On a few occasions when applying my brake a low speeds it does not apply the brake it seems to lock up the brake but not stop the vehicle. I will release the brake and reapply the brake until I get the desired reaction.
2008 Toyota Prius brakes complaints
Page 14 of 14: complaints 371 to 391 of 391, newest first, as owners wrote them.
2008 prius brake slippage- not the 2009 prius, but 2008. Recurrent slippage when it feels as though the car is not responding to the brake pedal, usually after hitting a pebble or a slick area (even just water)...occurs approx once/month. News stories today only referencing the latest model, and it is clearly a problem in my 2008 car. No accidents yet, but always a bit alarming. Otherwise love my prius.
2008 toyota prius brakes did not work upon starting vehicle one day. No warning, just no brakes. Vehicle was towed to nearest dealer (50 miles) and the "linear solenoid valve" was "reinitialized".
Brakes totally failed on 2008 prius, causing it to crash into car ahead, which in turn was pushed into the car ahead of it. Wife driving, granddaughter in back seat. Reported to toyota, which investigated and claimed no problem with the brakes. $16000 repair tab. Same syndrome (no brakes) in same car encountered by husband last month (jan 2010). Accident avoided due to car ahead pulling out. Car taken to toyota dealer who kept it a week, reported no trouble found.
I have a 2008 prius. I was in bumper to bumper traffic and stopped. When the car in front of me moved up (I was about 2 or 3 car links behind them) I took my foot off the brake and my car surged forward , I pressed as hard as I could on the brake with both feet and the car crashed into the car in front of me. It was like in slow motion, but the car would not stop. I put the car in park then turned it off after the crash. My airbag did not deploy, but it caused the rear bumper of the car in front of me to almost fall off in the street. I had the car towed to the nearest dealership. I was not given a ticket by the police. I told all this to the dealership and ins. Company and we requested an inspection of the brakes. After the body repair on my car iwas completed, the dealership did a visual inspection of the brakes, test drove it and said it met with their specs. And that the pads were still within the proper thickness on the brakes. They couldn't find any problem.
I own a 2008 toyota prius and from the day I drove it off the lot its had braking problems. I have always just assumed the car was useless in bad weather because the smallest amount of rain or snow seemed to prevent me from braking. I would begin to slow down and if the car noticed a tire slide even an inch it would seem to activate the traction control and the break would release. I thought this was some sort of horribly designed safety device to prevent hydroplanning. But I've been paying more attention to when my brakes release and it's anytime I slow down and hit a pot hole, or slow down for a dip. The moment the tires lose any contact/friction on the road the brakes stop working. So far it's been most dangerous when turning onto side streets or into parking lots with a bump or dip. If a car is coming out of the same driveway I'm slowing to enter I have to "pump" my brakes when I turn so I don't hit the other car. It's much worse in any snow/rain. It's almost as though when I begin to slide a little and the brake releases it actually accelerates. The brakes give out on a daily basis, this is not rare or insignificant. This has got to be a manufacturing error with the braking system it's just so consistently faulty.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. While driving 60 MPH the front brakes locked on the vehicle. On one occasion the failure almost caused a crash with a heavy truck. After inspecting the vehicle four times, the engineers admitted there was an actual brake problem with the vehicle. However they could not identify the cause of the failure. The current mileage was 94,400. The failure mileage was 22,000. Updated 1/4/10 *cn the brake pads were replaced and the front rotors were machined. Updated 01/06/10.
When I brake for a bump or pothole, my 2008 toyota prius, accelerates on its own when the front tires hits the bump or pothole. I must hit the brakes harder in order to slow. This occurs very frequently, I notice this especially at low speeds. This acceleration on a bump recently occurred when there was a car immediately in front of me, I barely missed hitting the car. This has nothing to do with floor mat. The floor mat is properly secure, moreover it only happens in this situation (I.e., the floor mat does not invisibly get in the way when I hit a bump and magically go back into place all the other time.)
On my 2008 toyota prius, the brake actuator and brake regulator failed first in november 2008-- car was less than 6 months old. In about august 2009, chirping front end noise returned somewhat intermittently-- noise has gotten to the point that it happens repeatedly every time the car is driven. Took car to toyota dealership to be diagnosed yesterday (10/17/09) and they have determined that it is the brake actuator that has failed again-- twice in less than 1-1/2 years of owning the brand new car. Vehicle mileage as of today is 22,900. They have not fully diagnosed the car and will not look to see if the regulator has also failed again until they replace the actuator. Meanwhile, they've put me back out on the road in this car for a few days until they get the part in. These are multiple failures of components of the anti-lock braking system early in the life of the car. They do not seem concerned about trying to diagnose the true root cause-- what may be causing these parts to fail. The dealer has asked multiple times if this vehicle has been in an accident-- no, it has not. Evidently brake actuator failures is a known problem on the 2004-2007 prius (toyota issued a technical service bulletin-- not proactive, but "if a customer complains... Here's what to do to fix it"). It seems that no such bulletin has been issued for 2008 model. I'm very concerned that it is not safe to drive this car with two different parts (and maybe others?) of the ABS having failed repeated times. I'm also very concerned about toyota's cavalier attitude about it.
