I would never buy any Toyota

Toyota still makes a very reliable car.
The Prius IS a very reliable car.

Rattles for the Gen 3 are a pretty common problem. Many threads.

Mine has a rattle. I can live with it.

If they can't fix it, and you can't live with it, sell or trade it in now, would be my advice. If you are already this disenchanted, you are never going to feel better about it. So to minimize your loss, probably better to make a change ASAP.

 

me neither.

 

Sorry about your bad experience, but ...

How has this rattle caused the car to quit running?

Rattles are normally a fit and finish issue, not a reliability issue. My own bad reliability experiences with past cars involved more concrete failure-to-operate problems.

There are plenty of people who can live with some rattles, or are even handy enough to do the fixes themselves. So the car should still have excellent resale value.

 

Sounds like it's time to take it to another Toyota dealer. If they can't fix it, then it's letter writing time.

 

Sorry for your pain. Maybe if you described what the rattle is - what it sounds like, or where you think it is coming from, someone on the forum might be able to help. (Possibly had the same problem, and got it figured out n fixed).

I have a 2014 Pri mod 3 and it is phenomenal! Our beach town has the WORST pot holed - cheese grater rough roads, and our Pri bounces over them, and amazingly has zero rattles to date! We lemon law-ed out our 2013 Dodge Dart, (certainly not for rattles), and it "buzzed" with rattles all over inside the cabin on our "city" streets. Its a night n day difference between the Pri and that Dart as far as rattles go. I am not sure if rattles qualify, but, 3+ visits to the shop for the same problem, (keep your service receipts) = a potential lemon law case. (For that matter, anything over 25 days of having your car in the shop - also qualifies it for lemon law). As others said, take it to another dealer as with our Dart, the dealer we bought the car from, had the worst service department, where as the dealer in the next town, was super fantastic -n- friendly to deal with. I am all for giving the manufacturer every opportunity to make things right, and not rushing to lemon law-ing out a car. Plus you have to pay a mileage pro rate that is not cheap, when you do lemon law a car. Good luck!

 

Is this a joke? What rattle has to do with reliability?
Now, if the OP was after luxury, should have bought Lexus instead.
Sheesh!

BTW, 30k is the average people pay for a new car in USA. What did you expect?

 

Sure your not having a pity party?
I have 4 Toyota hybrids, 250k miles, 215k, 150k on my 2010, 38k on my 2013 Avalon... Can't say enough about them.

Take it to a other dealer, have someone young with good ears listen

 

30k USD for a Prius 3 ?! Generous customer

I am annoyed by noises too, but I would never get rid of a car for that reason alone.
My 2004 Prius has been interesting. Rattles and squeaks seem to come and go through the years. The Prius vagon has been a treat for the ~ 18 months owned.

 

I don't like to make the OP or other posters feel bad or gloat on my experience, but I have no issues with rattles on My 2012 Prius"v" purchased Feb, 2012 and now with 12,850 miles on it.

Fortunately, I have had nothing but good experiences with Japanese cars, after switching form my 1977 Camaro in 1988. I put up for a year of getting that Camaro right and another ten thereafter with rattles and creaks. One creak in the right front end finally reveal the source when the sheet metal tore apart at the right lower control arm mounting. I drove the car directly to the dealer and traded it in for my first Japanese car and NEVER looked back.

The technicians at the dealer are NOT gods. The driver has more experience with the noises, creaks and rattles than a technician that takes a five minute test drive, even if he or she even does that. I'm almost sure that 10 hours was NOT spent n your car.

This is where the owner comes in. Record the noise in the real world of driving and pin point it's location.

Taking apart the dashboard is NOT the way to find this issue. Getting under the dashboard while it is installed with a 1/4 inch plastic rod and probe is he way to find it.

Once found and located, it could be handled accordingly. It could just be a wire or cable laying on a plastic part that vibrates resonates when it hits it in driving.

 

Please explain. This is a skill I would like to acquire.

 

House2013, unfortunately many Prii are plagued with dash rattles due to the materials used, and as stated, the fit and finish. There are many, many threads here about it. Some have found solutions (although not always through the "average" dealership) and others just learn to live with it. How you resolve this issue is up to you, but please do not think everyone here is insensitive to your plight as a new owner.

 

I have a "dashboard" rattle too. I thought it was coming from my door. I've located the source by pressing the toe of my shoe up against the back of the brace holding the fuse block and gently pulling towards me. I'm still at a loss at how to muffle or eliminate whatever it's rattling against.

 

I just think we have to learn to live with a rattle or two. I despise them too but I certainly can not afford to trade cars because of a rattle. The next one will also have a rattle or squeak I don't like as well, maybe worse than the last. I don't think it is practical to take the car to a dealer every time we get a squeak or rattle. I hate them as much or more than anyone.

 

Basically, you use a non damaging piece to push, shove or apply necessary pressure to piece to duplicate the offending noise.

Once duplicated, you either tape, move, or "lubricate" the pace with silicone to eliminate the noise. Just moving a wire connector or cable can eliminate the noise.

Those new cameras with a small probe that now sell for less than $100 make it easier, today.

In the old days, you laid on your back with a flashlight and a probe or a hook.

 

isn't this a medical procedure?

 

6th toyota.