Continued from part 10
Ruth of Apache Junction AZ (04/12/07)
we are very disappointed in the gas milage of our 2005 toyota prius. we were told we would be getting 60 city and 51 hiway. we get an average of 37.2 in the city. we also have had trouble with the brake system. we have hd to contact toyota several times.

the first time the lights for brake, ps, caution,car sign with light through it, came on the brakes locked up on me and i left it where we were and got a ride home. my husband went the morning to check it out and the lights didn't come for him so he drove it home with someone following him. the next time it happened was right when i drove in the drive way. we called toyota and they didn't know what was wrong and suggested checking the gas cap. we made an appointment but when we took it in the lights and whistling had stopped and they said they could not do anything if the lights were not on.

The next time it happened i was taking my grandchildren to a dentist appointment. we were going down the 60 and all the lights came om along with the whistling. when i applied the brakes to slow down and get to the right lane the brakes grabbed and made the car pull to the right. we felt frightened and unsafe. we called superstition springs toyota and they gave us the run around as to what to do. finally they made arrangements for the car to be towed to camelback toyota where they gave us a rental. they kept the car for a week and supposably fixed it. approximately three weeks ago as i was turning into a walgreens drive thru the lights came back on and the brakes grabbed again.

i was afraid that the car might not stop in tjme for the car in front of me. it did stop but the brakes were very tight and didn't seem to hold well. i got home and parked the car. we had planned to take the car to Flagstaff with my uncle and brother that afternoon. we had to take my brother's truck. luckly this happened before getting on our way and being standed somewhere or worse yet having a cerious accident. we no requested for the car to be taken to Big Two Toyota in Gilbert and they had it towed there.

They have fixed what they think is the problem. they say the mobile gaurdian (like lo-jack) base unit had slid and was rubbing against the foot peddle. they have relocated the mobile gardian unit and hopfully everything will be okay. i got the car back yesterday.

i am afraid that the problem is not corrected. i feel unsafe. only time will tell. if it happens again, we'll go for the lemon law.

Robert of Knoxville TN (04/09/07)
I traded in a 2004 Prius for a new 2007 model. The old model had LRR tires on it.

When my gas mileage dropped drastically with the same routes and driving habits, I checked the tires, because I had this problem once before in Florida. Sure enough, the car had come equipped with M+S tires. According to the owner's manual, these are tires especially designed for greater traction on ice and snow, and have a much higher rolling resistance than the tires on my 2002 and my 2004 models had. I complained twice to Toyota at 800-331-4331. They basically just don't care.

I also complained to the dealer that they were misleading consumers by advertising mileage impossible to obtain with the M+S tires that come on the car now. They talked to a regional Toyota rep about this. The Toyota rep told them that Toyota had begun replacing the LRR tires mid-year 2006 with the mud and snow tires, no matter where anyone lived. I might not be bothered by this if I lived in Canada or the northern states, but I don't, and no one told me about this. The dealer claims they didn't know what kind of tires the cars came with, and didn't realize they had been changed.

When I went through the Free tires for life program at Lighthouse Toyota in St. Augustine, FL in 2006, they also put on the newer M+S tires without realizing it. My mileage abrubtly dropped about 12 mpg. I took the car back to them three times to try to figure out what the problem was before we all realized that the old LRR tires had been replaced with the much higher rolling resistance M+S version.

They replaced the M+S tires with the old LRR version, and my mileage instantly jumped back to where it was, at around 60 mpg by the car's computer. Not many buyers have gone through the free tires for life program offered by most Toyota dealers for the Prius, and most of those who have probably had the same model tire for their replacement, so this particular experience during their changeover from the LRR to the M+S tires is likely unusual.

I doubt many people understand yet that Toyota has replaced the old LRR tires, which were used in the EPA tests, with mud and snow tires that make it impossible to achieve decent gas mileage.

They are misleading the public by advertising 51/55/60 mpg on their stickers, and equipping the car very differently than those used to obtain those mileage figures. It's not the air pressure. I check it every time I fill up.

The car is designed to run with a 2 psi bias between the front and rear tires. I use 44 psi in the front, 42 psi in the rear. The issue is the type of tires, and false advertising by Toyota and their dealerships, in my opinion.


Joseph of Fairport NY (03/30/07)
I purchased a 2007 Toyota Pruis from a local dealership and have been extremely disappointed in the gas mileage. The advertized mileage of 60 (city) and 51 (highway) are absoluted false and way off the actual of 34 to 39 (city) and approx. 48 (highway). This seems to me to be a gross error in Toyota's calculations and false advertizing. I am contemplating filling a complaint with the New york State's Attorney General's Office. Have there been any such actons taken by other Prius owners?

 

Ralph of Redwood City CA (03/28/07)
I recently purchased a 2007 toyota pruis and have driven it just over 2,000 miles. The traction control has proven to be very troublesome. If a bump in the road on a hill causes a wheel to bounce the traction control cuts all power and brings the car to a standstill. This makes some roads and driveways passable to all other cars impassable to the Prius. This is a defect and can cause the car to become stuck very easily.


Jon of Portland TN (03/26/07)
I have an 2002 Prius. Since we have owned the car we have had a multitude of problems.

