NHTSA Complaint #10307655 — 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS TOURING VERSION. SINCE BUYING THE CAR IS 12/07, I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL PROBLEMS. WHEN SLOWING, IF GAS ENGINE KICKS OFF IT IS HARDER TO BRAKE (MINOR). WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS (I.E, RAILROAD TRACKS, RUTTED ROADS), BRAKES DON'T SEEM TO WORK EVEN WHEN PRESSED HARD (MODERATE PROBLEM). I MAKE SURE GUY IN FRONT IS FAR AWAY FROM TRACKS BEFORE PROCEDING. IN SNOW (>4") CAR WILL STALL - CANNOT SPIN TIRES (MEDIUM) SO CAN'T GET THE CAR TO MOVE WITHOUT HAVING TO DIG IT OUT. WEBSITE (PRIUSCHAT.COM) SAYS THIS IS OVERLY AGGRESSIVE TRACTION CONTROL WHICH PROTECTS HYBRID COMPONENTS. DOESN'T HELP WHEN IN TRAFFIC AND STALL OUT. MAJOR PROBLEM - IF QUICKLY ACCELERATING, ENGINE WILL LOSE POWER WITH FAST PLUMMET IN MPH. FEELS LIKE THE ENGINE HAS DIED. EVENTUALLY WITH CATCH AFTER IT FEELS LIKE IT HAS STALLED AND WILL JERK AND THEN SLOWLY ACCELERATE AGAIN. IF ACCELETERATING TO AVOID BEING HIT THIS MAKES THE SITUATION MUCH WORSE. I BELIEVE THAT THE ROOT OF ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS IS EITHER TRACTION CONTROL OF VSC. YELLOW ICON FLASHES ON DASHBOARD WHEN BRAKE POWER LOST ON BUMPY ROADS. SLIPPING OF TIRES DURING FAST ACCELERATION OR IN SNOW CAUSES CAR TO STALL. ALL EVENTS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES (MULTIPLE TIMES FROM 500 TO 36000 MILES). SEARCH DUSTYHUSKIE ON PRIUSCHAT FOR DETAILS. FIGURED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE PROBLEM AND GET USED TO IT. *CN