NHTSA Complaint #10123887 — 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS

OUR 2004 PRIUS STALLED REPEATEDLY ON A DRIVE FROM HOLLAND, MICH., TO ST. LOUIS, MO, ON DEC. 26/27, 2004. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT WAS AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, WHEN ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT ON AND THE ENGINE DIED. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (IT WAS HE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS AND A SUNDAY, SO HELP WAS NOT READILY AVAILABLE), WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND RETURN TO HOLLAND. THE NEXT DAY, WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. WE RESUMED DRIVING AND AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. WE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WAITED A BIT, AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. WE REPEATED THIS SEVERAL TIMES, DRIVE, STALL, RESTART, DRIVE, UNTIL WE GOT TO A DEALER IN CHICAGO, WHO DECLARED THAT OUR TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT BUT WE MIGHT AS WELL DRIVE BACK TO ST. LOUIS SINCE IT WOULD TAKE THEM A WEEK TO GET A NEW ONE ANYWAY. SO WE DROVE, STALLED, RESTARTED, AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL WE GOT JUST SOUTH OF SPRINGFIELD, ILL., WHERE THE CAR STALLED FOR GOOD. AFTER AN UNCOMFORTABLE HOUR SPENT ON THE SIDE OF INTERSTATE 55 WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK ON A FREEZING COLD NIGHT, WE FINALLY WERE TAKEN BACK TO ST. LOUIS, WHERE THE DEALER PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION.