Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Toyota Prius: Problems & Solutions

1235714

Comments

  • stevewastevewa Member Posts: 203
    2002 was NOT AT-PZEV rated. It was simply SULEV rated, so the longer warranty did not apply. I thought California vehicles had a 100K warranty however.

    Anyway, in theory a catalytic converter should NEVER fail. It is a catalyst for a chemical reaction but it is not consumed itself. The reason a catalytic converter fails is that the bricks get contaminated. Number one culprit is motor oil, but low quality fuel can cause trouble too.
  • sjones8888sjones8888 Member Posts: 1
    Hi, all. Yesterday I bought a 2002 Prius with 21,402 miles for only $14,000. A real bargain! It's the basic trim-line. I had it inspected pre-purchase at a Toyota dealer and all was very good. The tires were showing the asymmetric wear that is common, but at least they still had some tread. I live about 100 miles north of NYC, in Kingston, NY.

    So. Here I am with a Prius. On the 90-mile drive home I only got 39.9 mpg, according to the dashboard gauge. According to this group and others, that's almost certainly 2-5 miles higher than I actually got. I was only going about 65 mph and the temp was about 58. So that's pretty disappointing.

    I already knew about Prius' tire problem, but figured at the car's price an extra set of tires wasn't that big a deal. Now I find out that Toyota gave "classic" Prius a unique wheel size that nobody makes tires for. WHAT!?! Is that true? I'm seeing very different stories around the user-groups. Am I stuck with a car that I can't even get snow tires for?

    And the radio! I noticed it was an unusual shape when I test drove the car, but assumed I could adapt any radio with a kit and harness (I've installed radios in few cars, and am pretty handy). It looks like that's very, very untrue. Even Cruthchfield has NO radio that fits the Prius, and no adapter kit or harness.

    What is Toyota thinking!?! How many more simple things on my "economy" car are unique and unavailable through the after-market? And now I read all the horror stories about very expensive repairs and the dubious knowledge of most dealers.

    I'm very concerned that I made a terrible decision buying this car. If the mileage barely beats a normal Civic or Echo, simple things like tires and radios (and maybe other things) are unavailable or exhorbitantly expensive, and even specially-trained technicians can't be trusted, what is the upside?

    Please help,
    Steve Jones
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1.jsp?width=175%2F&ratio=65&diameter=14&sortCode=3340- 0&minSpeedRating=S&ratio=65&width=175%2F&diameter=14&minLoad=S&vehicleSearch=true&startInd- ex=0&search=true&pagelen=20&pagenum=1&pagemark=1&performance=GTAS&performance=ST&performan- ce=AS&speed_rating=SR&speed_rating=TR&speed_rating=UR&speed_rating=HR&speed_rating=VR&spee- d_rating=WR&speed_rating=YR&speed_rating=ZR&RunFlat=All&x=82&y=7

    Can't speak to the rest of your issues, but the tires are no big deal. See the link above from the Tire Rack for alternatives in the 175/65x14 size. I have no idea where you got the impression that "nobody makes tires" in this size, which is indeed unusual, but not unheard of.

    You could substitute the much more common 185/65x14s [as long as you did all four at once], and put up with the small amount of speedo/odo error [on the order of 3-5%] they would introduce.

    185/60x14s would have the same rolling diameter as the originals, but they aren't real common, either.

