NHTSA Complaint #10450749 — 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHENEVER OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 45F OR SO. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS A FAULTY COOLANT FLOW CONTROL VALVE THAT WAS RESULTING IN CODE P1121. THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE COOLANT CAN LEAK OUT, AND RECOMMENDED IT BE FIXED ASAP AT A COST OF NEARLY $1000. THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM FOR PRIUS'S AND AN ONLINE SEARCH SHOWED THAT TOYOTA DID COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY (EXTENSION) FOR SOME MODEL YEARS UP TO 35K MILES. I WROTE TO TOYOTA MOTOR SALES TO ASK IF THEY WOULD COVER OR ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR COST, AND IF THERE WAS A HIDDEN RECALL OR WARRANTY EXTENSION ON THIS ISSUE, AND THEY RESPONDED THAT I SHOULD JUST TRY TO NEGOTIATE A BETTER PRICE WITH THE DEALER. I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD COVER THIS, IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. *TR