2005 Toyota Prius Body & Structure Problems

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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