NHTSA Complaint #10823998 — 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS

I HAVE OWNED TWO 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. BOTH HAVE BEEN TOTALED DUE TO WHAT I BELIEVE IS A FAILURE OF THE HYBRID DRIVETRAIN TO DISENGAGE DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING. THIS REPORT IS REGARDING THE FIRST VEHICLE. I HAVE FILED A SEPARATE REPORT FOR THE SECOND VEHICLE WHICH I STILL HAVE IN MY POSSESSION. FIRST 2007 PRIUS, PURCHASED NEW IN 2007. ON DEC 9, 2009, TO AVOID A COLLISION, I FULLY PRESSED THE BRAKES WITH FULL FORCE HOWEVER THE PRIUS CONTINUED TO PROPEL FORWARD. I SHOULD EASILY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN TIME. AS IT CONTINUED TO PROPEL FORWARD, I COLLIDED WITH THE OTHER CAR. THE SPEED AT THE MOMENT OF IMPACT WAS APPROX 25 MPH. NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE COST OF REPAIRING THE HYBRID SYSTEM. I HAVE THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE POLICE REPORT. SECOND TOYOTA PRIUS: I PURCHASED AN EXACT REPLACEMENT USED 2007 PRIUS IN DEC 2009. ON OCTOBER 17, 2015, A CAR STOPPED ABRUPTLY IN FRONT OF MY WIFE WHO WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 40 MPH. SHE REPORTED PRESSING ON THE BRAKES WITH FULL FORCE BUT THAT THE PRIUS CONTINUED TO PROPEL FORWARD. SHE HIT CAR IN FRONT THEN SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AS THE PRIUS CONTINUED TO PROPEL FORWARD. SHE STEERED TO THE LEFT INTO THE CENTER MEDIAN AND THE PRIUS STOPPED. THE CAR THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. I HAVE THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE VEHICLE AND THE POLICE REPORT. I CONTACTED TOYOTA IN NOV 2015. AN INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED. A TOYOTA 'FIELD TECHNICAL SPECIALIST' INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. I SIGNED AN 'EDR CONSENT FORM' FOR TOYOTA TO READ ANY DATA FROM THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER DUE TO THE FIRE, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO READ ANY DATA. ON JANUARY 26, 2016 I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM A LEGAL CLAIMS ADMINISTRATOR AT TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, USA, INC., STATING 'OUR INSPECTION WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM ANY EVIDENCE OF A MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN DEFECT IN YOUR VEHICLE'.