2010 Toyota Prius Visibility Problems

I PURCHASED A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS, WITHIN A MONTH I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP SENSOR (AFTER IT WENT OUT ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING IT). THEN 6 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AGAIN AND THE HOOD RIPPED UP COMPLETELY SHATTERING THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING. I LATER LEARNED BOTH SAFETY'S ON THE HOOD LATCH WERE BROKEN AND MISSING PARTS. IT ALSO HAS AN OIL LEAK THAT WILL COST ME $2,200 TO REPAIR WHEN I ONLY PAID $6,000 FOR THE CAR ON TOP OF MANY OTHER MINOR ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11195003

Incident

Apr 9, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

HEADLIGHT WOULD BURN OUT A YEAR AFTER REPLACEMENT. MANUFACTURER ISSUED A VARIANT OF A RECALL INTENDING TO PROVIDE A FIX FOR HIGH RATE OF BURNOUT. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO A DEALERSHIP TO RECEIVE THE FIX AND THE DEALERSHIP CAUSED A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER APPARATUS. WIPERS WOULD NOW WORK IF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE OFF, BUT WOULD NO LONGER WORK ONCE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TURNED ON. THIS WOULD OCCUR WHETHER STATIONARY OR MOVING.

NHTSA ID

11172648

Incident

Jan 14, 2019

Mileage

93,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND THEN THE SUN ROOF SHATTERED. THE GLASS EXPLODED AND IMPLODED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER (ARLINGTON TOYOTA, 10939 ATLANTIC BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32225, (904) 302-9611) WAS NOTIFIED AND A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS ALSO NOTIFIED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT CONTACT STATES VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 78MPH AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000. *TT

NHTSA ID

11088405

Incident

Apr 11, 2018

Mileage

63,000 mi

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY IN MODERATE AND HEAVY RAIN OR SNOW AFFECTS THE WINDSHIELD SHADE AND VISIBILITY TO SEE THE ROADWAY CLEARLY. THE SHADE OF THE WINDSHIELD IS DULL GREY UNTIL DRIVING ON CITY STREETS OR GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY. CAR DEALERS HAD NO ANSWERS OR SOLUTIONS IN THE PAST.

NHTSA ID

11088395

Incident

Apr 16, 2018

Mileage

79,000 mi

REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WOULD NOT TURN OFF, EVEN AFTER THE FUSE WAS PULLED. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON AND STOPPED WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. THE NORMAL WIPER CONTROLS ON THE WIPER COLUMN DID NOT WORK. CHARGE TO REPLACE IT WAS $500.00

NHTSA ID

11000019

Incident

Jun 17, 2017

Mileage

99,700 mi

VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, THE REAR WINDOW GLASS HAD SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED/ EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF VANDALISM. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TYPE OF GLASS THAT IS USED, AND THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON OCCURRENCE. EXAMPLES MAY BE FOUND ON YOUTUBE.

NHTSA ID

10908930

Incident

Sep 22, 2016

Mileage

57,000 mi

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED USED 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS FROM THE EAST COASTS NUMBER ONE CERTIFIED USED TOYOTA DEALER. I WAS PRESENTED WITH PAPERS SHOWING ALL THE CHECKS PERFORMED WITH A CERTIFIED USED TOYOTA AND THAT THE VEHICLE I WAS PURCHASING HAD PASS ALL THE INSPECTIONS. I TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE DURING THE DAY AND DID NOT USE THE HEADLIGHTS. ONCE I WAS HOME (OVER 3 HOURS AWAY) I USED THE HEADLIGHTS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THE DRIVER'S SIDE LIGHTS WERE VERY DIM. I TOOK THE LOW BEAM BULB OUT AND NOTICE A LOT OF CORROSION ON THE BULB AND MOISTURE IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. I LET IT DRY OUT AND REPLACED BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT BULBS. OVER THE SUMMER I NOTICED A FEW TIME MOISTURE WOULD BUILD UP BUT WOULD BE GONE WITHIN A FEW DAYS. NOW DURING THE WINTER THE MOISTURE HAS FROZEN INSIDE THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY AND IMPEDES ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HEADLAMP. MY VISIBILITY IS REDUCED AND HAS NOW BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE NOT OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR A FULL YEAR YET AND EVEN PURCHASED THE TOP OF THE LINE EXTENDED TOYOTA WARRANTY. MY LOCAL DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY AND THAT WOULD COST AROUND $500 TO BE REPLACED. TOYOTA HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE AND SHOULD REPAIR AT NO COST TO OWNERS DUE TO A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10678716

Incident

Feb 26, 2014

Mileage

33,350 mi

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING DURING NIGHT DRIVING. HAD TO DRIVE HOME WITH HIGH BEAMS ONLY AT NIGHT. FELT ENDANGERED AND VERY UNSAFE BOTH FOR MYSELF AND THE PUBLIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676365

Incident

Jan 18, 2015

Mileage

55,000 mi

I AM BEGINNING TO NOTICE MORE AND MORE TINY SPECKS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED ON THE WINDSHIELD THAT APPEAR TO BE IN THE MATERIAL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE NO AMOUNT OF WINDOW CLEANING CAN MAKE THEM GO AWAY. THE SPECKS ARE VERY DISTRACTING WHEN TRAVELING INTO THE SUN AND I BELIEVE ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10549556

