What 612 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Prius V

ON 11/3/2020, SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH. AFTER RESEARCHING THE COMBINATION OF LIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL I DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR IS FAILING. PER MY RESEARCH, CONTINUING TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF BRAKING ASSISTANCE. OTHER TOYOTA PRIUS MODELS ARE COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTIES (REFERENCE ZJB), BUT THE PRIUS V MODELS, WHICH USE THE SAME ACTUATOR, ARE NOT. AN ACCIDENT/INCIDENT HAS NOT YET OCCURED, BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE A HUGE CASE OF NEGLIGENCE ON TOYOTA.

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A RECENTLY PURCHASED USED TOYOTA PRIUS V WHICH WAS OWNED BY A DEALER A MATTER OF 2 MONTHS AGO WAS SOLD TO ME AND THE ABS/BRAKE ACTUATOR FAILURE BEGAN. THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF THE 150K/10YR WARRANTY THEY WANT TO COVER, HOWEVER IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND HAS ALREADY NEARLY CAUSED ME TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT AS THE BRAKE POWER MASSIVELY FLUCTUATES. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE 75MPH FROM PHOENIX TO TUCSON APPROX 120 MILES. THE LIGHT CAME ON PART WAY THROUGH AND SUDDENLY THE BRAKES WENT FROM BEING SENSITIVE AND RESPONSIVE TO NEEDING A LOT OF PRESSURE APPLIED TO PROPERLY SLOW. WHEN A DIESEL BIG RIG SWERVED IN FRONT OF ME TO AVOID AN OBSTACLE THAT I WOULD EASILY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRAKE FROM TYPICALLY, I WAS NEARLY SLAMMED INTO THE BACK END OF HIM WITH VERY LITTLE POWER. THE LIGHT FLIPPED BACK OFF ABOUT TIME I MADE IT TO TUCSON, THEN WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION ON MY WAY THROUGH CITY STREETS HOME CROSSING KOLB AND VALENCIA (A SITE OF MANY AN ACCIDENT), I NEARLY WENT INTO THE INTERSECTION WHEN THE BRAKE SYSTEM SUDDENLY CUT OUT AGAIN. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP THIS MORNING THEY TOLD ME THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY I'D HAVE TO COVER 2500 TO REPLACE WHAT IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THIS VEHICLE. THAT'S [XXX] AND DANGEROUS. REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE CONTACT TURNED LEFT WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO EXCEED 9 MPH. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO LIBERTY TOYOTA (4397 ROUTE 130 SOUTH BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY 08016, (609)-386-6300) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE INVERTER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

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WHILE DRIVING IN INTERSTATE TRAFFIC THE CAR LOST POWER AND WOULD ONLY GO 11MPH. WHEN I GOT TO A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER THE HYBRID SYSTEM SHOWED FAILURE AND SEVERAL OTHER WARNING LIGHTS. THE CAR HAD A PREVIOUS RECALL FOR POWER MANAGEMENT COMPLETED IN 4/2019. THIS IS AN INVERTOR FAILURE

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THE ABS BRAKE PUMP EXPERIENCED AN "INTERNAL FAILURE" AT MILEAGE OF 113K. THERE IS A CUSTOMER SERVICE NOTICE THAT COVERS 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS AND PRIUS PLUG IN FOR THE SAME ISSUE REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE UNTIL 2019, AND THEN UP TO 150K MILES AFTER THAT. HOWEVER, MY 2012 PRIUS V WAS NOT COVERED. THIS ABS BRAKE PUMP JUST SUDDENLY FAILED, THERE WEREN'T ANY LEADING INDICATORS. TOYOTA KNOWS IT SUPPLIED DEFECTIVE PARTS FOR THE ABS BRAKE PUMP. THERE IS ALREADY A LAWSUIT OF OTHER 2012 PRIUS V OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME. HOWEVER, TOYOTA HAS NOT CORRECTED THEIR SERVICE NOTICE. THEY WON'T RELEASE THE DETAILS OF HOW THEY CAN JUSTIFY COVERAGE TO ALL OTHER 2012 PRIUS, AND PRIUS PLUG-IN, BUT NOT PRIUS V. THE REPAIR IS SIGNIFICANT ~ $3,500. ALSO, LAST YEAR MY ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THANKFULLY, THIS HAPPENED ~ 80K MILES, SO IT WAS STILL UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. BUT THIS FAILURE WAS SURPRISING FOR A TOYOTA. I HAD WONDERED WHY I HAD TO CHANGE THE OIL MORE QUICKLY THAN THE RECOMMENDED 10K, I WOULD CHANGE IT EVERY 5-7K, OR AT LEAST HAVE IT CHECKED. IT SEEMS THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR 2020 RAV 4S. I'M SURPRISED THEY HAVEN'T FIXED AN ISSUE FROM A 2012 VEHICLE YET BY 2020.