    In any case, this is not a crisis.
  • jjjsjjjs Member Posts: 1
    Does the Prius need the Catalytic Converter to run? If it isn't replaced what happens to the car other than it releasing more emissions? How long could you drive without replacing it?
  • mtnmamamtnmama Member Posts: 5
    we have an 04 Prius, since Dec 2003. I recognize a lot of the issues posted above relating to mileage, rear view, tires, etc. I've been having a problem with the display panel and radio - radio goes off intermittently, panel display either doesn't work at all or is all confused. Almost like a bad fuse. the dealer comes back and tells me that the auxillary battery must be replaced ($200.00) and something to do with the electrical panel system is shot and needs to be replaced ($1000.00). Of course I have 38,000 miles on it and the warranty expired at 36,000. Since we are such "good" customers, they would try to have Toyota help us out on this. Guess what, these are two items that cannot be helped.... I bought this car for the mileage and emmissions features, and I am soooooo dissappointed with this problem now. I usually keep my vehicles for around 250,000 miles (I have an over-100 mile commute each day), and i am seriously trying to decide whether to keep it or not. I cannot be throwing a thousand dollars at it every 40K miles.... Other than that I really love the car. We are a three Toyota family, and have been really happy with them for a long time. I should have bought a motorcycle i guess, but my husband thinks that he should be the one to get a bike for his mid-life crisis...
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    auxillary battery must be replaced ($200.00) and something to do with the electrical panel system is shot and needs to be replaced ($1000.00).

    Welcome to the Forum. The battery should have a manufacturers warranty longer than one year. Others have paid as much as $400 for that battery. I would question if that electrical panel in any way affects the operation of the car, it may have to be covered under the emissions law. I can understand your frustration with a car that is less than a year and a half old costing that kind of money to repair. Good luck
  • tempusvntempusvn Member Posts: 119
    "I've been having a problem with the display panel and radio - radio goes off intermittently, panel display either doesn't work at all or is all confused."

    That is a known problem covered under TSB EL002-05 "Multi-Display Functions are Inoperative"

    Take that TSB Number to your dealer. If they don't try to work with Toyota to get it covered under warrantee, then you should call Toyota Corporate directly. I'd expect they would cover it. They've been good about that.

    If for some unfathomable reason they don't, the $1K is still too much. A refurbished MFD is about $400 and it is .2 (that is 2/10 hour) labor to install.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "If for some unfathomable reason they don't, the $1K is still too much. A refurbished MFD is about $400 and it is .2 (that is 2/10 hour) labor to install."

    HMMM, who will install it? The dealer is unlikely to work with a refurb, and many mechanics seem to be leery of working on the electronics of a hybrid.
  • tempusvntempusvn Member Posts: 119
    The units Toyota is putting in on the TSB are refurbs. They just take the ones that fail, replace the electronics, and recycle them back. And if it's out of warrantee, why wouldn't a dealer install a refurb? They put in rebuilt engines which is orders of magnitude more complex.

    But, the replacement is simple anyway. You can get a DVD from a place like CoastalETech that shows you step by step how to disassemble the dash to get at the MFD for adding Satellite Radio, Backup Cameras, etc.

