Prius completely freaked out today

Sounds like you just experienced the infamous cold start issue that can be very disconcerting by most folks accounts including mine. Luckily I had read about it here or I would have unpack the car and family as we were leaving on a week long 1200 mile trip, had it towed to a dealer, and taken our other car. Never had it since but I know now how to avoid it.

 

If your front end buckled as you said, I would call that permanent damage.

If you meant "bucking", then no, you probably didn't do any damage. The Gen III Prius has a reputation for doing this once in a while. Several threads discuss this in detail

Tom

 

Search the topic. There is alot of info you can read.

 

Search is your friend:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...s-rough-cold-start-issue-being-corrected.html

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...cking-noise-startup-there-may-hope-yet-3.html

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...722-1-8l-starting-rattle-knock-events-28.html

Tom

 

Yep. It even happened to bwilson4web (http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...troubleshooting/70128-rough-engine-start.html).

I'd either force a service writer to document it the next time you visit a Toyota service dept or call Toyota customer care to get them do it.

 

Join the club.

How many miles do you have on it?

 

Two excellent questions.... and you also have the distinction of being at least the 200th PriusChat member to report this anomaly according to the tally I've been keeping.

Unfortunately, we here can't answer either of your questions and to date Toyota engineering hasn't shared any explanatory information which would allow Gen 3 owners to avoid this issue or if we should pursue a remedy via Toyota or its dealerships.

So far, this anomaly most commonly occurs immediately after a cold soak of an unknown number of hours following an incomplete ICE warm-up cycle.

Others who've experienced it have reported it followed a recent oil change. It also seems to be reported here more frequently in the fall, which has led some to think it may be associated with seasonal fuel formulation modifications by gasoline refiners.

Dealership service staff most often claim they've never heard of this problem; but I find that a bit hard to believe given that it's been reported here on three different boards and 24 distinct threads by 200 owners... and one should take into consideration the fact that PriusChat is only known and utilized by a small fraction of all Prius owners worldwide.

Come on, Toyota... let us in on the dirty little secret.

 

Mine had about 1K - 3K range when it happened to me (twice).

 

I had to chortle regarding the bolded part. It seems SO common for dealers to say that for many problems.

The posts I linked to at http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...6-nav-system-worth-1800-a-11.html#post1316654 and podcast segment I refer to at http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...s-dvd-upgrade-version-11-1-a.html#post1411937 are basically why it needs to get logged in Toyota's database.

 

Mine did this when I had about 2-4k miles on it. Not long after I bought it and it only happened once. My guess would be there is an electronic design flaw and something (possibly the cold and the sensors that get effected) in the start up.

It sounds and reacts like misfiring of engine cylinders. Even the jarring of the car is similar so that's why I think it is an electronic flaw that is caused somehow.


On a side note, if your interior plastic parts start ratting more once it gets very cold this winter that's normal too.

The Prius is the third Toyota I've owned (Camry, Corolla, and now Prius) and this will likely be the final purchase form Toyota. The quality of the cars is really missing and what defined the brand many many years ago. They have lost their way through time which such a shame. Now they are just an Big 3 quality car masquerading as a high quality foreign car.

 

When this happens it is usually (but not always) after the car has been run for a brief time then allowed to cool off. I have had several occurrences and it has always been after I run the car for a short time, to relocate it in the driveway for example, then let it sit overnight.

Toyota won't admit the problem exists even though it must have been reported thousands of times by now.

Cause is unknown, some suspect an ignition problem others think it is due to fuel left in the intake system when the car is shut down.

I have discovered a "work around" that makes it stop when it happens, at least in my car. As soon as it starts banging around I floor the throttle and it clears right up. Give that a try it works every time for me.

 

i have to completely disagree with this. i'm not discounting your experience, and i have certainly read all the complaints with the gen III, but in the last 10 years, we have owned 2 camry's, 2 pri and 1 hycam. all have been some of the finest examples of automotive engineering and manufacturing quality that i have experienced in the last 40 years of driving. and i will keep purchasing toyota's. (until i have an experience like yours)

 

What's the procedure to report this to Toyo??

 

Have you checked your dipstick since the incident? It's probably not the oil, but you should at least check!

 

My 2007 Camry Hybrid would also do this on occasion.