2012 Toyota Prius: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Aug 17, 2025 · Brakes · MD · crash

While pulling out of a parallel parking spot going slightly uphill, I braked as I looked around the back of a double parked truck. I saw a car coming, braked hard, and suddenly my car surged forward across the street and hit a parked car. I looked down and saw that my foot was squarely on the brake pedal pressing down as hard as I could. The parked car was unoccupied, and I was uninjured. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem. I turned my car into the dealer for repairs and a fix to the sudden unexpected acceleration. They could offer no fix until a Toyota representative examined the car. On August 14, by an emailed letter, Toyota claimed it found no defects and it must be the result of driver error, specifically, my mistakenly hitting the accelerator. This is gaslighting denialism. (a) The EDR data sent to me does not indicate that I hit the accelerator unless that data is in the page of hexadecimal numbers. (b) Toyota's claim that I hit the breaks at "-0.2 seconds prior to the collision" is physically impossible. No one can move their foot from the accelerator to the brake that fast. (c) Toyota's claim is contrary to what I experienced and observed.

Filed Oct 7, 2014 · Body, Suspension · 9,300 miles · FL · crash

Turning right from a stop sign stop, the car took off in an unintended acceleration and could not be stopped until it hit a curb. The force broke the ball joint of the driver's side wheel causing the wheel to turn approx 45 degrees. The car then skidded about 20 yards and came to a stop with the motor racing. It was a single car crash with no bodily injury.

Filed Jun 18, 2014 · Acceleration, Transmission · 22,000 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 toyota prius. The contact stated that while traveling 45 MPH, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked and made a loud noise. The vehicle resumed to its normal acceleration after the brakes were applied. The failure occurred on three occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 22,000. The consumer stated when she applied the brake lightly, the engine revved up and the vehicle did not slow down. The consumer has since sold the vehicle. Updated 09/23/14

Filed Apr 8, 2014 · Acceleration · CA · crash

2012 toyota prius. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle sudden acceleration. *smd the consumer stated as he entered a parking lot and turned to go down an aisle, he hit the curb too closely and the vehicle accelerated at an incredible speed. He put his foot on the brake and it went to the floor; he tried to turn the power off, but the vehicle did not stop. At the rate the vehicle accelerated, he passed by 2 parking aisles and was stopped by hitting a parked vehicle, which the force of his vehicle was pushed under a fence and onto a railroad track. The vehicle was badly damaged because the emergency brake was on and the impact destroyed the transmission. The dealership reviewed the computer data and concluded the vehicle did not accelerate on its own. They implied his foot was on the accelerator and not the brake.

Filed Sep 6, 2013 · Acceleration · 30,500 miles · TX · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 toyota prius. The contact stated that while driving 17 MPH, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and the contact crashed into another vehicle. The contact stated that the brakes would not respond. The contact was not injured and a police report was not filed. The contact additionally stated that all of the lights illuminated on the dash board as the vehicle abnormally accelerated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was neither diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was 30,500.

Filed Mar 7, 2013 · Acceleration, Airbags · 2,500 miles · PA · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 toyota prius. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The vehicle veered into oncoming traffic, ran onto the sidewalk, then crashed into a tree. Upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. The driver received injuries to the nose, back, and knees and also sustained two black eyes. The passenger did not sustain any injuries. The police were contacted and a report was available. The vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic and the vehicle was deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileages were approximately 2,500.