What 684 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Prius C

MY FRONT AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T OPEN WHEN MY CAR WAS HIT ON THAT SIDE BY ANOTHER CAR DRIVEN BY A LADY WHO RAN A STOP SIGN; AND STRUCK MY MOVING CAR; TOTALING MY CAR. I SUFFERED SERTOUS CHEST, NECK AND BACK SPRAINS THAT STILL L BOTHER ME. I WAS STRUCK PRETTY HARD, I SUFFERED A TERRIBLE JOLT TO MY CHEST AREA WHEN MY CAR CAME TO A HARD STOP, AND I STILL HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS ACCIDENT COSTS ME MY JOB AND I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO STAND OR WALK FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BRAKES MADE NOISE AND THE ABS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VENICE TOYOTA (941-451-5150, LOCATED AT 900 U.S. 41 BYPASS, VENICE, FL 34285) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

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I WENT TO THE CHARLES MAUND TOYOTA DEALER AT AUSTIN, TX FOR A RECALL. NHTSA RECALL ID 18V684. ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL RECALL REMEDY FROM NHTSA, "IF THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED AN INVERTER FAILURE WITH CERTAIN HYBRID SYSTEM FAULTS RELATED TO THIS CONDITION, THE INVERTER ASSEMBLY WILL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE." MY CAR LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAYS SEVERAL TIMES RECENTLY. THE ERROR CODE IS P0A08, WHICH IS RELATED TO INVERTER FAILURE WITH CERTAIN HYBRID SYSTEM FAULTS, SO THE INVERTER ASSEMBLY SHOULD BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. BUT THE DEALER DIDN'T WANT TO REPLACE OR REPAIR THE INVERTER FOR MY CAR. THERE IS STILL A POTENTIAL THREAT ON MY CAR TO LOSE POWER ON HIGHWAYS.

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HORN STOPPED WORKING IN NOVEMBER 2018. DEALER TELLS ME THAT THERE IS AN OPENING IN THE SPIRAL CABLE WHICH IS CAUSING HORN NOT TO WORK. ENTIRE SPIRAL CABLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD DRIVER'S AIRBAG RECALLED ONCE, MAYBE TWICE. DID SPIRAL CABLE GET DAMAGED IN ONE OF THESE RECALLS? I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL IN EARLIER TOYOTAS WITH SAME PART, BUT NOT THIS YEAR AND MODEL, WONDERING IF THERE SHOULD BE.

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FROM DATE OF PURCHASE, VEHICLE PERFORMED UNPREDICTABLY. TRANSITIONING FROM ELECTRIC TO MOTOR WAS ROUGH AND NOTICEABLE. AT 600 MILES, A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT WAS FELT DURING TRANSITION. DEALER FOUND NOTHING. BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE WENT THROUGH STOP SIGN AT LOW SPEED. ROUTE 44 TOYOTA INSISTED I NEEDED TO GET USED TO ELECTRONIC BRAKES. TOYOTA INSISTED BRAKES WORKED AS PRESCRIBED. RECENTLY, A AAA DRIVER DISCOVERED THE GROUND WIRE ON THE BATTERY WAS LOOSE. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE NOW FUNCTIONS AS DESCRIBED, THE HILL HOLD FUNCTIONS AS DESCRIBED. NHTSA DID AN INSPECTION IN RESPONSE TO A DEFECT PETITION - VEHICLE DID NOT PERFORM AS DESCRIBED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER. BRAKE PEDAL IS NOW HIGH, AS IT WAS INITIALLY. THIS VEHICLE WAS SENT FROM THE FACTORY WITH A LOOSE BATTERY GROUND AND IT WAS COVERED UP BY EVERYONE FROM TOYOTA, DEALERSHIPS TO NHTSA WHEN THE CORRECTION WAS SIMPLE. TOYOTA DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT.

