Significant Vibration..anyone else?

This really sounds like something specific to your car. I've not had any such problem and I don't recall others complaining of it in the Prius.

I would keep after the dealer and escalate the issue if they won't keep at it until it's solved.

I would have them check the alignment and also check for any out of round or surface irregularities on the tires. (If you have a faulty tire, it could be balanced and still be a problem)

 

Curious, did you guys test drive it before purchasing?

Defect-free Prius' do not vibrate at any speed in any trim level. I'll bet there is a tire problem. Don't drive it around vibrating. If dealer can't figure it out soon, perhaps some 'encouragement' from Corporate at (800) 331-4331 will help them.

 

Oh boy. You have a lot of explaining to do.

Where's the vibration coming from? The bottom of the car? The window? The dash?

Is it something you can feel in your seat or something that you can only hear? Or both?

 

I had that exact problem with a new Jeep Liberty I purchased a few years ago. Had it back to the dealer three times before they discovered a "flat spot" on the drivers side front tire. Replaced the tire under warranty and it solved the problem. I think it was the result of it sitting on the dealership lot without being moved for an extended period of time.

That may not be your problem but its a thought.

 

i think it's in his head. hasn't anyone else noticed this troll under 4 or 5 different names twith wacky first time posts this past week?

 

He's had a Corvette. You think it's Sikes?

 

hadn't thought of him but you might be onto something there...

 

In care you really do have a V (either in Canada or in Henderson or Vegas)...well then,
Greetings and Welcome to PriusChat. :welcome:

Priuses have their little flaws, but vibrations aren't usually one of them. Your problem is either between your earlobes, or it's a tire/wheel thing (if I had to guess off the cuff...)
If the dealer can't find or fix the problem, I'd say it's time to change dealers.
If this doesn't work, then it's probably time to change cars.


Simple as that.

Good Luck!

 

The blind Prius-faithful and Toyota shills are out in force. Ooooh, this guy complained about his new car so you immediately question if he really has a Prius. As if wheel imbalance could NEVER happen to a Prius, riiiight.

On a more mature note to the OP, my Prius V has no vibrations like you described. I've had mine to speeds into the mid-80's with no wheel vibration felt through the steering wheel.

Have the dealer check it again, take them on a test drive and show them the problem. Maybe have them rotate the tires and see if it moves to the rear of the car.

 

"we've had toyota's for years, this could be the last." uh-huh, very mature, thoughtful first post. i'm sure if i ever have one problem, i'll be off toyota forever. not.

 

Then respond intelligently and tell him never buying another Toyota because it has a wheel out of balance is an overreaction. The OP sounds frustrated because he just spent $30k+ on a new car and the dealer can't find something as simple as a wheel vibration.

 

Responded to wrong post so deleted text.

 

Lets see, imagine you have just bought a new car and right from the start, something is obviously wrong. Now the dealer has failed to fix it 3 times and is telling you obvious nonsense presumably to try to avoid their responsibilities and make you go away. How would you feel?

Since the dealer is not much help, you post a question in a forum that is intended to help Prius owners share experience and useful information.

You provide a descriptive and neutral title for the post, explain the situation fairly clearly and at the end of the post express your frustration in a way that I suspect most people in a similar situation might do. Nowhere do you make ridiculous and general derogatory assertions.

You hope to hear back from others who have had a similar problem and found a way to solve it or at lest get some constructive suggestions.

What you get is people on the forum attacking you for having the nerve ask if anyone has the same problem you do.

Do we get ridiculous posts made by people who seem only intent in stirring up Prius owners and damaging Toyota? Sure we do but its just as ridiculous to assume that every new person on the forum who has a problem is one of them; particularly when its not one of those problem that has already been covered in details many times.

 

To the OP, if you're still there -

I'll add my voice in with those who believe, based on your description, it is either a bad (i.e. out-of-round or flat-spot) tire or an improperly balanced one. I cannot imagine the dealer not taking care of you if you go back with a clear description of the symptom.

This happens more than you'd like to think--with any car. I've had it on a car from new (a simple, 20-min rebalance of one tire fixed it) and then when I bought 4 new tires and had them installed, they were all so poorly balanced the car banged and juddered and practically knocked the teeth out of my mouth. Wound up taking it to a different place.

Of course it could be a tie-rod end or some other suspension issue, but I'd bet on the tires. Get it addressed before it ruins the tire. Good luck, and wecome to Prius chat.

Oh, and if one dealer isn't responsive, go to another.
~T

 

Unfortunately anyone that posts a complaint as a first post is incorrectly going to be accused of being a troll by someone or another.

I'm not accusing the OP of being a troll but if a vibration that isn't fixed straight away puts them off a manufacturer then so be it, it's their choice but they will soon run out of manufacturers because this could happen to any car.

Also, I think part of the fault is with the dealer for not making sure the problem is fixed by testing (if issue is readily reproducable)...unfortunately I see it happening more often these days.

 

I would have contacted toyota corporate long before complaining here. You may have a valid problem but the dealer is beholden to corporate. If they are not sorting you out, corporate will. Period.

 

I agree with your sentiment, but I no not think that the OP lives in Henderson, owns a 'V' with a Canadian package and drives off to Vegas several times a year. (*sniff-sniff!*) My feces detector just went through it's weekly self-alignment procedure, and I'm getting a "BRAVO-SIERRA" indication.
I (proudly) wear some bite marks in my own stern from some of the hyper-cheerleading company hacks on this forum. I've documented several items in the Prius that I think are somewhat inadequate even in a 24-kilobuck eco-box---let alone a $34,000 sedan.

If the OP is for real, then I'll offer semi-sincere apologies to him/her if I hurt their little feelings by casting doubt in my original post, and I'll do another self-alignment on my fecal detector.

 

:attention:This type of problem is not unique to Toyota or Prius - it can happen to any make. I had a Mercedes that was delivered with out-of-round tires and after mulitple dealer visits, it took a tire dealer to show me what the problem was. Ask the dealer to swap out both the tires and wheels from another vehicle and then test drive to see if the vibrations still exist. It's a quick and easy way to eliminate wheels and tires as the problem. You might try having them put the standard 15" wheels/tires on for a test drive too to eliminate any possibility of over-sensitivity to low profile tires.

 

Those aren't bite marks from the company hacks. It's damage from where you backed over your own towed array.



Tom