2001 Toyota Prius Suspension Problems

PREMATURE WEAR AND CROWNING OF TIRES DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT OF REAR AXLE. CAN ONLY BE CORRECTED BY AFTER MARKET PLASTIC SHIMS INSTALLED AT AN EXPENSE OF APPROXIMATELY $500 OR OVER INFLATE TIRES TO 50 PSI AND LOOSE ROAD TRACTION OR INFLATE TIRES TO TOYOTA SPECIFICATIONS FOR PREMATURE WEAR DUE TO TOE OUT DEFECT. *TR

TIRES ON VEHICLE ARE COMING APART ON THE INSIDE TREAD LINE AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5,000 MILES OF USE. WE HAD ONE CRASH WHERE CAR COULD NOT BE STOPPED IN TIME. DID NOT PUT THE CRASH TOGETHER WITH THE TIRE PROBLEM UNTIL RECENTLY. *NM

I HAVE SERIOUS AND REPEATING PROBLEMS WITH SUSPENSION/ TIRES ON MY TOYOTA PRIUS 2001 CAR (MANUFACTURED 06/01). THREE TIMES THE FRONT TIRES WHERE ABNORMALLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY WORN (DURING APPROX 7,500 MILES) WITH, WITH SIDE AND TOP SCARS ETC. TOYOTA ALREADY CHANGED THE TIRES FOUR TIMES BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO SOLVE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE SAME PROBLEM IS LIKELY REPEAT ITSELF AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND CHANGING THE TIRES IS NOT A SOLUTION. I DO NOT LIKE DRIVING ON SUCH DANGEROUSLY WORN TIRES; MOREOVER, IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO DRIVE ON TIRES IN SUCH CONDITION). CAR WAS REGULARLY IN SCHEDULED TOYOTA SERVICE (INCLUDING TIRES ROTATION, PRESSURE CHECK ETC.).

EXCESSIVE FRONT TIRE WEAR, SAID BY TOYOTA TO BE "INHERENT IN A HYBRID VEHICLE" BUT NOT ADVERTISED TO PURCHASERS ANYWHERE IN THEIR SALES BROCHURES OR WARRANTY PACKET, IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO ANYONE EXPECTING TIRES TO LAST MORE THAN 12,000 MILES. TOYOTA BLAMES THE TIRE MANUFACTURER; BRIDGESTONE BLAMES TOYOTA. TOYOTA ALSO REFUSES TO SPECIFY WHETHER THE 2004 MODEL, WHICH HAS SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER TIRES, WILL BE ANY BETTER. THEY SIMPLY WON'T ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING FUEL IN VEHICLE IS CONSUMED FASTER THAN IT SHOULD BE. THE GAS TANK HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE, AND THE VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP AT THIS TIME FOR ANOTHER FUEL TANK. CONSUMER FEELS THAT VEHICLE MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING TRANSPORT TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE FRONT END IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. VEHICLE HAS HAD FIVE FRONT END ALIGNMENTS SINCE OWNERSHIP. *AK

CONTINUED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR POSSIBLE CAUSE VEHICLE WEIGHT AND ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. I AM ON MY THIRD SET OF TIRES IN 30,000 MILES AND THE TIRES THAT ARE NOW ON THE CAR ARE WEARING POORLY AFTER LESS THEN 5,000 MILES. TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM ANY FURTHER THEN THEY HAVE. THE CAR WONDERS IN SLIGHTLY WINDY CONDITIONS AND FREEWAY DRIVING WHICH FELLS UNSAFE. TOYOTA HAS HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER AND DO A VALVE JOB DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER I EXPERIENCED, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.*AK

FRONT SUSPENSION HAS BEEN WEARING OUT FRONT TIRES. WARRANTY OF TIRES EXPIRED. *AK