NHTSA Complaint #10435124 — 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING issue reported to NHTSA

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Complaint Details

ODI Number	10435124
Vehicle	2005 TOYOTA PRIUS
Component	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Date of Incident	October 25, 2011
Date Filed	November 10, 2011
Mileage	42,500 miles
Crash	No
Fire	No
Injuries	0
Deaths	0
Vehicle Towed	No
State	CA

Consumer Description

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SHORTLY AFTER I SAW A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. CAR SMELLED LIKE BURNED PLASTIC AND SMOKE. I WAS WORRIED THAT THE CAR COULD CATCH ON FIRE OR BLOW UP! I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP.TOYOTA CLAIMED THAT THE THREE WAY COOLANT CONTROL VALVE HAD FAILED AND THE STEAM CAME FROM A RUPTURED LINE IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM. THE JOB COST ME $422.32. I DIDN'T MIND PAYING THE SERVICE BUT AFTER CAREFUL RESEARCH INTO THE PROBLEM WITH THE 3-WAY CONTROL VALVE ON THE PRIUS I HAD LEARNED THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM.APPARENTLY THE VALVE TENDS TO STICK CAUSING NO FLOW OF THE COOLANT FLUID. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT EITHER BY GETTING BURNED FROM A RUPTURED LINE OR THE CAR CATCHES ON FIRE. *TR

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