Toyota Prius: Problems & Solutions - READ ONLY

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#11 of 711 Auxilliary battery going dead by little_pogi Jun 14, 2004 (9:45 pm)
Last January, I went on a 3 week vacation with my Prius left in the garage. The alarm was set. I've read about the aux battery going low on charge when the car is not used for a while. I was worried this might happen when I return from my vacation. Upon my return, the car started with no problem at all. My next vacation may take a month. We'll find out then if the Prius will have some problem starting.
#12 of 711 2004 prius failure by stevem Jun 15, 2004 (3:31 pm)
In nov, 03, a few weeks after buying our new prius in Albuquerque nm, we drove it to Denver. Big snow storm Sat., drove fine through the snow; very cold that night, it would not start in the am...no battery at all. I call all the toyota emergency numbers, they finally send out a generic tow guy, we jump the prius, which does respond, but with all warning lights on. I am able to drive the car about three blocks at 5 mph, then nothing...my wife and daughter have to get back, they drive another car..I am assured by alb toyota that everything will be taken care of ( denver toyota and nat'l toyota are closed...)the car is towed/carried to the local dealer (I had suggested carrying it and me back to Alb); I fly home. Over the next few days I speak with several people, and when all is said and ( not much) done, I am told that the car was out of gas. I tell then there is no way the car could have been out of gas, please try to find the real problem ( it must be something to do with snow build-up underneath, melting /freezing) They insist all I needed was gas. I explain how and why this is not possible....I talk to alb. and nat'l toyota,...I fly up to denver to get the car...I demonstrate that the car had at least 5 gallons when it quit by filling it right there...I retrace my trip back south, filling up where I had filled up going north. Again, this shows I had at least 5 gallons when it quit...I wrote long detailed letters to denver, alb, and nat'l toyota asking for re-imbursement for my out of pocket costs( not even my meals or lost time)..no dice, even a nasty letter from the john elway toyota attorneys. When the first recall came out, I took it in, figuring that this was related to my problem...the mechanic said that the ecu had already been re-programmed...now I have received another notice... I am pissed..does anyone have an idea re what might have happened? who to talk to? Thanks for your patience, stevem
#13 of 711 Troubles with Prius by oldboy Jun 15, 2004 (6:38 pm)
I was considering buying a Prius, but not any more. Long waiting lists, dealers profiteering, and some really major mechanical problems as reported on this site. Not for me. My next car may well be a diesel, once we get decent fuel here in the USA. Replies to this message: propel2 (Sep 26, 2005 9:47 am) fndlyfmrflyr (Sep 26, 2005 11:07 pm) propel2 (Sep 27, 2005 5:32 am) and 2 more...
#14 of 711 Re: Dead auxilliary battery after 800 miles [maxvok #5] by quasar4 Jun 15, 2004 (11:03 pm)
Replying to: maxvok (Jun 02, 2004 7:42 am) --The following is a quote from Goss' Garage of Motorweek that I think you'll find on point... ...you still have to keep the battery fully charged, and heres where people make a huge mistake. They kill their batteries through overcharging by using a battery charger. No matter how small the battery charger, it can destroy the battery through overcharging. --Pat Goss, Motorweek ...for more helpful hints on battery care (including unhooking the battery) go to Goss' Garage. He's talking about vehicles like snowmobiles, boats, etc., that sit in storage for long periods of time (2-3 weeks does not qualify as a long storage time), but still it may be useful.
#15 of 711 by well_informed Jun 17, 2004 (11:51 am)
I was considering buying a Prius, but not any more. Long waiting lists, dealers profiteering, and some really major mechanical problems as reported on this site. Not for me. That's right. My next car may well be a diesel, once we get decent fuel here in the USA. That will be 2006. By that time, hopefully you will have a much wider choice than the 4 unreliable VWs (Golf, JEtta, beetle and Passat) diesels offered here, and the amazing Mercedes 320 CDI (if you have the $50,000 they charge for it, and if you DO the many miles a year it takes to justify a Diesel).
