What 233 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Toyota Prius Phev

I AM FACING MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR LATELY; IT OVER HEATS ALOT AND SUDDENLY THE SPEED DROPS WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING IN A VERY DANGEROUS HIGHWAY AND I CAN THEN HARDLY DRIVE IT TO PARK IT ASIDE. A MESSAGE STARTED ALSO TO APPEAR FREQUENTLY "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM". I WAS INFORMED BY THE OFFICIAL TOYOTA AGENT IN JORDAN (MARKAZIA) THAT THIS PROBLEMS IS CAUSED BY THE INVERTOR. HOWEVER, THEY ARE DENYING THAT THE INVERTOR FOR THIS CAR WAS RECALLED, CONTRARY TO WHAT THE OFFICAL TOYOTA WEBSITE STATES WHEN I ENTER THE VIN. THEY ALSO CALIM THAT THEY ARE OBLIGATED BY THE MAIN OFFICE TO OFFER A SOFTWARE UPDATE ONLY.

NHTSA ODI 11361341

THE PRIUS VEHICLES COVERED ONLY BY WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT ZJB ARE SUFFERING THE SAME DANGERS FROM BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP FAILURES AS THOSE TOYOTA COVERED SAFETY RECALLS D0H AND K0L. BY EXCLUDING PRIUS WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKES FROM D0H AND K0L, TOYOTA HAS LEFT THE OWNERS TO HELPLESSLY EXPERIENCE LIFE-THREATENING BRAKE FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS BEFORE TOYOTA WILL PROVIDE THE REPLACEMENT BRAKE COMPONENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THE CAR SAFE. THE LAW REQUIRES TOYOTA TO PREVENT THE LIFE-THREATENING DANGERS OF THIS DEFECT BEFORE BRAKE FAILURE OCCURS. TOYOTA'S COST-CUTTING STRATEGY IS CAUSING CRASHES. INJURIES AND CRASHES CAUSED BY THE BRAKE DEFECT EXPLAINED HEREIN HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA. TOYOTA'S DECISION TO PROVIDE POST-FAILURE REPAIR REIMBURSEMENT - INSTEAD OF A PREVENTATIVE SAFETY RECALL REMEDY - EXPLAINS MANY OF THE CRASHES AND INJURIES REPORTED TO NHTSA. HERE IS A LIST OF RELEVANT COMPLAINTS FROM SAFERCAR.GOV: 10794873,10875685,10876015,10927047,11231660,11219354,11014878,11151142,10680404,10627821,11154835,10983408,10704553,10734278,11173353,11064519,10971881,11186947,10923921,10573591,11243249,10819439,10592400,10919990, 10851950,10855586,11240240,11197067,11193820,11173721,11156466,11144698, 11235210,10550179,11253950,11102264,11044156,11253725,10616134,10875625, 11231596,10584723,11207636,10749388,11014797,11203834,11203591,11193354, 11182610,11155778,11130742,11129946,11164336,10498096,11219901,11154783, 10598545,11228248,10547701,11110691,11164990,11222966,11207630,11192342, 11184751,11183661,11183178,11173804,11173173,11173044,11162242,11144888, 11139660,11121916,11088447,11080403,11061959,10984549,11073636, 11034572, 10870866,10929397,11104163 WHEN THE BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP ASSEMBLY FAILS IN A PRIUS VEHICLE EXCLUDED FROM D0H, C1256, C1253, C1252, C1391, U0293, AND OTHER DTCS INDICATING DANGERS AND FMVSS NONCOMPLIANCE ARE BEING STORED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11256504

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA PRIUS C. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH OR ABOVE, WHEN A LARGE VEHICLE PASSED, IT WOULD PULL THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE INTO ITS PATHWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED IN HIGH WIND CONDITIONS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. ON MAY 15, 2017, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH AN 18-WHEELER. THE CONTACT BELIEVED HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED PAINS AND SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION A MONTH LATER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE BODY DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PULLING FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1804052396 IN 2018 AS WELL AS CASE NUMBER: 1905141699 FOR THE RECENT FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED ON JANUARY 8, 2019, WHICH DAMAGED THE CHASSIS AND HYBRID BATTERY CAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY REPAIRED THE CHASSIS; HOWEVER, THE HYBRID BATTERY CAGE AND BATTERY WERE NOT REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD CATCH FIRE IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 11208117

THE EDR REPORT CLEARLY SHOWED THAT THE BRAKE OIL PRESSURE CHANGES DID NOT CORRELATE WITH THE PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING VEHICLE DECELERATION. THE ISSUE IS OCCASIONAL, RARE AND CANNOT BE REPRODUCED EVERY SINGLE TIME. THIS LEADS TO DISPARITY IN ASSUMED BRAKING DISTANCE FROM ROUTINE EXPERIENCE BY DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND ACTUAL BRAKING DISTANCE AT THE TIME OF FAILED BRAKING WHICH SUPPOSEDLY MAY BE AS A RESULT OF INVERTER ISSUES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EXCLUSIVELY REGENERATIVE BRAKING AT LOW (<50 MPH) SPEEDS.

