2005 Toyota Prius Body & structure Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE WASHING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED 2-3 DROPS OF WATER ENTERING THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. THE WINDOW WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE PUSH-TO-START BUTTON WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED INTO PARK AND ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS KNOCKED TO THE GROUND BY THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. AS A RESULT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER FAILED TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE OR THE ACCELERATION FAILURE. THE DEALER ALSO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXTENDED A WARRANTY TO COVER THE FAILURE, BUT THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS OVER THE MILEAGE LIMITATION BY 4,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10750176

Incident

Aug 19, 2015

Mileage

174,000 mi

CAR STARTED SKIDDING ON THE ROAD, COULDN'T TAKE CONTROL BECAUSE CAR STARTED TO SPEED UP AND THEN RAMMED INTO THE CONCRETE BARRIER, SPUN AROUND AND ENDED UP FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. LUCKILY, THERE WASN'T ANY CAR RIGHT BEHIND ME AND I MANAGED TO PUSH OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR ALTHOUGH IT WOULDN'T OPEN COMPLETELY AND OPENED JUST ENOUGH FOR ME TO SQUEEZE THROUGH AND RAN OUT OF THE CAR. AT NO TIME DID THE AIRBAG OPEN UP AT ALL. I WAS LUCKY THAT I SUSTAINED NO MAJOR INJURY EXCEPT FOR A BADLY KNOCKING MY LEFT KNEE ON THE DASH. MY QUESTION TO TOYOTA WOULD BE WHY THE AIRBAD DIDN'T OPEN! WHAT IF ANOTHER CAR HAD HIT MINE AND I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PROTECTED BY THE AIRBAG!

NHTSA ID

10735053

Incident

Jul 19, 2015

Mileage

120,000 mi

STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. PULLED INTO INTERSECTION OF ARTERIAL. DIDN'T SEE CROSSING TRAFFIC. COLLIDED WITH CROSSING VEHICLE. ENTIRE FRONT END OF PRIUS HIT REAR QUARTER PANEL OF PICKUP TRUCK. THE FRONT END OF THE PRIUS WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. ANY AND ALL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN PRIUS.

NHTSA ID

10670427

Incident

Dec 19, 2014

Mileage

100,000 mi

I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE, BUT INSTEAD OF STOPPING MY PRIUS ACCELERATED,AND JERKED UNDER THE STOPPED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME.THE BRAKES ACTED LIKE ACCELERATED PEDAL. PRIUS OCCASIONALLY HAD THE ACCELERATING JERKS WITHOUT PEDAL INPUT, BUT AFTER FIXING ALL THE RECALLS, I THOUGHT THE CAR IS FINE. BUT THIS TIME, IT WAS NOT A JERK, IT WAS A FULL LEAP, THAT DESTROYED THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR. IT WAS TOWED FROM THE ACCIDENT AND IT IS BEYOND THE REPAIR. I HAD IT ONLY FOR 9 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10507158

Incident

Apr 2, 2013

Mileage

138,000 mi

AFTER ONLY ABOUT 3 YEARS USE, THE RUBBER COVER ON THE HATCH RELEASE HANDLE (THE EXTERIOR HANDLE OF THE REAR HATCH) OF OUR 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS, MELTED INTO A STICKY TARRY BLACK RUBBERY GOOEY MESS. I CAN BEST DESCRIBE IT AS BEING A VISCOUS BLACK GLOB LIKE ROOFING TAR. TO OPEN THE HATCH, YOU HAVE TO TOUCH THIS BLACK GOO EACH TIME, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO OPERATE THE HATCH RELEASE. WE BELIEVE THIS MELTING PROCESS STARTED AT ABOUT THE 2 YR. MARK. I THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A SINGULAR ISSUE, BUT HAVE FOUND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL CAR OWNERS, . TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS, AND IS SELLING THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS FOR $96 PLUS REPAIR COSTS, AND HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT RECALLING THIS. FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, THIS MEANS YOU CAN EXPERIENCE EXTREME DIFFICULTY OPENING THE REAR HATCH (A LIFE SAFETY ACCESS POINT), AND WILL GET STICKY BLACK TAR ON YOU FROM THE MELTED DOWN RUBBER COVER OF THE EXTERIOR HATCH RELEASE HANDLE. TO ME, THIS IS BOTH A SERIOUS LIFE SAFETY ISSUE AND A SERIOUS QUALITY DEFECT THAT TOYOTA IS OPTING TO IGNORE AND ONLY FIXING ON VEHICLES WITH EXTENDED WARRANTIES, SINCE THE FAILURE APPEARS TO OCCUR AT AROUND THE 3 YEAR MARK (IE AFTER 3 YEARS OF EXPOSURE TO THE BRIGHT SUN IN NORTH CAROLINA FOR EXAMPLE). I AM AWARE OF THE OUTSTANDING WORK DONE BY NHTSA ON OTHER SAFETY ISSUES, INCLUDING THE PROBLEM WITH RUSTY FRAMES ON 02 ISUZU AXIOMS, AND I FIND THIS PROBLEM TO BE SIMILAR IN NATURE, SO I AM ASKING FOR YOUR AGENCY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE INSTANCES AND ALSO TO INQUIRE FROM TOYOTA WHY THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THESE HANDLES THAT ARE MELTING IN THE SUN!!! IT'S OUTRAGEOUS. I THINK A DOOR HANDLE OR HATCH HANDLE SHOULD BE MADE TO LAST MORE THAN 3 YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10438492

