Summary of problems reported on Prius 2010

I think you should add the speedometer is 2 MPH off and the odometer is inaccurate too.

 

Then why are 90% of the listed items nothing more than design choices or other BS non-problems?

 

Here's my take on this list of "problems". A few more actaul problems than I gave this thread credit for, but still mostly design choices or non-problems. Perhaps it's time for another poll.

Display / electronics

Problem: Red arrow in energy monitor hard to see in daylight

Working as designed.

Problem: Car computer overestimates MPG

Working as designed, though admittedly not as accurate as most would wish.

Problem: Air Conditioning display is cloudy/blurry
Solved. Toyota has issued a TSB and is replacing the AC display under warranty.

Real Problem, but now solved.

Problem: Delay in answering calls with Nav and Bluetooth

Real Problem.

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Problem: Satellite radio signal is weak

Real Problem.

Problem: Satellite radio display is truncated to 16 characters

Working as designed.

Problem: Ghost image on speed display

Working as designed. Excessive Operator expectations.

Problem: Slip indicator comes on when at a full stop

Working as designed. Operator error.

Problem: Can't hear nav voice over stereo

Working as designed. Operator failure to change settings.

Problem: Phone numbers disappear from contact list

Working as designed. Operator error or phone maker problem.

Problem: Apparent screen burn-in

Working as designed. Operator imagination.

Problem: Navigation DVD not detected at car boot up

Working as designed. Operator error or so rare as to be meaningless.

Problem: FM radio reception is weak

Real Problem.

Problem: Built in microphone is weak (muffled)

Real problem, but minor. Working as designed, but not as well as most would like.

Other interior features

Problem: Cargo net panel separation
Solution: Solved. Toyota is now selling cargo nets with an updated version of the hook, that is much stronger.

Real problem, now fixed.

Problem: Auto-dimming mirror sensor wrongly positioned

Working as designed. Questionable assumptions about whether it could be "better positioned" without causing other problems.

Problem: Seatbelts on the rear seats are difficult to fasten

Working as designed. Operator error.

Problem: Rattle noises from various sources inside the cabin

Working as designed. Excessive Operator expectations.

Problem: Tonneau cover won't retract at low temperature

Working as designed for most. So rare as not to be a real problem.

Mechanical

Problem: Brakes grabbing in reverse

Possible real problem, though I strongly suspect operator error in the form of trying to slap it in gear too fast or accidentally invoking hill assist. It's widespread enough that Toyota should investigate and/or try to figure out how to counter the operator error.

Problem: Momentary loss of braking power when navigating over a bumpy surface, pot hole or water

It was always working as designed. Operator confusion or design preference. Now fixed in any case.

Problem: Disengaging cruise control requires a firm push on the brakes

Working as designed. Excessive Operator expectations or mere design preference.

Problem: Squeaking sound from wheels during rolling start

Working as designed, and/or rare. Excessive Operator expectations.

Problem: Rough engine start

Working as designed, or too rare or inconsequential to constitute a problem.

Problem: Occasional traction power killed in deep snow

Working as designed. Excessive Operator expectations. I had a 2004, so I know a real trac control issue when I see one.


Problem: Unintended acceleration when backing up

This is either not a real problem, or you are double counting the grabbing in reverse error, or it is Operator error.

Problem: Coolant is leaking from the transaxle coolant drain plug
Solution: Solved. Toyota has issued a TSB and tightens the plug under warranty.

Real problem, though probably rare, and now fixed.

Battery

Problem: Small (12 v) battery discharges too much when car not used for more than 10 days
Solution: Only rarely observed. The Prius is apparently equipped with a system to prevent it from happening. Disconnecting the battery when the car is not used for long periods prevents the problem from happening.

Working as designed. Not a real problem by your own admission. Operator error and/or Excessive Operator expectations..

