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)
Continued from part 11
Thanh of San Diego CA (02/23/07)
The Toyota hybrid Prius tax credit is a very misleading factor for consumer. I bought one in October 2006. When I try to claim $1500 credit for the car, the credit form from IRS is designed so that almost no middle class American family will ever have any penny for credit due to the AMT tax. I believe that Toyota knows this all along but never warns consumer. Please see if you can investigate this.
Lose $1500 tax credit
Raymond of Highland IN (02/20/07)
My 2005 Toyota Prius is getting far below the EPA estimates.
In the summer, I average in the lower 40s. In the winter, I average in the mid to low 30s. Plus, when I divide the gallons into the miles driven, I usually am even lower than what the computer tells me. I also do better on the highway than in the city, which is the opposite of what Toyota advertises. When I accelerate from a dead stop with any gas at all, the gasoline engine supplies all of the power.
When I watch the monitor, it seems like the electrical motor is in the generator mode most of the time, recharging the battery, even though the batter is pretty full. It flickers to propel mode breifly, but never for more than just a few seconds. I am a moderate driver, so I know that it's not my driving that is causing the problem. Furthermore, I have complained to my Toyota Dealership (Team Toyota in Highland, IN), but the service manager refuses to look at it. He says you would have a check engine light on if anything was wrong.
He also said that it was due to the cold weather, but I have co-workers who own Prius and they do 10 mph better than I do. I was told I could pay for a more advanced check-up of the hybrid system ($90.00). I was willing to pay this for peace of mind, but when I brought the car in for this, he still wouldn't do it. I like the car otherwise, but I am very disappointed by the difference in the actual mileage versus the EPA figures. I can't even get close. I'm also very disappointed by the sales manager who just accepts the poor gas mileage as normal.
I am filling up a lot more than I expected to which is costing me money. I read the reports that the extra costs associated with the hybrid aren't made up for by the better mileage, but mine aren't being made up at all.
Virginia of San Jose CA (02/19/07)
I purchased a Toyota Prius in 2002. All four of the original Potenza tires blew out within the first 16,000 miles. A fifth blew out a short time later. I discussed this problem with the dealer as well as with Toyota.
I told them that the tires they were providing were extremely dangerous, and asked if there was another tire I could use. They told me there is no other tire I can use for my car, since the wheel base is only 15 and requires an extra-load sidewall.
Since then, I've been using Goodyear weatherwise tires, but they have to be overinflated by 10 psi. Now one of my Goodyears has a bump on it, which means it's about to pop. I can't find any tires that would be safe to use on my Toyota. I know that Toyota is aware of this problem, but they just don't care.
Paul of Lebanon PA (02/16/07)
When my car is on any kind of slick surface that causes one of the front wheels to slip, ALL power to the drive system is stopped,
Unable to drive the car up my driveway, when it is snow covered.
Mary of Lakewood CA (02/14/07)
Drove to Washington State. Stayed in Weed, CA over night and my car would stay started that morning before leaving. Had my 02 Prius jumped ($53)and it only drove 20 miles per hour on HWY 5. Had to be towed to Medford, OR costing $275. Medford charged me $90 to turn off the codes and tell me it was overfilled with oil. Then I got the engine check light again in Spokane and they were friends of the family and didn't charge me to set the codes and reset my oil level stated Medford overfilled my oil.
A day and a half of my time. My safety on HWY 5 in the mountains. $418 No assurance that this won't happen to me again.
Serge of Goode VA (02/12/07)
I recently read an article from your website called:Prius Shuts Down in the Snow, Reader Complains By Joe Benton ConsumerAffairs.Com and would like to let you know that I emphatically agree with the Prius driver's information as reported by Joe Benton's article.
I have a Prius and I consider the car dangerous in all conditions because of this power stoppage when the wheel senses any slippage. For instance, it will do the same thing while driving up a graveled driveway or attempting to gain highway speed while in an acceleration lane and driving across a sand or gravel patch. The pedal goes dead and you could get severely hurt by losing acceleration.
Another dangerous possibility is turning off a rural road, where the speed limit is 55mph, onto another road that is dirt or gravel and has an incline. Slowing to make the turn from a clean road to the aforementioned road and accelerating to get out of the way of the car coming along behind me often causes my car to stop dead with it's rear end partially on the main road.
Toyota's statement is ridiculous and I think it is only a matter of time until they are sued and forced to do something about this serious problem.
Anthony of Salinas CA (02/12/07)
At 50 MPH (65 MPH limit) at PST dawn today, in driving rain I suddenly lost all control and all power in my Prius, the auto drifted into a left skid, turning 180 degrees on the highway then completing a 360 spin on the opposing traffic shoulder about 200 feet from the start. Has this loss of directional control and braking been reported?
