NHTSA Complaint #10990887 — 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. SEVENTEEN DAYS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO PERFORMED AN OIL CHANGE AND CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE. ONE WEEK LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE TIRE GAUGE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE HYBRID BATTERY MIGHT BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYBRID BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH A 12-VOLT REGULAR BATTERY. THE BATTERY WAS NOT REPLACED. TWO HOURS LATER, WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR STARTED TO BLINK. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND CALLED AAA. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WERE TWO HOLES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO FOUND A PIECE OF METAL THAT FRACTURED FROM THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 138,000.