NHTSA Complaint #10313582 — 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS

REGARDING MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS: THE 'MULTI-INFORMATION DISPLAY, I.E., COMPUTER DISPLAY, DOES NOT FUNCTION FREQUENTLY, AT WHICH TIME A MESSAGE SAYING THE AIR CONDITIONER IS DISCONNECTED. SIMULTANEOUSLY, WHEN THIS MESSAGE APPEARS, THE RADIO INSTANTLY TURNS OFF. WHEN THIS OCCURS ACCESS TO THE COMPUTER IS IMPOSSIBLE, CONTROLS OF THE AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM ARE UNAVAILABLE EXCEPT THROUGH THOSE ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH CONTINUE TO FUNCTION. THE COMPUTER FUNCTION LATER RANDOMLY IS RESTORED FOR BRIEF TO LONG PERIODS BUT REMAINS SUBJECT TO RANDOM FAILURE AGAIN. THIS FAILURE HAS EXISTED FOR YEARS. DEALERSHIPS REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE EQUIPMENT. THIS DEFECT IS A MAJOR DISTRACTION TO SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. FOR EXAMPLE, DURING COMPUTER SHUTDOWN PERIODS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ALTER AIR CONDITIONER FAN SPEED DURING FREEZING AMBIENT WEATHER. *TR