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Toyota Prius Battery Problems

Thiettranh of Concord CA (9/21/04):
I am the owner of a Prius 2001. When I decided to purchase the Prius in July 2001, I believed I made a right choice. Everything went okay until Friday, July 8th, 2004, I drove my Prius as usual on freeway 680. After the Monument exit, I stopped at Costco Wholesale on Monument Blvd. to pump gas. On the way home, the car suddenly lost power on Port Chicago Highway, a busy street close to my house. I was panic-stricken for a second for not knowing what happened! Right away, I pushed the warning light on, so the traffic around would recognize my car in hazard!

Toyota Prius • General Complaints • Availability • Battery • Fuel Gauge • Insurance Costs • Service Delays • Tires • Transmission • Happy Hybrid Owners --- Test Drive • Three Lead Feet Meet Little Fuel Sipper --- News • Unexpected Problems Confront Prius Owners • NHTSA to Hear 'Silent Killer' Complaints • Reports of Prius Price Gouging Rise with Gas Prices • Prius, Porsche Models Top Most-Satisfied Lists • Should You Buy a Second-Hand Prius? • Winter Weather Warning for Prius Drivers • Prius Again Tops Owner Satisfaction Survey • Prius Helps Toyota Knock Off Ford for #2 Spot • Toyota Recalls Floor Mats, NHTSA Warns Prius Owners • Feds Probe Prius Runaway Acceleration • Prius Owners Report More Unintended Acceleration Incidents • Runaway Acceleration Plagues Prians • Toyota Delays Third-Generation Prius • Sales Top 1 Million but Some Owners Find Prius Doesn't Age Well • Prius Owners Losing Ground in Traction Battle • Prius Traction Control Complaints on the Rise • Prius Stalls in Snow; Owners Steamed • Prius Shuts Down in the Snow, Reader Complains • Prius Supplies Increase as Sales Slow • Prius Discounts Popping Up in Showrooms • EPA Finds Prius #1 in Gas Mileage • Prius Owners Question Mileage Claims • Prius Tops Consumer Satisfaction Survey • Hybrids Don't Always Deliver the Expected Fuel Economy

I could not control the speed at the time. The car became heavy and moved very slowly, around 10 to 12 miles per hour, no matter how I pushed the accelerator. At the same time, the battery icon warning light was on with the word “Main” indicating there was a problem with the “main battery”. In such way, I moved slowly and cautiously my Prius with hazard warning signal on, heading home. By the time I got to my house, it was about 7:00PM, I called Toyota station where I have had my Prius checked periodically but there was no service reception after hour.

I came to Concord Toyota on Monday, July 11th and reported the incident. A Service Advisor of the Company had my car towed to Concord Toyota Dealer and reassured me that the main battery may be fixed without charge since my Prius’s main battery may not be mature enough to have problem. Concord Toyota got it fixed within few days. Toyota service agent called July 13th 2004 to let me know that I had to pay $520 for a problem he named “the sensor.” I inquired him a bit on the problem of loosing car power that I encountered on the street leading to the warning signal of Main Battery. Just a week later, I received a second Toyota Notice on the recall for fixing Prius’s main battery (the first notice was the recall for fixing the vibration of steering wheel.)

This time, with the Toyota notice, Concord Toyota conducted the inspection at no cost, because I already paid $520 for the real problem that happened to me on the street couple weeks ago! From the incident on 7/8/04, I have the following question: I believe the incident of loosing vehicle power during performance, which illuminated the Master Warning Light, and Hybrid System Malfunction Warning Light happening to my prius on July 8th 2004 was related to Toyota Notice for Potential Problem that I received lately.

Troy of Forest Hill MC (5/2/03):
I bought a new Toyota Prius March 15. I was shocked and alarmed to read on page 8: "If you do not use the vehicle for a long time (2 weeks or more), the hybrid vehicle battery and auxiliary battery will discharge and their condition is liable to decline. Therefore, in order to make up for discharging, charge them once in every two weeks for about 30 minutes by starting the hybrid system with all electrical components turned off."

I called Toyota. "Joel" informed me that if we did not charge the battery as per the owner's manual every two weeks as required by the manual and any problem developed, that would be deemed negligence on our part and the warranty would be voided. Frankly, I consider this to be fraud. We were never given a single item to read, there is nothing in the advertising and no salesman disclosed, etc., any information at all relating to the necessity to have the battery on the car charged for at least 1/2 hour every two weeks or the warranty would be voided.

We are about to retire and, hopefully, take many long trips with the intention of leaving this car locked in our garage. One of the things that made us even angrier was that "Joel" told us it was "our fault" for not reading the manual before buying the car. Toyota didn't give us a manual in advance; and the requirement to charge the battery every two weeks is in none of the brochures or other materials available before purchase.

As strongly as we feel about protecting the environment, we would NOT have purchased a Prius had we known about this problem. I get stopped all the time in parking lots, etc., by people who never saw a hybrid asking how we like it. When I mention not being able to take a two-week vacation without hiring a car sitter, they thank me for letting them know and state they would not buy the car under those circumstances. Not a single person, not one out of at least 15 such encounters.

Yvonne of Monson MA (4/22/02):
I have a Toyota Prius 2001. I have been stuck with it twice in less than a month. Went out to my car after work and had no power. My car was dead. Toyota wants me to take the car back (which is still under warranty) and then a technician will be out some time in May. They will not give me another car...want me to wait and if it breaks down again, have it towed in again!

How can a car manufacturer get away with telling you that "Oh well, we can't find a problem, so take it back until it breaks down again." I'm still paying on the lease and it's under warranty. I was told that I can only speak to customer service reps and no one else at Toyota will speak with me.

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