    It's no different than replacing a stereo head. Unplug a couple of cables, plug in the new one, snap the dash back together.
  • mtnmamamtnmama Member Posts: 5
    Thank you very much, folks, for the input. I'll feel much better negotiating with the dealer with a little information in my hand. I talked to the service guy yesterday, asking for the estimated repairs in writing, and he wasn't quite ready to do that, as he's still supposedly trying to get Toyota to work with us on this. As long as he knows that I know that there are options, hopefully we can reach some kind of reasonable deal.
  • bjrichbjrich Member Posts: 125
    After washing my new (2 weeks) Prius, being sweaty and needing a shower, I came into the house..as i passed thru the utility room, I decided to throw my cloths into the washer.
    this morning I was getting ready for church and lo and behold could not find my key fob..I searched and searched and finally decided to look in the last pair of pants I had been wearing...
    It was in the pocket of the sweat pants I had worn while washing the car..It had gone thru the wash cycle and the dry cycle.
    I immediately went into the garage.. jumped into the seat and all was well
    Pruis problems, not at all.
  • rick61rick61 Member Posts: 2
    Hi : Check you owner's manual. f the "05 Prius sits unused for 2+weeks,the batteries will go dead because all of the computer security systems are drawing energy .If you have someone to start and run the car for several hours/week,the batteries will stay charged. If the car is securely garaged,there is a switch at the base of the dash panel.If you turn it off , then the car can sit idle longer,but the alarm system will be dis-abled.See your dealer about these options.Good luck.
  • rick61rick61 Member Posts: 2
    I have almost 1000 miles on my 2005 Prius with"0"problems.I have owned Range Rovers,BMW's,etc. They were always in for repair.The Prius is my first Hybrid vehicle and have had no problems. I do not want to give the big oil companies one more nickel than I have to. FYI,as the Prius was my first Hybrid and hopefully my last vehicle(I am 62 years old) so I purchased the Toyota Extra Care 7 yr.(or 75k miles) warranty .I average @3-4k miles/per year.This extra warranty has unlimited roadside assistance,towing service,$50/day,5 days per repair visit substitute transportation,$100/day,5 days dislocation benefit,5 days over life of the agreement. This coverage costs $1,715.00. I think that the cost of this coverage is money well spent.
  • mtnmamamtnmama Member Posts: 5
    I just want to thank you all again for your feedback to my problem - the dealer was able to get Toyota to replace the Multi-Function Display part at no cost to me, but i will have to pay for labor for installation, and thanks to you I have a great idea on what they should charge me, otherwise, i'll purchase the part and have my son do it! Also, the auxilliary battery will not be covered and will cost me "under 200"..... Just to refresh, the car is an 04 Prius, have had it for a year and a half, have 38,000 miles on it, (warranty expires at 36K). Good luck with your Priuses!!!
  • mtnmamamtnmama Member Posts: 5
    can you tell me where i can find this information (.2 hour labor estimate)? thanks
  • tempusvntempusvn Member Posts: 119
    "can you tell me where i can find this information (.2 hour labor estimate)?"

    It is in TSB EL002-05

    OP Code EL4012 - R&R Display, Multi-Display
  • geekmagnetgeekmagnet Member Posts: 2
    Hi--I'm new here. I have been looking at used Prius's and I drove a 2002 today that was priced at $11K but it has issues and I'd like to get some opinions.

    First of all, the seller said he had replaced what appears to be the AC/DC converter. I gathered this info from looking at a chart of the engine online---it's the big square silver thing under the hood.

    Secondly, he said he bought it at auction and it had a salvage title. What is a salvage title and is it such a bad thing?

    Lastly, he had a yellow brake on one of the front wheels---obviously an after-market caliper? I'm not sure---I don't know that much about brakes. The car had 45K miles on it which is not much. Would a caliper have to be replaced after 45K miles?

    Thanks for your help---I'm so glad I found this forum. I have been wondering how much repairs for the Prius cost vs. a conventional car.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    A salvage title means that it was wrecked and written off, or severely damaged in a flood, or otherwise declared unusable at some stage in its life by an insurance company.

    Run, do not walk, away from this car at top speed. Don't look back.

    I would suspect flood damage, from your description of what has been replaced. Of all the cars in the world that you don't want to have any part of under these circumstances, it is a Prius.

    Glad you asked first - this would have been a big mistake.
  • geekmagnetgeekmagnet Member Posts: 2
    Yes, thank you for the advice. I have always heard bad things about salvage titles but was never sure what that term meant.

    Now I'd like to know what kind of maintenance a Prius needs. In other words, is regular maintenance comparable in cost to a conventional car? Oil chages every 7,500, when do I get a tune-up, is there a timing belt to change? I have read that new batteries, if needed, have come down in cost from $5K to $3K so if those fail it's comparable to having to rebuild the engine and transmission both, whch some people don't mind doing if they love a car. I have test driven this car and it is very fun to drive, IMO, and very peaceful while stuck in traffic because it's so quiet. I just wish there was more info out there about what it's like to live with one!
  • mtnmamamtnmama Member Posts: 5
    Hello, I'm back. (posts 209/220) I picked up my car - 04 Prius- yesterday, after having the dealer replace the auxillary battery and the multifunction display unit, (out of warranty, Toyota covered the MFD unit, but I had to pay for the battery, around $200) and drove it home (about 25 miles). Everything great except that now I've got the gears shifting from D into N, three different times during the ride home. I'm going to take it back in imediately, but was looking around in this forum to see if this had been addressed.

    Sound familiar to anyone? Thanks in advance for any help!
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "Everything great except that now I've got the gears shifting from D into N, three different times during the ride home. I'm going to take it back in imediately, but was looking around in this forum to see if this had been addressed."

    Isn't the transmission controlled by the computer? Maybe you should post this in the "Prius Software Problems" forum...
  • quasar4quasar4 Member Posts: 110
    --Whenever we've had a good rain or I wash my '04 Prius I can hear water sloshing about for almost a day when making sharp turns. Sounds like it's coming from under the hood near where the wipers are, but I can't see anything when I pop the hood. Never had this problem before after a wash or rain. Anybody else experience this problem?
  • pri4uspri4us Member Posts: 2
    The Federal Government is collecting information on the Prius stalling problem. The problem is finally making the news.

    http://www.thecarconnection.com/Industry/Daily_Edition/Daily_Edition_May_16_2005.S173.A862- - - 4.html

    "Are Priuses Stalling Out?

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not launched a formal investigation yet, but it is compiling complaints from Toyota Prius owners that the cars can stall or shut down while on the road. The agency has logged 13 reports in which 2004 Priuses have shut down at highway or slower driving speeds; a TCC staffer's personal car experienced the problem late last year. ....."

    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,142
    pri4us,
    Per our membership agreement, you need to update the address in your profile to one that works, lest your account be suspended.

    kirstie_h
    Roving Host
    Host, Future Vehicles & Smart Shopper discussions

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? [email protected] - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • jimlockeyjimlockey Member Posts: 265
    I would like to hear a little more about the high speed shutdowns?
  • plusafplusaf Member Posts: 6
    today, just a few miles shy of 5000 on the odo, my '04 BC/9 lit the maint. required lamp, too, though it went off after driving a few dozen feet from the start. the dealer turned the lamp off, using the power/odo button combo, but there was also a "service" lamp on, and they didn't know what would cause that, so i'm taking it in tomorrow morning. it's run just fine so far, averaging a bit over 40mpg all-around and 36-38 under some conditions that will only be described on my website... :)

    i'll try to update here what happens. the car is behaving normally, despite the second light on. the tech and the service rep assumed that when i had the oil changed [and converted to synthetic] a few months ago, they didn't reset the maint. req. code.

    tomorrow may tell...
    :)
    plusaf.
    www.plusaf.com
  • plusafplusaf Member Posts: 6
    same for me on a shutdown... i hate tailgaters, and am always watching my rearview mirror. a few months ago, a guy came up rapidly behind me at a traffic light, and i thought i was about to be rear-ended, so i mashed the gas and then the brake, to move away just a few feet quickly. don't critique my actions, please. i'll do it again if it happens again...

    weird thing was, the car seemed to shut down to electri-only, and i was able to limp to the side of the road safely, at no more than 5-10 mph.

    the red ! came on, and i figured i'd blown something serious, so i shut the car down, let it sit for a minute, and restarted. the light stayed on, but since i was just a mile or two from my dealer [!], i took the car there and asked what to do. i didn't want to leave it overnight, and since it had come alive again [the IC was running, and it was behaving normally], i drove home after making a service appointment for the next morning.

    of course, the next morning, the ! light was out, so i canceled the service appt. and have been driving with no problems for the next thousand or so miles.... until today [two orange lights came on... off to the dealer tomorrow.]

    better not be serious... we're planning a 7-8000 mile cross country drive and back in a few weeks......
    +af
  • plusafplusaf Member Posts: 6
    don't tell anyone, but my '04 towed a small cargo trailer from cupertino to truckee and back up and over donner summit with absolutely no problems!

