What 471 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Prius V

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT PROVIDED THE REMEDY FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V684000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM) WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME. THE DEALER (DCH WAPPINGERS FALLS TOYOTA, 1349 U.S. 9, WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY 12590, (845) 206-0521) STATED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE AND DID NOT KNOW WHEN IT WOULD ARRIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RODE ROUGHLY, THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11141401

WHILE DRIVING ON A SIDE ROAD ON 9/26/2018 I RECEIVED AN ALERT MESSAGE THAT SAID "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM. STOP THE VEHICLE IN A SAFE PLACE." I PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND SHUT IT DOWN. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START FOR A MINUTE BUT THEN STARTED AGAIN. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I GET MY CAR SERVICED AND I ASKED THEM IF IT IS OKAY FOR ME TO DRIVE IT HOME SINCE I WAS 110 MILES AWAY. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS OKAY TO DRIVE AND I TOOK THE CAR TO THEM TO GET IT CHECKED OUT UPON GETTING BACK IN TOWN. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE WARNING HAD COME ON, HOWEVER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING TO FIX IT. SO THEY RESET THE ERROR MESSAGE AND RETURNED THE CAR TO ME. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR ON THE ROAD WITHOUT A FIX SINCE IT COULD STOP AT A HIGH SPEED AND CAUSE ME TO BE IN A CRASH. I AM SURPRISED HOW DOES TOYOTA HAVE A PROTOCOL TO LET USERS DRIVE A FAULTY CAR ON THE ROAD?

NHTSA ODI 11138925

CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ABOUT 15-20 MPH WHEN IT JUST STOPPED WITH A JOLT AS IF IT HAD BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. TOWED TO SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS BAD INVERTER.

NHTSA ODI 11130852

THIS HAS HAPPENED FIVE TIMES NOW, THUS FAR ONLY ON A LEVEL SURFACE. STARTING WITH THE CAR OFF AND PARKED WITH THE PARKING BRAKE ON. I DEPRESS AND HOLD THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH MY RIGHT FOOT. START THE CAR BY PRESSING POWER. WHILE CONTINUING TO HOLD THE BRAKE PEDAL I DEPRESS AND RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE TO DISENGAGE IT. THEN, STILL WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, I SHIFT INTO REVERSE. INSTEAD OF REMAINING STILL THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARDS. IMMEDIATELY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL FARTHER DOES NOT CAUSE ANY BRAKING. I HAVE INSTINCTIVELY REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE PEDAL COMPLETELY AND THEN DEPRESSED THE PEDAL AGAIN. THE SECOND ATTEMPT HAS ALWAYS RESULTED IN BRAKING. FORTUNATELY THIS HAS OCCURRED ONLY WHEN THERE HAS BEEN NO TRAFFIC OR OBSTACLE BEHIND THE CAR BUT IT IS GREATLY CONCERNING, PARTICULARLY ON SAN FRANCISCO HILLS, TO WORRY THAT THE BRAKES WILL NOT FUNCTION WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR FROM PARK. FURTHER THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WARNING WHEN THE BRAKES MAY MALFUNCTION. I CAN ONLY TELL THE BRAKES AREN'T WORKING WHEN IT STARTS ROLLING BACKWARD UNDER POWER.

NHTSA ODI 11129220

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET AN OIL CHANGE AND THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11128780

CAR WAS PARKED AND NOTICED THAT REAR BUMPER ON RIGHT CORNER WAS HANGING OFF SLIGHTLY, WITH CLIPS VISIBLE UNDERNEATH. WHEN PUSHING IT IN TO TRY AND REHINGE ONTO THE CLIPS, IT MOVED ANOTHER PART OF THE BUMPER. BUMPER VIEW FROM THE REAR IS NOT SHOWING ONE SIDE IS SAGGING.

NHTSA ODI 11123884

TOYOTA IMP AS I WENT TO ACCELERATE ONTO ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ENTRANCES TO THE 110 PARKWAY IN LOS ANGELES, MY CAR STALLED. THE CAR WORKED VERY SLOWLY FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES, THEN IT WOULD NOT EVEN GO INTO DRIVE. THERE WAS STILL POWER AND AIR CONDITIONING. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT WAS CONFIRMED TO BE THE POWER INVERTER. I HAD THE SOFTWARE RECALL DONE IN 2015, YET MY CAR'S INVERTER STILL FAILED.