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MY 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS; THE VEHICLE REPEATEDLY BLOWS THE FRONT HEAD LIGHTS. MY VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 6 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE HAD 10 FRONT LIGHTS REPLACED. THE LIGHTS JUST GO OUT WHILE IN MOTION. HERE IS THE NUMBER OF TIMES TOYOTA HAVE REPLACED THE LIGHTS THUS FAR; 01.14.18 - HEADLIGHT SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR ON 01/15/19 12.21.18 - FRONT MARKER 4.6.18 - FRONT MARKER & TAG LIGHTS 11.1.17 - FRONT MARKER 4.4.16 - FRONT MARKER 1.29.16 - P/S FRONT MARKER 12.21.15 - D/S HEADLIGHT BULB 10.23.15 - D/S HEADLIGHT BULB 7.31.15 - D/S RUNNING LIGHT 2.14.15 - D/S FRONT MARKER & P/S FRONT MARKER I HAVE HAD TOYOTA REVIEW THIS ISSUE TWICE NOW - NO "MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL" SOLUTION OFFERED. TOYOTA INCIDENT 160129-000305 (OPENED ON JAN 2016) TOYOTA INCIDENT: 181221-000076 (OPENED ON DEC 2018) LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED MY TOYOTA REPAIR/SERVICE RECORDS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG PARTIALLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT'S HEAD STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT A CUSHION. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY WAS PROCESSING THE CLAIM AND TOOK CUSTODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

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I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND PRESSED THE STOP BUTTON TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND LEFT THE DRIVER'S DOOR OPEN. I WALKED TO THE MAILBOX TO GET THE MAIL AND HEARD A CRASH AS THE CAR DROVE OFF AND HIT A TREE AND LANDSCAPE WALL.

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FRONT HEAD LIGHTS WENT OUT WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF EACH OTHER. REPLACED BOTH BULBS. THEN THEY WENT OUT AGAIN WITH NO WARNING IN ABOUT A MONTH. HAD TO USE BRIGHTS TO DRIVE HOME IN THE DARK. DANGEROUS! REPLACED THEM AGAIN AND NOW ONE OF THE HEAD LIGHTS IS OUT AGAIN AFTER ONLY 2 WEEKS EVEN THOUGH IT IS A DIFFERENT BRAND. HEADLIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN IT IS PARKED.

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PROBLEM WITH BRAKING SYSTEM INVOLVING, THE OTHER DAY THE CAR WAS ON AND SUDDENLY THREE (3) WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON: BRAKE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT. THERE IS ALSO NOW A PUMPING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE INTERIOR OF THE DASH (ON IT AT LEAST SOUNDS THAT IS WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. THE CAR HAS 151,428 MILES ON IT. I'VE INCLUDED PICTURES OF THE CURRENT EROR CODE, MILEAGE AND DASH LIGHTS THAT ARE ON.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS INOPERABLE. WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY LOOSE AND THE VEHICLE WENT IN ANY DIRECTION WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. ALSO, THE VEHICLE SHOOK WHEN TURNING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA VALLEJO (201 AUTO MALL PKWY, VALLEJO, CA 94591, (707) 552-4545) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN OUT AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

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STEERING COLUMN BROKE. DRIVING OUT OF A PARKING LOT. HEARD AND FELT A LOUD CLUNK. THUMPING FEELING WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED. ONLY 130,000 MILES. SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN ON ANY CAR.