Incident

Jan 1, 2012

Mileage

32,000 mi

OVERHEAD CONSOLE SUNGLASS HOLDER COVER WILL NOT CLOSE DUE TO LATCH STUCK INSIDE. ONLY REPEATED PRESSING OF BLACK SPRING BUTTON WILL RELEASE LATCH TO CATCH AND CLOSE COVER LIP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10531520

Incident

Jul 23, 2013

Mileage

65,000 mi

FIRST INCIDENT: APRIL 15, 2013 I LOST MY BRAKES WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM MY NIGHT SHIFT WORK AS A REGISTERED NURSE. I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION TWO BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE WHEN I FELT THE BRAKE WAS FAILING. IT WAS A GOOD THING THAT I WAS DRIVING SLOW TO MAKE A TURN WHEN I FELT THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING. I WAS ABLE TO STEER IT TO A PARKING LOT NEARBY BY USING THE FOOT BRAKE. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, I HEARD SQUEAKING NOISES FOR ABOUT THREE DAYS WHENEVER I STEP ON THE BRAKES. I WAS RELIEVED THAT I DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. ACTION AFTER THE 1ST INCIDENT: APRIL 24, 2010. WE TOWED THE CAR TO DCH TOYOTA FREEHOLD, AND IT TOOK ABOUT 5 DAYS TO REPAIR THE BRAKES SO THEY GAVE US A LOANER CAR WHICH WE TRULY APPRECIATE. BUT WHEN WE PICKED UP THE CAR, THE BRAKES WERE FIXED BUT THE SQUEAKING NOISE IS STILL PRESENT, AND OUR WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT AWAY TO INFORM THEM ABOUT THE SQUEAKING NOISE AND TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT THEIR TECHNICIANS TESTED MY CAR AND DEEMED IT SAFE TO DRIVE AND THAT THEY WOULD NEVER RELEASE MY CAR UNLESS THEY KNOW IT IS SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD. SECOND INCIDENT: APRIL 29, 2013, I LOST THE BRAKES AGAIN WHILE I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AROUND 7:00 PM. I REALLY GOT VERY SCARED BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH TRAFFIC AT THAT TIME. I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND PARK MY CAR SLOWLY TO THE CURB WITHOUT HITTING ANYBODY ELSE BY USING THE FOOT BREAK. ACTION AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT: SAME NIGHT, WE TOWED THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, AND AFTER A WEEK OF WAITING, THEY FINALLY CAME BACK TO US SPECIFYING THAT THE WHOLE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE PAD ASSEMBLY IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND WILL COST MORE THAN 4K FOR PARTS ALONE. CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL NOT ASSIST US, SINCE WE EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY PERIOD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10512218

Incident

Apr 15, 2013

Mileage

92,000 mi

THE AUTODIM REARVIEW MIRROR DOES NOT REDUCE GLARE FROM HEADLIGHT OF CARS BEHIND MY CAR. AUTODIM FUNCTIONALITY IS NOT AFFECTED BY TURNING THE AUTODIM FEATURE ON OR OFF (IT IS THE SAME EITHER WAYS). THE ONLY OPTION I HAVE TO PREVENT GLARE HITTING MY EYES IS TO TURN THE MIRROR AWAY SO I DO NOT SEE ANYTHING. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE SAYS THAT I SHOULD HAVE IT CHECKED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP SHINES A FLASHLIGHT ON THE REAR VIEW AND REPORTS THAT IT IS WORKING FINE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE SHAPE OF THE CAR'S REAR GLASS AND SPOILER PREVENTS THE HEADLINGHTS FROM HITTING THE SENSOR ON THE AUTO-DIM MIRROR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10451211

Incident

Jan 3, 2012

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE AUTO-DIM FEATURE OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR *TGW THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AS THEY DETERMINED IT WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. AFTER THEY REPLACED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE AUTO-DIM WORKED A LITTLE BETTER, BUT IT KEPT TURNING OFF. IT THERE WERE STREET LIGHTS, BUILDING LIGHTS, OR ONCOMING CAR HEADLIGHTS, THE AUTO-DIM MECHANISM TURNED OFF AND WOULD NOT TURN ON AGAIN, UNTIL THERE WAS TOTAL DARKNESS. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT WAS HOW THE AUTO-DIM FEATURE WAS INTENDED TO WORK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10445310

Incident

Jan 2, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE REARVIEW MIRROR WAS HANGING TWO INCHES LOWER THAN NORMAL REARVIEW MIRRORS AND WAS OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVERS VIEW OF THE ROADWAY TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REARVIEW MIRROR DESIGN WAS NEWER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

