NHTSA Complaint #10700735 — 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS

THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY FAILED TO LIGHT UP, BUT THE CAR TURNED ON. IT DID GO INTO DRIVE, SO I DROVE MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL, THEN STOPPED TO CALL COGGIN TOYOTA AT THE AVENUES TO REPORT THE PROBLEM, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THEY SAID IT WAS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE PRIUS AND FOR WHICH THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN AND A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT, ALTHOUGH THAT "ENHANCEMENT" ENDED 9 YEARS AFTER THE VEHICLE WENT INTO SERVICE. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN RIGHT AWAY SINCE I COULDN'T TURN IT OFF. MY CAR IS 10 YEARS OLD. I CALLED TOYOTA TO COMPLAIN THAT I HAD NOT BEEN TOLD ABOUT THIS WHEN IT WAS STILL UNDER THE ENHANCED WARRANTY PERIOD (ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE RECORDS SAYING THEY MAILED SOMETHING) AND THAT IF I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS (AND APPARENTLY DOZENS OF OTHER PROBLEMS LOOMING OUT THERE FOR WHICH THERE ARE TSBS) ONE WEEK EARLIER WHEN I PAID OVER $3,000 TO HAVE THE HYBRID BATTERY ARRAY REPLACED, I MIGHT HAVE MADE A DIFFERENT CHOICE. MY BIGGEST COMPLAIN CENTERS ON BEING TOLD WHAT I BELIEVE WAS A LIE BY THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE REP --[XXX] -- WHEN I PRESSED FOR WHY, IF THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS THE PART HAS A HIGH FAILURE RATE THAT IT'S WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR, DOES THAT ENHANCED WARRANTY PERIOD END? SHE TOLD ME THE GOVERNMENT OF CALIFORNIA AND OTHER STATES LIMITS THAT PERIOD TO 9 YEARS. SHE COULD NOT PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION OF THAT GOVERNMENT REGULATION, AND IT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT THAT REGULATIONS IN CALIFORNIA (OR OTHER STATES) WOULD LIMIT THE TIME IT WOULD ALLOW A COMPANY TO OFFER REPAIRS TO ITS PRODUCT WITH AN ENHANCED WARRANTY. HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR