What 612 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Prius V

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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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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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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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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

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

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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.

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

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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

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

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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THE DRIVER SEATBELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNBUCKLE

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