"Hybrid Veterans for Truth"?

Are there problems with the Prius?

Posted by Chip Giller (Guest Contributor) at 12:51 PM on 02 Jun 2005

Read more about: Prius | hybrids | cars | green living | electric vehicles

Tucked into the business sections of newspapers today is this story: The feds are investigating claims that Toyoto Prius engines may unexpectedly stall out at highway speeds.

The development may be but a hiccup interruption for Toyota, as the automaker continues to press its green advantage on American consumers while American automakers stand pat (or worse) on fuel efficiency. After all, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received only 33 complaints about stalled engines -- a small number given the something like 75,000 Priuses on the road for the model years 2004 and 2005.

On the other hand, if there is any credence to the claims, one can envision the concerns spiralling into a whirl of negative publicity for Toyota -- something that opponents of California's clean-car standards (e.g., GM) would certainly take quick advantage of. Here's hoping that there's no opening for a "Hybrid Veterans for Truth" campaign to get off the ground.

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4 Comments | Post a Comment

PR push

When I saw this article yesterday, I wondered if Toyota wasn't making a litle PR push at the same time:

"Prius Keeps Car Dealers -- but Not Repairmen -- Busy"

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-prius1jun01,1,3940247.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

As far as the bug ... as a programmer I found it kind of amusing. I pictured myself at the side of the highway trying to debug my car! (Open Source the Prius! LOL.)

by odograph at 1:26 PM on 02 Jun 2005

odograph,

I did not want to register to read your link. Are hybrids proving to be low maintenance cars?

Biodiversivist

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world

by biodiversivist at 7:23 AM on 03 Jun 2005
[ Parent ]

los angeles times article

it's basically a story of customer satisfaction, and overall low repair rates. Probably all true, but also a bit of a coincidence in timimg. (A fair and square use of PR in my book.)

by odograph at 9:03 AM on 03 Jun 2005

Prius Is Very Reliable

Biodiversivist asked about maintenance on a Prius.

According to Consumer Reports car owner surveys, the Prius is one of the most reliable of all cars on the road. I would imagine that Toyota, whose car line is mostly in the "much better than average" range, has gone to extra lengths to insure that something new like the Prius gets a lot of extra QC attention.

As for maintenance, the gas engine in the Prius is a standard gas engine and needs the usual maintenance -- just follow the owners manual for tuneups, oil changes, and so on. And of course there's non-engine maintenance like brakes and tires, etc.

The electrical engine should need no particular maintenance -- electric motors can be very reliable if well made -- and the batteries are under warranty for 100,000 miles. Replacement costs something like $900 now for the whole battery set, but by the time you've driven 100,000 miles, the price should be substantially less.

Overall I would predict that it might cost slightly more to own a hybrid -- you have TWO engines, plus the coupling mechanism, after all -- but the difference would be far less than the overall savings on gas. Plus, it's good for Mother Earth! (As much as a car can be, to be sure.)

Check out the Prius website.
http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2005/prius/index.html

Also, go to some of the Prius forums. Here's one.
http://www.priusonline.com/

Overall I wouldn't shy away from a Prius over maintenance issues. I just wish it came in an all-wheel-drive version, the better to cope with winters in Maine. (Or, I wish Subaru would build a hybrid ;-)

by rickeym at 6:21 AM on 05 Jun 2005
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