NHTSA Complaint #11180976 — 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLACK. I COULD NOT SEE DRIVING SPEED OR REMAINING FUEL. I DROVE TO TOYOTA DEALER AND COULD NOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE UPON ARRIVAL NOR REMOVE MY KEY FROM THE KEY SLOT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS ONLINE COMPLAINTS ABOUT "PRIUS INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NOT WORKING". TOYOTA QUIETLY AGREED TO EXTEND WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR 9 YEARS FROM DATE OF FIRST USE OR UNTIL 2013. HTTPS://WWW.TOYOHEADQUARTERS.COM/THREADS/2004-2009-TOYOTA-PRIUS-COMBINATION-METER-WARRANTY-EXTENSION-ZTV.174/ I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL AS IT IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS AND THE OPERATOR MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO SHUT OFF THEIR VEHICLE OR REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY. THERE ARE ALMOST 700,000 AFFECTED VEHICLES IN THE CLASS. REPAIR COSTS $925 OR MORE FOR AFFECTED OWNERS. SEVERAL HAVE POSTED VIDEOS OF HOME REMEDIES INVOLVING DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY TERMINALS TO CAUSE A "RESET", WHICH MAY ENCOURAGE OTHER OWNERS TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION WHERE FAILURE IS IMMINENT.