2012 Toyota Prius Powertrain (other) Problems

I am writing to bring attention to a critical safety issue affecting the 2012 Toyota Prius and other Toyota models equipped with the brake booster and actuator system. These components are failing at alarming rates, leaving vehicles with no functional brakes, ABS, or traction control. Additionally, this failure compromises the hybrid system due to the regenerative braking no longer working, potentially causing further damage to hybrid components and resulting in repairs costing several thousand dollars. Toyota issued Customer Support Program ZJB, which covered these issues for a limited period. This program was in effect from August 31, 2021, with no mileage or year restrictions, but offered secondary coverage for up to 10 years or 150,000 miles from the vehicle’s first use. Unfortunately, my vehicle, with approximately 130,000 miles and 12 years of age, was denied coverage when brought to a dealer after the program had ended. Despite the brake booster and actuator failing, the dealership did not advise me not to drive the vehicle, further emphasizing the gravity of this oversight. This is a significant safety hazard, as vehicles with these failures lack the ability to stop effectively, risking lives on the road. Furthermore, this problem is not isolated to my Prius; it affects thousands of Toyota vehicles equipped with these components. The estimated repair cost exceeds $3,000, an undue burden on owners for an issue that stems from defective manufacturing. I firmly believe Toyota’s decision to address this problem through a limited Customer Support Program, rather than a full recall, is inadequate and irresponsible. This issue meets the criteria for a safety recall and should be treated as such by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). I respectfully urge the NHTSA to investigate this matter further asap/mandate a recall for all affected vehicles. This is a big safety issue. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)

NHTSA ID

11637477

Incident

Jun 17, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact noticed that there was a significant amount of water on the floorboards from the windshield whenever it rained heavily. Additionally, the contact stated while at a traffic sign on a hill, the vehicle would roll backwards while in drive when she took her foot off the accelerator. The contact did not notice any warning lights. The contact also noticed that while parking the vehicle, whenever the PARK button on the dashboard was not depressed while the vehicle was running, the vehicle would roll forward. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was not diagnosed and was not yet repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11455849

Incident

Dec 16, 2021

Mileage

80,000 mi

I went into Toyota of Fort Walton Beach, FL to remedy a recall (NHTSA Recall Number 18V684). She said that this recall is not on their list and thus would do nothing. I want this recall repaired as presently there is a safety risk. There are phrases in this recall of "1 unrepaired recall" and "Recall incomplete".

NHTSA ID

11421094

Incident

Jun 11, 2021

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN AN EFFORT WAS MADE TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE ON A 2 LANE ROAD, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE WE WERE PASSING, WE BARELY GOT BACK INTO OUR LANE AND JUST BARELY AVOIDED A HEAD ON COLLISION. THEN THE VEHICLE SLOWED TO ABOUT 15 MPH AND LIMPED TO A STOP A MILE LATER. WE COULD HAVE DIED.

NHTSA ID

11291256

Incident

Dec 24, 2019

Mileage

87,000 mi

WHEN I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN I HEARD A LOUD "BOOM" SOUND AND HAD TO GRAB MY STEERING WHEEL HARD SO I WOULDNT DRIFT ONTO THE OTHER LANE BECAUSE MY CAR WAS SHAKING AND SKIDDING THEN RIGHT AFTER MY CAR EMERGENCY DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND TOLD ME SYSTEM FAILURE PARK YOUR CAR IMMIDENTLY KEEP IN MIND WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING MY CAR ONLY WENT UP TO TWENTY MILES PER HOUR WITH MY CAR MAKING A LOUD SOUND AS IF I WAS GOING 80 MPH IT SOUNDED LIKE I WAS SPEEDING WHEN I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT TWENTY MILES PER HOUR.

NHTSA ID

11205056

Incident

Apr 27, 2019

Mileage

92,041 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11196480

Incident

Mar 24, 2019

Mileage

75,000 mi

WHEN I DRIVE OVER ANY TYPE OF BUMP, (POTHOLE, SPEED BUMP, ETC) AND MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE....THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY SPEED-UP INSTEAD OF SLOW DOWN. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME.

NHTSA ID

11194061

Incident

Mar 30, 2019

Mileage

69,500 mi

I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND PRESSED THE STOP BUTTON TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND LEFT THE DRIVER'S DOOR OPEN. I WALKED TO THE MAILBOX TO GET THE MAIL AND HEARD A CRASH AS THE CAR DROVE OFF AND HIT A TREE AND LANDSCAPE WALL.

NHTSA ID

11165007

Incident

Dec 26, 2018

Mileage

85,000 mi

WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER , WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON.