Incident

Jul 15, 2009

BODY SHEET METAL FATIGUE - CRACK NEAR TOP OF BODY DIRECTLY ABOVE THE REAR RIGHT-SIDE SHOCK ABSORBER TOWER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10395286

Incident

Apr 5, 2011

Mileage

67,384 mi

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS( 1ST IN JULY, 2ND IN OCTOBER) AFTER HEAVY RAIN, LEAKAGE INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF MY 2005 PRIUS RESULTED IN FOWLING OF SPARK PLUGS AND COILS. THE MOISTURE DAMAGE CREATED MISFIRING AND STALLING WHILE IN TRAFFIC. TOYOTA SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED THE LEAK CAUSED BY A SEAL ISSUE IN THE COWL AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT IN JULY BUT HAD TO FOLLOWUP WITH A SECOND REPAIR IN OCTOBER- RESEALING THE COWL. I AM NOT CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM IS COMPLETELY RESOLVED AND I AM TRYING TO GET ACCURATE INFORMATION FROM TOYOTA, UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10361153

Incident

Jul 13, 2010

Mileage

52,673 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEHIND HIM NOTICED A PIECE OF PLASTIC HANGING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE PLASTIC COVER ON CABLES THAT EXTENDED FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,950. UPDATED 09/16/08. *LJ THE COSUMER STATED THE PLASTIC COVER BROKE DUE TO REOAD DEBRIS. UPDATED 09/18/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10234424

Incident

Jul 7, 2008

Mileage

45,950 mi

1) DAILY USE OF THE LIFTGATE. 2) INTERMITTANT FAILURE OF SHOCK SYSTEM. THE LIFTGATE CAME DOWN ON MY HEAD AFTER I HAD OPENED THE LIFTGATE AND REACHED INSIDE TO OBTAIN GROCERIES. 3)MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE SHOCKS UNLESS THERE WAS COMPLETE FAILURE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE ONLY TO BE REDIRECTED TO THE DEALER. WHERE AFTER THEY DISCUSSED THE ISSUE THEY FINALLY DECIDED TO REPLACE THE SHOCKS WITHOUT ADMITTING THAT THE PART FAILED. THE SHOCKS WILL BE REPLACED 9/13/2007. *JB

NHTSA ID

10202499

Incident

Jan 1, 2007

Mileage

34,000 mi

I WAS INVOLVED IN A LOW-SPEED ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE BRAKES IN MY CAR (2005 TOYOTA PRIUS) DID NOT SLOW OR STOP THE CAR AND CAUSED ME TO RUN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO ONE WAS INJURED, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE MY CAR COLLIDED WITH. THE EXTERIOR DAMAGE TO MY CAR WAS ESTIMATED APPROXIMATELY $6700. SOON AFTER, I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY THAT MY CAR WAS TOTALED DUE TO DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO THE HYBRID SYSTEM. I REQUESTED THAT THE EVENT DATA RECORDER BE DOWNLOADED TO DETERMINE IF THERE HAD BEEN A FAILURE IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. MY INSURANCE COMPANY REFUSED AND TOYOTA APPEARS TO HAVE IGNORED MY REQUEST. I ALSO FIND IT DISTURBING AND CURIOUS THAT THE FRONT END AND HENCE THE HYBRID SYSTEM WAS DESTROYED BEYOND REPAIR IN AN ACCIDENT SO MINOR THAT THE POLICE WOULD NOT EVEN GIVE IT A REPORT NUMBER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10155556

Incident

Jan 3, 2006

Mileage

7,532 mi

2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THERE IS A GREEN STREAK OF LIGHT ABOUT SEVEN INCHES ACROSS AND ABOUT AN INCH HIGH ON WINDSHIELD. *TS THIS STREAK OBSCURES THE CONSUMER'S VISION. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE LIGHT COMES FROM THE LIGHT THAT IS PROJECTED ONTO THE DASH AND THAT THE DASH IS NOT CONFIGURED PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER AND THEY BOTH INDICATED THAT THE LIGHT WAS NORMAL. *NM UPDATED 03/28/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10150821

Incident

Nov 1, 2005