 

For those that want to treat the cruise shut off with brakes as a real problem, be sure to note this solution:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...asing-cruise-control-brake-2.html#post1074160

 

Keep up the good work CivicQc this thread is of value to those of us who are interested in helping Toyota improve their product.

 

Because something operates as designed doesn't mean there can be no problems, there are design problems on virtually every complex machine ever produced. There are a few common problems that most of the Gen3 cars have but most of them show up in a smaller percentage of vehicles. If my car or perhaps yours is free of some defect, that's good for us but it doesn't mean no one else can have that issue. I think we need to listen to everyone who seriously thinks they have something wrong and if we don't agree at least be polite and tell them why we don't agree. If you really don't like doing that then you could avoid this thread.

By the way I don't like being accused of "Operator anality" because my car rattles. That's a bit out of line. We should try to keep our discussions civil.

 

Perhaps vocabulary, perhaps different expectations. I liked the original idea; one sticky thread where newbies could go to confirm the few real problems with the car. I just expected it to be a little more judicially applied to serious items that were clearly not working right and/or that everyone could easily agree on, like the braking issues, or the phone answer lag.

Other threads exist, including the one you started, for suggested improvements, which seems more appropriate for most of the items listed here, such as the sensitivity of the brake cutoff for cruise control. It obviously works, but some people prefer more sensitivity (the Goldilocks syndrome). Some of the listed items don't even seem to rise to that level, like idiosyncratic rattles.

Perhaps the correct title of the thread should be "Complaints at least one person has made about the 2010 Prius and was energetic enough to start a thread about".

 

Sorry, now changed to "Excessive Operator expectations". Even by the loose stands of this thread, I don't understand listing squeals and rattles as problems, unless they are clearly widespread and of a nature or degree as to constitute a manufacturing or design flaw. Is there a car on the planet that never has a squeal or rattle?

 

OK thanks for the change. I think most cars have, or develop, a few rattles but my Prius had a bunch of them within a week or so of delivery. The only other new car I have owned that was that bad was a '98 Honda Accord.

By the same token my Gen2 Prius and my old Toyota pickup, both purchased new, had no rattles that I can remember. So I know Toyota can do the job, they just need to reestablish the same quality control they had a few years back. From his statements I think Mr Toyoda will try to do that. I haven't sold my Toyota stock yet.

 

If you don't want your battery to drain sitting for long periods, simply press the button underneath the dash to disarm the wireless key remote sensor.

Go out and start it long enough till it stops on its own once every two months or so... or take it for a quick spin around the block helps too.
The main traction battery charges the 12V battery with the inverter anytime the car is in ready mode.

With the button disengaged, you'll have to open the car with the key remote if you left it locked.
Engage the button again to start the car.

 

We don't have that button anymore Alan. The Gen3 is suppose to automatically disable the SKS after some period of time, 5 days I think.

 

Ah.. good to know.... I know we had the tire button and I guess I assumed the other was there too.

 

I think one of the very useful purposes of this thread is to determine what problems are more "universal". If the car squeaks (mine is tight) in a particular way and a lot of people concur, then it is a "problem". Enough people made an issue about the brakes, and so it became a known, widely acknowledged "problem".

 

I remain convinced that the limited view out the rear window/blind spots (especially on passenger side) is the worst safety problem of the Prius. I include the possibility that there is an unsolved unintended accelleration problem. The reason I do this is that I can see a reasonable likelihood that I (and surely other drivers) will crash into someone because of this. I consider that, based on reports, the likelihood of an unintended accelleration wreck in any given car is much less (though it might have higher average severity than the average poor visibility wreck).

 

I have not seen anyone else talk about this, so I guess it's just my luck. But twice, I've had my gas pedal not work at all. Had to pull over and turn car off and restart. Asked dealer about it and got this for a response "oh, we'll never be able to figure THAT out and we've never heard of that before". Dying to know if anyone else has had this happen. It happened the first month I bought the car and hasn't happened again in the past 6 months so maybe it fixed itself!