I have a 2010 prius, and when I apply the brakes at any intensity and my vehicle hits a defect in the road surface, the ABS system seems to release brake pressure to all 4 wheels completely for about half a second. This makes me question the effectiveness of the brakes in an emergency situation, especially on houston's notoriously neglected roadways. I was told that this was normal by both toyota motor co. At 1‑800‑331‑4331 and also by the dealer. Tmc informed me that this is the way that the ABS system was designed. Please launch an inquisition and/or investigation into this matter, for the safety of the owners of all toyota prius vehicles.
2010 Toyota Prius brakes complaints
Page 24 of 66: complaints 671 to 700 of 1,945, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. The contact was braking from approximately 30 MPH and approaching a traffic stop when the brakes failed. The contact veered off the road and crashed into a snow bank. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was advised that they would have to turn the vehicle over to the manufacturer and wait for a diagnostic on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was approximately 4,000.
I purchased a new 2010 toyota prius (model 3) in late july 2010. In almost every respect, this car is wonderful. However, the car has consistently diminished (apparent) braking effectiveness when the brakes are applied and the car goes over a patch of rough road, pothole, etc. When the brakes are applied with a consistent pressure, the car "feels" as if the brakes disengage upon entering a rough patch of road. This happens every time. (for example, I notice it every time I slow down at my street corner where there is a long-standing patch of rough pavement.) since 1994 I have owned 7 cars with ABS (hondas, nissans, and toyota camrys), I have never experienced a similar sensation in any of these other cars. I have adapted my driving style to this anomaly, but I worry about my kids and friends who may occasionally drive my prius. It is unnerving to apply the brakes and have them feel like they are disengaging when you enter a rough patch of road. Since this problem occurs consistently, I think it should be possible to test to see if this apparent braking anomaly is actually increasing stopping distances. (for example, test prius vs. Model without apparent braking anomaly on smooth and rough roads to see if relative braking distances of prius are more heavily affected by rough roads that comparison model.) p.s. After purchasing my new prius, I noted that my dealer's service blog, had several reports of similar problems that were not corrected after servicing by the dealer. Some posts noted that the dealer had applied a software fix that toyota distributed in early 2010. My car was manufactured after that fix.
My 2010 prius' brakes did not respond while on the road on 1/22/11. Then 2x again on 1/23/11. As a consumer, I do not know who regulates car companies but I have called the manufacturer and they need to 'duplicate' the problem. In the past, my brakes would accelerate before it would catch and the problem was not 'duplicated' by the dealer. This time the brakes failed me 3x within 24 hours and I am extremely concerned. I would like to know which government agency to report it to and what better options I have to get a resolution.
Tl*the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. The contact stated that while driving over railroad tracks she tried to apply the brakes and the pedal went all the way down to the floor. The contact mentioned that she waited a couple of seconds before she applied the brakes again and they functioned normally. The dealer said that it was normal for the vehicle to function that way on uneven surfaces. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage were 22,000.
Incident #1 on january 5, 2011 - sudden change in braking performance caused crash. Accident occurred in company parking lot. There was snow on the ground. I attempted to slow down to make a right turn. The car initially started to slow down. But as I attempted to turn to the right the car started to slide. I tried to control the slide with the brakes but the car would not slow down and it slid into a stone curb causing over $1,700 in damage to the car. There was no feeling of any braking occurring. There was no feeling of the ABS brakes pulsing to control the slide. Incident # 2 on january 19, 2011 - sudden change in braking performance created dangerous stopping condition. I was approaching a red light at an intersection going about 30 MPH. There was no snow on the ground. The road was wet. I applied the brakes and the car initially started to slow down. Suddenly the brakes were no longer slowing the car down. I thought the car was going to fail to stop at the intersection. I increasingly applied more and more pressure on the brake pedal and the car began to slow down. The car did finally stop and did not cross the intersection. The brake pedal pressure that I had to apply was extreme - it felt like a car with power assisted brakes but that the power assist had failed. There was no feeling of the ABS brakes pulsing to control the braking of the car.
