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Hybrid Vehicles Toyota Prius Anyone Hear of a Prius Catching Fire?
89 messages, Last post on Aug 05, 2009 at 3:25 PM
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Replying to: whitey9 (Apr 10, 2009 10:28 am) http://www.carspace.com/suzikn/Albums/priusfire/ |
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hello, i came across this forum when i started researching why in the world my perfectly good 2001 Toyota Prius spontaneously caught fire. The Prius had been parked in my driveway for 48hrs. At about midday my neighbor came to the door and told me my car was full of smoke. I went out and heard crackling coming from the rear end. I opened the trunk and the back of the seat and all the carpet was flaming and melting. We got the fire out before it progressed too far and the firefighters said the fire started where heat had melted a hole in the far right corner of the protective metal casing for the Prius Hybrid battery pack. I should also say I'm in Australia. I phoned the dealership to tell them about the problem and they asked if they could come take photos. Naturally i agreed and waited to hear back from them. They did not call, so I called and asked for their assessment they told me we would have to arrange for a tow at my expense and then they would get a very busy specialist to investigate the car in a few weeks or so. The car was not fully insured. I did not recieve any letters of any type from Toyota to bring my car in for service or recall. I have attached photos of the car here http://www.carspace.com/jayma8 Toyota Australia told me this was the first time this has ever happened. I informed them that my research identified other similar fires in the Prius. Does anyone know who i can talk to for help or if Toyota is doing anything to rectify this situation and help their customers who have had their Prius spontaneously combust? |
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Replying to: dmathews3 (Apr 10, 2009 12:05 pm) And I know of some full-size GM SUVs that have caught fire while parked. But, I cannot find anything at any website about a Prius catching fire. True, some frames on some Toyota p/ups have rusted badly. And some Ford Pintos catch fire when struck from behind, and some GM p/ups have problems with the paint fading/peeling. Even some VW Passats have had their seat heaters catch fire. Please do not tell me what I think. I am merely stating that I have been unable to find any report of a Prius catching fire. I asked if perhaps there were a GM SUV nearby, since they ARE known to catch fire. And the fact that someone had to pay out some $2500+ to get their "displays" fixed is truly a big deal. But when a warranty expires, then a warranty expires. Buying a car does not entitle you to free service and repairs forever. If you cannot afford repairs after the warranty has expired, then by all means by an extended warranty program, or don't buy the car at all. I have seen people buy a car, that could not afford to have the car serviced, or to replace the tires once they were worn out. Too many people believe that car ownership costs end with the car payment. There is a whole lot more to it than that. Simpletons, like that, are probably the ones who complain the loudest. Their short attention spans do not allow them to realize what they will be in store for after the car's warranty has expired. It's like having kids. Surely these folks cannot believe that the hopital delivery bill is the end of the road in costs associated with raising a child. I give up. Preach to those who feel victimized by the automakers. I am not one of those!
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Replying to: whitey9 (May 04, 2009 4:52 am) So if I park next to a Toyota pickup with a GM vehicle does that mean the frame on my GM will rust out like on the Toyota? According to you the answer is yes.
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Our 2-week-old 2009 Prius caught fire in our driveway in the middle of the night. The fire started in the rear battery compartment - same as the others I've read in this forum. We're waiting to see how Toyota will respond. As I consider whether to replace the car with another Prius, I am concerned to read in this forum that there have been almost identically described battery fires in model years from 2001. I sure would like to know just how many of these incidents there have been and whether this issue has been addressed in the 2010 model which is supposed to have a different type of battery. I'd love to have another Prius, but am a bit shaken by our recent experience.
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Replying to: recycler5 (Jun 02, 2009 10:26 pm)
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Replying to: recycler5 (Jun 02, 2009 10:26 pm)
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Replying to: stevegold (Jun 03, 2009 4:55 am) |
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I have been reading this board for over a year since we bought our 2008 Prius. Our Prius has been flawless (as I am sure 99.9% have been). I have also followed forums for all my cars (GMs, Fords, Hondas, Volvos, VWs, Toyotas) for many years. All I can say is some things happen to all cars. Also, people who write posts tend to be ones (including myself) who have had problems. This is good as it helps people know what to look for. However, this doesn't necessarily mean the problems happen to a significant % of owners, these are just who are vocal. I have no problem with my Prius (it is about the only car I have ever owned w/o a problem of some kind in the first 14 months). Don't get too worried. S__t happens, always.
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Replying to: tothemaxx2 (Jun 05, 2009 3:57 pm) |
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