Those problems include: 1) Car has gone through 12 tires in under 90,000 miles. No matter what is adjusted on the car, it eats the tires. this has included one blow out. 2) Grounding bracket broke lose and had to have it serviced. Was covered by warranty. The following repairs were all made between 60,000 and 90,000 miles. 3) In less than 500 miles after my $300 60,000 mile service my fuel pump went out. It took a week to get it back and I had to rent a car since we did not have another. Within 2 days of getting the car back it went out again and had to be replaced. Another long wait and car rental. 4)Between 60,000 and 70,000 miles, there were multiple problems with the fuel pump, various related parts and the fuel injectors. I was told the injectors could not be cleaned on a Prius, only replaced. It cost over $600. Corporate Toyota later informed me that the injectors could be cleaned. 5) Steering failed while driving down the interstate.

Without warning, it became nearly impossible to steer. I have been tracking the steering problems with the Prius. My Prius has had the exact same problem as the others yet Toyota says they corrected the problem before mine was manufactured. I even reported the problem to severla dealerships before it went out because it would shake and vibrate, lock up and jerk to the right.

This was mainly happening when you first started the car. Toyota could never find the problem. I had to pay $2,200 to fix the problem.

The vehicle was bought to be reliable. Between 60,000 and 90,000 miles alone, the car has required nearly $5,000 in repairs, maintenance and tires. It has financially strained our family. One of the representatives from Toyota, Haven, agreed that our car did not represent what they consider Toyota quality, yet they will do nothing about it.

Thomas  of Shoals IN (03/25/07)
Bought a new 05 Prius...got great mileage up until 6 months ago...48-52mpg....begin to drop.. 34mpg...complained to Ubelhor Toyota, Jasper IN....took it in....no problem...called toyota...Beth calls...says take it back to dealer...took it back ($123)....no problem found....drove it home...34mpg...called Beth...she said Toyota would not do anything...she had a beligerant attitude at this point...Ubelhor all avoid me if possible.....LAST TOYOTA FOR ME.

Investment loss..... could have bought a lower priced vehicle and came out much better...

M of Pdx OR (03/22/07)
2002 Prius - 3 clusters of problems: 1 - tires; 2 - steering; 3 - auxiliary battery. #1 - OEM tires have premature failure. Toyota factory specs originally called for inflation in mid-30s, and maintained there by Toyota dealers. I had 2 separate blow-outs on freeway @ 55 mph, with tires completely shredding. Internet research disclosed numerous instances, with recommendation from consumers to inflate to 40s. Subsequently, Toyota dealers maintain in 40s. #2 - steering - I've noticed intermittent small 'correction' of steering wheel to the right while @ stop.

Subsequent internet research disclosed numerous complaints for various years of Prii - years before & after mine have been recalled - but not my VIN. Dealer wants $1400 to 'fix'. #3 - auxiliary battery was acting up this winter, and finally failed. Numerous discussions with dealer, and internet research disclose that Toyota no longer supplies OEM battery, nor does anyone else in US. Dealer will be replacing with newer larger version, which requires newer larger bracket. Again, dealer is charging me for bracket, necessitated by Toyota design problem/change.

#1 Almost killed in 2 separate tire blow-outs. Shaken up & stiff/sore from wrenching. Thankfully was able to pull over. Had to change tires myself, because call to Toyota roadside service never worked. Submitted bills for 2 sets of tires (4 total), but never got response from Toyota. Rims also scratched. #2 - Haven't had repaired yet - waiting for recall, or for problem to get worse. #3 - Lost time dealing with dealer, and having to wait for bracket parts to become available. Down time of vehicle. Paying dealer bill to install.

Kristian  of Somerville MA (03/14/07)
I am encountering a similar issue that was described in an article you have written.

However, I encountered the same situation in mud! I had to call AAA to get towed out twice due to the 2006 Toyota Prius TRAC system (traction control). http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/01/prius_snowbound.html Toyota tells me there is no way to disable the 'feature'.

This is unsatisfactory, since I will have the car for many years and I live in a hostile weather environment (New England). They claim that they want to err on the side of safety. But I recommend that they allow the driver to manually disable the feature when parked, and have it re-enabled automatically after reaching a certain speed. That way, both problems are solved.

Can you help???

Cost of a tow for each and every instance. So far, $80. I don't know if damage has resulted to the internal system by me trying to repeatedly 'rock' the car back and forth while in these situations. If that were the case, due to the TRAC system, I may be out even more money in future repairs.

Tim of Bothell WA (03/01/07)
Whenever I drive my Toyota Prius on even a slightly slippery road, the engine stops providing power to the wheels.

This has caused a very dangerous situation for me on several occassions when I am trying to pull out into traffic on wet roads. If the wheels slip, the car just stops right in the way of oncoming traffic and takes several seconds before it will go again. I have also had problems in snow where the car just will not go at more than 2-5 miles per hour on a road where other cars are speeding along at 30 miles per hour with ease.

This is very dangerous. Having the wheels slip when braking is bad, but when accelerating, it is often necessary. The traction control system should not be making this decision or there should be a way to override the system.

Can cause the car to stall in front of on-coming traffic with no way to move the car out of harm's way.

Marcia  of Rye Brook NY (02/28/07)
Since buying a Toyota Priius almost two years ago I have been having strange leg pains. I have another car to drive and it seems to bother me only when I drive the Prius.

Other people with leg complaints blame the seats, etc. but I have spoken to some who claim there is a measureable emmission from the gas pedal.

I have been unable to reach customer relations at Prius. Have you had similar feelings or complaints about this electric car.