM AND TURNED INTO THE FRONT DRIVES SIDE SMASHING THE DOOR INTO MY HUSBAND. HIS HEAD WENT THROUGH THE WINDOW AND THE SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. OUR FRAME WAS SMASHED, DOOR SMASHED, FRONT TIRE BENT IN, DASHBOARD WAS BOWED AND BROKEN, FRONT, SMALL SIDE, AND MAIN DRIVERS SIDE WINDOWS BROKEN. THE CAR WAS FOUND TO BE A TOTAL LOSE, MY HUSBAND HAD TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION, BUT MY MAIN QUESTIONS IS WHY DID THE SIDE AIR BAG NOT DEPLOY 02/05/15*LJ UPDATED 6/9/2015 *JS

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I WAS STOPPED AT A SIGNAL AND THEN STARTED TO PROCEED ONCE THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. I COULDN'T DRIVE ANY FASTER THAN IDLE SPEED. EVEN AT THAT SPEED THE CAR WAS OUT OF CONTROL,IT WAS SWERVING,EVEN THOUGH I WAS HOLDING THE WHEEL STRAIGHT. THE STREET HAD A DUSTING OF SNOW. ALL OF THE OTHER CARS WERE ABLE TO DRIVE AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMITS WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ,THEY ADVISED ME TO GET NEW TIRES, WHICH I DID EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS ONLY 9 MONTHS OLD .THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE COMPUTER AND STEERING SYSTEMS. THEY INFORMED ME THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH EITHER. THIS STEERING PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES. EACH TIME IT HAPPENS THERE IS SNOW ON THE GROUND BUT EVERYONE ELSE IS ABLE TO DRIVE AT THE POSTED SPEED. THIS SITUATION HAS HAPPENED WHEN IT WAS BITTER COLD AND WHEN IT WAS 30 DEGREES OUT. WHEN THE CAR SWERVES, IT ENTERS OTHER LANES, EVEN AT IDLE SPEED. I AM VERY LUCK NOT TO HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. I AM SO UPSET THAT I AM GETTING A NEW CAR. I FEAR FOR MY LIFE. *TR

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BOTH HEAD LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME, ONLY HIGH BEAM WILL WORK, REGULAR BEAM STOPPED WORKING AND WILL NOT COME BACK ON. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY SHIFT FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL AFTER DRIVING FOR A LONG DISTANCE. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WERE DEPRESSED SIMULTANEOUSLY, SENDING THE VEHICLE INTO AUTOMATIC OVERRIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 5/5/15*CN

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WHILE APPLYING BRAKES ON A ROUGH ROAD OR WHEN CROSSING A POT HOLE, CRACKED ROAD, OR BRIDGE JOINT THE BRAKES FAIL MOMENTARILY ALLOWING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD. I PURCHASED THE PRIUS NEW IN 2011 AND HAVE TOLD THE SERVICE FOLKS AT TOYOTA ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY ALWAYS TELL ME IT?S NORMAL FOR A PRIUS WITHOUT NOTING ANYTHING IN MY FILE. I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THE PRIUS BRAKE DESIGN IS FAULTY AND THE NHTSA SHOULD BE INVESTIGATING! *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AFTER ANOTHER DRIVER CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE IF THE PASSENGERS OCCUPYING THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED ANY INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE APPROXIMATELY FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 11/21/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE OF THE AIRBAGS WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. UPDATED 5/5/2015 *JS

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND DRIFTED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONSTANTLY ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10. UPDATED 11/20/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS OVERLY SENSITIVE TO HEAVY WIND. THE CONSUMER OWNS ANOTHER PRIUS WITH THE SAME FAILURE. UPDATED 10/5/2015*JS

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THE PRIUS FAILED TO STOP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED; INSTEAD THE CAR DID A LURCH WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THEN ACCELERATED FORWARD CAUSING A 4 CAR COLLISION; LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED. MADE TOYOTA AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, WHEN THEY INVESTIGATED THEY OF COURSE FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE SYSTEM. *TR