NHTSA ODI 11173353

THE CAR BRAKES FAILED AT LOW SPEEDS (10-15 MPH) AND BUMPED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT IN A STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC ON THE WET FREEWAY AFTER A RECENT RAIN. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO TOUCH THE FLOOR, AS IF THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DISENGAGED FROM THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND THE ABS LIGHT DID NOT TURN ON AT THE TIME OF BRAKING. THE CAR WAS DRIVING IN THE STRAIGHT LINE AND IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THIS I WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY BRAKE THE CAR ON THE VERY SAME TRIP. SO THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WITH THIS CAR, AS MY SPOUSE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE SIMILAR BRAKE FAILURE AT EVEN LOWER SPEEDS (<10 MPH) RESULTING IN TOUCHING THE CAR IN FRONT AND MINOR SCRATCH ON THE BUMPER. IT WAS A DRY DAY THEN AND ALMOST SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. ASSOCIATED GEICO CLAIM NUMBER IS 0423477190101054. WE OPENED A CASE WITH TOYOTA TO CHECK THE DATA RECORDER. ASSOCIATED TOYOTA CASE NUMBER IS 181112370.

NHTSA ODI 11151142

CAR WAS IN MOTION IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, MOVING AT A LOW SPEED, UNDER 25MPH. WHILE IN AN UNDULATING PORTION OF THE ROAD, DURING ENTRY AND EXIT FROM A DIP AND SLIGHT TURN IN THE ROAD, THE ENGINE STALLED FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, FOR NO MORE THAN A SECOND OR SO THE ACCELERATOR WAS NON-RESPONSIVE, CAUSING ME TO FORCE A STOP BY USING THE BRAKE, AFTER WHICH TIME THE MOTOR RE-ENGAGED AS NORMAL. UNKNOWN CAUSE, HAPPENED ONCE IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE CAR AND NEVER AGAIN. CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY MY DAUGHTER FOR THE LAST 3+ YEARS, SHE HAS NOT REPORTED A RECURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11138932

SEAT BELT LIGHT STAYED ON, SWERVE LIGHT OCCASIONALLY. PROVED TO BE RODENT DAMAGE ON WIRE INSTRUMENTS AND BLOWER, PANEL INSTRUMENT, ANTENNA ASSEMBLIES REACHING $3,900. VEHICLE PARKED OUTSIDE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING ON PUBLIC STREET IN COLD RAINY WEATHER. VEHICLE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. NEVER HAD SUCH A PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES WHILE LIVING HERE OVER 20 YEARS. COULD SOY BASED ENCASING AROUND WIRING CONTRIBUTE TO THIS? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10947274

WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AND ABOUT FOUR TIMES, I HAD EXPERIENCED ROUGH/HIGH IDLING DURING HOT DAYS AND AFTER DRIVING OVER 80 MILES; USING AIR CONDITIONING. (I WORK OVER 70 MILES FROM HOME.) I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA OF REDLANDS DEALERSHIP ON AUGUST 4, 2015, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS DISPLAYING THE SAME CONDITIONS. WHILE ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR BEGAN TO IDLE HEAVILY. I MERGED TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND WHILE ON THE OFF RAMP, STOPPED, THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE DISPLAY READ "CHECK HYBRID ENGINE. STOP PARK THE CAR SAFELY." I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE TO MOVE FROM OFF-RAMP TRAFFIC AND PARK IT. THE MESSAGE ON DISPLAY WAS STILL THERE. I SHUT OFF THE CAR AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. THEY RECOMMENDED I HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THEM. WHEN TOW TRUCK ARRIVED, I TURNED ON THE CAR TO POSITION IT FOR THE TOWING BED. THE MESSAGE NO LONGER DISPLAYED . THE CAR STAYED WITH DEALERSHIP ALL DAY ON AUGUST 5, 2015. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE DISPLAY SHOWED NO MESSAGE AND THERE IS NO CODE TO INDICATE A MALFUNCTION OCCURRED. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I AM KEEPING THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP ON AUGUST 6, 2015, FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. MY CONCERN IS TWO-FOLD: 1. MY SAFETY, 2. IF THE SYSTEM DISPLAYED A MESSAGE, WHY DOES THE SYSTEM NOT PRODUCE A CODE FOR THE TECHNICIANS AS A NON-HYBRID CAR WOULD? THIS ITSELF PRESENTS A SERIOUS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 10746625

TOYOTA'S ENTUNE NAVIGATION SYSTEM RANDOMLY FREEZES AND RESETS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY WHERE A PERSON IS DEPENDING ON THE SYSTEM TO GET SOMEWHERE, IT CAUSES A MASSIVE DISTRACTION AND A RISK TO LIFE AND LIMB. TOYOTA IS OFFERING NO RESOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE AND IT'S DEALERSHIPS ARE REFUSING TO EVEN REGISTER USER COMPLAINTS - "UNLESS THEY CAN REPLICATE THE ISSUE" WHICH IS RATHER DIFFICULT SINCE THE PROBLEM IS RANDOM AND THE DEALERSHIPS WILL NOT TAKE USER REPORTS OF THE ISSUE AS CREDIBLE. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10661378