What 684 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Prius C

I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS GOING BETWEEN 50 AND 55 MPH WHEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED TO YELLOW AND THEN TO RED. WHEN I APPLIED THE BREAKS NOTHING HAPPENED. MY VEHICLE ACTUALLY APPEARED TO SPEED UP. I RELEASED THE BRAKE THEN PUMPED THE BREAK TWICE THEN AGAIN APPLIED THE BREAK, THIS TIME STOMPING HARDER AND WITH BOTH FEET. MY VEHICLE DID NOT STOP OR EVEN SLOW. I WENT THROUGH THE LIGHT, RESULTING IN A CAR ACCIDENT. I T BONED ANOTHER CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11144698

SAFETY RISK THAT VEHICLE COULD LOSE POWER AND STALL. MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER J1V. NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 18V684 AS OF OCTOBER 4, 1918. IT IS NOW NOVEMBER 1, 2018. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THIS WEEK AND THE REPORT WAS THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT FIX TO DATE. QUESTION: WHAT RELIEF IS AVAILABLE UNTIL FIX DISCOVERED? FREE USE OF CAR PROVIDED BY DEALERSHIP?

NHTSA ODI 11144785

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET IN MY PRIUS WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WENT TOTALLY DEAD. IT DID NOT GO INTO A LIMP-HOME MODE. I WAS DEAD IN THE WATER IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET ALL OF A SUDDEN. WE HAD TO GET OUT AND PUSH IT OUT OF THE STREET. MECHANIC SAYS ITS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH PRIUS AND INVERTER. THAT WAS PRETTY DANGEROUS AND I WAS GLAD WE WERENT ON THE FREEWAY. WE WERE UNAWARE OF ANY RECALL. THE CAR WENT INTO "DISCO MODE" - EVERY WARNING LIGHT IT HAD WAS ON AND BLINKING BUT THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD.

NHTSA ODI 11144597

BRAKES FAILING, GETTING A C1391 CODE, LEAK IN ACCUMULATOR. TOYOTA HAS A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT FOR THIS ISSUE ON THE 2010 MODEL BUT IT HAS NOT EXTENDED TO 2011 OR 2012 MODELS. I CONTACTED LOCAL DEALER AND NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND WAS REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE FROM TOYOTA. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED TWICE OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, BOTH TIMES WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND ALMOST NO STOPPING POWER.

NHTSA ODI 11144185

BRAKE ACTUATOR /MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER BROKEN, SAME ISSUE AS PREBIOUS MODELS OF THE PRIUS.

NHTSA ODI 11143936

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEM SEVERAL TIMES OVER THIS LAST YEAR.

NHTSA ODI 11142167

THREE DIFFERENT DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS (FRONT LEFT, FRONT RIGHT, REAR LEFT) HAVE FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED. SYMPTOM IS THAT DOOR DOES NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK FROM KEY FOB OR LOCK CONTROL ON DRIVER'S ARMREST, ALSO FAILS TO LOCK AUTOMATICALLY WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR IF THAT OPTION IS SET. DOOR MUST BE LOCKED AND UNLOCKED MANUALLY USING THE ROCKER SWITCH IN THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. CLEARLY THERE WAS A BATCH OF DEFECTIVE PARTS USED DURING MANUFACTURING.

NHTSA ODI 11141731

I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHERE TO GO TO GET CHECKED FOR RECALLS I RECEIVED

NHTSA ODI 11139646

CAR STALLED ON HIGHWAY. WAS JUST MERGING ONTO HIGHWAY, THE CAR STALLED AND DIED. WAS ABLE TO VERY, VERY SLOWLY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD . THIS WAS A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE INVERTER. COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT!!! GOT TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE INVERTER AND PARTS WITH AN UPDATED ONE AND SOFTWARE TOO. THERE WAS NO CHARGE TO ME. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THE 2012 INVERTER WAS INFERIOR AND ALL THESE MODELS SHOULD BE UPDATED WITH NEW INVERTERS. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN!