Leroy of Plover WI (02/09/07)
Owned a 2006 Prius purchased in January, 2006. Tank would easily hold 11 gallons of fuel. 2006 was totalled in October, 2006. Purchased a 2007 Prius in Novemeber around Thanksgiving. Pump shuts off at between 8 and 9 gallons of gas. Called dealership and Toyota and they told me this was normal. Asked why it did not happen with 2006 model and they did not have an answer.
Several optional answers they threw out were design flaw, bladder expansion, etc. Even had the service manager at our local dealership refer me to the owners manual under fuel tank capacity and try to convince me that the notation 9.9 Imp gallons referred to implement gallons, and those were all the gallons my vehicle would take.
Apparently he believes the 11.9 gallons is only there to let us know that we have a 2 gallon reserve that we can never access and the best we'll ever do is be able to fill our tank with those 9.9 implement gallons.(Tried to suggest they were maybe talking about Imperial gallons, but he flat out told me I was wrong.) Anyone familiar with this problem or any possible options?
I am familiar with the fact that the fuel tank capacity is reduced in cold weather, but when I bought this car, it was in the 40's Fahrenheit and I was having the problem even then. Plus I never had the problem with the 2006 Prius and I was driving that in the same cold weather last year. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Lee Behrens
Paid $28,000 for a vehicle that is inferior to an earlier model of the same product. Would just like product to operate as presented.
Alex of Blowing Rock NC (02/02/07)
Toyota Prius electric and gasoline drive systems totally shut down if front wheel or wheels lose traction.
I'm in total agreement with Mr. Christopher of Reston, Va. comments to be found at http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/01/prius_snowbound.html The Prius is totally unsafe in any situation in which the front wheels loose traction which then causes the engine to completely shut down.
This shutdown occurs on any loosely packed (gravel or loose dirt at an intersection) or slippery (ice or packed snow)surface. Toyota attempts to spin this into a safety feature, which is total hype.
This is a most serious flaw in the design of the car and needs to be corrected, sooner rather than later. I'm positive you will find that this concern is shared by many Prius owners who have encountered the identical situation. I hope you will see fit to look into this matter and get a read on how many Prius owners have encountered this problem and agree that it is of serious concern.
Cathy of Bath NY (01/31/07)
I orginally owned 2 Toyota 2002 Prius that were purchased at Dorshell Toyota in Rochester New York. So when I was ready to buy another car I stayed local and went to Kent Brown Toyota in Elmira. At the time of the new pruchase I had about $4000.00 remaining on the old auto loan. So they stated that Toyota would only do the loan if the $4000.00 balance from the old loan was included in the new loan.
Also I was talked in to the extra car care coverage and extra maintainance, which increased the loan another $4300.00. So to make a long story short... My $21000.00 car in now costing me $34000.00 and a car payment of $800.00 a month.
Within the first month I went back to Kent Brown very unhappy with the gas mileage of 40. My old Prius got 52.
They passed me off stating after the first oil change I should get better. I didnt. I went back in and wanted to know if I could work out some kind of deal exchanging the prius for a camry. They laughed at me and said I would have to pay them an extra $7000.00 on top of the trade to even talk. I will never go back to Kent Brown Toyota and have expressed the way I have been treated to friends who was thinking of going to them.
I am a 50 year old, single mom of 3. 2 in college and a 10 year old. I have owned my own Medical Equipment since 1984 and would never treat my customers in this matter. I was taken advantage of because I am a women. Can you help me in anyway? I would be greatfull for any help you can give me.
Joe of Clarks Summit PA (01/27/07)
In all the hype over hybrid cars, no one is talking about battery life, cost and disposal. I would hope ConsumerAffairs would address the questions (below) regarding the long term impact of the hybrid's batteries.
Specifically, with thousands upon thousands of hybrids being sold and automakers adding more hybrids to their model line, where will all the spent batteries go, after 4 or 5 years, when they no longer hold a charge?
Also, who will absorb the cost of battery replacement which is projected to be quite expensive - from several hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars? Will the auto manufacturers offer any financial support when it is time to replace the hybrid's batteries?
How long can a hybrid owner expect the batteries to last? And more importantly, is the industry geared up to handle this tremendous increase in spent batteries so there is no negative impact to our environment? Finally, it will take resources and energy to produce and recycle these additional batteries and how do we know if the additional energy demand will not be more than the gas being saved by hybrid technology?
