NHTSA Complaint #10272922 — 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS

TOYOTA PRIUS TRACTION CONTROL IN THE MODEL INCLUDING 2006 HAS A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING DESIGN FLAW. IT SHUTS DOWN ALL POWER TO THE WHEELS WHEN IT DETECTS SLIPPAGE, ESPECIALLY IN FRESH SNOW. IF SOMEONE WERE COMING AT YOU ON A SNOW COVERED ROAD, YOU'RE AT RISK OF HAVING ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR AND BEING PARALYZED IN THE MIDDLE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. A SITTING ON A SLIPPERY ROAD. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO THE TOYOTA CORPORATE PROVED FUTILE. THEIR CORPORATE LINE WAS THAT THE SYSTEM WAS OPERATING THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THEY WERE RESISTANT TO ACCEPTING THAT "OPERATING THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO" WAS THE PROBLEM. THE PRIUS HAS APPARENTLY BEEN REDESIGNED ON THE 2010 MODEL WITH A TRACTION CONTROL OVERRIDE SWITCH DUE TO NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS LIKE MINE AND FROM MECHANICS WHO I SPOKE WITH THAT WORK AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS. NONETHELESS, THERE IS NO WARNING GIVEN TO CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASE THIS CAR AND I HAVE SEEN REPORTS OF ACCIDENTS THAT RESULT OF TRACTION CONTROL SHUTTING DOWN ALL POWER AT THE PRECISE MOMENT WHEN YOU NEED THE ABILITY TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY OF AN ONCOMING CAR TO AVOID A COLLISION. IT SEEMS THAT TOYOTA IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT A COSTLY RECALL THAN ABOUT PASSENGER SAFETY. MY REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO GET THE CORPORATION TO RESPOND TO MY COMPLAINTS AND ACT RESPONSIBLY TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM HAVE PROVED FUTILE. AT LEAST IT SEEMS THEY HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT WITH THE IMMORALITY AND UNWILLINGNESS TO ACT RESPONSIBLY THAT PLAGUES SO MANY CORPORATIONS AFRAID OF LOSING MONEY, THEY CONTINUE TO PUT LIVES AT RISK. *TR