2007 Toyota PRIUS: complaints, problems and recalls

COMPLAINT IS IN REGARD TO THE TOYOTA PRIUS NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM. IT HAS A GPS SYSTEM, BUT ENTRIES ARE BLOCKED UNLESS THE CAR IS STATIONARY. I DRIVE OUR NATION'S MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER TO MAKE AN ENTRY (NEAREST RESTAURANT, HOTEL, TOURIST ATTRACTION, ETC.). AN OFFICER PULLED OVER AND SAID THAT MY CONSTANT PULLING OVER IS CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. I'VE SEEN OTHER CARS PULLING OVER AND STOPPED TO TALK TO THEM AND THEY ARE ALSO TRYING TO ENTER SOMETHING IN A TOYOTA VEHICLE GPS. I AGREE THAT BLOCKING THE DRIVING FRO…

Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175872 at NHTSA ↗

TL*- THE CONTACT PURCHASED A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS ON FEBRUARY 28, 2007 WITH 4 MILES FROM BEAVER TOYOTA OF SANTA FE NEW MEXICO. THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING OVER 40 MPH IT DID NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT, IT MOVED LEFT TO RIGHT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS HOW THE VEHICLE DROVE. THE SERVICE MANAGER EXPLAINED THAT THESE VEHICLES HAD MANY COMPLAINTS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS AERODYNAMICLY MADE, THE VEHICLE TENDED TO MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE GOING OVER 40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10185244 at NHTSA ↗

OEM TIRE BLOWOUT ON A 2007 PRIUS TOURING EDITION PURCHASED APPROXIMATELY BEFORE 11 /06 PURCHASED NEW FROM A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. INCIDENT TIRE FAILED BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL400-02 SIZE 195/55-16 DOT EL L3@DLN3606 SIDEWALL BLOWOUT RIGHT REAR TIRE LESS THEN 2000 MILES ON TIRE ITINERARY WAS TO DRIVE TO LA LEAVE SATURDAY THE 17TH FOR HOME BEFORE LEAVING THE HOUSE CHECKED TIRE PRESSURE COLD IN ALL FOUR TIRES IT WAS RIGHT ON THE RECOMMENDED FACTORY SPEC 33REAR/35 FRONT WE LEFT FOR LA ON THE 3/15/07 AT 5:00 PM WE DROVE AT OR BELOW POSTED I15 SPE…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,999 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186544 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. HE TRIED TO PUT GAS IN VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT HE COULDN'T FIT THE GAS NOZZLE DOWN INTO THE OPENING, STOPPING THREE INCHES SHORT. WHEN HE DID TRY TO PUT THE GAS INTO THE VEHICLE THE AUTOMATIC SHUTOFF ON THE GAS NOZZLE DIDN'T WORK ON THE PRIUS. THERE WAS SPILLAGE WHEN THIS HAPPENED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS USING DIFFERENT GAS COMPANIES. HE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY HAD ONE OF THEIR DEPARTMENT MANAGERS,GO ON A TEST DRIVE WITH THE CONTACT, AND HE NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE GAS …

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10188734 at NHTSA ↗

2007 PRIUS WAS "T-BONED" ON THE DRIVER SIDE. OTHER CAR (HONDA) WAS GOING ~40 MPH, AND PRIUS WAS GOING ~25 MPH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN THE PRIUS, BUT DID IN THE HONDA. DRIVER OF PRIUS HAD TO BE CUT OUT OF CAR AND SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. MEDICS ON THE SCENE WERE SURPRISED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN THE PRIUS. SINCE THE PRIUS WAS TOTALED, THE PARTS HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10189449 at NHTSA ↗

CAUSE: FLAT TIRE IN THE FRONT LEFT OR FRONT RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT LEFT DEMONSTRATING THE MOST SEVERE HAZARD FAILURE: THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGES REGULARLY DUE TO A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE SPARE AND NORMAL TIRE SIZE. TRACTION CONTROL CUTS POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS AND CANNOT BE OVERRIDDEN, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE SPEED IN NON-DETERMINISTIC MANNER. VEHICLE IS NOT RESPONSIVE. CONDITION IS WORST DURING THE FIRST 40 MILES DRIVEN ON THE SPARE TIRE BUT CONSEQUENTLY IMPROVES DUE TO LEARNING INSIDE THE CAR COMPUTER. UNFORTUNATELY…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,983 miles reported. Look up ODI 10189459 at NHTSA ↗

