NHTSA Complaint #10122277 — 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, BUT I JUST LEARNED THIS IS THE VENUE TO STATE MY COMPLAINTS(I HAVE ANOTHER COMPLAINT ON THIS BOARD. I BOUGHT THIS CAR TO SAVE GAS,MONEY AND THE ENVIRONMENT,BUT NOW THIS CAR IS DOING NONE OF THESE FOR ME IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. WHILE I'M STUCK IN TRAFFIC IN DC(I395N), THE BATTERY TAKES OVER. THE PROBLEM IS THE GAS DOESN'T KICK IN WHEN THE BATTERY IS LOW. I FIND THE BATTERY DOESN'T STAY CHARGED FOR OVER 28MINUTES WHILE MOVING IN TRAFFIC ABOUT 3 FEET EVERY 5 OR 10 MINUTES. I HAVE FIGURED OUT IN ORDER TO NOT GET STALLED (WHICH HAS HAPPENED TO ME, 2 TIMES ALREADY,BESIDES TODAY.) I HAVE TO HOLD THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN WITH ONE FOOT AND REV THE GAS PEDAL WITH THE RIGHT FOOT IN ORDER TO CHARGE THE BATTERY AND NOT GET SLAMMED INTO FROM A VEHICLE BEHIND ME! MY WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE THE CAR NOW FOR FEAR THAT SHE'LL STALL. I'M FILLING MY TANK MORE OFTEN NOW THAN WHEN I FIRST GOT THIS VEHICLE. DUE TO THE REVING OF THE VEHICLE WHICH WASTES MY GAS(SORTA DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF BUYING A HYBRID FOR THE MOST PART!), ALSO THIS CAN'T BE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT EITHER! OH AND LETS NOT FORGET THE SAFETY FACTOR. I HAVE PEOPLE YELLING AT ME AND SAYING THEY WANT TO BUST MY A**! AND EVEN AN ELDERLY WOMAN WITH HANDICAP PLATES GAVE ME THE FINGER RIGHT AFTER SHE ALMOST SLAMMED INTO MY STALLED CAR. I'M EMBARRASSED AND SCARED TO DRIVE OVER 65 BECAUSE THE WAY THE CAR DIED ON ME 2 TIMES BEFORE.