NHTSA Complaint #11330732 — 2015 TOYOTA PRIUS

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN MY CAR'S HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS A CAME ON , AND THE CAR SLOWED TO A CRAWL. LUCKILY I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE CAR COMPETELY SHUT DOWN. I'VE HAD IT TOWED TO TWO TOYOTA DEARLSHIPS, (THE SAME ONE TWICE),WHERE I WAS TOLD A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS. FIRST, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS WATER IN THE GAS TANK. THERE WAS NO WAY THAT WAS TRUE, SINCE I HAD ALREADY DRIVEN 3/4'S OF A TANK OF GAS, AND I ALWAYS FILL MY TANK UP. I REFUSED TO HAVE A NEW FUEL SYSTEM PUT IN TO THE TUNE OF $2500. I HAD IT TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND WHERE HE GOT 5 GALLONS OF WATER OUT OF THE TANK. I ONLY HAD ABOUT 3 GALLONS OF GAS IN THE CAR TO BEGIN WITH, AND I KNOW I DIDN'T PUT WATER IN THE TANK.THE HYBRID SYSTEM SEALS HAD NEVER BEEN BROKEN, SO THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T EVEN CHECK THAT OUT, EVEN THOUGH THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON REGARDING THE HYBRID SYSTEM. VERY FISHY...THE NEXT DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THERE WAS WATER IT AND IT NEEDED TO BE DRAINED AND FUEL REPLACED, EVEN THOUGHT THAT HAD JUST BEEN DONE. THEY SENT ME A PHOTO OF A COKE BOTTLE WITH ABOUT 1/4 CUP OF FUEL WATER MIX. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE HYBRID BATTERY SYSTEM WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY SINCE AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DRAINED THE FUEL SYSTEM.THE CAR'S BATTERIES WERE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, SINCE IT WAS UNDER 100,000 MILES. WE SENT IT BACK TO THE FIRST DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY NOW SAID IT WAS A FAILED ENGINE WHICH WOULD COST $10,000 TO REPLACE. (MORE THAT THE WORTH OF THE CAR). THIS NIGHTMARE HAS LASTED OVER 8 MONTHS! IT BEGAN IN SEPT.2019. COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA CORPORATE TO NO SATISFACTION. BOTTOM LINE, TOYOTA DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR, AND WOULD NOT FIX IT UNLESS WE PAID TO HAVE IT FIXED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE RECALL THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR. *TR