NHTSA Complaint #11365178 — 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS

WE HAVE A 2009 PRIUS WHICH STALLED ON THE FREEWAY AS MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING IT YESTERDAY (10/16/2020). LUCKILY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A BUSY AUSTIN FREEWAY, MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER IT TO THE SHOULDER AND CALL AAA TO TOW THE CAR TO THE SERVICE STATION. ON INSPECTION, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE REASON FOR THE STALL WAS THE FAILURE OF THE INVERTER DRIVE PUMP ALONG WITH THE 12V BATTERY ON BOARD. THIS CAR WAS PART OF THE RECALL FOR THE INVERTER DRIVE PUMP AND THAT WAS REPLACED BY AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER IN 2013 FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE. ON THE OCT 16TH, 2020, THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS - NO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND NOT EVEN THE 'MAINTENANCE REQUIRED' LIGHT - THE CAR TURNED ON JUST FINE, MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT 5 MILES TO THE FREEWAY, GET ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH AND DRIVE A FEW MILES ON IT BEFORE LOSING ALL POWER IN THE CAR. THE SERVICE TECH INFORMS US THAT THE INVERTER PUMP CAN BREAK DOWN DUE TO JUST REGULAR DRIVING - BUT THERE WAS ZERO INDICATION THAT THIS UNIT, WHICH APPARENTLY IS CRUCIAL TO THE CAR WHILE BEING DRIVEN, WAS IN ANY DANGER OF IMMINENT FAILURE. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS PART IS EXAMINED OR SERVICED AS PART OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE, BUT NO WARNINGS WERE RAISED WHEN THIS CAR WAS LAST SERVICED, AT AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA SERVICE STATION IN DEC OF 2019.