Accident 12/22/10 turned left as I pulled into parking space nearest to handicapped spot. It was very sunny and there was a patch of what looked like ice. As the car went over that spot it started to accelerate. I applied the brake, only to find myself hitting the curb. After hitting the curb the car lurched over the curb and I continued applying the brake. In a fraction of a second my car was on the side walk, just before impact with the wall I took my foot off the brake because the car did not seem to be responding. I didn't know what else to do. It was over in seconds. Bricks dented in the building, smashed glass. I put the car in reverse and into the parking spot. Head spinning as to how this happened. I walked into the store and apologized. There was glass dust still hanging in the air. The woman inside said 'call the police'. I thought that was a good idea. I was eager to demonstrated that I wasn't drunk nor using illegal drugs. I offered to take a breathilizer, but they thought that wasn't necessary.
Tl*the contact owns 2010 toyota prius. While driving approximately 15 MPH and applying pressure to the brakes, the vehicle would not stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but the technicians were unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer stated that they could not assist with repairs if the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 1,000 and current mileage is 6,000.
2010 toyota prius was placed in "parking" in my home garage, as I turned off the "heating" switch to the seat, the car rolled forward on its own and hit a work bench chair in front of the vehicle. No personal injury was sustained, but the car had some dents to the front end.
I had taken an exit after having driven about 15 miles on hwy 85 & had my foot off the accelerator as there was red signal ahead. Before coming to a full stop the light turned green so put my foot on the accelerator but than had to brake almost within seconds as I saw a car ahead at the next green light not moving. The car felt like it surged & drove what I believe was abnormal distance with my front crashing under the back of an old buick. I had 3 other family members in the car who felt the same jerk. The road was wet from prior rain. There was not much damage to the car I crashed into but my car was considered total loss, 15 months old with 28k miles. No air bags were deployed. Ironically I had picked up the car from the dealership just that morning because my daughter had complained about the jerking when applying brakes when she drives 20 miles to work in a stop & go traffic on hwy 280. This was not the first time she had complained to dealership about this either. The dealership like before reported nothing wrong. The car had the sw upgrade done when it was recalled in feb/mar. Post the crash incident toyota had their expert examine the brakes who reported, brake reservoir fluid level 5mm above the max level & some white substance suspended in it near the surface, but still brake system to be in good condition.
Tl*the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. While stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle was hit from the rear by another vehicle. After the vehicle was hit, it accelerated to a high speed. The contact engaged the brakes but the vehicle continued to accelerate; the contact attempted to turn off the ignition but that did not stop the vehicle. The vehicle changed directions and crossed over a grassy area and crossed over three lanes of traffic and crashed into a concrete median. The contact stated that all the lights failed. The two passengers were injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was unavailable. The current and failure mileages were unknown.
Tl*the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. The contact stated that the repair for recall 10v039000 (service brakes, hydraulic) was performed february 2010. The contact attempted to stop at a traffic light and when they hit rough pavement, the vehicle would not stop properly and went through an intersection. The dealer inspected and stated that there was nothing wrong, the failure mileage was 18,654 and the current mileage was approximately 19,000. Updated 02/09/11*lj updated 03/03/11
I am an owner of a 2010 toyota prius that was recalled for brake problems. The automobile jolts forward for a split second when the brakes are applied and the automobile also passes over a bump or pothole. I took the automobile back to the dealer pursuant to the recall to be fixed. The dealer did not fix the problem. The problem remains even after the recall and supposed remedy. I have read that others have the same issue, and the problem has not been corrected by the recall in other chatrooms. I am sure that you are aware that the recall did not resolve the problem.
My 2010 toyota prius would not start after a brief 45 minute lunch with friends. When I released the parking brake and let off the brake pedal I didn't know the car was stuck in neutral. This error was on the dashboard "malfunction when parking, park in a flat place and apply parking brake securely". When I let off the brake the car rolled back into the middle of the parking lot. I had two coworkers in the car with me; they got out and pushed the car out of the way to a flat location. Car still was disabled. I called toyota roadside assistance and waited an hour for a tow truck; after about 45-50 minutes of waiting I was hit by a woman that wasn't paying attention; she backed into the side of my disabled car. I was pressing on the horn and she didn't hear. The impact must have freed some stuck component or something because 2 hours later when the tow truck finally came, the car worked again; no warning lights etc. Toyota looked at the car and says there is nothing wrong. I took a photo to document the warning message (plus have 2 witnesses).
The brakes release for a "second" or two when the car hits a bump, especially in cold or wet weather. My car has slid through intersections in the winter a number of times because of this. I have to start braking three blocks ahead in bad weather because I never know when the brakes will release. This is very dangerous.