NHTSA ID

10416651

Incident

Aug 5, 2010

Mileage

10,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 2010 PRIUS LEVEL 4. INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE IS AN AUTO DIMMING REAR VIEW MIRROR WITH HOMELINK. THE AUTO DIMMING FUNCTION DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT SEEMS TO BE VERY DISTANCE DEPENDENT. THERE IS A NARROW FOCAL RANGE THAT THE SENSOR REACTS TO. IF A VEHICLE IS TO CLOSE OR TO FAR AWAY THE AUTO DIMMING FUNCTION DOES NOT REALLY DIM VERY MUCH. CONSIDERING HOW LOW THE VEHICLE IS THIS IS INCREDIBLE ANNOYING AND UN-SAFE. ALSO THIS VEHICLE HAS SPLIT REAR GLASS IN THE HATCH BACK. THE CENTER BAR I BELIEVE ALSO BLOCKS THE LIGHT FROM HEADLIGHTS FROM REACHING THE SENSOR. IF YOU TILT THE MIRROR UP SO THAT YOU DO NOT SEE THE CENTER BAR (ONLY THE TOP PORTION OF THE REAR GLASS), THE MIRROR SEEMS TO WORK BETTER. AS A SIDE NOTE, I PURCHASED A MANUAL FLIP MIRROR WITH THE CORRECT PART # FOR A 2010 PRIUS FROM MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THE NEW MIRROR HAS A DIFFERENT MOUNTING STYLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10392717

Incident

Aug 5, 2010

Mileage

32 mi

THE REAR WINDOW ON 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS , WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT,GENERATES THE VERTICAL LIGHT BARS ATTACHED TO THE SOURCE OF LIGHT , EX: HEADLIGHT OF THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE, THUS IMAGE OF THE CARS TRAFFIC ON THE BUSY HIGHWAY IS TOTALLY DISTORTED BY THE PRESENCE OF THE THESE UNWARRANTED LIGHT EFFECTS. THIS DEFECT INTRODUCES THE SAFETY ISSUE WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE DRIVER IS PRESENTED WITH THE LIGHT EFFECTS THAT TOTALLY BLURS THE BACK VIEW .THE ISSUE IS AUGMENTED IF THE REAR WINDOW IS TINTED . THE ISSUE HAD BEEN VERIFIED BY ROUND ROCK(TEXAS) TOYOTA AND APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A TEST ESCAPE. HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM ARGUING THAT THERE IS INSUFFICIENT FIELD DATA THAT WOULD JUSTIFY ACTION TO BE TAKEN. BEING THE USER OF THE MULTIPLE TOYOTA PRODUCT IN THE PAST, I CAN EXPRESS THE HEAVY CONCERN ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SAFETY BREACH WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, PRIMARILY IN HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10383132

Incident

Oct 15, 2010

Mileage

2,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN SHE HEARD A LOUD BANG. UPON EXAMINATION, SHE NOTICED THAT THE SUNROOF HAD SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN OBJECT WOULD HAVE HAD TO HIT THE VEHICLE TO CAUSE THE SUNROOF TO SHATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,433.

NHTSA ID

10363682

Incident

Oct 28, 2010

Mileage

1,433 mi

WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN CRACKED TWICE IN MY NEW 2010 PRIUS DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. THE EDGE OF THE GLASS ON THE SIDES ARE EXPOSED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10308508

Incident

Aug 19, 2009

Mileage

3,000 mi

MY TOYOTA PRIUS HAS THE PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE NEWS. THE VEHICLE HAS BRAKE/STABILITY CONTROL ISSUES AS SOON AS ONE OF THE WHEELS LEAVE THE SUFACE OF THE ROAD. THE ANTI-LOCK "SYSTEM" SEEMS TO BE TOO AGGRESSIVE AND THEREBY IS DANGEROUS. THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE DRIVER CAN DO TO AVOID THIS. IT IS A TRACTION-CONTROL/BRAKE ISSUE. ALSO, REAR VISION IS ABOUT AS BAD AS LOOKING OUT THE REAR OF THE OSCAR MAYER WEINER MOBILE. THE SIDE MIRRORS NEED MORE REAR VISION. *CN

NHTSA ID

10306893

Incident

Dec 15, 2009

Mileage

3,500 mi

I BOUGHT A TOYOTA PRIUS V 2010. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA ABOUT THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I AM ALSO FILLING A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. ALSO THE BACK AUTO DIMMING MIRROR DOESNT WORK PROPERLY. THEY CANT FIND A FIX. LANE KEEP ASSIST WORKS REALLY POORLY. I WOULD SAY I DOESNT WORK! ALSO BLUETOOTH SYSTEMS DOESNT WORK PROPERLY. THERE IS A DELAY IN ANSWERING THE CALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10305484

Incident

Feb 2, 2010

Mileage

5,000 mi

ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK I HAD THE SUNROOF OPENED AND A ROCK HIT THE DEFLECTOR (A PIECE OF TEMPERED GLASS) AND SHATTERED IT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $907.66. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS DEFLECTOR AND SUNROOF ARE UNSAFE...BEING ONLY TEMPERED GLASS AND NOT SAFETY GLASS. THE ENTIRE ROOF IS MADE OF THIS GLASS. I HAD ASSUMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE. I FEAR THAT ANY FALLING OBJECT (LIKE A STONE OR HAIL) POSES A DANGER TO MY SAFETY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10290349

Incident

Oct 26, 2009

Mileage

900 mi