2012 TOYOTA PRIUS Fuelpropulsion System Problems

While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden brake system malfunction without prior warning or gradual degradation. The vehicle was being operated under normal driving, road, and weather conditions. No recent brake service, repairs, or aftermarket modifications had been performed prior to the failure. Multiple warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, including the ABS warning light, brake warning light, and traction control warning light. Shortly after the warning lights appeared, the vehicle began emitting continuous warning beeps. Audible buzzing or pumping noises were also present from the brake system during the malfunction. During this event, brake performance was reduced and braking felt inconsistent. The brake pedal became hard at times and spongy at other times, requiring increased effort to slow the vehicle and resulting in unpredictable braking response. This created a safety concern while the vehicle was in motion. The driver was forced to alter driving behavior and exercise extreme caution...

I was driving my 2012 Prius on the highway at around 55 MPH. The Hybrid System Warning came on and the car lost all power and immediately began to coast. I was fortunate not to have been in or caused an accident but cars behind me had to swerve to avoid hitting me. I was able to coast to a middle median lane. After waiting 15-20 minutes, the car never regained power. We were finally able to push it off the road and into a parking lot. It never regained power.

I brought the car to the Toyota dealer already 3 times for the same problem,now happened again,they told me the first time,nothing wrong with the car,and I paid them,the second time nothing wrong they said,the third time they said it’s the 12 v battery has to be replace it,I did replace it,but still the same problem I have,the HYBRID SYSTEM problems ,the Toyota company should fix it ,because it’s something very unsafe it’s happening with my car,please help me to resolve this problem….. the car drive but stop anytime,I almost have a very bad accident with my daughter ON board

Hi, I have a 2012 Toyota Prius with around 120k miles that is completely inoperable. A local Toyota dealership is charging $3400 to replace both computers, but the more I research the more apparent it becomes that this is directly linked with past issues that were never fully resolved during previous recall attempts. The following article describes the exact situation my car is in (https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-fi-prius-overheat-inverter-defect-20190414-story.html). When you combine that with the previous recalls back in 2014 & 2018, this quickly becomes a pattern. That pattern suggests that past software issues (1 & 2 below) were never fully resolved, and/or already caused premature damage to internal/computer components that then fail regardless. I spoke with the California Bureau of Automotive Repair who referred me to nhtsa. The agent I spoke with noted that because the Inverter wasn't actually replaced back in 2014 (Toyota only performed a software update), this part definitely could...

SOON AFTER GETTING A RECALL SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE HYBRID SYSTEM, THE CAR DISPLAYED HYBRID SYSTEM CHECK MESSAGE AND LOST POWER. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED. CREATED AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION DUE TO NATURE OF PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD AND HAD TO PULL OVER RIGHT AWAY.

I WAS DRIVING THE 2012 PRIUS ON A DOWNHILL PARKWAY AT ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM CAME ON. WITHIN 10 SECOND, THE VEHICLE TOTALLY LOST POWER. IT AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THERE WAS NO BACK UP FAIL-SAFE/LIMP HOME MODE. FORTUNATELY THE CAR WAS GLIDING DOWNHILL BY GRAVITY AND EVENTUALLY WAS STEERED INTO A DRIVEWAY. THEN IT REFUSED TO GO ON READY OR DRIVE MODE. ON THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. IT HAD TO BE TOWED AGAIN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE THE FOLLOWING WEEK. IT TOOK THE MECHANIC TWO DAYS TO MAKE A DIAGNOSIS THAT A FUSE ON THE MAIN DRIVE BATTERY HAD BLOWN. ANOTHER DAY WAS SPENT WAITING FOR THE PART. THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS EVENT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I CONTACTED TOYOTA USA. AN AGENT NAMED MICHAEL WAS COURTEOUS ENOUGH TO LISTENED TO ME AND GAVE...

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ON A HILL. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I STEPPED ON THE GAS WITH NO RESPONSE. THE CAR SLID BACK AND I BRAKED. THE PANEL LIGHT AFFIRMED THAT THE CAR WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN DRIVE. YET THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AT ALL. THE CAR SEEMED TO BE IN NEUTRAL. I PUT THE BLINKERS ON AND THE CARS BEHIND ME PASSED. THE PANEL LIGHTS AND RADIO WERE ON ALONG WITH THE BLINKERS. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND THEN TURNED IT ON AGAIN. IT WORKED WITHOUT A PROBLEM. I CALLED THE DEALER WHO STATED HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED AND THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD CHECK. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR TO VARIOUS HILL TOPS AND STOPPED. THE PROBLEM DID NOT REPEAT ITSELF. IS THIS CAR SAFE TO DRIVE? IS THERE A WAY TO EVALUATE THE TRANSMISSION?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HE MADE A U-TURN, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,400. *TR

FUEL INDICATOR ON THE DASH SHOWED 3 BARS FOR REMAINING FUEL. VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL DESPITE SHOWING 3 BARS. OFTENTIMES AFTER TANK IS FILLED IT ONLY ILLUMINATES TO 1 OR 2 UNDER THE TOP BAR INSTEAD OF SHOWING A FULL TANK. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM THAT THE CAR IS NOT ACCURATELY REPORTING THE FUEL LEVEL. *TR