MY 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C FOUR MODEL (PURCHASED NEW IN AUGUST, 2012) WITH APPROXIMATELY 5,200 ORIGINAL MILES EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND TOTAL FAILURE (ENGINE STALLED RIGHT AFTER THE HYBRID MOTOR WARNING LIGHT APPEARED) OF THE 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C HYBRID INVERTER ENGINE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PANEL DEFECT WHILE EXITING I 495 IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA ON THE LATE EVENING OF JULY 6, 2013. TOYOTA CORPORATE (1-800-331-4331) OPENED CASE FILE # 1307101143 AND OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN ALEXANDRIA, VA. WAS VERY HELPFUL AND PROACTIVE IN REPLACING THE ENTIRE HYBRID INVERTER MOTOR COMPONENT ON THE 2012 PRIUS C UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AND AT NO CHARGE TO ME AS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA CORPORATE ALSO ADVISED ME THAT THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY RECALLS OR OTHER REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C HYBRID INVERTER MOTOR SO OUR SITUATION WAS, HOPEFULLY, AN ANOMALY. *TR
2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN I PULLED UP OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE AND WENT TO OPEN THE BACK HATCH, I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE LOCK BUTTON. THE CAR THEN LOCKED - BUT WITH MY SMART KEY FOB AND MY 10-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER INSIDE OF THE CAR. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCK THE CAR WITH THE KEY FOB INSIDE. I HAD NO WAY OF GETTING INTO THE CAR TO GET MY DAUGHTER OUT - I HAD TO CALL THE POLICE AND HAVE THEM BREAK INTO THE CAR FOR ME. AS THE CAR STARTED AND DROVE TWICE - FROM WORK TO MY SITTER'S, FROM MY SITTER'S TO MY HOUSE - THE KEY WAS DETECTABLE FROM ITS LOCATION IN MY CAR. THERE IS NO WAY IT SHOULD HAVE LOCKED WITH THE KEY FOB STILL INSIDE. AND I CAN'T EMPHASIZE HOW MUCH OF A SAFETY HAZARD THIS IS - MY 10-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE CAR. WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN A REALLY HOT DAY? WHAT IF I HAD BEEN SOMEWHERE WHERE IT TOOK THE POLICE TIME TO GET TO ME? WHAT IF MY PHONE HAD BEEN LOCKED IN THE CAR? WHILE IT ALL TURNED OUT FINE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE SMART KEY SYSTEM ON MY CAR SHOULD NEVER ALLOW THE KEY TO BE LOCKED INSIDE. *TR
