NHTSA Complaint #10307785 — 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS

DATE: 02/09/2010 TIME: 10:01:20 CREATION DATE: 02/09/2010 CREATION TIME: 09:58:43 I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A BRAKING/TRACTION CONTROL/LOSS OF ENGINE POWER SAFETY PROBLEM WITH MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ON SNOW COVERED FLAT ROAD SURFACES (1 INCH OF SNOW), SNOW COVERED HILLY ROADS (1 INCH OF SNOW), AND BUMPY ROAD SURFACES. WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TRAC) ENGAGES ON THESE ROAD SURFACES, I LOSE THE ABILITY TO BRAKE AND ALSO LOSE POWER TO THE ENGINE SIMULTANEOUSLY. I HAVE HAD FOUR (4) NEAR-ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. 1.SNOW COVERED (1 INCH OF SNOW) GOING DOWNHILL (SLIGHT HILL)- LOST BRAKES AFTER TRAC TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGED WAS UNABLE TO STOP CAR - WENT THROUGH STOP SIGN. CAR WENT ONTO BUSY HIGHWAY (50 MPH ZONE) AND WOULD NOT STOP. LUCKILY NO CARS WERE COMING AND I AVOIDED A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. 2. SNOW COVERED (1 INCH OF SNOW) GOING DOWNHILL - LOST BRAKES AFTER TRAC TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGED AND ALMOST CRASHED INTO CARS THAT WERE SLOWING DOWN AHEAD OF ME. 3. SNOW COVERED (1 INCH OF SNOW) GOING UPHILL - TRAC TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGED AND I LOST ALL ENGINE POWER AS I WAS TURNING LEFT UP A STEEP HILL. I ALMOST CRASHED INTO LARGE ROCKS AT THE ROADSIDE. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH. 4. SNOW COVERED (1 INCH OF SNOW) DRIVING ON FLAT ROAD SURFACE. I TURNED OFF OF SNOW COVERED ROAD INTO A PARKING LOT AREA. TRAC TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGED AND I LOST THE ABILITY TO BRAKE. MY CAR WENT AT LEAST 15 FEET IN THE PARKING LOT AREA BEFORE STOPPING. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO PARKED CARS THERE AND I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT. A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH TRAC AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ALSO OCCURS ON THE HILLY ROAD LEADING UP TO MY HOUSE. WHEN THE ROAD IS SNOW COVERED (1 INCH OF SNOW) OR ICY THE TRAC TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGES AND I LOSE ALL POWER TO THE ENGINE. IT MAKES IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET MY CAR UP THE HILL DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER WHEN TRAC ENGAGES! *TR