NHTSA ODI 11139438

VARIOUS ALERTS LIGHTED, BRAKES, ABS, ANTI SKID. LOST SOME BRAKING... TOO SOFT AND FUNNY LIKE... NEEDED PUMPING. COST OF REPAIR TO REPLACE BRAKE PUMP SYSTEM INCLUDING THA ACTUATOR(BUSTER). BRAKE PADS FOR $3,700 +. AT TOYOTA CALESA IN PUERTO RICO.

NHTSA ODI 11133608

ABS BRAKE IS NOT WORKING. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY TRAFFIC AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DEEP WHEN I STEP ON IT AND IT TOOK ME MORE TIME TO STOP THAN I EXPECTED IT. I WENT AND GOT IT RED THE CODE C1391 ABNORMAL LEAK IN ACCUMULATOR.

NHTSA ODI 11130742

I HAVE REPLACED 5 EVAP CHARCOAL CANISTERS AT $590 PER CANISTER

NHTSA ODI 11130379

THE BACK BRAKES AUTOMATICALLY RELEASE AT 5 MPH WHEN DECREASING SPEED AND ONLY WHEN ITS WET OUTSIDE. THE CAR IS NOW AT 365,000 MILES AND IT IS STILL DOING IT 6 YEARS LATER

NHTSA ODI 11130403

MY 2012 PRIUS HAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE. LUCKILY NO DAMAGE WAS DONE. MY DEALER RAN MY VIN TO SEE IF TOYOTA HAD A WARRANTY EXTENSION AS IT IS A WELL DOCUMENTED VOLTAGE PROBLEM FOR THE CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT THE 2010 AND 2011 PRIUS DO HAVE SUCH COVERAGE BUT THE 2012 DOES NOT. SEEMS VERY SHORTSIGHTED ON TOYOTA'S PART. IT CLEARLY FORESEEABLE THAT SOMEONE COULD BE HARMED OR KILLED AND THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ODI 11129900

A NUMBER OF LIGHTS CAME ON...ABS, ANTI SKID, SYSTEM FAILURE, ETC. THE BRAKES STARTED TO FEEL VERY FUNNY AND STARTED TO MAKE A STRANGE NOISE. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES. NEEDED THE BRAKE SYSTEM (ACTUATOR IS THE NAME I BELIEVE).

NHTSA ODI 11129946

ENGINE SHAKE ON START UP WHEN VEHICLE IS NOT IN MOTION , SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH POWER.

NHTSA ODI 11124062

THE HEADLIGHTS BURN OUT ALL THE TIME, MAKING DRIVING DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI 11113841

WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER , WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON.

NHTSA ODI 11112016

A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO MY WIFE PURCHASED A USED 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C AND LIKE ALL CARS I'M HEARING AFTER 2011 IT'S GOT YOUR CRAPPY HEADREST DESIGN TO SUPPOSEDLY AID IN SAFETY OF WHIPLASH, BUT MY WIFE HAS MINOR SCOLIOSIS AND WE HAVE TO TURN THE HEADREST AROUND BACKWARDS SO IT DOESN'T HURT HER. THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE IS DOING, SO YOU DIDN'T FIX ANYTHING, YOU MADE IT WORSE. THESE ARE NOT A GOOD DESIGN!? WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST MAKE ACTIVE HEADRESTS MANDATORY IN CARS INSTEAD OF PUSHING THEM PERMANENTLY FORWARD? YOU CAN'T TAKE ANY CARS WITH THESE HEADREST ON A LONG DRIVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO STOP AND GET OUT AND MOVE YOUR NECK AROUND AND HAVE IT SOMETIMES CRACK BECAUSE IT'S IN A STIFF FORWARD POSITION. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT SAFE AND DEFINITELY NOT COMFORTABLE. YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING NOW!? I HAVE A 2011 INFINITI G37S COUPE MY HEADRESTS ARE COMFORTABLE AND I AM NOT BUYING ANY CAR AFTER 2011 THAT HAS UNCOMFORTABLE HEADRESTS. WE'VE EVEN GONE AS FAR AS TO START SEARCHING JUNK YARDS FOR HEADRESTS THAT HAVE THE SAME WIDTH BETWEEN THE POSTS SO WE CAN SWAP THEM OUT IN HER CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11111402

