NHTSA Complaint #10711889 — 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS

BOUGHT ONE-OWNER 2005 PRIUS 11-26-2014 AFTER PAYING FOR A PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION AT A TOYOTA DEALER SHOWING COMPLETE SERVICE RECORD INCLUDING ALL RECALL CAMPAIGNS. 4-19-2015 WITHOUT WARNING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE ENTIRE 'COMBINATION METER DISPLAY' SIMPLY TURNED OFF, LEAVING THE CAR RUNNING IN THE BLIND, NO GAUGES/METERS/GUIDANCE OF ANY KIND. THE CAR CONTINUED TO OPERATE AND I DROVE DIRECTLY HOME AND PARKED IT. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS AS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE BY TOYOTA AFFECTING 2004-2009 PRIUS MODELS. TOYOTA ISSUED A 'WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT-ZTV' AND WARRANTY POLICY BULLETIN (BULLETIN NO. POL12-05) TO EFFECT THE NECESSARY SAFETY REPAIRS, BUT ONLY APPLIES IF ONE DISCOVERS (MEANING SUFFER THE PANIC OF HAVING THE ENTIRE PANEL GO BLANK) THE ISSUE BEFORE EITHER '9 YEARS WITH NO MILEAGE LIMITATION OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 2013', WHICHEVER IS LONGER. IN OUR CASE, IT EXPIRED JUST BEFORE OUR PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION/PURCHASE OF THE PRIUS AND THE DEALER INDICATED/TOYOTA CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT A TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD HAVE DISCOVERED THROUGH TOYOTA RECORDS. INSTEAD, THE OWNER HAS TO WAIT FOR THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. IN OUR CASE, TOYOTA CORPORATE, WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SAFETY DEFECT, SAID OUR JOINT 'PLAN OF ACTION' WAS (A) IF THE DISPLAY DOES NOT ILLUMINATE, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DRIVE THE CAR, AND HAVE IT TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR NECESSARY REPAIRS, OR (B) IF THE DISPLAY ILLUMINATES, IMMEDIATELY DRIVE IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR NECESSARY REPAIRS, BUT THAT (C) TOYOTA WOULD 'DECLINE TO FURTHER PARTICIPATE OR CONTRIBUTE' TO THE REPAIR. THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATED, REQUIRED SAFETY RECALL; BY ITS OWN MEASURE, UP TO 669,000 PRIUS MODELS MAY BE AT RISK TO THIS KNOWN DEFECT, YET TOYOTA REFUSES BOTH THE RECALL AND THE REPAIR. HOW MANY OUT THERE ARE TICKING TIME BOMBS? *TR