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IT IS HAVING HEAVY MISS FIRE WHICH MAKE THE ENGING SHAKING TOO MUCH MANY TIMES

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TL-

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AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES THE ENGINE BEGAN USING (BURNING) OIL AT THE RATE OF ABOUT 1 QUART EVERY 1000 MILES. NOW AT 150,000 MILES THE OIL USAGE IS 1 QUART PER 500 MILES. THE OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED USING THE RECOMMENDED LUBRICANT MORE OFTEN THAN REQUIRED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS REDESIGNED THE PISTONS AND RINGS BUT BUT OFFERS NO FINANCIAL HELP FOR CARS OFF WARRANTY. THE DEALER ESTIMATED REPAIR COST IS OVER $5000.

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MY 2012 PRIUS WAS DIAGNOSED AT OUR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID IT NEEDS A BRAKE BOOSTER/SOLENOID. WHEN I LOOKED INTO IT, IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF CONSUMERS WITH PRIUS CARS FROM THE SAME ERA. IT IS A DEVASTATING $3,000 REPAIR. TOTAL INJUSTICE IF IT IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE AS IT SEEMS.

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[XXX] CAR DOES NOT STARTS STALLING DOES NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK DOES NOT RESPOND TO KEY FOB DOES NOT RESPOND POWER BUTTON OR START BUTTON MAKES SOME KIND OF NOISE WITH ALL LIGHTS BLINKING REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC

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APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WHEN STARTING THE CAR IN THE MORNINGS OR AFTER THE VEHICLE SAT FOR A WHILE. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE IT WOULD SHAKE AND RUN ROUGH BUT WOULD RUN GOOD AFTER IT WARMED UP. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND A MANIFOLD AND A SENSOR WAS ORDERED BY THE DEALER. THE NEXT DAY I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE PARTS INSTALLED. I SAT IN THE WAITING AREA FOR OVER 2 HOURS ONLY TO BE TOLD IT WAS NOT THE MANIFOLD AND SENSOR. AFTER A SCOPE WAS USED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD I EITHER HAD A LEAKING GASKET OR A CRACKED ENGINE HEAD. THIS PRIUS V ONLY HAS 94245 MILES ON THE ENGINE. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT THE TOYOTA DEALER. THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED ME TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT $6000.00. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES USAGE TO NEED A NEW REBUILT ENGINE ESPECIALLY A TOYOTA PRODUCT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA. THIS WAS A KNOWN CONCERN ON TOYOTA'S PART AND IT WAS NOT PROPERLY ADDRESSED IN A RECALL, NOW I AM LEFT HOLDING A VERY EXPENSIVE BAG. HOW MANY OTHER UNSUSPECTING,CUSTOMERS WILL YOU LOSE BESIDES ME

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MY ABS ACTUATOR HAS COMPLETELY FAILED. I WAS GETTING CODE C1391 WHEN I FIRST HAD THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AND RECENTLY IT FINISHED FAILING COMPLETELY. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT DID AND I SEVERELY LOST BRAKE PRESSURE AND ALMOST GOT IN A CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF IT. THIS ISSUE WAS RECALLED ON REGULAR PRIUS HATCHBACKS BUT BECAUSE THE PRIUS V'S ABS PUMP SYSTEM IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TO COMPENSATE FOR THE DIFFERENT WEIGHT OF THE PRIUS V, THE PRIUS V DOEST FALL UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY TO HAVE THE ISSUE FIXED EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE THAT THE REGULAR PRIUS' HAVE BEEN HAVING WHICH THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON. IM EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I HAVE CALLED MY DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS THE TOYOTA HELPLINE TO REPORT THIS AND THEY SAY THAT THERES NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME AND THAT MY CAR IS JUST NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE THE WARRANTY DIDNT APPLY TO PRIUS V'S EVEN THOUGH ITS THE SAME PART HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I'VE BEEN QUOTED $4,000 TO HAVE THIS FIXED AND I CAN'T AFFORD THAT RIGHT NOW.

