NHTSA Complaint #10124223 — 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE GASOLINE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED BUT THE ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTINUED TO RUN ALLOWING ME TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY, ALBEIT AT A REDUCED SPEED. I MANAGED TO DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE TO 1.5 MILES UNTIL THE ELECTRIC MOTOR BATTERY WAS CONMPLETELY DEPLETED. THE VEHILCE WOULD NOT RESTART AND I ARRANGED TO HAVE IT TOWED. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW SERVICE I TRIED TO RESTART IT A NUMBER OF TIMES AND AFTER 35 - 40 MINUTES IT STARTED AND SINCE THEN HAS HAD NO ISSUES. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY THE CRUSIE CONTROL WAS SET AND THERE WERE BETWEEN 1.6 AND 2 GALLONS OF GASOLINE REMAINING IN THE TANK. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IF I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE FAST LANE AS THE CAR WENT FROM 65 MPH TO 35 - 40 MPH IN SECONDS! I ALSO BARELY MADE IT OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS ACTUALLY STICKING INTO THE TRAVEL LANE SOMEWHAT WHEN THE ELCTRIC MOTOR ALSO COMPLETLY DIED. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA OF THE PROBLEM BUT NO CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WERE TAKEN AND THEY DID NOT INFORM ME OF ANY ISSUES.