2010 toyota prius. S10 appropriate handling- letter from regarding toyota problems *tgw the consumer stated when he went to start his vehicle, the brake pedal went straight down to the floor and the vehicle would not start until pressure was applied to the brake. After trying several things, the brake finally came on. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, but they were unable to find anything wrong. On april 27, 2010, the incident happened again with the brakes. A notice appeared on the dash to put the vehicle in park. When he did, the brake came on. *jb updated 12/22/10.
Same as everyone else: when braking while turning over uneven pavement, brakes seem to accelerate or loosen temporarily. So when is the federal safety agency going to do something about this? Or are they waiting for a "significant" number of deaths first?
Tl*the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. The vehicle was repaired for the recall associated with the federal safety agency campaign id number 10v039000, service brakes, air antilock control unit/module. Upon receiving the vehicle he was driving approximately 30 MPH when he applied the brakes while driving over a bumpy surface. Once he drove over the bumpy service the brakes stopped working. He was forced to apply pressure to the brakes in order to slow the vehicle down. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on four occasions where they were unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 1,500 and the current mileage was 11,102. The VIN was unavailable.
Loss of braking effectiveness. Happens when going over bumps while applying the brakes. You don't lose braking power completely, but it would be like you had lifted your foot off the brakes partially. It has happened about a dozen times since I have owned the vehicle (a little over a year). I am unable to determine what factors make it happen. I don't know if it is speed, severity of the bumps, or braking pressure, or combination. I know that temperature makes no difference, as it has happened in winter and summer. The last incident happened when a bicyclist moved in front of my car to avoid bumps. I applied the brakes (it was not severe), and as I went over the bumps, I lost braking power. My speed was approximately 15 MPH. Toyota has done a recall on the brakes, but I continue to have the problem. I have talked to other owners, and they are having the same problem, even after the recall. The consumer stated when he drove over a bump in the road, the braking decreased significantly for approximately 3 seconds. He also stated the engine raced briefly, but the vehicle was not in gear at the time. Updated ivoq 03/01/11
Even after the brake recall repair has been performed, my car's brakes suddenly and momentarily lose braking power over uneven or rough surfaces. Problem seems compounded when turning.
I own a new 2010 prius. It has 1800 miles on it. While driving with someone else in the prius, there was a braking problem. We both felt a loss of braking by the prius when I was braking for a right turn and went over a bumpy section on the road surface. The prius experienced a momentary complete loss of braking over the bumps. It felt like we actually accelerated for an instant. In any case, the brake pedal was engaged firmly the whole time. The prius then slowed down normally, and I made the turn at the corner. But we both looked at each other in surprise at what we felt during that braking event leading into the turn. I called the dealer and had them look up the computer patch history on this car. The dealer stated that all the computer patches had already been applied to this car before it was delivered as new. So far, this has only happened once. I have been driving the new prius for only 1800 miles. It was purchased new off the dealer lot aug 2010. It happened in oct 2010. Extreme loss of braking over bumpy road surface. I have many years of driving experience in many types of cars on many different road surfaces. I have never experienced this type of momentary complete brake loss before.
2010 toyota prius, no accidents, but close calls. When I am slowing to a stop, and if the vehicle hits a rough spot in the road, for example a pothole, the brake pedal lowers slightly and the car appears to have the anti lock braking take over and the car speed decreases slowly under the control of the ABS and may not stop in the remaining distance to a stop sigh or traffic light. At least 4 times, 3 since the software update for my car, I have been stopping and within about 20 feet of the stop sigh there was a significant bump or pothole and with my foot on the brake continuously I noticed that the brake pedal depressed slightly and my rate of slowing decreased and my car drifted past the stop sign. This all happened with my foot still on the brake. I told the toyota dealer about this and was informed that it is the way the car is designed, that any time that the computer senses a wheel slip, the ABS takes over. But on dry road conditions, this is problematic because in my area there are often un repaired roads with ruts, potholes, bumps and etc. Near the intersections. Having the ABS take over provides a lag time in the stopping of the car and each time I have gone past the stop sign and slightly into the intersection approximately 5 feet into the path of other vehicles. I am an engineer with nasa and know what I am doing and have been told that this is a design feature, but this feature can and has left me exceeding my planned stopping distance and could have lead to an accident.