    the onboard systems will not let the battery discharge too low. even if the energy-screen on the dash shows "no bars" of juice, the battery is still not fully discharged. the onboard computers won't allow it. you will, at worst, be throttled down to the max that the internal combustion engine [ICE] will let you do, but my Prius ran up the east slope from truckee to the summit at easily over the speed limit, as it ran up the west slope with no trailer at over 83 mph on cruise-control without ever missing a beat OR discharging the NiMH batteries.

    as a guy at priuschat.com put it, "buy it, then drive it like you stole it." the highlander should behave the same way, but with more acceleration and overall horsepower.

    my vote: nothing to be afraid of. these guys [and gals?] have engineered the car very well.

    +af
  • dave_csdave_cs Member Posts: 1
    Does any one know what will happen if the Start button or Parking button is pressed while driving (any speed)?
  • dawn7dawn7 Member Posts: 7
    It says Toyota is still investigating the stalling problem :confuse:

    http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2005-05-16-prius_x.htm
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    Toyota is aware and has said it would collect data on the problems to see whether there was something that could lead to a fix.
  • kelcolkelcol Member Posts: 1
    Hitting that switch doesn't disable to alarm. It just disables the smart start and smart entry, which stops the car from draining the battery as fast because then it isn't always sending out the signal looking for the key. Just wanted to clarify. :)
  • odie1odie1 Member Posts: 7
    Have had the car in the dealers four times for engine light coming on. They said the "car was learning my driving patterns and that was why the sensors made the lights come on". (they really do not have a fix) Every day I drive it the "check engine" lights come on and the "triangle" also. I have to wait until the battery goes to very low, pull over and start the car over and over until the engine starts to feed the battery (watching the screen all the time here). This happens for no reason and I cannot drive over 30 mph with the lights on and no engine feeding the battery. I have seen other prius owners on the side of the road too. I live in WA state (Seattle) and wonder if there really is a hybrid technician who can fix this. I have learned to work around these sensors but it happens everyday and is inconvienient and also dangerous. Any help or suggestions? Should I replace that battery that starts the car? Please help.....thank you
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Should I replace that battery that starts the car?

    Welcome to the forum. The 12 volt battery is very easy to have checked. I would think it should have some kind of warranty from the battery manufacturer. You need to report this to the NHTSA. That is the only way that Toyota will know about the problems you are having. Your dealer is not going to admit that they are clueless. You should not have to put up with the problems you are having. It should all be covered by warranty. Be sure and document each visit to the dealership. Good luck and keep us posted as to what is found.
  • odie1odie1 Member Posts: 7
    Thank you for your response....what is the NHTSA and how do I contact them?

    thanks, Sharon
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. You can search here and see if your problem is listed. It is a Federal agency. You are welcome, and again good luck..

    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallsearch.cfm
  • odie1odie1 Member Posts: 7
    I took this 2003 Prius to the dealer...the diagnosis? Dirty fuel injectors which they will clean for 300 dollars. The problem they said was with the B/P Gas that we have been using. The dealer said they have been seeing many vehicles with dirty fuel injectors lately and that the gas company may issue a statement regarding this problem and "may offer you a refund" if the problem is related to the gas. We have only bought gas at BP, Conoco, Phillips 66 for the last five years. The dealer said that Chevron has not reported "bad gas" lately.

    I mentioned that the problem was also present in January and they had looked at it then three times (while under warranty) and no problem was found. This time the "codes came up on the computer diagnostics". I thought that Toyota may have sent the dealer new software for this problem but they said not. I am out 300 dollars right now for this fix and the vehicle only has 40K on it. And so many people have told me that Toyotas were good cars. With gas the price it is and if the problem is with the dirty fuel injectors due to the gas what and who can I report all of this to? Do I start with the NHTSA? Who regulates the gas companies? I live in Bremerton WA. Do I call the attorney general in Olympia?