NHTSA ID

11112016

Incident

Sep 14, 2017

Mileage

92,396 mi

MY CAR WILL TURN ON, BUT IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE UNTIL NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. I USUALLY HAVE TO TURN IT ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT 10-15 TIMES BEFORE IT WILL ALLOW MY TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE KEY FOB WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK THE CAR. THE CAR WILL STILL TURN ON, AC WILL STILL COME ON, RADIO STILL WORKS. THE ONLY THING THAT DOESN'T WORK ON THE FIRST 10-15 TRIES IS THE SIFTING INTO GEAR. PRIUSCHAT FORUM TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE A LOT. THEY ALL HAVE SIMILAR STORIES WITH THE SAME DETAILS AS MINE. IT TAKES ME ABOUT 5-7 MIN TO GET MY CAR STARTED. ONCE I FINALLY GET THE CAR IN GEAR, NO ISSUES POP UP FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVE. ALL OF THIS STARTED ABOUT WITHIN THE LAST MONTH FOR ME.

NHTSA ID

11099828

Incident

Jun 4, 2018

VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL, ANTI-LOCK BRAKE, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY TURN OFF. A FEW TIMES IT SHUT DOWN THE HYBRID SYSTEM AND TELL ME TO STOP . NOW ALL THOSE LIGHTS ARE ALL ON AND I AM DRIVING WITHOUT VSS, ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL. BRAKING IS GETTING HARDER. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THE COST IS $3500. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PRIUS PROBLEM PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

11043167

Incident

Jun 10, 2017

Mileage

78,000 mi

I RECEIVED THE WARNING, PLEASE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM. AFTER CHECKING THE DTC THE FOLLOWING CODE APPEARED ON THE COMPUTER: P0A08:DC/DC CONVERTER CIRCUIT STATUS WHICH INDICATES AN INVERTER PROBLEM. LOOKING AT THE RECALL WEBSITE USING VIN NUMBER, SHOWED NO RECALL CONCERNING THIS. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED MANY TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY OR A HIGHWAY

NHTSA ID

11003135

Incident

Nov 15, 2014

AFTER TOYOTA POWER MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE RECALL INSTALLED "POWER MANAGEMENT UPGRADE" SOFTWARE IN MY CAR I IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCED SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH MY IGNITION /START OF HYBRID/GASOLINE ENGINE. AFTER PRESSING IGNITION, I HAD TO WAIT 15 TO 20 MINUTES AND PRESS START BUTTON ON/OFF REPEATEDLY UNTIL THE GASOLINE ENGINE IGNITE BUT HYBRID FAILED TO START. IT IS NOT NORMAL BECAUSE A PRIUS HYBRID ENGINE STARTS FIRST NOT THE GASOLINE ENGINE. TOYOTA HAS DISABLED SOME IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS IN ITS POWER MANAGEMENT RECALL SOFTWARE UPDATE THAT AFFECTS THE HYBRID ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND FAILURE TO START. I DRIVE MY PRIUS 3-4 TIMES A MONTH AND I DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM BEFORE THE RECALL SOFTWARE UPGRADE BECAUSE PRIUS OWNERS MANUAL CLEARLY SAYS THAT THE BATTERY WITH BE DISCONNECTED BY BATTERY SAVING FUNCTION WHEN YOUR CAR IS PARKED FOR LONG TIME, SEVERAL DAYS, WEEKS. IN FACT, WHEN YOUR CAR IS PARKED FOR JUST DAYS, TOYOTA POWER MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE (RECALL) IS DRAINING THE CAR BATTERY AND RECONFIGURING THE RELAYS TO POWER UP THE GASOLINE ENGINE. TOYOTA OWNERS MANUAL CLEARLY STATES THAT WHEN YOU ARE PARKED, "POWER MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE DISCONNECTS THE AUXILIARY BATTERY FROM THE HYBRID SYSTEM." HOWEVER, AFTER THE RECALL, NOT ONLY AUXILIARY BATTERY IS NOT DISCONNECTED BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF "ACTIVITY" IN HYBRID ENGINE THAT DRAINS THE BATTERIES. I CALLED THE TOYOTA SERVICE AND THEY NOW SAY YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE CAR ON A CHARGER ALL THE TIME WHEN PARKED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. OF COURSE , IT IS A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM TO KEEP THE CAR ON A CHARGER ALL THE TIME WHEN PARKED FOR DAYS BECAUSE THE BATTERY IS HOUSED IN THE CABIN AND THE VENTILATION DOES NOT EXIST UNLESS YOU PARK YOUR CAR OUTDOORS. AT THE SAME TIME TOYOTA RECOMMENDS KEEPING THE CAR ON A CHARGER , IT ALSO WARNS OF EXPLOSION CAUSED BY CHARGING THE BATTERIES IN A GARAGE.