#16 of 711 Glaring by its absence in this forum by well_informed Jun 17, 2004 (11:56 am)
Is the issue of many Prius and other Hybrod owners complaining, and even thinking of SUING, TOyota and Honda for their EPA MPG claims, that are utterly unrealistic. Instead of 60 and 68 mpg, owners routinely get at best 40 and 50. the EPA test favors the Hybrids. It is NOT a reallife measurement of your hybrid's mpg, but a lab test, whose numbers are arbitrarily adjusted, to add insult to injury. It is high time that EPA adopts a thorough and accurate ROAD TEST to provide MPG numbers. Maybe it can Copy EUROPEAN Regulations, that require FOUR Numbers 1. City Driving 2. COuntry Road driving (usually gets the best MOG by far, at a constant 90 kmph) 3. Highway driving at 120 kmph (75 or so miles), a far more realistic number than the EPA's cooked Highway mileage assuming 55 mph! 4. A COMBINED MPG based on the 3 above at different percentages, typical of average usage. Replies to this message: usbseawolf2000 (Jun 17, 2004 4:46 pm) gagrice (Jun 17, 2004 5:07 pm)
#17 of 711 Re: Glaring by its absence in this forum [well_informed #16] by usbseawolf2000 Jun 17, 2004 (4:46 pm)
Replying to: well_informed (Jun 17, 2004 11:56 am) When you come into "Toyota Prius Owners: Problems & Solutions" board, what do you expect to see? Judging reliability just from this is not an objective view of Prius. "the EPA test favors the Hybrids." EPA numbers might be less accurate for hybrids since real world mpg number can vary by a large amount(33mpg-86mpg for Prius). Is the design of such technology to be blamed? I don't know about you but I would want a car that can dynamically adjust performance or fuel economy depending on my driving styles. In the future hybrid models, I want to see preset buttons to adjust performance/fuel economy so the car can transform with a touch of a button and it can be done on hybrids. Picking mpg numbers from two extreme ends to make your point is as valid as cherry picking. EPA numbers are also less accurate for SUV and trucks. If you do the math, percentage or margin of error is in the same ball park for hybrids and big cars. Should SUV and Truck owners also sue the manufacturers? I agree with you in EPA to come up with a more accurate test. Replies to this message: gagrice (Jun 17, 2004 5:07 pm)
#18 of 711 Re: Glaring by its absence in this forum [usbseawolf2000 #17] by gagrice Jun 17, 2004 (5:07 pm)
Replying to: usbseawolf2000 (Jun 17, 2004 4:46 pm) EPA numbers are also less accurate for SUV and trucks I can only speak for the 3 Chevy PU's and one Suburban I have owned. The mileage on the window sticker was right on. The U.S. government gave a lot of special treatment to Toyota on the Prius. Such as no roll-over testing. And it appears they allowed them to over state the mileage to get people to buy. That is what it looks like to me. In spite of the 86 mpg graph on the other thread. Laboratory gas mileage does not get it in the real world.
#19 of 711 Hybrid MPGs by well_informed Jun 18, 2004 (6:23 am)
You can Dismiss the alleged 86 MPGs for the Prius. THere will be no Onwer, no matter if he or she drives it like there is an egg between hisor her foot and the pedal, that will get a Cumulative, LIFETIME MPG of even the advertised 60 mpg, let alone 86 mpg. Instantaneous MPG's are almost meaningless. I can drive the car downhill and get 199 mpg. Who cares. I have driven the Honda Insight with 5th gear at 35 mph on the highway, real slow, and saw a pitiful 66 mpg (vs the alleged 68 mpg doing 55 mph! of EPA), AND the instuments showed that this was Draining the BAttery at the same time. That is not 66 mpg, that is cheating. Replies to this message: tempusvn (Jun 18, 2004 8:29 am) usbseawolf2000 (Jun 19, 2004 1:01 pm) pri (Aug 13, 2004 9:42 am) stevedebi (Aug 13, 2004 10:41 am) vicever (Aug 13, 2004 12:38 pm) dudeshi (Sep 01, 2004 1:02 pm) danjamm (Dec 28, 2005 8:15 pm) moonkid (Aug 27, 2005 3:43 pm)
#20 of 711 An Invitation to all owners of the new PRIUS by well_informed Jun 18, 2004 (6:28 am)
Could you give us a few numbers on your Prius? 1. How many miles you have driven it, and 2. What is the Cumulative MPG you have achieved? Average, over the entire time you owned the car, or the entire lifetime of the car, if there were previous owners? 3. Do you have a manual transmission? Thanks a lot in advance. Replies to this message: tempusvn (Jun 18, 2004 8:27 am) linda1 (Aug 19, 2004 8:13 pm) stevedebi (Aug 20, 2004 9:03 am) and 5 more... eprupis (Jun 19, 2004 12:44 pm) energyschild (Jan 26, 2005 10:18 am) 75andcountung (May 21, 2006 8:58 am) Mr_Shiftright (May 21, 2006 11:23 am) kdhspyder (May 21, 2006 2:06 pm) and 6 more...