NHTSA Complaint #10691187 — 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C

I HAVE HAD MY TOYOTA PRIUS C FOR 1.5 YEARS. I WAS ASSURED IT WAS A SAFE CAR. HOWEVER THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS. THE CAR HAS AN AUTO TRACTION CONTROL THAT WILL TURN ON DURING FLURRIES OR IF THERE ARE WET LEAVES OR RAIN. WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL (A SAFETY FEATURE) TURNS ON MY WHEELS STOP,MY BRAKES STOP, I CANNOT CONTROL MY STEERING AND I AM BASICALLY AT THE MERCY OF THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN IN SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS 55-65 MPH, AND ON BACK ROADS 25MPH+ AND ON TURNS WHERE I AM GOING 2-4 MPH AT A GLIDE, OR ON HILLS, BECAUSE THE CAR WILL TURN ON THE AUTO TRACTION AND I LOSE COMPLETE CONTROL. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS BASED ON THIS FEATURE OF THE CAR (WHICH OTHER CARS HAVE A FEATURE TO TURN OFF THE TRACTION) YET TOYOTA HAS DONE NOTHING. PEOPLE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO SHUT OFF THE TRACTION THEMSELVES IN NEWER MODELS THROUGH A SET OF STEPS THAT COULD BLOW THE ENGINE, YET THEY SAY THE RISK IS THE SAFER OPTION. A GOOGLE SEARCH WILL SHOW THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE THEIR LIFE IS IN DANGER BECAUSE OF HOW BAD THIS FEATURE IS IN BAD WEATHER. THIS CAR CANNOT HANDLE ANY TYPE OF BAD WEATHER. I TRIED TO GO TO A TOYOTA MECHANIC (JONES JUNCTION IN BEL AIR MARYLAND) AND WAS TOLD I WAS OUT OF LUCK AND I WOULD JUST HAVE TO CRASH MY CAR IN A POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE LIABLE. I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE AND THOSE AROUND ME ARE IN DANGER BECAUSE THE CAR SO EASILY GOES OUT OF CONTROL. I CAN'T EVEN GET IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY OR MOVE IF THERE IS 1 INCH OF SNOW BECAUSE EVERYTHING SHUTS OFF AND I GET STUCK IN THE STREET. I'M SCARED IN THIS CAR BUT I CANNOT RETURN IT BECAUSE I WOULD LOSE SO MUCH MONEY. THIS "SAFETY FEATURE" PUTS LIVES IN DANGER AND THERE IS NO OPTION TO TURN IT OFF UNLIKE OTHER BETTER CAR MODELS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL THEIR PRIUS AND PRIUS C AND PRIUS V CARS SO OWNERS CAN HAVE THE OPTION OF TURNING ON OR OFF THE TRACTION. *TR