My Prius Update Re Break Issue & Story With Toyota Gb Hq

I have been the new 2010 Purius owner since Setpember and I have had a few instances with the break issue myself. There are two instances I remember where the car just launches forward as if it had what they called a jump start in F1 when you press the break. The most memorable instance was when one night I was coming down from a moderate hill and upon coming to a roundabout I wanted to make a left and as I was approaching the roundabout I start to apply the breaks early (since I have encounted the launching forward problem before) just to take precaution, and as I got closer to the roundabout my speed was reduced to about 5-10mph but just as I was about to make the left turn I pressed on the break once more and the car just shoot forward for about 2-3 meters. Least to say the experience was frightening and I was in shell shock for a while not knowing what have had happened. If that night there was another car in the opposite lane I would have smashed right into it.

After everything has occured and still occuring I thought it was a new Prius trait or characteristics since I've read so many reports of them in Priuschat forum and thought I needed to change my driving style and to which I did. Everytime I need to stop now, I make sure I break well in advance so not to encounter the problem and even if I did I would have enough time to correct the problem. Based on that fact I've never taken my car in or never reported to Toyota before.

After reading the press realease and realised everything I've experienced so far is not a Prius trait but a defect or problem, I started to get really upset and furious. Why? Because they issued a recall for all 2010 Prius in USA and Japan but not Europe or the UK. We all know that all the Prius in the world are made exclusively in Japan in the two plants and that all Prius from the rest of the world come from these two plants. So if America and Japan have the problem then the rest of the world have the same problem too. It is as if we are not important, as if our lives are more expendable than the Amercans or the Japanese.

As of 5th of February 2010 I called up Toyota GB HQ and asked why they have not issued a recall for the Prius in the UK and all the answer I've got was that they heard no such a problem in the UK and the break problem with the Prius has never been reported in the UK. Not only that I was told that the Prius made in the UK had different specifications than that of the Japane and USA model. WE all know thats not true. As a matter of fact they didnt' even bother adapting the Prius for UK owners because the rear wiper is exactly at the same place as the counter part in the USA but yet we drive in different positions. After all the BS on the phone I was told I had to go through procedures so I had to take my car into my Toyota dealer and they will take a look at it and test it out to see if there is a fault.

I called my dealer and the calls arn't so pleasant. At first I was transfered to the Service Manager and I was brushed off and tone was not very good but he didn't say anything in particular expect we agreed to take my car in for testing after a weeks time when they have spare cars available.

Later I recieved a call from the techinical department and this made me furious. First off the tone from this man was harsh and condensending. Later it started to brush me off as if I am a moron. He said he owns a Prius and this lurking forward after breaking is very normal. So normal infact that it is because of the ABS system and as if I don't know how ABS system behaved. Not only that he told me that he is the technically minded guy and I dont' know what I am talking about and only he is right and I am wrong. In the middle of the conversation I got so upset that I told him I will call him back on a recorded line so that he could repeat everything he has said to me. Only after I called him back his tone all changed and asked me to take my car in for a immediate 20 minute testing session.

I do have all the calls recorded.

Let me ask all new Prius owners here, ARE you not upset as to how we have been treated by Toyota? Even now they still deny the problem in the UK and rest of Europe.

Advice needed.

 

Ok going to Issue. Wherease they don't even acknowledge the same problem in the UK or Europe or other parts of the world. I would feel better if they atleast acknowledge the issue and not lie and deny it when I called!

Don't get it Ken. What is your point? Is that all you can say?

 

It is not a rumor if the article below is accurate.

Toyota recalls Prius cars over brakes | Metro.co.uk

 

My point is I don't see a need for any other more reporting in the UK for Toyota GB to realize the brake problem with the Prius. I've already reported to local dealer and got response as to there are no problems and I am just imagining everything up. Even till now no decency to act or even appologise the fault and have the curtesy to offer a fix. If they have told me or wrote an appologetic letter saying that they recognize the break problem and will issue a fix soon then I would have been more than content.

But no instead I was told there are no problem at all, Prius are not made the same and UK & European version are different, and that the Braking problem is just my imagination and it is only the ABS at work.

Toyota recalls Prius cars over brakes | Metro.co.uk

already report a recall but never mentioned UK or rest of Europe.

Does Toyota Japan think that they can get away with this by just keeping a blind eye and lie to the UK customers?

I feel I have been lied to. I have reported to Toyota GB HQ, their customer service, their RP relations service, and my local dealer. Not enough? Why should I be doing all this when it is a problem that Toyota should pick up already? It is not as if it is not in the NEWS everywhere!

So I consider your comment rather lame.

 

Yeah Ken thats the whole point why I am upset. You got a call. I had to make calls and still get lied to.
Yeah sure posting here won't solve my problem. Actually even calling Toyota many times now doesn't solve any problem. But atleast posting here and knowing that there are others out there that understands and feels the same makes me feel I am not alone because I feel I have been or UK and EUROPE has been mis treated and even Lied to or ignored.

That is the problem. Please stop mentioning about what form I should fill out or which governemnt I should ask to take action. BECAUSE TOYOTA should have taken the initialtive to APPOLOGISE and say sorry and ACKNOLWEDGE the fault to ALL but the FEW.

FOR that I want them to suffer the same I am suffering. Pain from being lied to, distress from being neglected etc. Adivce for myself would be go to press and make this a huge issue in the UK SO THAT TOYOTA will take the shame of taking their MOST OR THEIR CUSTOMERS LIVES FOR GRANTED.

Lucky for you that you are getting the FIX and a call from them. No wonder you are not on ourside.