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THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM IN THIS CAR IS OVERLY SENSITIVE. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED ENOUGH OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS THAT I CAN CLEARLY PREDICT WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. IF YOU ARE SLOWING DOWN MODERATELY SAY FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, ON A DRY ROAD, BUT ONE THAT IS IN NEED OF REPAVING (NO POT HOLES, BUT JUST A ROUGH SURFACE), AND IF YOU ARE ON A ROAD THAT IS GOING SLIGHTLY DOWNHILL, THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM KICKS IN WITHOUT A NEED. THIS CAUSES YOUR FOOT TO SINK BRIEFLY TO THE FLOOR (ON THE BRAKE PEDAL) AND GIVE THE FEELING OF A LOSS OF BRAKING FOR A FEW SECONDS. THE BRAKE PADS ARE FINE (EVEN WITH SUCH HIGH MILEAGE, I STILL HAVE OVER 70% OF THE ORIGINAL BRAKE PADS LEFT). I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF MY TOYOTA DEALER, WHO SAYS EVERYTHING IS FINE. THE SCENARIO DESCRIBED ABOVE MIGHT ONLY HAPPEN ONCE EVERY FEW WEEKS, BUT BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN NUMEROUS TIMES. I BELIEVE IT IS A SOFTWARE ISSUE, PERHAPS RELATED TO OVERLY SENSITIVE SENSORS, PERHAPS IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. *TR

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SECURITY AND SAFETY THREAT IN 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS DUE TO POWER LOCKS FAILING. ACTUATOR IN THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS IS DEFECTIVE AND FAILS VERY EARLY IN THE AUTO'S LIFE. FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK FAILED SEPT 2013. FRONT DRIVER DOOR LOCK FAILED FEB 2014. REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK FAILED SEPT 2014. TOYOTA CHARGES $500 PER DOOR TO FIX, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS SECURITY AND SAFETY RISK IS OBVIOUSLY CAUSED BY THE USE OF CHEAP, DEFECTIVE PARTS USED TO MANUFACTURE THE 2011 PRIUS. *TR

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THE DOOR LOCKS ON A GOOD PORTION OF TOYOTA PRIUS FAIL LEAVING THE BOTH THE CAR AND IT'S OCCUPANTS UNPROTECTED. IT IS MOSTLY THE FRONT DOOR LOCKS. TOYOTA REFUSES TO CHECK INTO THE PROBLEM. THEY WANT OVER $400 PER DOOR LOCK TO FIX IT. I FEEL THAT IT IS BOTH AN INCONVENIENCE AND A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THEY WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE REMOTE OR THE METAL KEY. THE ONLY WAY TO UNLOCK IS TO ENTER THROUGH THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR AND REACH FORWARD TO THE FRONT DOOR. *TR

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WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES WHILE GOING OVER A POTHOLE OR CURB, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE SO FAR AND I'VE ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR A FEW MONTHS. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK AT 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO A PARKING BUMPER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000. UPDATED 11/17/2014*LJ UPDATED 4/29/2015*JS

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AS THE NAVIGATION/GPS SYSTEM WAS BEING USED ON A LONG TRIP, THE BACKLIGHT SUDDENLY BURNED OUT. UPON TOUCH, THE SCREEN WAS EXTREMELY HOT. (IT DID NOT COOL DOWN UNTIL APPX. 1 HOUR AFTER THE BACKLIGHT HAD MALFUNCTIONED. WITH THE BACKLIGHT NOT WORKING, IT RENDERS THE ENTIRE NAVIGATION SYSTEM, BLUETOOTH, BACK-UP CAMERA, AUDIO SYSTEM/CD PLAYER USELESS AND NOT USEABLE.(ENTIRE SCREEN IS BLACK.) ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 1/2 YEARS OLD, IT IS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. THE PART COSTS BETWEEN $2400 AND $4500 TO REPLACE. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECORDED ON VARIOUS COMPLAINT BOARDS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE ON 2010 AND 2011 PRIUS CARS BY CONSUMERS. *TR

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2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ELECTRONIC SYSTEM RECALL. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT PANEL LIT UP, BUT THE READY LIGHT DID NOT LIGHT UP, AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS AND COULD NOT TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY SHUT OFF. AFTER MANY TRIES, THE READY LIGHT FINALLY LIT UP AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE SAME THING HAPPENED SIX DAYS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. TWO WEEKS LATER, THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THE DEAR TRIED TO TELL THE CONSUMER, THE PROBLEM WAS THE BATTERY. BUT, THE PANEL SHOWED THE BATTERY SYSTEM WAS OK. THE PROBLEM HAS SINCE HAPPENED A FOURTH TIME. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE RECALL THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED, CAUSED THE ISSUES. *JB

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DRIVING IN RAIN IN DARK ON UNLIT ROAD. BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. NOTHING WOULD MAKE THEM COME BACK ON - TURNING LIGHTS OFF AND ON, TURNING CAR OFF AND ON. VERY SCARY. VERY CLOSE TO DRIVING OFF ROAD INTO DITCH. THIS MUST BE A RECALL. TOYOTA AS USUAL WILL DENY THE PROBLEM SO THE NHTSA MUST ACT. *TR

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