NHTSA Complaint #10726901 — 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS

THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHILE DRIVING 65+ MPH ON THE FREEWAY. THE CHECK HYBRID WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR BECAME DANGEROUSLY UNRESPONSIVE, LUCKILY WE WERE NEAR AN EXIT AND WERE ABLE TO COAST TO SAFETY. THE HYBRID SYSTEM WAS EXPECTING INFORMATION FROM THE ACCELERATOR, AND WHEN IT DOESN'T RECEIVE IT, EITHER THE GAS ENGINE, OR THE ELECTRIC ENGINE, OR BOTH ENGINES FAIL TO OPERATE. TOYOTA HAS SERVICE BULLETIN 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS UNKNOWN OR OTHER SERVICE BULLETIN 117006 ACTION NUMBER: 635861 SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 117006... REPORT DATE: SEP 12, 2002 COMPONENT: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.... SUMMARY: SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A MASTER, HYBRID AND MALFUNCTION INDICATOR WARNING LIGHT ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1120. ,,, P1120 TOYOTA DESCRIPTION ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR IS MOUNTED ON THE THROTTLE BODY AND IT HAS THE 2 SENSORS TO DETECTS THE ACCELERATOR POSITION AND A MALFUNCTION OF THE ACCELERATOR POSITION. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR IS CONNECTED WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BY THE ACCELERATOR WIRE. THE ECM JUDGES THE CURRENT OPENING ANGLE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM THESE SENSOR SIGNAL INPUTS AND IT CONTROLS THE THROTTLE MOTOR BASED ON THESE SIGNALS. IF THE THE P1120 CODE IS STORED, THE ECM SHUTS DOWN THE POWER FOR THE THROTTLE MOTOR AND THE MAGNETIC CLUTCH, AND THE THROTTLE VALVE IS FULLY CLOSED BY THE RETURN SPRING. HOWEVER, THE OPENING ANGLE OF THE THROTTLE VALVE CAN BE CONTROLLED BY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THROUGH THE THROTTLE CABLE. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR ASSEMBLY IS PROBABLY AT FAULT, WHICH IS A HIGH COST ITEM $300 DOLLARS OR MORE WHICH TOYOTA WOULD BALK AT REPLACING IN A RECALL. THIS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE, BUT I DON'T RECALL THE DATE.....UPDATED 08/24/15 *BF