NHTSA ODI 11119337

VEHICLE LOSS POWER WHILE DRIVING RESIDENTIAL ROADS

NHTSA ODI 11118613

I BOUGHT A USED 2013 TOYOTA CERTIFIED PRIUS IN 2016,AFTER USING FOR A FEW MONTHS THE CAR STALLED AT THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.I HAVE IT TOWED AT BOB SMITH TOYOTA FOR REPAIRS.THE REPAIR INDICATED A REPLACEMENT OF INVERTER.THE COST OF REPAIR IS AROUND $2,000.THE CAR IS OK NOW AND RUNNING,BUT IT'S NO GUARANTEE THE THE SAME PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR,AT PRESENT I BROUGHT MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN FOR ANOTHER ISSUE,THE RADIO,NAVIGATION BACKUP CAMERA DOESN'T WORK,

NHTSA ODI 11114118

HEADLIGHT TURNS ITSELF OFF. REPLACED BULB MULTIPLE TIMES. HEADLIGHT WORKS FOR A FEW HOURS THEN TURNS OFF AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11112760

AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATE 40 MILES ON FREEAY I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN ACCELERATING I HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND VEHICLE LOST POWER. WOULD NOT ACCLELERATE AND THE HYBRID/ABS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON,LUCKLY THIS HAPPEN ON A STRET AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. I PULLED OVER AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALER. THEY FOUND THAT THE IPM RESISTOR FOR THE INVERTER HAD FAILED. DEALER REPLACED IPM AND INVERTER.

NHTSA ODI 11111898

2013 PRIUS 3 VEHICLE ALWAYS SERVICED AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, LAST SERVICE THEY RECOMMENDED FRONT BRAKE PADS REPLACEMENT, TIRES AND ALIGNMENT SO I DID . 7 MONTHS LATER DRIVING ALONG SMOOTH CITY ROAD ABS, TRACKING CONTROL, AND BRAKE LIGHTS COMES ON BRAKES FEEL HARDER TO DEPRESS AND NO GENERATIVE BRAKING. I HAD DIAGNOSTICS RUN FOR CODES AND CAME BACK (C1391 ABNORMAL LEAK IN ACCUMULATOR). RESEARCH FOUND THIS COMMON PROBLEM CRACK IN ACCUMULATOR DUE TO VIBRATION BUT FOUND NO RECALL ON IT.

NHTSA ODI 11112022

LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY ME 3 TIMES IN 80K MILES. I AM NOW AWARE THERE IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AS THEY ARE AGAIN FAILING, AND I REPLACED THE BULBS OF BOTH JUST 2 WEEKS AGO. THERE IS NO WARNING, THEY JUST DON'T WORK. I NOTICE IT WHILE DRIVING AND CANNOT SEE WITHOUT BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS ON.

NHTSA ODI 11103766

CURRENTLY USING APPROXIMATELY 1 QUART OF OIL PER 2,000 MILES. THAT COMES OUT TO 5 QUARTS PER 10,000 MILE OIL CHANGE--WHICH IS MORE THAN THE 4.4 QUARTS THAT THE CAR HOLDS. NO DRIPS UNDER THE CAR. NO CLOUDS OF SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST. THE OIL USAGE SLOWED DOWN, WHEN I TRIED USING CASTRIL FULL SYNTHETIC OIL--AT THE SUGGESTION OF A NEIGHBOR OF MINE, INSTEAD OF THE TOYOTA DEALER OIL AND MOBIL 1. IT IS A CONCERN, THAT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM MIGHT BE PLUGGING UP--DUE TO THIS OIL USE ISSUE. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 200,000. THE WARRANTY COMPANY TOLD ME TODAY, THAT, THEY WILL ONLY COVER INTERNAL ENGINE PART BREAKAGE, OR WHATEVER MY FACTORY WARRANTY WAS. THEY WILL NOT COVER THE CAUSE OF THE OIL USE, AND THEY WILL NOT COVER DAMAGE CAUSED BY LACK OF OIL. SO, I WAS TOLD, TO MAKE SURE I KEEP IT FULL OF OIL. TOYOTA SHOULD CONSIDER HOW THIS WILL AFFECT THEIR FUTURE BUSINESS. A BIG SALES POINT TO THE PRIUS IS, THAT, IT SHOULD LAST A REALLY LONG TIME. IT MAY LAST A LONG TIME, YET. I'LL KEEP ADDING OIL AND WE SHALL SEE. IN THE MEAN TIME, I PLAN TO GET A ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES TOWING....

NHTSA ODI 11103078

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DOES NOT WORK. IT WILL NOT GO BACK ON.

