2010 Toyota Prius: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Sep 30, 2024 · Brakes · MD · crash

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle lunged forward. On a most recent occasion, the contact was attempting to park the vehicle and after shifting into the park position, the vehicle lunged forward as the brake pedal was depressed causing a minor collision with a curb and another vehicle. The contact mentioned the brake pedal required excessive force in order to come to a stop and that there was an abnormal noise present. The contact was concerned that the failure would progress causing a severe accident. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ABS System failed and advised the vehicle be taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

Filed Oct 21, 2019 · Brakes · 110,000 miles · MD · crash

I was making a left turn, creeping into a parking space, in a residential area. When I pressed the brake pedal to stop the car, the car accelerated instead. I then slammed on the brakes and the car accelerated again, causing me to go over the curb, over the sidewalk and knock down a fence and shed. I turned the vehicle off, some kind bystanders took the debris off the car so that I could get out. I then called police and the property owner, as well as my insurance company. I am honestly scared to drive the car again, as I do not want this unintended acceleration to happen again. I will be notifying toyota, and the repair shop working on my car has already been informed.

Filed Sep 4, 2018 · Acceleration · 102,000 miles · FL

On two occasions, june 22, 2018 and august 15, 2018 this vehicle suddenly accelerated while using cruise control and traveling at speed on generally flat, straight, 4 lane road in good weather. I have attached documents with summaries of each event and maps showing route and terrain during the events. Hard braking slowed but did not stop the vehicle either time. Both times, after traveling some distance while braking but continuing to accelerate without my foot on the accelerator, the vehicle made a thunking noise felt through the floor of the car and suddenly stopped accelerating. In the first incident this was after about 2 miles, the second time after about a mile. After each incident I phoned the local dealership and was told that if they could replicate the event they might be able to figure it out. I reported the events to corporate toyota and an investigation was opened. The vehicle was taken to fred anderson toyota of asheville where they spent several days with the car, interacting with toyota, who was asking them to explore and test various things related to the dual pedal fail safe, the computer, snapshots of events on the computer etc. Their final judgement was that floor mats may have interfered, though it was the first thing I checked when I regained control of the car.

Filed Mar 23, 2017 · Transmission · IN

2010 toyota prius. Consumer writes in regards to dealership unable to duplicate unintended acceleration issues. *smd consumer sent additional information. *ld *js the consumer stated the unintended acceleration only occurred when braking while encountering a bump such as a chuckhole or, speed bump. The failure was intermittent. Updated 03/23/2017 *js updated 06/15/2017*js updated 09/11/2017*js updated 10/23/2017*js *js *js *js *js *tr *tr *tr *js *js

Filed Dec 13, 2016 · Acceleration · 60,000 miles · MN

In the past year I have had 2 occurrences of unintended acceleration. The first in february of 2016. I was exiting a parking ramp up hill and stepping on the accelerator. I was driving straight then turning to the left (90 degree turn). When I took my foot off the accelerator, the car continued to accelerate and I was unable to get it slowed/stopped for about a block even though I was applying heavy brake pressure. The car was revving against the brake pressure. No damage or injuries occurred. I took the car to the dealership where I purchased it (purchase date 8/3/13). They checked the car over and found no apparent cause for the acceleration. I took the car home, and it drove normally until 11/26/16. On that date I was driving very slowly in a flat parking lot, and the car began accelerating without my pushing the gas pedal. I was driving straight and then turning to the right (90 degree. I got the car stopped in a few feet by pressing extremely hard on the brake. My car did not hit anything. Technicians from the dealership have not been able to find a cause and I have not been able to get past toyota's customer service department to escalate the issue for more detailed diagnostics. I have attached the timeline of trying to get the car diagnosed and the issue escalated as well as why I don't think user error is a factor.

Filed Jul 21, 2016 · Brakes · 72,000 miles · PA

I am experiencing a resurgence of the acceleration while braking phenomenon that was the basis of the 2010 recall. We had the car fixed at the time of the recall. The incidents relate to when I am braking and happen to go over a bump or hit a pothole. As I am breaking the car suddenly accelerates forward and you have to keep breaking harder to keep from having the car get away from you. It is now happening almost consistently. After calling the local toyota dealer and the general toyota number, I find out that they are not willing to apply the same fix as they did in 2010. I am now forced to take the car in and have it diagnosed and don't know what they will charge me for that. Then toyota said I could call them back to see if there is anything they can do I don't understand why they don't have to stand by a fix that is not related to wear and tear but rather a malfunction in the way they built the car. It should never be right to have a car accelerate if one is braking. The only damage to date has been a glare from a construction worker who was telling me to stop only to see the car lurch toward him.

Filed Feb 21, 2016 · Acceleration · 95,000 miles · MN

My prius suddenly accelerated today. My wife was not in an accident. My VIN is [xxx]. I spoke with my wife and the incident occurred up a hill when she was parking (decelerating), she didn't notice that the floor mat was not stuck at the time and there was no warning of a problem. Also, this has not happened before. Vehicle was going up a hill on a city street, no ice, going strait, no damage to the car, unknown to what failed. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).?

Filed May 2, 2015 · Airbags, Brakes · 60,000 miles · GA · crash

I had just pulled into the garage and was at a complete stop when the car surged forward and slammed into to the back of the garage, I would tip overattempted to stop the car with the brakes and they were not working so I shifted the car to reverse and it speed out of the garage up an embankment into a fence. It. Was up on it's side and I was afraid that it would tip over so in an attempt to bring it down level I shifted to drive and it speed off forward it then jumped a row of bushes into the front yard and did a large circle in the front yard missing three large pine trees and hitting a small tree that ended up stopping the car and deployed the air bag.

Filed Apr 23, 2015 · Acceleration · 53,000 miles · IN

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. While driving at approximately 20 MPH and slowing down at a stop light, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard while the rpms increased and the vehicle failed to stop. The vehicle eventually came to a stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but the failure was unable to be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact mentioned that the failure was experienced in may of 2010 and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.

Filed Apr 16, 2015 · Engine · 70,000 miles · FL

On march 4th 2015 at 8:00 am, my wife was trying to change a parking spot into another about 50 feet away in the same church parking lot. She started the engine and the car was put on drive. Within a fraction of a second, the car accelerated beyond control. She could not steer or stop the car. The car jumped a curb, hit a light pool and landed on a grassy area. Tire marks reveal that the car experienced a sudden rush of acceleration beyond control 'unintended acceleration.' my wife is still under doctor's observation. The car front right; bumper, tire, fender, door, "a" pillar, and other parts were damaged. The car was towed to daytona toyota and is still there since march 4th 2015. On march 6th 2015 a report was electronically filed with toyota motor sales, u.s.a., inc. On march 20th 2015, a "cdr" crash data retrieval was taken. The car has not been repaired. Even if the car is repairable, I would hesitate to drive it, let my wife drive it or with clear conscious sell it to any other human being. Please help us to mitigate the situation.

Filed Jan 21, 2015 · Acceleration · 60,000 miles · GA

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds over a bump or pothole, the vehicle would suddenly experience unintended acceleration. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred even when the brakes were engaged. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 60,000.

Filed Nov 23, 2014 · Brakes, Electrical · 30,000 miles · VT

This has happened several times over the past two years. As I brake at low speeds, the car surges ahead as though your foot is on the accelerator. Sometimes it was so subtle, you wondered if it really happened. Today (11/23/14) there was absolutely no mistaking it. The car surged forward a couple of feet as I was slowing to turn left. If someone had been stopped in front of me, I would have hit them from behind.