2017 Toyota Prius Steering

THE COVERING ON THE STEERING WHEEL AT THE HAND LOCATIONS HAS EXCESSIVE WEAR AND THE PLASTIC IS ROUGH ON SKIN. THE MANUFACTURE WILL NOT WARRANTY THE STEERING WHEEL COVER BECAUSE OF BEING OUT OF WARRANTY I DO NOT FEEL THAT A STEERING WHEEL COVER SHOULD WEAR OFF IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE WHICH IS CURRENTLY AT 139000 MILES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN, THE STEERING ABILITY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DMARK TOYOTA (15933 N IDAHOCENTER BLVD, NAMPA, ID 83687) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A SENSOR ON THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A STORE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO EDMARK TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 15933 N IDAHO CENTER BLVD, NAMPA, ID 83687, (208) 468-8000) WHERE IT WAS BEING DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,300. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL BEGAN PEELING AT (12 O' CLOCK LOCATION). THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED ON THE STREET AND GARAGED (NORMAL EXPOSURE TO SUN). FIRST, IT BEGAN TO BUBBLE AND THEN IT PEELED UNTIL NOW REACHING A3 INCHES WIDE.

TOYOTA PRIUS PRIME 2017 LANE DEPARTURE WARNING WITH STEERING ASSIST. THIS STEERING ASSIST FUNCTION DOES NOT WORK AS IT DOES IN ANY OTHER TOYOTA MODEL. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH TOYOTA ENGINEERING AND MET WITH A TOYOTA TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY ADMIT THAT THE STEERING ASSIST FUNCTION DOES NOT WORK AS IT DOES IN ANY OTHER TOYOTA MODEL. AS YOU WILL SEE FROM MY ATTACHED DOCUMENT THIS FUNCTION REALLY DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS A REGULATED SAFETY FEATURE OR NOT BUT IT WAS SUGGESTED BY A TOYOTA EMPLOYEE THAT I MAKE THE NHTSA AWARE OF THIS FAILURE AS IT COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. I HAVE DRIVEN AT LEAST 5 PRIUS PRIME ADVANCED AND ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN THAT THE STEERING ASSIST FUNCTION DOES NOT WORK IN ANY OF THEM EVEN THOUGH IT IS ADVERTISED AND SOLD TO THE CONSUMER AS A INTEGRAL PART OF THE TOYOTA SAFETY SUITE THAT IS ON ALL TOYOTA VEHICLES. THIS STEERING ASSIST FUNCTION DOES WORK ON ALL OF THE OTHER TOYOTA MODELS AS ADVERTISED AND AS A CONSUMER WOULD EXPECT. PLEASE REVIEW MY ATTACHED DOCUMENT THAT DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM AND MY ATTEMPTS TO GET TOYOTA TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE STOCK ANSWER I HAVE RECEIVED FROM MOST TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVES IS THAT THE STEERING ASSIST "WORKS AS IT IS ENGINEERED TO DO" MY STOCK ANSWER TO THIS IS WHY DOES IT FUNCTION DIFFERENTLY THAN EVERY OTHER VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH THE TOYOTA SAFETY SUITE. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A COHERENT REPLY TO THAT QUESTION.