NHTSA ODI 11099826

EXCESSIVE MOTOR OIL BURNING AT A RATE OF 2 QUARTS EVERY 5000 MILES. DEALER CLAIMS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. DEALER CONFIRMS THAT THERE IS NO LEAKAGE.

NHTSA ODI 11098089

MY CAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RADAR CONTROL. IT HAS FAILED MULTIPLY TIMES ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I HAD IT IN CRUISE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT A "BEEP BEEP GOES OFF AND THEN THE CAR SLOWS DOWN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS HAS HAPPENED MOSTLY IN WET WEATHER BUT HAS FAILED MANY TIMES. WITH NO ONE IN FROM OF ME. I HAD IT IN TO TOYOTA AND THEN SPENT THE WHOLE DAY GOING OVER THE CAR. THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR BUT MAYBE NOT USE THE CRUISE. THEY WOULD NOT SENT ME A LETTER TO THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. IT TOOK ME 3 TO 4 DAYS OF CALLING AND FAXING TO GET THIS INFO. NOW THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS TELLING ME THAT BEFORE I BOUGHT THIS SUPPOSABLE NEW CAR IN 2015 WITH ONLY 8,000 MILES ON IT THAT IT HAS BEEN WRECKED OR IN 2 ACCIDENTS BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH IT AND IT IS A DANGER TO DRIVE IT. CAN YOU HELP ME.I CAN NOT SUPPLY YOU WITH ANY DATA OTHER THAN MY PERMISSION FAX THAT I SENT TOYOTA TO GO THROUGH MY CAR. MY SON DROVE THE CAR OR I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT WITNESS THIS OCCURRENCE

NHTSA ODI 11097588

I PUT THIS CAR INTO SERVICE JANUARY 1, 2014. I DROVE 150,000 MILES CHANGING MY OIL RELIGIOUSLY AS RECOMMENDED. I HAD NEVER BURNED A DROP OF OIL PRIOR TO THIS. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I STARTED BURNING A QUART EVERY 2000 MILES. AFTER LOOKING AT TOYOTA FORUMS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11097262

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PASS A SEMI TRUCK. WHEN I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR, THERE WAS NO POWER. THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT HAD BEEN SHUT OFF. THE STABILITY CONTROL, TIRE PRESSURE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. I TURNED ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR. THE WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT WAS STRAINING OR LUGGING. I DISCOVERED IF I BACKED OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND THEN ACCELERATED, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO REPEAT THE PROCESS OF BACKING OFF THE ACCELERATOR AT EVERY TRAFFIC LIGHT . I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO SOLD IT TO ME. IT IS BEING FIXED, BUT MY VIN # DOES NOT SHOW UP AS PART OF THE RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11092558

I AM CONCERNED AS THE OWNER OF THE IDENTIFIED VEHICLE IN THIS COMPLAINT OF SERIOUS SAFETY AND VEHICLE FUEL EFFICIENCY ISSUES REGARDING THIS VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN WIDELY CIRCULATED IN NATIONAL MEDIA THAT CERTAIN TOYOTA PRIUS VEHICLES, HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CATASTROPHIC POWER INVERTER FAILURES THAT HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THESE VEHICLES AND OFTEN SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING BODILY INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THESE VEHICLES. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT MY PRIUS WAS PART OF A RECALL CAMPAIGN THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO ADDRESS THIS INVERTER ISSUE BUT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN NOTHING MORE THAN A BAND-AID SOFTWARE FIX TO A PROBLEM THAT IS ACTUALLY THE RESULT OF DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS. THIS CATASTROPHIC POWER INVERTER FAILURE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM THAT IS FAR BEYOND THE SCOPE OF A SIMPLE SOFTWARE SOLUTION. MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE ALSO COMPLAINING OF UP TO A 15% OR MORE DROP IN FUEL EFFICIENCY SINCE THIS SO-CALLED SOFTWARE FIX WAS INITIATED. I PERSONALLY HAVE EXPERIENCED A DROP IN FUEL EFFICIENCY OF MY PRIUS V FROM A CONSISTENT 42 MPG SINCE 2013 TO 35 MPG OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS. MY CONCERN THAT THIS DROP IN FUEL EFFICIENCY IS CONNECTED TO THE POWER INVERTER PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VEHICLE. I RECENTLY COMMUNICATED MY CONCERNS RELATING TO THE POWER INVERTER PROBLEMS TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF SOME ISSUES REGARDING THE INVERTERS AND THAT AS A RESULT TOYOTA INCREASED THE WARRANTY OF THIS COMPONENT FROM 8 YRS./100K MILES TO 15 YRS./UNLIMITED MILES! THIS WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE THAT TOYOTA IS FULLY AWARE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. I AM CONCERNED THAT TOYOTA IS NOT ADDRESSING THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11089911