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. While parking the vehicle, the brakes failed. As a consequence, he crashed into a fence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. Since september 29, 2009 the dealer has had possession of the vehicle, but they haven't identified the cause of the failure. He filed case #0910101726 with the manufacturer. The vehicle identification number was unavailable. The failure mileage 7,800.
My 2008 toyota prius slides when I brake on wet roads. It is very scary and I'm concerned this will cause an accident...especially because occasionally when my 77 yr. Old mother is driving it and is not accustomed to it.
When I depress brake pedal just before stopping it feels like the brake disengages for a second and then reengages before coming to a halt. Been this way since I got the 2008 prius. Every one I speak to just shrugs. No incidents as yet.
2008 prius hybrid. Brakes failed at low speed on september 19, resulting in a collision with an on-coming car. I was pulling out of a parking lot very slowly when I observed a car making a right turn into the street I was attempting to enter. I immediately applied the brake, with absolutely no response. No one was injured because it was a very slow speed impact. I have consequently read of other drivers' exact same experiences. Toyota has modified their braking system for the 2010 model. From what I can read, the problem lies in the computer system which has trouble deciding which system to use, resulting in a delay which causes a collision.
Driving on pch in corona del mar, ca at a speed of approx. 25 MPH. Trying to brake at a pedestrian crosswalk where a car was already stopped in front of the prius. Car did not brake, instead it accelerated and the car that was already stopped at the crosswalk was rearended. Driver of prius injured ankle. Prius is totaled. Police report was filed.
Every time we step on and off the brake there is a grinding noise. I have visited 2 dealerships to help identify the problem at least 7 toyota people have verified the noise but are unable to determine the cause. The local rep originally said I hear it, don't know what it is and therefore cannot fix it. After I contacted their corporate hqs in ca he now says it is a normal noise.without explaining cause. This is a 2008 prius vehicle. Friends who have 2005,2007 and 2009 prius' do not have this noise. It is a life threatening problem until the cause is determined. Since it involves the brakes. I have a detailed list of all the actions I have taken, which individuals verified the noise and the individuals I have spoken to concerning this problem. Is it a faulty electric motor or controller between gas and electric motor? This vehicle uses the electric motor as part of the braking system. Did the vehicle design put a noise in 2008 and take it out in 2009? Please help me have toyota examine the vehicle and determine the cause of the noise and fix it. Please help before someone gets hurt. *tr fred zivitofsky
I drive a 2008 toyota prius. As I was driving out of the gas station and stepped on the accelerator, the car continued going faster. The brake did not work, the only way the car stopped was by hitting another car. *tr see also 10265332 *dsy.
No brakes, 2008 toyota prius with only 10,000 miles. Failed sensor.
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. The contact stated that the brakes on her vehicle were highly sensitive. When she barely depressed the brake pedal, the vehicle would come to a complete stop. There were four warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. Once the indicators illuminated, the contact depressed the brake pedal and discovered it was soft. The pedal then extended to the floorboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer six times for replacements, but the failures could not be duplicated. The brake actuator was replaced, but this did not correct the failure. While driving less than 15 MPH, the vehicle came to a sudden stop without the contact touching the brake pedal. She then turned on the emergency lights and depressed the accelerator pedal until the vehicle responded. The failure mileage was 2,200 and current mileage was 8,800.
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. While driving in stop and go traffic at 15 MPH, the vehicle would not slow down when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact crashed into the preceding vehicle. There were no injuries, but a police report was filed. Through online research, he discovered that there is an ongoing issue with the prius' electric brakes. The dealer stated that water may have entered into the electric brake system and caused the malfunction. The current and failure mileages were 3382 updated 4/14/09 *cn updated 04/17/09.
While coming to a stop at a red light, another car changed lanes in front of us. My husband pressed on the brakes harder to stop faster, the car did not continue to stop and instead continue to accelerate into the car that had changed into our lane causing us to rear end the car in front of us. Since then we have had the car serviced and they say the brakes are fine. The car still will not slow any faster if the brakes are pressed harder and often the ABS will engaged as we come to a stop causing the car to jerk to a stop.
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle failed to stop when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact rear ended the preceding vehicle. No passengers were injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the mechanic stated that the brakes were not defective. The manufacturer has not been notified. The current and failure mileages were 3,500.
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