NHTSA ID

10875560

Incident

Jul 29, 2014

Mileage

14,000 mi

AFTER STARTING THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. THE DASHBOARD WAS LIT BUT I COULD NOT GET THE CAR MOVING. AFTER FIDDLING AROUND FOR SOMETIME, IT FINALLY CLICKED AND I WAS ABLE TO GO INTO REVERSE. THE CAR FUNCTIONED FINE UNTIL LATER THAT DAY I MADE A DROP-OFF STOP AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE DASH BOARD WAS LIT BUT I COULD NOT GET THE CAR MOVING. I WAS STALLED ALMOST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID THE MOST EXTENSIVE COMPUTER GENERATED DIAGNOSIS ON THE CAR BUT COULD FIND NO INDICATORS OF THE PROBLEM. I REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS WHO SAID THEY'D INVESTIGATE BUT THERE IS NO INTERNAL SYSTEM FOR REPORTING BACK TO ME ON THEIR FINDINGS. I DID RESEARCH ON THE CONSUMER REPORTS WEBSITE AND SAW OTHERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. MY FEAR IS GETTING 'STUCK' IN UNWANTED TIMES AND UNDESIRED LOCATIONS. THE FACT THAT THE COMPANY DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM IS TROUBLING. I PLAN TO GET A NEW CAR RATHER THAN WORRY ABOUT THIS ONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10680574

Incident

Jan 8, 2014

Mileage

25,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT ROLLED AWAY IN REVERSE INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THE CONTACT'S LEG AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEG, A FRACTURED KNEE THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

NHTSA ID

10672051

Incident

Oct 1, 2013

Mileage

15,000 mi

WHEN GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE FORWARD, THE CAR SLIPS INTO REVERSE!!! I'VE TAKEN IT TO TOYOTA MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY SAY THEY FIND NOTHING WRONG! I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO BE SURE THE CAR IS ACTUALLY IN DRIVE BEFORE MOVING IT OR I COULD BACK INTO SOMETHING OR SOMEONE BY MISTAKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649597

Incident

Jul 25, 2012

Mileage

500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED AND MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE RESUMED TO ITS NORMAL ACCELERATION AFTER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,000. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE LIGHTLY, THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE SOLD THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 09/23/14

NHTSA ID

10599176

Incident

Jun 17, 2014

Mileage

22,000 mi

I WAS GETTING READY TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT. THE CAR WAS IN PARK, SO I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE, STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN REVERSE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD ROAR AND THE CAR SHOT FULL SPEED IN REVERSE, COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. IT CLIPPED THE BUMPER OF A PARKED CAR AND SOME SHOPPING CARTS, THEN BACKED INTO A WALL WHICH STOPPED THE CAR. MIRACULOUSLY NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10595000

Incident

May 22, 2014

Mileage

8,800 mi

I PULLED UP TO A CAR WASH AND ONCE I WAS ON THE TRACK I TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND IT WOULD NOT WORK. THE AUTOMATIC CAR WASH TRACK STARTED TO TRY TO PULL THE VEHICLE FORWARD. AS IM FRANTICALLY TRYING TO MAKE IT GO INTO NEUTRAL, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO HOP OFF THE TRACK AND WAS GETTING VIOLENTLY THRASHED AROUND AS IT WAS GETTING PULLED FORWARD CAUSING THE PERSON RUNNING THE WASH TO HAVE TO MANUALLY HIT A PANIC BUTTON TO STOP IT. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO EITHER THE VEHICLE OR THE CAR WASH BUT IT IS VERY DISTURBING THAT IT WOULD NOT WORK. IT TOOK SEVERAL EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT WORKED. IT SHOULD BE SIMPLE... IT'S NOT!!! WAY TO COMPLICATED AND I'M STILL NOT 100% SURE AFTER TRYING TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL HOW IT WORKS. IT JUST SOMETIMES WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL AFTER TRYING IT OVER AND OVER....VERY UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10578554

Incident

Apr 7, 2014

Mileage

16,000 mi

CAR BECOMES IMMOBILE - WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. COMPUTER KEEPS SENDING THE MESSAGE TO PUT IT IN PARK AND DEPRESS BRAKE, BUT ONCE THAT IS DONE, ANY ATTEMPT TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE TRIGGERS THE MESSAGE, ENDLESSLY. THE PROBLEM IS APPARENTLY INTERMITTENT. OCCURRED FOR TWO HOURS YESTERDAY, AFTER OCCURRING TO A LESSER EXTENT IN PRECEDING DAYS (IN THE DAYS PRECEDING THE TOTAL BREAKDOWN, I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT AFTER A SLIGHT DELAY AND A FEW ATTEMPTS). THE DEALERSHIP TO WHICH I HAD IT TOWED SAID IT WAS FINE TODAY. EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE CAR CAN BE IN AN UNSAFE POSITION WHEN IT BECOMES IMMOBILE. I WAS PARTLY OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, SOMEWHAT BLOCKING TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM INVOLVES THE COMPUTER AND THE TRANSMISSION - AT LEAST

NHTSA ID

10469781

Incident

Jul 31, 2012

Mileage

2,865 mi