NHTSA Complaint #10123832 — 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS

IN JUNE 2004, THE 2004 TOYATA PRIUS WE HAD PURCHASED IN MID-MAY MALFUNCTIONED AS I WAS ACCELERATING ONTO A FREEWAY ON-RAMP IN DALY CITY, CALIFORNIA. A LOUD BEEP SOUNDED, AND ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS LIT UP AT ONCE, INCLUDING THE EXCLAMATION POINT. THE GAS ENGINE DID NOT ENGAGE AS IT USUALLY DID AT HIGHER SPEEDS, LEADING TO A RAPID DEPLETION OF THE BATTERY, WHICH FORCED ME TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, WAITED 5 MINUTES, AND THEN PRESSED THE POWER BUTTON. THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIT UP AGAIN BUT THE CAR DID NOT START. I CALLED FOR A TOW, WHICH TOOK ABOUT 70 MINUTES. IN THE MEANTIME, I TRIED THE POWER BUTTON AT 15 MINUTE INTERVALS. AT 45 MINUTES, THE CAR STARTED NORMALLY. HOWEVER, BY THEN THE TOWING COMPANY WAS ON ITS WAY AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE CENTER OF THE CITY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN DALY CITY, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR. THE CAR WAS LEFT FOR A FEW DAYS. WHEN I RETRIEVED IT, THEY WERE UNABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. WE HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR SINCE WITHOUT INCIDENT.