    Help! and thank you....
  • odie1odie1 Member Posts: 7
    I took this 2003 Prius to the dealer...the diagnosis? Dirty fuel injectors which they will clean for 300 dollars. The problem they said was with the B/P Gas that we have been using. The dealer said they have been seeing many vehicles with dirty fuel injectors lately and that the gas company may issue a statement regarding this problem and "may offer you a refund" if the problem is related to the gas. We have only bought gas at BP, Conoco, Phillips 66 for the last five years. The dealer said that Chevron has not reported "bad gas" lately.

    I mentioned that the problem was also present in January and they had looked at it then three times (while under warranty) and no problem was found. This time the "codes came up on the computer diagnostics". I thought that Toyota may have sent the dealer new software for this problem but they said not. I am out 300 dollars right now for this fix and the vehicle only has 40K on it. And so many people have told me that Toyotas were good cars. With gas the price it is and if the problem is with the dirty fuel injectors due to the gas what and who can I report all of this to? Do I start with the NHTSA? Who regulates the gas companies? I live in Bremerton WA. Do I call the attorney general in Olympia?

    Help! and thank you....
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Dirty Gas????

    That is a good one. I have not heard that before. The fact that you had taken the car in several times while under warranty, then they come up with a fix past the warranty period is suspicious. I would go to the gas station you use most and tell them what happened. They may or may not go to bat for you. BP/ARCO is a lot bigger than Toyota. If the dealer is scamming you they may give you some ammunition to use. Gas is regulated pretty closely. Your fuel filter should have gotten any contaminants that got in the tank. I would assume that you had the car serviced at the prescribed intervals and the gas filter was changed on schedule. It would be worth filing a complaint and maybe find out who is at fault. Kind of like the Explorer/Firestone fiasco.
  • odie1odie1 Member Posts: 7
    I cannot believe it BUT I guess it was true...I thought the dealer was scamming me today to get money for the fix. The dealer told me there would be a press release on the "bad gas". I turned on the 5 o'clock news and there it was that BP, Conoco, Phillips 66 company delievered bad gas to WA state stations. They also interviewed a mechanic who said, "we have to clean the fuel injectors because of this gas they were selling." I got the 1-800 # to BP and told them I send them 300 dollars a month for gas and that my car was in the shop today for the fuel injector fix. They gave me a fax number so I could send them my bill. We will see if I get reimbursed. I am still shocked that the press release came out this very day but it did. If they do not pay I will call the state attorney general over this. Needless to say BP, Conoco, Phillips 66 has lost my business now. I will switch to another brand I guess. Chevron perhaps. Gas is gas but the news flash stated something was added to their gas that should not have been causing the fuel injectors to become sticky. So there you go! Thanks "Gagrice" for your input. I will let you know how my Prius runs after this.

    Sharon
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    What I find interesting about this situation is how quickly everyone is ready to blame the dealer and Toyota. I wonder why.

    Big car companies and their retailers are potential "scammers", but big oil companies and their refiners are surely OK?

    The fact is that modern induction systems need a level of detergent to function properly; in the absence of a true national standard for fuel quality [fat chance, with the current crew], every buyer is literally on their own. This isn't the first time, and likely won't be the last; the remarkable thing is BP owning up to the problem...and since they ship the stuff all over the Northwest, it will be interesting to see who else is at risk [including me and my Mercedes C240, which is mostly fueled at the Costco in Vancouver, WA - where does their fuel come from? I guess I'll find out...]
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I think that Costco gets their gas from BP/ARCO refineries?
    I think the assumption that it was a Toyota dealership problem is correct. He had taken his car in several times for the same problem. If they had taken care of it as they should on the first visit they would be in the clear. That is not too much to expect from any dealership.