On 2010 prius, brakes seem to release, generally for a moment, at low speeds when going over a bump on passenger side of the car. Car seems to accelerate momentarily, until brakes are hit again. This has happened a number of times but is sometimes hard to recreate. Car has 3000 miles. Dealer says brakes operating as designed and recall adjustment has been made.
Tl*the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. While traveling 2 MPH the contact applied the brakes and noticed that they would not engage causing the contact to crash into a wall. No one was injured and a police report was not filed for the incident. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the failure could not be reproduced. There were no prior warnings. The current and failure mileages were 1500.
Despite the computer update following the recall my 2010 toyota prius continues to have braking problems. Since the update the car accelerates slightly when an uneven road surface is encountered while braking. Toyota says this is normal operation.
Brake failure. 2010 toyota prius iv -- the vehicle's brakes lose pressure and the brake pedal loses pressure (regardless of how hard I press on the brakes as this is happening). The brakes are temporarily disabled and the vehicle unexpectedly accelerates as a result of its momentum prior to initializing the brakes. The failure occurs when the vehicle passes over a dramatic change in the texture/friction of the road surface. I have experienced the failure dozens of times, when driving over metal surfaces (manhole covers, pothole covers, temporary construction covers, metal expansion inserts in bridges, etc), as well as small patches of condensation (such as small puddles under a bridge when the surrounding road is dry). The failure is not related to hydroplaning, and has occurred at speeds as low as 15 MPH. The failure causes the vehicle to accelerate until a few seconds after it has passed over the slick surface. After returning to the regular road surface, the brakes slowly regain traction and resume their function of slowing the vehicle down. This failure occurs every time these criteria are met -- regardless of whether road conditions are wet or dry. So far no accidents have resulted from this failure on my vehicle, but I have been unable to control the problem or decrease its effects. Again, this problem occurs even at low speeds, such as in city traffic while braking to stop at an intersection. Many times it has caused me to nearly hit the vehicle in front of mine. So I have been forced to leave an extra 40 feet between my vehicle and anything in front of me, which is not always feasible because I live in an urban area. I have already taken this vehicle into the toyota dealership as part of their recall to fix the software which controls the interactions between the hybrid brakes and the normal disk brakes. Local dealerships have consistently denied that there is a problem with the vehicle and the toyota company will not return my phone calls.
Squealing noise from brakes/wheels when I press brakes on my brand new 2010 toyota prius. It's literally causing me headaches after drives and is a big health hazard. I have taken the car twice to my dealership that sold the car and they are recognizing the noise but telling that it is normal for all prius. If that's the case then it's a defect in prius as squealing noise that causes headaches should not be normal. Also, I am not the only one facing this. Please check hundreds of similar complaints on priuschatforums through link: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/68563-squeaking-sound-wheels-during-rolling-start-brake-noise-merged.html.
2010 toyota prius occasional loss of brake performance immediately upon start-up of vehicle. On 4 separate occasions, there was noted loss of braking capability after shifting into reverse immediately after turning on the ignition. This caused the brake pedal to feel hard, and allowed the car to slowly move against the operator's intentions. After about 5 seconds, the brakes begin to function normally. A toyota dealership told me it takes a few seconds for brake pressure to come up after starting the vehicle and that I should wait before shifting into gear. This instruction seems counteractive towards safety, and the vehicle should not be allowed to shift into gear until brake pressure is present. A simple software update should be able to address this concern.
My 2010 toyota prius has always had problems braking over bumpy roads. At certain speeds firm braking over bumps causes the wheels to feel like they are slipping. Toyota recalled the vehicle, and performed software upgrades that I feel did nothing to improve the situation. I recently brought the car back to be serviced and mentioned that it was still slipping over bumps but they claimed that they could not replicate the problem. This is not one specific incidence but multiple instances.
2010 prius when attempting to stop if vehicle hits bumps, potholes, manholes, etc., the vehicle braking systems lets go for a moment and the vehicle will keep moving forward. I have had my prius into my service department for the "recall" but the problem continues. My service department has been in contact with toyota who tells them it is a characteristic of the vehicle and to advise owner of such. This is a clear safety issue with the vehicle. My family will not drive the car and my friends won't get in the car because of this problem. I was told to either live with the vehicle or trade it in. Not an acceptable answer in my book. This can happen with the vehicle 5 or more times a day depending on where I am driving.
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