NHTSA Complaint #10525127 — 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V

FROM A STANDSTILL, UNDER LIGHT WINTER CONDITIONS, THERE HAVE MANY TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT/CAN NOT MOVE. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED POWER IS SENT FOR A FRACTION SECOND (VERY QUICK PULSE) AND THEN ALL POWER IS CUT OFF AND NOTHING FURTHER HAPPENS UNTIL YOU LIFT OFF ACCELERATOR AND TRY AGAIN. IT DOES THE SAME THING IN REVERSE. THE ONLY WAY OUT OF THIS CYCLE IS TO PHYSICALLY PUSH THE CAR TO GET IT MOVING(SLOW WALKING PACE) AND THEN THE TRACTION CONTROL BEHAVES VERY MUCH LIKE OUR 2012 CAMRY SE V6. A COUPLE TIMES WE HAD OUR CAMRY RIGHT NEXT TO THE PRIUS(SIDE BY SIDE) AND THE CAMRY WAS ABLE TO GET ITSELF MOVING(WITH TC ON) AND PRIUS WOULD NOT BUDGE. BOTH HAVE THE FACTORY TIRES, THE PRIUS TIRES ARE IN BETTER SHAPE THAN THE CAMRY. I KNOW THE TWO VEHICLES ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT AND THAT THIS COMPARISON MAY BE OF LITTLE HELP; I SIMPLY WANT TO EXPRESS THAT THE CONDITIONS THE PRIUS WILL NOT FUNCTION UNDER SHOULD NOT BE THOUGHT OF AS EXTREME, BUT RATHER ORDINARY WINTER CONDITIONS. IT SEEMS THAT THE PRIUS TRACTION CONTROL PARAMETERS DO NOT EVEN GIVE THE CAR THE CHANCE TO GET MOVING BEFORE SHUTTING THE SYSTEM DOWN. *TR