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE (SPEED LESS THAN 5 MPH) AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR SEEMED TO SPEED UP. THE CAR JUMPED THE CURB AND STRUCK A TREE. A GOOD SAMARITAN ASSISTED AND ACTUALLY GOT IN THE CAR AND FOUND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE BRAKES RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE CAR HAS EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. IN 2014 WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND STRUCK THE HOUSE. SHORTLY AFTER THE BRAKES RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATIONS. TOYOTA WAS NOTIFIED AND INSPECTED THE CAR'S COMPUTER AND BRAKING SYSTEM PER CASE NUMBER 1410012557. AFTER THE INSPECTION TOYOTA SAID THAT THERE WERE NO BRAKE ISSUES FOUND WITH THE CAR AND STATED THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM IN THESE CARS.

NHTSA ODI 11102264

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, ABOUT 65 MPH, GOING TO WORK ON 06/12/18 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:45 AM ARIZONA TIME. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG (EXPLOSION) AND LOOKED AROUND MY CAR. I NOTICED IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR BLACK GLASS FLYING OFF THE ROOF OF MY CAR. THERE WERE OTHER CARS AROUND ME BUT NO TRUCKS OR SEMI'S. I CAUTIOUSLY CHANGED LANES UNTIL I COULD PULL OFF THE FREEWAY. WHEN I GOT OUT OF MY CAR I LOOKED AT THE ROOF AND FOUND THAT THE SUNROOF OF MY CAR WAS SHATTERED AND HAD DROPPED INTO THE AREA BELOW THE ROOF. I COULD STILL HEAR GLASS CRACKING AND SEE IT FALLING INTO THE WELL UNDER THE ROOF AREA. I HAD HAD THE INSIDE SHIELD CLOSED SO THERE WAS NO GLASS ON ME. I SLOWLY DROVE TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO ASK FOR HELP. THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE AND THAT I PROBABLY HAD SOMETHING HIT MY ROOF. I TOLD THEM THAT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING FLYING AT ME AND THAT THERE WERE NO TRUCKS/SEMI'S AROUND ME. THEN THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT WOULD HELP ME CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO FILE A CLAIM. I DID (IT TOOK STATE FARM OVER AND HOUR TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO CONNECT ME FOR A GLASS CLAIM). I HAD TO TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP AND GET AN ESTIMATE, THEN GET IT APPROVED, AND GET A RENTAL CAR. EVEN AT THE BODY SHOP I COULD STILL HEAR THE GLASS CRACKING. EVERYONE KEPT TELLING ME THAT SOMETHING MUST HAVE ME BUT I DIDN'T FEEL ANYTHING WHEN IT HAPPENED, JUST THE LOUD BANG LIKE AN EXPLOSION.

NHTSA ODI 11101540

THE BRAKE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT ONCE WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY. IT DID NOT AFFECT THE DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE SPECIALIST SAID THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND QUOTED A $2500 SERVICE PRICE TO REPLACE IT. IF IT IS THIS KNOWN AND THIS EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE THEN IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THAT WOULD MAKE IT A DESIGN FLAW BY THE MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA ODI 11101128

THE DRIVER SEATBELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNBUCKLE

NHTSA ODI 11100446

BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHT BULBS FAIL IN 6 MONTHS OF LESS

NHTSA ODI 11099952

MY CAR WILL TURN ON, BUT IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE UNTIL NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. I USUALLY HAVE TO TURN IT ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT 10-15 TIMES BEFORE IT WILL ALLOW MY TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE KEY FOB WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK THE CAR. THE CAR WILL STILL TURN ON, AC WILL STILL COME ON, RADIO STILL WORKS. THE ONLY THING THAT DOESN'T WORK ON THE FIRST 10-15 TRIES IS THE SIFTING INTO GEAR. PRIUSCHAT FORUM TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE A LOT. THEY ALL HAVE SIMILAR STORIES WITH THE SAME DETAILS AS MINE. IT TAKES ME ABOUT 5-7 MIN TO GET MY CAR STARTED. ONCE I FINALLY GET THE CAR IN GEAR, NO ISSUES POP UP FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVE. ALL OF THIS STARTED ABOUT WITHIN THE LAST MONTH FOR ME.

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