MY 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS OCCASIONALLY EXPERIENCES DELAYS IN ACCELERATION AND ABNORMAL HYBRID FUNCTION. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THERE ARE NO LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD. CORPORATE TOYOTA DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE. I ASKED IF I HAD TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THIS BECAME AN ISSUE. AN EXTRA SECOND OF UNEXPECTED INABILITY TO MOVE MY CAR CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IN MY OPINION. SO WHEN I PULL OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO A STREET WITH MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL THERE WILL SOMETIMES AN ADDITIONAL SECOND OR SO BEFORE THE CAR STARTED TO MOVES AND AT A SLOWER THAN NORMAL PACE. I KNOW PRIUSES DON'T MOVE FAST BUT IT IS SILLY SLOW.

NHTSA ODI 11089265

AS A SAFETY PROFESSIONAL, I HAVE A SAFETY CONCERN ON THE INVERTER NOT OPERATING CORRECTLY AND PUTTING ME, MY FAMILY, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN HARMS WAY. I AM THEREFORE HOLDING NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION AND TOYOTA CORPORATION RESPONSIBLE HERE ON FORWARD. I AM DRIVING MY VEHICLE IN CALIFORNIA BUSY FREEWAYS.

NHTSA ODI 11084813

ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AT START UP CAME ON WITH NO DEGRADATION OF OPERATION. CAR WAS TAKEN TO ORIGINATING MANUFACTURE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. WHEN CAR WAS PURCHASED AS CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED THE SALES REP UPSOLD EXTENDED 3RD PARTY WARRANTY COVERAGE THAT THEY SAID 'WOULD COVER EVERYTHING INCLUDING DIAGNOSIS LABOR FEES.' WHEN VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED FROM DEALER SERVICE DEPT THEY SAID IT WAS FAULTY O2 SENSOR, CAUSED 'BY RODENT DAMAGE TO CABLE'. NO VALIDATION OR EVIDENCE OF THIS WAS PROVIDED; CABLE/PARTS NOT PRESENTED FOR INSPECTION TO CUSTOMER. CUSTOMER WAS TOLD LACK OF SENSOR WOULD RESULT IN REDUCED GAS MILAGE. CUSTOMER ASKED ABOUT SAFETY OF VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT PART REPAIR. CUSTOMER ASKED IF REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT. CUSTOMER DECLINED REPAIR AT THAT TIME; CUSTOMER WAS FORCED TO PAY ~$150 LABOR CHARGE FOR INSPECTION. CUSTOMER RETURNED AT A LATE TIME TO COMPLETE REPAIR. AGAIN NO EVIDENCE OF PART FAILURE WAS PRESENTED AND REPAIR COST ~$400 WAS FORCED TO BE PAID. CUSTOMER THEN FOUND EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE DOCUMENTS AND CALLED THEM TO ASK WHY REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED AS PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION AND CONTRACT SEEMED TO INCLUDE COVERAGE OF THIS ISSUE; PROVIDER NOTED THAT DEALER DID NOT CALL TO AUTHORIZE REPAIR AT NO COST TO CUSTOMER AND CUSTOMER SHOULD SUBMIT PAPERWORK TO PROVIDER FOR REVIEW. CUSTOMER FURTHER RESEARCHED ON INTERNET THE ISSUE AND FOUND MULTIPLE REPORTS OF FAULTY WIRING AND IS CONCERNED FOR SAFETY OF OPERATION DUE TO MANUFACTURE MATERIAL FLAWS THAT ALLOW ANIMAL DAMAGE TO CRITICAL WIRING OF CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11081982

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWERVE AND VIBRATE. THE ECU SENSOR INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN DIRECTLY TO ALLEN JAY TOYOTA (40 US HWY 27 NORTH, SEABRING, FL) WHO INITIALLY WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECU WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. *TT *JS

NHTSA ODI 11080932

MY WIFE STARTED HER CAR THIS MORNING, PUT IT IN PARK AND THEN STEPPED OUT TO GET THE MAIL. THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY MOVED FORWARD RUNNING HER OVER AND PINNING HER LEG UNDERNEATH. SHE IS CURRENTLY AT THE HOSPITAL BEING CHECKED FOR INTERNAL INJURIES. HAS THIS BEEN REPORTED AND IF SO, WHY NOT FULLY REPORTED?

NHTSA ODI 11054736