INDICATOR LIGHTS FLASHED. MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP STAYED ON. AT 2,644 MILES, 12 V. BATTERY DEAD & REPLACED. I WAS TOLD TO KEEP THE GAS TANK HALF OR A QUARTER FULL OR THE RESERVE GAS TANK WOULD CAUSE THE CAR TO RUN ON BATTERY. THE BATTERY MIGHT HAVE DIED BECAUSE THE CAR SAT TOO LONG BEFORE IT WAS SOLD/AT 8,879 MILES, I WENT IN. AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK & TAKING OUT THE NOZZLE, GAS SPEWED & BUBBLED OUT. THE CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY & WHILE IN PARK. INDICATOR LIGHTS FLASHED. THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,644 miles reported. Look up ODI 10195443 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY STOP, THE BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE AS EXPECTED. THERE WAS NO FEELING OF ANY BRAKING, AND THERE WAS NO SURGE TO INDICATE THAT THE ABS WAS OPERATING. THE EXPERIENCE WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE REPORTED ON THE WEB PAGE HTTP://WWW.HYBRIDCARS.COM/FORUMS/BRAKE-FAILURE-2007-T1013.HTML?S=500A78277EA2CB675FAC1F9567000BEE& I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A PRIUS DEALER, AVONDALE TOYOTA, BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY COMPUTER CODES AND THE FACT THAT SUBSEQUENT TESTS OF THE ABS SYSTEM DID NOT INDICATE A PROBLEM THEY WERE UNABLE TO OFFER ANY KIND O…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10196362 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2009-10-05 (October 5, 2009)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.

Consequence: A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: TOYOTA FILED AN AMENDED DEFECT REPORT ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009, STATING THAT DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ALTER THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR SURFACE UNDER THE PEDAL. THESE CHANGES ADDRESS THE RISK OF PEDAL ENTRAPMENT DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH THE FLOOR MAT. REDESIGNED ACCELERATOR PEDALS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE BEGINNING IN APRIL 2010 AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY MODIFIED PEDAL WITH THE NEW PEDAL IF DESIRED. ALSO, DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY GENUINE TOYOTA OR LEXUS ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MATS WITH REDESIGNED ALL-WEATHER MATS, OR REPURCHASE THE PREVIOUS MATS FROM OWNERS WHO DO NOT WANT THE NEW ONES. ADDITIONALLY, SOFTWARE MODIFICATIONS WILL BE INSTALLED ON CAMRY, AVALON AND LEXUS ES 350, IS 350 AND IS 250 MODELS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE BRAKE OVERRIDES THE ACCELERATOR IN THE EVENT BOTH BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE APPLIED. TOYOTA WILL BEGIN MAILING LETTERS TO OWNERS ON DECEMBER 31, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331, LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2010-02-03 (February 3, 2010)

SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

Consequence: A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.

Reported: 2012-11-14 (November 14, 2012)

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2003, through March 30, 2009 and FCHV-adv vehicles manufactured December 12, 2008, through September 13, 2011. During manufacturing, a scratch may have occurred inside of the electrically driven water pump at the coil wire. The coil wire may corrode at the scratched portion.

Consequence: The corroded coil wire may break and the water pump could stop. The corroded coil wire could cause a short circuit between coil wires and a possible open fuse, creating a stall-like condition of the hybrid system while the vehicle is being driven. This may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will replace the electric water pump, free of charge. The recall began on January 17, 2013. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2012-11-14 (November 14, 2012)

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 5, 2003, through March 30, 2009. The affected vehicles have a steering intermediate extension shaft assembly built with metal splines that complete the connection from the steering wheel to the steering gear. These splines may have been manufactured with an insufficient hardness.

Consequence: Over time, the splines may wear and eventually fail resulting in a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the extension shaft and replace it if it is one with insufficient hardness, free of charge. The recall began during December 2012. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.