NHTSA Complaint #10311240 — 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS

I HAVE OWED BOTH A 2005 AND 2007 PRIUS AND HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO PROBLEMS WITH BOTH VEHICLES THAT ARE A SAFETY CONCERN, ALTHOUGH NO ACCIDENT HAS RESULTED FROM THESE PROBLEMS. 1) IN SNOWY CONDITIONS, WHEN TRAVELING UP AN INCLINE, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM CAN TURN OFF POWER TO BOTH DRIVE WHEELS WITH THE RESULT THAT THE CAR CAN NOT MAKE IT UP THE HILL. GRANTED THIS CAN HAPPEN EVEN TO A MORE CONVENTIONAL CAR, BUT THE PRIUS DOES THIS UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN OTHER CARS HAVE NO PROBLEM NEGOTIATING THE HILL. THE OWNERS MANUAL CLAIMS THAT THIS IS TO PROTECT THE ELECTRIC ENGINE, HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN OVERRIDE OF SOME SORT THAT ALLOWS THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTOR TO TURN THE WHEELS WHEN TRACTION IS POOR. THIS SYSTEM HAS ALSO LED TO CIRCUMSTANCES IN PARKING LOTS DURING SNOW, WHERE IT BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE THE CAR EVEN THOUGH OTHER CONVENTIONAL CARS ARE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THE SNOW WITHOUT A PROBLEM. 2) IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE PRIUS MUST MERGE QUICKLY INTO TRAFFIC FOR INSTANCE WHEN TURNING INTO BUSY TRAFFIC AT AN INTERSECTION, IF YOU FLOOR THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR INITIAL ACCELERATES, BUT THEN THE ACCELERATION FADES DRAMATICALLY, BEFORE IT RESURGES. THIS CAN BE CIRCUMVENTED BY NOT PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL SO HARD, HOWEVER, THE INSTINCT IS TO STEP ON THE GAS AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. THIS IS NOT ONLY HAIR-RAISING WHEN IT HAPPENS, BUT ALSO COULD LEAD ON AN ACCIDENT. *TR