Some Prius Problems Psychological?

Very interesting. No idea if this guy has any connections to Toyota, but it's an curious angle.

Reports of sudden acceleration in the Toyota Prius have spiked across the country. But that doesn't mean there's an epidemic of bad gas pedals in the popular hybrid.

Experts on consumer psychology say Toyota's relentless attention since the fall makes it much more likely that drivers will mistake anything unexpected for actual danger.

"When people expect problems, they're more likely to find them," said Lars Perner, professor of clinical marketing at the University of Southern California.

In just the first 10 weeks of this year, 272 complaints have been filed nationwide for speed control problems with the Prius, according to an Associated Press analysis of unverified complaints received by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Only 74 complaints were filed last year, and eight the year before that.

Even stranger are problems with the brakes, rather than the gas: 1,816 this year, versus 90 in 2009 and fewer than 20 every other year of the last decade. Toyota recalled 440,000 Priuses because its anti-lock brakes seemed to fail momentarily on bumpy roads.

This week came one of the most high-profile Toyota cases: A man driving on a Southern California freeway said his 2008 Prius reached 94 mph before a patrol officer helped him bring it to a stop.

Investigators are looking at that and a New York case, and authorities have questioned either's legitimacy.

While this theory may have some merit, it could well be problems are far more likely as these Priuses gain more wear and tear and higher mileage. Whatever the case, Toyota's got a big problem on their hands and are sure to face lawsuits totaling billions.