NHTSA Complaint #11041440 — 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS C

WITH THE AUXILIARY BATTERY WELL CHARGED THE GAS ENGINE WILL TURN OFF WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP. IN ORDER TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND REMOVE THE KEY IT IS NECESSARY TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER TO THE PARK POSITION. AT THE SAME TIME IT IS ADVISABLE TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE. IF DISTRACTED IT IS POSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AND LEAVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE ELECTRIC ENGINE STILL RUNNING. THERE IS NO ENGINE NOISE AT ALL. THERE IS NO SIGNAL, AUDIO OR LIGHT, TO INDICATE THE ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING. I HAVE HAD THIS OCCUR ON TWO OCCASIONS, ONCE DURING DAYTIME, WITH MY SON ACCOMPANYING ME, 09/07/2017, THE SECOND TIMEL ALONE, WHEN PARKING THE CAR IN MY GARAGE AT NIGHT, 09/13/2017. ON RETURN TO THE CAR, WITH MY SON, I SEARCH FOR MY KEYS AND FOUND THE CAR'S GAS ENGINE RUNNING, EMITTING THE NORMAL ENGINE NOISE, THE KEY NOT HAVING BEEN REMOVED AFTER PARKING. WHEN TURNING OFF AND REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, INSIDE LIGHTS AND DRIVE LIGHTS CONTINUE TO BE ON UNTIL THE DOOR IS CLOSED, AT WHICH TIME THE LIGHTS, INSIDE AND OUT, GO OFF AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME. THE THREE ACTIONS, MOVING THE SHIFT LEVER, SETTING THE PARKING BRAKE AND TURNING OFF THE IGNITION ALL REQUIRE USE OF THE RIGHT HAND, WITH THE MOVING OF THE SHIFT LEVER BEING MANDETORY. WITH NO AUDIBLE ENGINE NOISE IT IS EASY TO OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING. AN AUDIBLE BEEP OR FLASHING LIGHT WOULD ALERT THE DRIVER TO THE FACT THAT SOMETHING IS AMISS. OF COURSE AN UNLOCKED PARKED CAR WITH ENGINE RUNNING IS ALSO AN INVITATION TO CAR THEFT. THE CAR'S DOORS CANNOT BE LOCKED WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, BUT THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE DOORS HAVE NOT LOCKED WITHOUT TESTING THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. NOT HAVING SUCCESSFULLY LOCKED THE DOORS CAN ALSO BE EASILY OVERLOOKED BY A DISTRACTED DRIVER.