NHTSA Complaint #11474530 — 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS

Our 2009 Toyota Prius is known as a Gen 2 Prius (model years 2004 -2009). All Gen 2 Priuses has a bladder inside their fuel tank. Over time, these bladders are known to deteriorate. In our case, the fuel tank capacity is shrinking and fuel can be difficult to add to the tank (pumps click off repeatedly and occasionally, fuel splashes back out of the tank). Additionally, the fuel gauge reports unreliable statuses and drops or adds multiple "bars" at a time yet fuel, when added, and tank status as reported by the gauge, are inconsistent with one another. Thus, we, the drivers, don't know how much fuel is in the tank and may consider carrying a full gas can to avoid being stranded along the roadside. We believe Toyota knew about this Gen 2 defect at the time we purchased our 2009 Prius, which was in March, 2009. In fact, the new Gen 3 Priuses, starting with the 2010 model year, had already had their fuel systems redesigned and factories were probably being retooled when we purchased our vehicle. Thus, they knowing sold us a vehicle with a known product defect. Now, with the bladder deteriorating, the local Toyota dealership wants to replace our fuel tank/system at a cost of almost $2,000. The replacement tank will be of an identical design as the one they sold me in 2009. So they want me to pay an additional two grand for a tank that has been known to be defective for the past 13 years. This is unbelievable!