2012 Prius Three subtle vibration buzz like pls help

? they offered you another 3 for an additional $5K?

Yeah, if you got Toyota on the line and they are not actively looking to correct it though the dealer, seems like lit is your own option.

Sure be interesting to hear/feel what you are going though.

 

I test drove FOUR new 2012 prius Two's this week. Three of the four had a problem with vibration - best felt when on highway, most noticeable when putting the car into "coast" at speeds of 50-70 mph. Felt a rapid, subtle vibration in the steering wheel. Interestingly, the one that didn't seem to have the problem had Bridgestone Ecopia tires on it. I do not recall this in my 2010 Prius II when it was new, and it had the stock tires - Avids?. It certainly is not present in my 2010 now, with Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires on it - feels smooth as silk, on the same route on which the new 2012s had the vibration. I figure it's either flatspotting on the tires on cars that sat unmoved on the lot for six months, or that Toyota is having a real problem with alignment at the factory. Then I drove a newly arrived 2013 Prius Two, and it had the vibration problem too! In any case, I didn't buy any of them. (I didn't like the color on the one that didn't seem to have the vibration). I'm afraid that even if I switch the tires, there might still be a vibration, especially since it was present in the newly arrived 2013. What is going on?

 

Document everything the dealer said about admitting it does vibrate, take names, dates and times.
If they said it does vibrate and other same cars do not, they need to fix or improve the issue.
Sounds like tire related. Have the dealer change the non-noise tires and rims from a car to your car.
Test drive and return tires if it still happens with the buzz.

Other wise it could be mechanical.
Hope it gets better.

 

Talk to the service manager. If that doesn't work talk to the General Manager. I have found that the GM is more on your side than the SM. Most SM's will try to defend their answer while the GM just want's it fixed.

 

i get a little vibration thru the gas pedal when i accellerate gently. figured it was just a feature of the gen III.

 

Prius = Great powertrain, terribly cheap interior.

The vibrations area caused by cheap interior plastics lacking sufficient "padding" between plastic pieces. My 2010 with 22k miles has always had it, sometimes it comes and goes, and there's one original rattling/buzzing that drives me NUTS that will never go away, rain or shine, hot or cold. Also, a friend's 2012 Four or Five ( I forget) has some annoying little rattles too, but he claims he doesn't hear them lol...funny thing is, I actually believe him since I've always known him, he's always kind of been the type of person that absolutely sees and hears only one thing at a time lol. Lucky bastard!!!

 

+1 to all of the above. I've had my interiors and dash apart at least 3 times to discover this.

 

I haven't experienced this with my Prius, but I can relate it to a problem GM had with the late model Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne. Some examples of these cars, both new and used, had a mild suspension shake that could not be cured with tires or alignment. When I was considering buying one of these, I'd have to test drive the exact car to ensure that the shake wasn't present. I gave up and bought a used Lexus LS430 instead.