Thanh of San Diego CA (02/23/07)
The Toyota hybrid Prius tax credit is a very misleading factor for consumer. I bought one in October 2006. When I try to claim $1500 credit for the car, the credit form from IRS is designed so that almost no middle class American family will ever have any penny for credit due to the AMT tax. I believe that Toyota knows this all along but never warns consumer. Please see if you can investigate this.
Lose $1500 tax credit
Raymond of Highland IN (02/20/07)
My 2005 Toyota Prius is getting far below the EPA estimates.
In the summer, I average in the lower 40s. In the winter, I average in the mid to low 30s. Plus, when I divide the gallons into the miles driven, I usually am even lower than what the computer tells me. I also do better on the highway than in the city, which is the opposite of what Toyota advertises. When I accelerate from a dead stop with any gas at all, the gasoline engine supplies all of the power.
When I watch the monitor, it seems like the electrical motor is in the generator mode most of the time, recharging the battery, even though the batter is pretty full. It flickers to propel mode breifly, but never for more than just a few seconds. I am a moderate driver, so I know that it's not my driving that is causing the problem. Furthermore, I have complained to my Toyota Dealership (Team Toyota in Highland, IN), but the service manager refuses to look at it. He says you would have a check engine light on if anything was wrong.
He also said that it was due to the cold weather, but I have co-workers who own Prius and they do 10 mph better than I do. I was told I could pay for a more advanced check-up of the hybrid system ($90.00). I was willing to pay this for peace of mind, but when I brought the car in for this, he still wouldn't do it. I like the car otherwise, but I am very disappointed by the difference in the actual mileage versus the EPA figures. I can't even get close. I'm also very disappointed by the sales manager who just accepts the poor gas mileage as normal.
I am filling up a lot more than I expected to which is costing me money. I read the reports that the extra costs associated with the hybrid aren't made up for by the better mileage, but mine aren't being made up at all.
Virginia of San Jose CA (02/19/07)
I purchased a Toyota Prius in 2002. All four of the original Potenza tires blew out within the first 16,000 miles. A fifth blew out a short time later. I discussed this problem with the dealer as well as with Toyota.
I told them that the tires they were providing were extremely dangerous, and asked if there was another tire I could use. They told me there is no other tire I can use for my car, since the wheel base is only 15 and requires an extra-load sidewall.
Since then, I've been using Goodyear weatherwise tires, but they have to be overinflated by 10 psi. Now one of my Goodyears has a bump on it, which means it's about to pop. I can't find any tires that would be safe to use on my Toyota. I know that Toyota is aware of this problem, but they just don't care.
Paul of Lebanon PA (02/16/07)
When my car is on any kind of slick surface that causes one of the front wheels to slip, ALL power to the drive system is stopped,
Unable to drive the car up my driveway, when it is snow covered.
Mary of Lakewood CA (02/14/07)
Drove to Washington State. Stayed in Weed, CA over night and my car would stay started that morning before leaving. Had my 02 Prius jumped ($53)and it only drove 20 miles per hour on HWY 5. Had to be towed to Medford, OR costing $275. Medford charged me $90 to turn off the codes and tell me it was overfilled with oil. Then I got the engine check light again in Spokane and they were friends of the family and didn't charge me to set the codes and reset my oil level stated Medford overfilled my oil.
A day and a half of my time. My safety on HWY 5 in the mountains. $418 No assurance that this won't happen to me again.
Serge of Goode VA (02/12/07)
I recently read an article from your website called:Prius Shuts Down in the Snow, Reader Complains By Joe Benton ConsumerAffairs.Com and would like to let you know that I emphatically agree with the Prius driver's information as reported by Joe Benton's article.
I have a Prius and I consider the car dangerous in all conditions because of this power stoppage when the wheel senses any slippage. For instance, it will do the same thing while driving up a graveled driveway or attempting to gain highway speed while in an acceleration lane and driving across a sand or gravel patch. The pedal goes dead and you could get severely hurt by losing acceleration.
Another dangerous possibility is turning off a rural road, where the speed limit is 55mph, onto another road that is dirt or gravel and has an incline. Slowing to make the turn from a clean road to the aforementioned road and accelerating to get out of the way of the car coming along behind me often causes my car to stop dead with it's rear end partially on the main road.
Toyota's statement is ridiculous and I think it is only a matter of time until they are sued and forced to do something about this serious problem.
Anthony of Salinas CA (02/12/07)
At 50 MPH (65 MPH limit) at PST dawn today, in driving rain I suddenly lost all control and all power in my Prius, the auto drifted into a left skid, turning 180 degrees on the highway then completing a 360 spin on the opposing traffic shoulder about 200 feet from the start. Has this loss of directional control and braking been reported?
