NHTSA Complaint #10409123 — 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS

I PURCHASED A 2010 PRIUS. WITHIN A 100 MILES, THE BRAKE PEDAL RANDOMLY LOCKED UP, THE BRAKES GRABBED AND BROUGHT MY CAR TO AN ABRUPT HALT. THE BRAKE PEDAL REMAINED LOCKED FOR ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD UNTIL AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL UNLOCKED ITSELF. INITIALLY THIS HAPPENED IN REVERSE MODE SEVERAL TIMES, THEN IT WAS HAPPENING ONCE A WEEK AND IN FORWARD MODE AS WELL AS REVERSE. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIRS, MOST RECENTLY TOYOTA HAD MY CAR FOR A MONTH. NOTE THAT DURING THIS MONTH LONG INVESTIGATION NOTHING WAS DONE TO MY CAR, IT JUST SAT THERE. UPON MY LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP THE BRAKE PEDAL ACTUALLY LOCK UP! THE FIELD REPRESENTATIVE CONFIRMED THE PEDAL TO BE LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE FOR 30 SECONDS OR LONGER. HE TOOK MEASUREMENTS AND THE ENGINEER TOOK PHOTOS OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AS IT WAS UP IN THE AIR AND NOT DEPRESSED AS A NORMAL PEDAL WOULD BE. HE INSTRUCTED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO SEND ME HOME IN A LOANER CAR AND NOT THE PRIUS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS SO RELIEVED THAT SOMEONE FINALLY SAW THE BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED UP AND NOT RELEASE. AFTER AN ADDITIONAL WEEK, THE DEALER CONTACTED ME AND SAID THAT TOYOTA DETERMINED THAT THIS CONDITION IS NORMAL AND THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED! WHEN I REQUESTED THAT THE PHOTOS AND MEASUREMENTS OF THE LOCKED UP BRAKE PEDAL BE INCLUDED IN MY SERVICE REPORT, THE FIELD REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED TO FURNISH THAT DATA. INSTEAD, HE DENIED HE WITNESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL LOCK UP. THERE WERE NO CODES, NO WARNING LIGHTS OR WARNING SOUNDS, A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKES LOCKING UP. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE THAT 1% OF THE PRIUS CARS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND ARE WORKING ON A FIX! I BELIEVE THAT THE DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT HAVE RESULTED IN AN INHERENTLY DANGEROUS PRODUCT AND TOYOTA IS TRYING TO COVER IT UP. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS, I BELIEVE MANY PEOPLE ARE AT RISK. 1% OF A MILLION CARS IS A LOT OF DRIVERS, PASSENGERS AND OTHERS SHARING THE ROAD. *TR