2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received a petition dated September 19, 2023 from the owner of a 2012 Toyota Prius V requesting that ODI reevaluate its decision to deny DP19-004. In the letter, the petitioner reported experiencing an unexpected and complete loss of brake power while driving, accompanied by multiple dashboard warning lights. This petition is based on the petitioner's direct experience and assessment that ODI closed DP19-004 because its prompting petition was withdrawn by that petitioner. ODI will review the work conducted during DP19-004 and a review of any additional related complaints and crashes via a new defect petition The petition and related materials can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ODI number:11553736.

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

On September 19, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition from Mr. Roger Hogan requesting that the Agency investigate and recall certain Toyota Prius, Prius PHV, Camry Hybrid and Avalon Hybrid vehicles for a brake actuator valve wear condition covered under Toyota Customer Support Programs ZJB and ZKK (subject CSP?s). In support of his request, the petitioner identified 117 NHTSA complaints allegedly related to the subject CSP condition, including 60 reporting crashes. On September 30, 2019, ODI opened Defect Petition DP19-004 to evaluate the petitioner?s request for an investigation. In August 2020, the petitioner notified the Agency that he was withdrawing his petition. Because the petitioner has withdrawn the petition, we are denying the petition as moot and no further analysis of this petition is necessary.NHTSA is authorized to issue an order requiring notification and remedy of a defect if the Agency?s investigation shows a defect in the design, construction, or performance of a motor vehicle that presents an unreasonable risk to safety. 49 U.S.C. ?? 30102(a)(9), 30118. Because the petitioner has with withdrawn the petition, the petition is denied as moot. This action does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency notes that it is not required to receive a defect petition prior to opening a defect investigation and will take further action if warranted by future circumstances.

WE EXPERIENCED THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" MESSAGE ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE FIRST INCIDENT, ON APRIL 3, 2019, INVOLVED DRIVING EIGHT MILES AND THEN LEAVING THE CAR (OFF AND PARKED) FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. ON RETURNING AND ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR, THE POWER CAME ON BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT AND THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" MESSAGE DISPLAYED. IT WAS EVENING, SO WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR NORMAL REPAIR SHOP AND LEFT A DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUE. THE NEXT DAY THE REPAIR SHOP CALLED TO SAY THAT THE CAR HAD STARTED UP RIGHT AWAY, SO THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. THEY SUGGESTED WE CONTACT TOYOTA IF THE ISSUE RECURRED. WE RETRIEVED THE CAR, AND DIDN'T OBSERVE ANY FURTHER ISSUES, SO WE CONTINUED DRIVING IT 20-25 MILES DURING THE WORK WEEK. ON APRIL 28, 2019, TWENTY-FIVE DAYS AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR ALONG A STRAIGHT SECTION OF A FOUR-LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE CUT OFF AND THE THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" MESSAGE CAME ON. THE ELECTRONICS REMAINED ON AND THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOW. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER CARS NEARBY, BUT FORTUNATELY I WAS IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE AND WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE CAR ONTO THE SHOULDER. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, THEN ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT AGAIN AFTER ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES (UNSUCCESSFULLY). I HAD IT TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. AT FIRST THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A QUICK REPAIR, BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS OF TROUBLESHOOTING AND ESCALATING ITS ISSUES TO HIGHER LEVELS AT TOYOTA, THEY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A PROBLEM WITH THE INVERTER AND THE BATTERY: A REPAIR OF NEARLY $8000. I ASKED THE SHOP TO DOCUMENT THE REPAIRS WITH PHOTOS AND GIVE ME THE BROKEN PARTS. THE TECH AGREED TO DO SO, BUT (DESPITE FOLLOWING UP MULTIPLE TIMES) I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING EXCEPT AN INVOICE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. I DO NOT HAVE THE INVOICE NEAR AT HAND, BUT CAN LOCATE IT IF NECESSARY.

NHTSA ID

11231834

Incident

Apr 28, 2019

Mileage

190,000 mi

OVER THE COURSE OF MY OWNERSHIP OF THIS CAR, TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID 2012, ALL 4 LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AT LEAST ONCE. RECENTLY, THE DRIVER'S FRONT SIDE LOCK ACTUATOR STOPPED WORKING FOR THE SECOND TIME AND THE ONLY WAY TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THIS DOOR, IS TO DO SO MANUALLY. I PAID FOR THE REPAIR THE FIRST TIME IN JANUARY OF 2016, $642, PAID TO RUN THE DIAGNOSTICS FOR THE OTHER THREE DOORS THAT WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME, DECEMBER 2016, AND WAS QUOTED $656 TODAY, MAY 2019, TO REPAIR THE SAME DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR AGAIN. TOYOTA GOODWILL COVERED THE OTHER THREE DOORS BEYOND THE COST OF THE DIAGNOSTICS. I FEEL THAT THEY ONLY COVERED THE COST IN DECEMBER OF 2016 TO PREVENT ME FROM ISSUING A COMPLAINT. THIS IS ONLY AN ISSUE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY. SAFETY ISSUES COULD ARISE WHEN YOU NEED TO QUICKLY ENTER THE CAR IN AN UNSAFE NEIGHBORHOOD.

NHTSA ID

11205034

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

125,000 mi

MY 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID'S DRIVER SEAT BELT LATCH MALFUNCTIONED. IT BUCKLED NORMALLY, HOWEVER, WHEN I WENT TO UNBUCKLE THE SEAT BELT, THE SPRING INSIDE THE MECHANISM WRAPPED AROUND THE NOTCH IN THE METAL SEAT BELT LATCH. THE SPRING WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED WITH THE SEAT BELT. THE SEAT BELT NO LONGER FUNCTIONS PROPERLY AND WILL ONLY LATCH IF THE SEAT BELT FASTENER BUTTON IS DEPRESSED AND THEN RELEASED WHILE THE SEAT BELT IS INSERTED.

NHTSA ID

11160711

Incident

Dec 5, 2018

Mileage

102,000 mi

I HAVE A 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID. IT HAS 105000 MILES. IT HAS A BAD VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END WHEN YOU ACCELERATE. IT HAS BEEN TO THE MECHANIC, BUT NO ONE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH IT. TOYOTA NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11143546

Incident

Oct 2, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CHECKED THE REAR BRAKES AND FOUND THEM TO BE VERY HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILLION AUTO- TOYOTA (4101 W 12TH ST, SIOUX FALLS, DE 57106, 605-309-0979) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE STUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 210160578. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,250. *TT CONSUMER STATED THERE IS FRICTION ON BRAKE PADS. UPDATED 12/18/18*JB

NHTSA ID

11140681

Incident

Sep 1, 2018

Mileage

24,250 mi

2012 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO LOCKED CALIPER BREAKING BRAKE PADS AND IF A RECALL IS NECESSARY FOR THE MODEL. *AS *TR

NHTSA ID

11131408

Incident

Sep 25, 2018

AS I CRUISE ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MILES PER HOUR, THE HYBRID TRACTION BATTERY STARTS TO MAKE MINI RAPID PROGRESSIVELY LOUD EXPLOSIONS LIKE THE BACK OF MY REAR SEAT IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE. TO ALLEVIATE THIS I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THE DEALERSHIPS BUT ARE UNWILLING TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE. THIS CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

11101125

Incident

Apr 30, 2017

Mileage

35,000 mi

ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, THE CAR WAS PUT IN PARK AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF USING THE ON/OFF BUTTON, BUT THEN LATER IN THE NIGHT, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING! THE CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE AND THE KEY WAS IN THE HOUSE AT THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

11100204

Incident

Feb 2, 2018

Mileage

60,000 mi

OBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26.

This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Repair Manual while performing a rescue charge. The GRX-5100 should be used wherever the Repair Manual references the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) charger.

Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manual and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines.

Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on the paint surface that resemble hard water spots. Unlike water spots however, acid rain damage cannot be removed by regular washing procedures. Also, because acid rain can etch and soften the paint, normal buffing or polishing repair procedures should not be attempted. This can cause further damage and result in visible depressions in the paint surface. The following are the three major categories of acid rain damage: •Minor damage: requires only buffing to repair. •Moderate damage: usually requires neutralizing, color sanding, and buffing. •Severe damage: extending beyond 1/2 mil of clearcoat on a pearl, metallic, or solid color, requires neutralization, sanding, and repainting. In cases where acid rain damage is minor, neutralization and buffing with a liquid-type paint finessing product may provide an adequate repair. Only specially formulated products outlined in this bulletin should be used for that purpose. Unfortunately, other than minor damage, there is no simple method of determining the actual extent (depth) of acid penetration other than color sanding a representative affected area until there is no visible etching or depressions, followed by measuring the amount of paint removed with either a magnetic or digital-type film thickness gauge. The procedures in this bulletin are intended for use by qualified body/paint technicians and should not be attempted by inexperienced personnel. It is the dealer’s responsibility to protect and maintain the quality of the vehicle’s paint finish after receipt at the dealership prior to the first sale. Perform frequent vehicle washing, as often as daily, during high heat and humidity periods to minimize the potential for paint damage due to acid rain exposure. This is especially important in geographical areas known for high frequency and concentration of acid rain and industrial fallout.

To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible.

The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint and appears as pitting or water spots. As acid rain droplets on the vehicle surface evaporate, the concentration strength of the acid increases, causing deeper and more rapid damage. This evaporation and corrosive action also occur more rapidly on dark colored cars as direct sun heat increases. It is the dealer’s responsibility to protect and maintain the quality of the vehicle’s paint finish after receipt at the dealership prior to the first sale. In areas known for high frequency and/or concentration of acid rain, frequent vehicle washing during high heat or humidity periods will minimize the potential for paint damage caused by acid rain. It is further recommended that either reverse osmosis or deionized water be used to prevent water spotting.