    Your consumer protection agency is the entity that has the control over these oil refineries. Sounds like it may be a BIG problem for many car owners.

    http://www.atg.wa.gov/consumer/gasprices/refineries.shtml
  • systems_joesystems_joe Member Posts: 1
    "2. Air Conditioning vs. Heat: Maybe I wasn't clear on this before. When I turn on the heat, the A/C button is automatically lit. I assume this means that the compressor is working,"

    No, the compressor is not on when heat is requested. Far too many people assume that "air conditioning" means cooling only. It doesn't. The A/C conditions the air, which means heating, cooling, and dehumidifying. It's not wasting energy when AUTO A/C is enabled when heat is called for.
  • odie1odie1 Member Posts: 7
    Then news only reported two places in WA that had the problem. Skagit and Whatcom counties. I live in Kitsap county. I am certain other counties have received the bad gas too. Our dealer said that they have had many fuel injection problems. My car was in this dealer three times before for this problem in January. They said nothing was wrong. It got progressively worse over the next four months. I had no idea that the gas was "bad" since I used BP exclusively. Needless to say they will no longer get my business. It really was remarkable that they admitted to this. I guess you are right that we are all on our own. I have shredded the BP cards. I will let you know if I am able to get my 300 dollars reimbursed by the old BP company.....(phillips 66, conoco, etc)

    As for being a female and getting scammed by auto fix it places, let me tell you it is different when I send my husband in with the vehicle to the fix it shop. Funny how that is!

    thanks,

    sharon
  • quasar4quasar4 Member Posts: 110
    Does any one know what will happen if the Start button or Parking button is pressed while driving (any speed)?

    --Yes. I tried this on my test drive. Pushing the Parking button while driving causes the car to beep and shift into neutral.
  • njtarheel1njtarheel1 Member Posts: 4
    this is the first time I have joined this forum. Wed I was driving a a busy road and all of a sudden my waring light comes on. there was no place to pull off so I drive along at reduced power on the shoulder. I start down a hill with a Toyota dealer two blocks away. I coast down a hilland into a parking lot afraid to cross busy traffic with no power. I sit for a minute and try to start the car. It starts and I cross the intersection at the light and enter the dealership.

    I leave to to be checked. The next day I am told that the car had the wrong program. This took hours of downloads at the dealership and sending info to national. They take hours to get back with info - and new program info. and three hours of new program I drive out.

    I talk with the dealer service guy where i purchase the car - he sees nothing in his system about this. I hear from a friend today that there was an article in the Wall Street J. about software problems. And that 13 case have been reported to the Nat highwsay safety ad. My question - is Toyota being honest with me. How could they not know if this was in the WSJ and NHSA.

    Any new from anyone else? charlie
  • drjrtdrjrt Member Posts: 1
    2005 Prius with ~500 miles

    There is a "shudder" when the ICE shuts down. Not bad but worse when it is warm. Only really noticable when at a stop sign. This is very subjective, but how much should I feel the ICE shut down?

    Is there anyway to adjust when the ICE cuts in? There are times when I'm trying to accelerate entirely with the battery but the ICE kicks in. The electric motor doesn't seem maxed out and the battery is indicating near full charge so I assume the ICE is kicking in to help with acceleration. I would like to have that threshold increased so it doesn't kick in so early. Is this possible?

    Thanks for anyones input!
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    I always use Exxon/Mobile, Shell, or Texaco (sometimes Chevron). I have found their gas addatives keep the injectors cleaner than other brands. BP / Union 76 / Arco are the worst in my experience.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    What year is your Prius? Can you post your experience in the Prius Software problems forum?

    http://tinyurl.com/b3lvm
  • odie1odie1 Member Posts: 7
    Thank you for letting me know about Chevron or Texaco gas. I just applied for a Chevron card and will not use the BP/Union 76 brand. Conoco Phillips said they would pay for the cleaning of my fuel injectors on my 2003 Prius which I am grateful for. Since having the injectors cleaned I do not have any more problems with my Prius. I cannot use BP gas anymore and Chevron will now get my 250 dollars per month. (We have a GMC Jimmy also...paid for!)
This discussion has been closed.