NHTSA Complaint #10447642 — 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAPPENED THREE TIMES, OVER A SIX YEAR SPAN. HE MANAGED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, ALL WORKED FINE. THE CONSUMER STATED A FEW WEEKS AGO HIS VEHICLE WAS ABOUT TO REACH 300,000 MILES, AS HE REACHED FOR HIS CAMERA, HE REALIZED THE ODOMETER NEVER WENT PAST 299,999 MILES. HOWEVER, WITHIN FIVE MILES, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER BRAKES, THE AIR CONDITION STOPPED WORKING, THE HYBRID DRIVE SHUT OFF AND THE FAN FOR THE HYBRID BATTERY CAME ON, AS WELL AS YELLOW AND RED LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH. ALSO, TWO WARNING GRAPHICS APPEARED ON THE NAVIGATION SCREEN, ONE INDICATING TROUBLE. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. HE THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO NORMAL. IT APPEARED THAT BY SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING IT, CAUSED THE MAIN COMPUTER REBOOT. THE CONSUMER STATED IT CONTINUED SEVERAL MORE TIMES, UNTIL HE ARRIVED HOME. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE WAS A LARGE COMPUTER, AND WHEN ONE COMPONENT STOPS WORKING, SUCH AS THE ODOMETER, OTHER COMPONENTS CEASE TOO. THE DEALER EXPLAINED AN ODOMETER LIMIT WAS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE BY THE FACTORY. *JB