NHTSA Complaint #10494421 — 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS

THE ELECTRONIC(?) SHIFT MECHANISM IN THE CAR MALFUNCTIONS/DOES NOT STAY ENGAGED IN TEMPERATURES APPROXIMATELY 28 DEGREES FAREHEIT & BELOW WHEN CAR HAS SAT IDLE FOR PERIODS OF TIME. THE NIGHT OF THIS INCIDENT I WAS RETURNING FROM A BUSINESS TRIP WHERE MY CAR HAD BEEN SITTING OUT IN THE WEATHER FOR APPROXIMATELY 28-30 HOURS. THE TEMPERATURE THIS PARTICULAR DAY WAS 9 DEGREES; HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN IN THE PAST WITH TEMPERATURES RANGING INTO THE MID TO UPPER 20'S. {DUE TO OUR MILD WINTER LAST YEAR I DON'T RECALL IT HAPPENING MUCH IF AT ALL-- IT DID HOWEVER OCCUR THE WINTER YEAR PRIOR [2010-2011] AND I REPORTED IT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER. THEY LOOKED AT ME AND TOLD ME THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY SUCH PROBLEM.} WHEN I POSITION MY SHIFT SELECT FROM THE CENTER POSITION & SELECT EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE CAR TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES UPON PRESSING THE GAS. THE OTHER NIGHT I HAD PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED I HAD TO PHYSICALLY HOLD THE DRIVE SELECTOR IN THE "D"/DRIVE POSITION FOR 28 MINUTES BEFORE THE SELECTOR REMAINED ENGAGED. (IN PAST INCIDENTS I HAVE HAD TO HOLD THE SELECTOR IN POSITION FROM 5-10 MINUTES- THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO GET WORSE IN RLATION TO LOWER TEMPS. ARE THERE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF SUCH A PROBLEM? *TR