Leroy of Plover WI (02/09/07)
Owned a 2006 Prius purchased in January, 2006. Tank would easily hold 11 gallons of fuel. 2006 was totalled in October, 2006. Purchased a 2007 Prius in Novemeber around Thanksgiving. Pump shuts off at between 8 and 9 gallons of gas. Called dealership and Toyota and they told me this was normal. Asked why it did not happen with 2006 model and they did not have an answer.
Several optional answers they threw out were design flaw, bladder expansion, etc. Even had the service manager at our local dealership refer me to the owners manual under fuel tank capacity and try to convince me that the notation 9.9 Imp gallons referred to implement gallons, and those were all the gallons my vehicle would take.
Apparently he believes the 11.9 gallons is only there to let us know that we have a 2 gallon reserve that we can never access and the best we'll ever do is be able to fill our tank with those 9.9 implement gallons.(Tried to suggest they were maybe talking about Imperial gallons, but he flat out told me I was wrong.) Anyone familiar with this problem or any possible options?
I am familiar with the fact that the fuel tank capacity is reduced in cold weather, but when I bought this car, it was in the 40's Fahrenheit and I was having the problem even then. Plus I never had the problem with the 2006 Prius and I was driving that in the same cold weather last year. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Lee Behrens
Paid $28,000 for a vehicle that is inferior to an earlier model of the same product. Would just like product to operate as presented.
Alex of Blowing Rock NC (02/02/07)
Toyota Prius electric and gasoline drive systems totally shut down if front wheel or wheels lose traction.
I'm in total agreement with Mr. Christopher of Reston, Va. comments to be found at http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/01/prius_snowbound.html The Prius is totally unsafe in any situation in which the front wheels loose traction which then causes the engine to completely shut down.
This shutdown occurs on any loosely packed (gravel or loose dirt at an intersection) or slippery (ice or packed snow)surface. Toyota attempts to spin this into a safety feature, which is total hype.
This is a most serious flaw in the design of the car and needs to be corrected, sooner rather than later. I'm positive you will find that this concern is shared by many Prius owners who have encountered the identical situation. I hope you will see fit to look into this matter and get a read on how many Prius owners have encountered this problem and agree that it is of serious concern.
Cathy of Bath NY (01/31/07)
I orginally owned 2 Toyota 2002 Prius that were purchased at Dorshell Toyota in Rochester New York. So when I was ready to buy another car I stayed local and went to Kent Brown Toyota in Elmira. At the time of the new pruchase I had about $4000.00 remaining on the old auto loan. So they stated that Toyota would only do the loan if the $4000.00 balance from the old loan was included in the new loan.
Also I was talked in to the extra car care coverage and extra maintainance, which increased the loan another $4300.00. So to make a long story short... My $21000.00 car in now costing me $34000.00 and a car payment of $800.00 a month.
Within the first month I went back to Kent Brown very unhappy with the gas mileage of 40. My old Prius got 52.
They passed me off stating after the first oil change I should get better. I didnt. I went back in and wanted to know if I could work out some kind of deal exchanging the prius for a camry. They laughed at me and said I would have to pay them an extra $7000.00 on top of the trade to even talk. I will never go back to Kent Brown Toyota and have expressed the way I have been treated to friends who was thinking of going to them.
I am a 50 year old, single mom of 3. 2 in college and a 10 year old. I have owned my own Medical Equipment since 1984 and would never treat my customers in this matter. I was taken advantage of because I am a women. Can you help me in anyway? I would be greatfull for any help you can give me.
Joe of Clarks Summit PA (01/27/07)
In all the hype over hybrid cars, no one is talking about battery life, cost and disposal. I would hope ConsumerAffairs would address the questions (below) regarding the long term impact of the hybrid's batteries.
Specifically, with thousands upon thousands of hybrids being sold and automakers adding more hybrids to their model line, where will all the spent batteries go, after 4 or 5 years, when they no longer hold a charge?
Also, who will absorb the cost of battery replacement which is projected to be quite expensive - from several hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars? Will the auto manufacturers offer any financial support when it is time to replace the hybrid's batteries?
How long can a hybrid owner expect the batteries to last? And more importantly, is the industry geared up to handle this tremendous increase in spent batteries so there is no negative impact to our environment? Finally, it will take resources and energy to produce and recycle these additional batteries and how do we know if the additional energy demand will not be more than the gas being saved by hybrid technology?
Guide created: 04/05/08 (updated 06/28/08)
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