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THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER BROKE DOWN ON MY CAR. THE WARNING LIGHTS FINALLY CAME ON HOWEVER THE ISSUE WAS NOTICEABLE BEFORE THAT AS THE CAR BRAKING AT LOW SPEEDS CREATED SLIGHT STUTTERING STOPS WHEN COMING TO THE END OF A COMPLETE STOP PLUS MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE NOTICED BRAKING WAS GETTING MORE DIFFICULT AT CERTAIN TIMES. THIS ISSUE IS CREATING A COST OF OVER $3000 TO REPAIR. NUMEROUS OTHERS EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THE PREVIOUS PRIUS MODEL (GEN 3) AND TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGED IT AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO THOSE MODELS BUT NOTHING SEEMED TO BEEN HAVE CORRECTED WITH THE PRIUS V. *TR

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THE STEERING WHEEL MAKE A CLUNKING NOISE AND FEEL LIKE IT'LL FALL OFF WHEN DRIVEN. *TR

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THE ACTUATOR HAS BEEN MAKING NOISE FOR THE PAST YEAR . I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ABOUT FEB 2019 AND SINCE MY WARRANTY HAD JUST EXPIRED THE DEALER WOULD NOT FIX. AND TODAY IT'S BEEN WORSE . EVERY TIME I AM AT A STOP IT MAKES TONS OF NOISE. *TR

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TOYOTA PRIUS V 2012 LOST POWER AS I WAS DRIVING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT. I HAD TO MAKE EMERGENCY STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE INVERTER/ELECTRIC MOTOR FAILED. MECHANIC RAN COMPUTER TEST AND FOUND THAT PROBLEM CODES INDEED POINTED TO FAILURE OF INVERTER.I CALLED LOCAL DEALER MCCORD TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD MY CAR DOES NOT FALL TO EXTENDED WARRANTY OF INVERTER AND DID NOT OFFER ANY HELP. SAME DAY I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE AT 1-800-331-4331 AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR DOES NOT FALL UNDER INVERTER WARRANTY BASED ON MY VIN NUMBER, AND GAVE ME CASE NUMBER 2005072419. I WAS ABLE TO CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO ARRANGE TOWING FROM MY LOCATION TO REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP COMPLETED WORK AND VEHICLE IS NOW IN OPERABLE CONDITION. I FEEL LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT ON FREEWAY AND DID NOT HAVE MY CHILDREN WITH ME WHEN IT HAPPENED. *TR

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BRAKE LIGHT/TSC LIGHT ON DASH WAS ON. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO DIFFERENCE IN DRIVE-ABILITY, BUT THERE WAS A HUMMING NOISE PRESENT AT IDLE AND 20-30 MPH. TOOK CAR TO DEALER 4/30/2019 FOR CHECK. COGGINS TOYOTA IN JACKSONVILLE, FL DETERMINED THE CAUSE WAS A, ABNORMAL LEAK IN THE ACCUMULATOR. THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER/MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY. AFTER THE NEW EQUIPMENT WAS INSTALLED, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THE NEW PUMP ASSEMBLY HAD EXCESSIVE NOISE AND VIBRATION INTERNALLY SO ANOTHER REPLACEMENT PART WAS ORDERED. NEW PUMP ASSEMBLY BRAKE BOOSTER WAS INSTALLED AND CAR WAS PUT BACK IN SERVICE 5/19/2019. TOTAL COST OF THIS SERVICE WAS $2,745.11. WE LATER LEARNED THAT A CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM CSP ZJB WAS ISSUED BY TOYOTA FOR 'CERTAIN" 2010 PHD PRIUS, "CERTAIN" 2011-2015 PRIUS, AND "CERTAIN" 2012-2015 PHV PRIUS. AS PER THE CSP ZJB MAILING TO OUR RELATIVE WHO ALSO OWNS A PRIUS, THE PROBLEM WAS "WITH THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP ASSEMBLIES". ACCORDING TO DIANNE, CUSTOMER SERVICE REP WITH TOYOTA, THESE VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE CSP ZJB WERE PRODUCED BETWEEN OCTOBER 2010 TO NOVEMBER 2015 AND INCLUDED SOME 946,100 VEHICLES. MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PROGRAM AS THE VIN NUMBER DID NOT MATCH THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. HOWEVER, WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OUR VEHICLE THAT THE PROGRAM WAS INITIATED TO INCLUDE. UPON SUBMITTING A REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM TOYOTA FOR THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH REPAIRS, IT WAS REJECTED. WE BELIEVE THE PROBLEM FOR WHICH THE SERVICE PROGRAM WAS INITIATED IS THE SAME PROBLEM WE EXPERIENCED AND OUR VEHICLE VIN SHOULD BE ADDED BY TOYOTA TO THE LIST OF AFFECTED VEHICLES SO THAT IT BECOMES ELIGIBLE FOR EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT.

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1)INTERMITTENT REGEN BRAKING FAILURE CAUSING BRAKES TO BECOME MORE DIFFICULT TO PRESS THUS HARDER TO STOP THE CAR IN A TIMELY MANNER. USUALLY WHEN THERE IS STOP AND GO DRIVING WILL THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING FAIL. 2) CLOGGED EGR VALVE CAUSING A LOUD ENGINE KNOCK RESULTING IN A BLOWN HEAD GASKET.

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PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKET, LOW MILES, COLD ENGINE STARTING, STATIONER, AND SOME TIMES IN MOTION

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2012 TOYOTA PRIUS II, DEALER MAINTAINED, NOW NEEDS NEW ENGINE DUE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET. MILEAGE 151000. THE CAR HAS RUN PERFECTLY UNTIL A RECENT ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP, THE DIAGNOSIS WAS MISFIRING OF 2 CYLINDERS AND COOLANT LEAKING INTO CYLINDERS 3 AND 4. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS ENGINE PROBLEMS. AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY RESPONDED THAT THERE WAS NO FAULT ON THEIR END AND I SHOULD HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED AT AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER. A SEARCH FOR THIS TROUBLE RESULTED IN SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL PRIUS.

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ABS WARNING LIGHT INDICATING TROUBLE WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM, I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR STORE AND THE MECHANIC CHECKED THE CODES ON HIS COMPUTER AND RECEIVED 2 CODES THAT INDICATING THAT THE ABS PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL COST WOULD BE BETWEEN $3000 TO $5000. THE ABS LIGHT GOES ON WHEN I START THE CAR

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THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR A 2012 PRIUS V THAT I'VE NOTIFIED MY LOCAL DEALER AND TOYOTA ABOUT A POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE RELATING TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THE PRIUS V IS CURRENTLY NOT INCLUDED IN THE ZJB CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE. BRAKE PEDAL FEELS VERY FIRM AND INCONSISTENT AND MUCH HARDER TO ACTIVATE THE BRAKES. THERE IS CONSTANT (EVERY FEW SECONDS) BRAKE BOOSTER ACTUATION/WHIRRING CONSISTENT WITH SYMPTOMS OF A LEAKING/DEFECTIVE BRAKE BOOSTER PER MY LOCAL DEALER. WARNING LIGHTS FOR BRAKE, ABS, STABILITY CONTROL, AND TIRE PRESSURE ARE ON.

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FAULTY HEAD GASKET, ENGINE SHAKING ON STARTUP, COOLANT DRAINING PREMATURELY, WHITE EXHAUST, LOW COMPRESSION AND POWER.

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I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL MAIL REGARDING THE CAR. I USED AN INSURANCE TRACKING PLUGIN, AND ALL THE PROBLEMS STARTED.PCS ERROR MESSAGE ON MY DASHBOARD, DUE TO A LEAK IN BRAKE BOOSTER THEY SAID. MY DEALERSHIP WILL NOT TELL ME IT'S A RECALL, MADE IT SEEM LIKE THEY HELPED ME INSTEAD OF CHARGING AS HIGH AS $4000. I WAS NOT GIVEN A LOANER CAR FOR THE 4DAYS THEY HAD MY CAR, AND DID NOT GET ANY REFUNDS FOR THE RENTAL CAR I GOT

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BROUGHT CAR IN FOR RECALL J0V00D AND IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS THE ABS,TRACTION-CONTROL, BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. THE LIGHTS WENT ON AND OFF AND THEN STAYED ON. WENT BACK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A $3800.00 REPAIR. WAS TOLD THAT CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS WERE AFFECTED, BUT NOT MY VIN#. NOT SURE HOW THIS IS POSSIBLE SINCE I AM READING ALL OVER THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR CAR ALSO? I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY US 19 IN CLEARWATER, WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENED.

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