NHTSA Complaint #10123992 — 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS (PURCHASED DEC. 2003). APPROXIMATELY 10 MARCH 2005 I WAS DRIVING AT CITY SPEEDS (<40 MPH) WHEN THE GASOLINE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO PROCEED ABOUT A MILE ON THE ELECTRIC ENGINE UNTIL THE BATTERY BECAME DRAINED. I CALLED FOR A TOW UNDER WARRANTY SERVICE. WHILE WAITING, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE GASOLINE ENGINE AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, BUT HAD THE CAR TOWED INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INVESTIGATION OF THE FAILURE AND REPAIR. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS OF INVESTIGATION, THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM AND TOYOTA HAD NOT ISSUED ANY SERVICE BULLETINS DEALING WITH SUCH A PROBLEM. AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK, WHEN I HAD THE CAR SERVICED, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY SIMILAR REPORTS AND TOYOTA HAD NOT ISSUED ANY SERVICE BULLETINS. I GAVE THEM A COPY OF AN ARTICLE FROM A RECENT WALL STREET JOURNAL DETAILS REPORTS OF THESE PROBLEMS AROUND THE COUNTRY. I HAVE NO FURTHER PROBLEMS OF A SIMILAR NATURE, BUT I AM SOMEWHAT APPREHENSIVE OF RECURRENCE. OTHERWISE THE CAR IS WONDERFUL. I GET ~50MPG IN THE SUMMER AND IT HANDLES WELL.