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IN EARLY OCTOBER I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA FOR A "FAILSAFE DRIVING MODE" HYBRID SYSTEM FAULT THAT COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO "STALL" INCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF VEHICLE CRASH DURING CRITICAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. IT STATED I WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE FIX WAS AVAILABLE. 2 1/2 MONTHS LATER, I'VE YET TO HEAR FROM TOYOTA AND MY DEALERSHIP STATES THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED REMEDY PARTS OR PROCEDURES FROM TOYOTA. ALL THEY COULD DO WAS GIVE ME A PHONE NUMBER AT TOYOTA CORPORATE. I CALLED THE NUMBER AND THE PERSON HAD NO FURTHER INFORMATION ON WHEN A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM WOULD BE AVAILABLE. SHE STATED THE ORIGINAL NOTICE STATED A TIME FRAME OF 2-3 MONTHS; IN FACT, IT DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY TIME PERIOD INDICATION. IT IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR FIX FOR SOMETHING OF THIS POTENTIAL MAGNITUDE TO TAKE SO LONG. I'M CONCERNED THAT TOYOTA, AS THEY HAVE DONE WITH OTHER RECALL ISSUES, IS MERELY DELAYING TO AVOID COSTS OF IMPLEMENTING THE FIX AND ENDANGERING ALL OWNERS FURTHER THAN THEY ALREADY HAVE. THE LADY STATED I COULD CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT PROVIDING A RENTAL VEHICLE DURING THE PERIOD, SOMETHING THE DEALERSHIP HAS DENIED THEY WILL DO. I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE TRUSTING TOYOTA WOULD STAND BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND THEY ARE FAILING TO DO SO.

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THE LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS BOTH FAIL WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT. THE ROAD WENT TO TOTAL DARKNESS. I FEEL LUCKY THE HIGH BEAMS WERE STILL WORKING. I HAVE TAKEN THE PRIUS C TO THE SHOP AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY ON DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS HAVE MELTED. THE WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED.

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IN THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE REPLACED MULTIPLE LOW BEAM HALOGEN HEADLIGHTS. ONE WEEK AGO, BOTH BURNED OUT CAUSING A NIGHTTIME SAFETY ISSUE. I RESEARCHED THE LIGHTING ISSUE AND LEARNED THERE IS TSB T-SB-0204-12 FOR HEADLAMP DURABILITY ENHANCEMENT AND A CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM "ZHB" FOR THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM. IN THE ZHB PROGRAM, TOYOTA WILL MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE FOR ONLY 2010-2011 PRIUS'. SINCE THE ZHB PROGRAM ONLY SUPPORTS 2010-2011 PRIUS' I CALLED TOYOTA TO REQUEST THIS REPAIR UNDER THAT PROGRAM. AFTER SPEAKING TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER (DARCARS IN FREDERICK MD.) AND THE TOYOTA HQ'S SATISFACTION REP, OUR 2012 IS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE ZHB PROGRAM EVEN THOUGH ITS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. LINK 1: HTTPS://ATTACHMENTS.PRIUSCHAT.COM/ATTACHMENT-FILES/2015/10/96257_T-SB-0204-12.PDF LINK 2: HTTPS://WWW.TOYOHEADQUARTERS.COM/THREADS/2010-2012-TOYOTA-PRIUS-HEADLIGHT-DURABILITY-ENHANCEMENT.1074/ THE PROBLEM IS THE HYBRID BATTERY IS CAUSING THE BULBS TO BURN OUR PREMATURELY. A WIRING HARNESS REPLACEMENT FOR BOTH SIDES IS THE REQUIRED CORRECTIVE ACTION.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V684000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE DEALER (SOUTH BAY TOYOTA, 18416 S WESTERN AVE, GARDENA, CA 90248, 310-323-7800) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ONLY ACCELERATED TO 9 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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WHEN I BRAKE THE CAR SHAKES A NOTICEABLE TYPE OF SHAKE AND STARTS TO MAKE A WEIRD STALLING NOISE.

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MY PRIUS WAS JUST FINE THEN ONE DAY IT STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREE WAY. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO ELMORE TOYOTA IN WESTMINSTER, CA, THEY FOUND IT HAD A FAILED INVERTER AND IT WAS STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IT TOOK 2 WEEKS FOR THEM TO FIX IT, BUT WHEN THEY RETURNED MY CAR, THE SLIP INDICATOR WAS NOW ON AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THEY CLAIM IT WAS LIKE THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILED INVERTER, THIS WAS FALSE, MY CAR WAS RUNNING PERFECT. THEY THEN WANTED TO CHARGE ME NEARLY $1K TO FIX A PROBLEM I DID NOT HAVE PRIOR TO FAILED INVERTER. I FEEL THE SITUATION WAS CONNECTED BUT THEY REFUSE TO COVER IT.

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THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING OVER 60 MPH WHEN THE ABS, BRAKE AND TRACTION LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE BRAKE BECAME IMMEDIATELY SPONGY AND I HAD TO DEPRESSED EVEN HARDER (PAST THE FOAMINESS) TO REDUCE SPEED. A MOTOR COULD BE HEARD TRYING TO TURN OVER ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CAR SPEED WAS REDUCED TO 25-30 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY BUT THE SPONGY BRAKES CONTINUED. WITHIN 5 MIN I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND INTO A PARKING LOT. PARKED THE CAR, TURNED IT OFF AND ON TO SEE IF THAT WOULD REMEDY THE SITUATION AND NOTHING CHANGED. I THEN CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO BOOK AN IMMEDIATE APPOINTMENT AND ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES LATER. THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR WAS THE ISSUE AND THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT TOYOTA TO SEE IF THIS WAS IN WARRANTY OR PART OF THE RECALL. I WAS TOLD THE NEXT DAY THAT THE COST OF INSTALLATION AND PARTS WOULD BE AT LEAST $4,000 AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT AS TOYOTA WAS TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY. I CALLED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE, EXPLAINED MY SITUATION AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING AS I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP. I FEEL THAT THIS BRAKE ACTUATOR (ITS PARTS, ITS COMPOSITION AND/OR ITS INSTALLATION) IS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE WITH TOYOTA PRODUCTS AND A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA PRIUS' IN 2009 AND 2010. TANGENTIAL TO THIS ISSUE, MY FATHER OWNS A TOYOTA CAR AS WELL AND HAS ALSO HAD TO HAVE HIS ACTUATOR REPLACED THIS YEAR. TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL FAULTY PARTS AND INSTALLATION AND PURCHASE OF NEW PARTS. MY MAINTENANCE RECORD IS EXEMPLARY AND MY DRIVING RECORD IS AS WELL SO THIS IS NOT REGULAR WEAR AND TEAR IN MY OPINION.

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ROUGH START AT COLD START WHEN CAR IS LEFT FOR MORE THAN 12 HOURS. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM CANNOT BE DETERMINED AT DEALER DUE TO INFREQUENCY OF ISSUE, BUT HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES A MONTH. TOYOTA WAS UNABLE TO HELP ME AND SAYS THIS IS UNRELATED TO THE EXACT SAME ISSUE PLAGUING 2010-2013 PRIUS AND PRIUS V MODELS, EVEN THOUGH SYMPTOMS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME.

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PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WILL NOT WORK. I REPLACED THE BULB, AND CHECKED THE FUSES, AND IT STILL WILL NOT LIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR.

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TYPICALLY THE KEY IS LEFT IN THE CAR IN THE GARAGE. TONIGHT AT 6 PM, AT A GARAGE TEMPERATURE OF 83 DEGREES F, THE ENGINE SPONTANEOUSLY STARTED. NO ONE WAS IN THE CAR AND IT HAD BEEN GARAGED FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS. I JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN THE GARAGE WHEN THE PRIUS STARTED AND WAS NOTHING SHORT OF FLABBERGASTED.

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THE CAR LOCK DOORS NO LONGER WORK AND MUST BE LOCKED AND UNLOCKED MANUALLY. WENT TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND REPLACED REMOTE BATTERY TO NO END. NOW ATTEMPTING TO ISOLATE THE PART THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM WITH ALL FOUR DOORS. SAFETY IS AN ISSUE BECAUSE, IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE DUE TO DOOR LOCKING MALFUNTION.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V718000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE IN NOVEMBER OF 2017. THE DEALER (THOUSAND OAKS TOYOTA, 2401 THOUSAND OAKS BLVD, THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91362) STATED THAT THE PART FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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