Check a VIN

2010 Toyota Prius brakes complaints

Page 61 of 66: complaints 1,781 to 1,810 of 1,945, newest first, as owners wrote them.

See the summary of 2010 Toyota Prius brakes problems: which part fails, at what mileage and related recalls.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 250 miles · TX

While attempting to brake at a stop sign as I was moving slowly up an incline in a residential neighborhood, my 2010 prius hybrid seemed to lurch forward. This has only happened once in the three months since I purchased the vehicle, but it startled me. Thank goodness there was extra distance between my car and the vehicle in front of me, or there could have been a fender bender.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 3,000 miles · CA

Three times when braking with my 2010 prius I have momentarily lost braking power after hitting a pot hole or a bump. The car ended up stopping slightly past where I had intended to brake.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 3,040 miles · NY

When braking to come to a stop, the vehicle suddenly accelerates forward or the brakes fail for just a moment. This usually happens when the road surface is uneven, or if there is a pothole. It is not reproducible, but has consistently happened about once or twice a month since I purchased the new vehicle in november, 2009.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 50 miles · CA

2010 brand new prius lurches forward occasionally when brakes are applied when turning sharp or going over a bump.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 500 miles · MD

2010 prius braking problem. Car feels like it is jumping forward while applying the brakes and traveling over bumpy roads or potholes. Purchased car in october 2009 and this has occurred more than 10 times.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 5,000 miles · CA

1. 2010 prius, brakes release and car surges forward if one tire hits a bump, pothole or uneven surface 2. This brake failure and surging occurs daily in both directions on my commute. In two locations the uneven road surface fall directly before an intersection and I have a difficult time stopping for a red light or nearly hitting car in front of me. This has been the case since I bought the vehicle. 3. Although it constantly scares me and seems odd, I have just turned 5000 miles on the 2010 prius and have not yet had it for service at the dealer. No parts have been altered or replaced. I have often complained about it at home or to friends, but it didn't occur to me to report it. I have not yet had an accident as a result of the problem.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 5,000 miles · OR

Often when I drive my 2010 toyota prius over a manhole, metal grate, or other slippery surface it feels like the brakes momentarily stop working. This has happened on several occasions.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 4,000 miles · PA

2010 toyota prius (package iv) suddenly accelerates while braking over a bump, like a manhole cover. It occurs several times per week. No serious consequences so far, but could be troublesome if it occurs near other cars at a light or stop-and-go traffic. I took it to the toyota agency where they drove my car with me and did notice it, but didn't know what to do about it or think it was a serious problem. We also drove another 2010 prius on their lot to determine that the same problem existed in it. I don't know if the braking is air, hydraulic, or electric, so I selected all three.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 5,000 miles · IL

My 2010 prius has issues with braking under certain conditions. It seems to happen mostly when I am braking on bumpy roads or going over railroad tracks. When this happens, it literally feels like the car is surging forward with enough force to actually make me feel like it is accelerating. I thought it was just me but, then, my wife had the same issue just the other day. In addition to the bumpy road, it was icy and it caused her to slide through an intersection. Today, I just heard about this issue from a co-worker so, I have decided to add mine to the list.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · NY

Sometimes when depressing the brake there is a brief period of time (.5 sec, or so) where the brakes stop working. It feels as though the brakes are slipping - letting up just enough to let the car continue rolling without any restriction. This has happened to me roughly 5 times since I purchased the vehicle in july of 2009.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 1,500 miles · AL

While driving over a small utility access cover in the road, at a relatively low speed, our 2010 toyota prius momentarily lost braking power and seemed to accelerate for a very brief moment. Although braking power was regained very quickly, this was alarming since there was a pedestrian in the crosswalk immediately in front of the vehicle. Although this has occurred only once at the time of this report, we have also experienced unusually sensitive braking while in reverse. This problem was alleviated by shifting into neutral and then again into reverse. The problem while in reverse has occurred twice at the time of this report. This is my 3rd toyota prius and the first with any braking issues. The car has less than 2500 miles on it now and had approximately 1500 at the time of the loss of braking power.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 5,800 miles · TX

1) driving at about 35 to 40 MPH on a flat smooth road approaching a red light. Applying the brakes lightly to slow down before stopping. Hit a shallow pothole on right side. Probably a manhole cover. 2) very quickly, lasting only a split second, the brakes seemed to come loose and then re-engage. This didn't get my attention too much the first time, but then it happened a few weeks later again at the same place under the same conditions. It is apparently repeatable with my 2010 prius! 3) nothing done yet. Does not seem to be severe enough to warrant worrying about right now.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 3,500 miles · TX

2010 toyota prius brake issues. When braking and the car hits a rough spot or pothole in the road the car does not brake well. In fact it lurches forward a few feet unexpectedly.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 8,200 miles · WA

This has occurred several times in the 5 months that I have been driving my 2010 toyota prius hybrid. I would go over a pot hole or larger bump and instead of my brakes initiating when I press the brakes there is a quick acceleration and the car literally lurches forward instead of slowing down. Also, there is a long lag time between pressing the brakes and the brakes actually intiating which is consistent and occurs all the time.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · CT

My 2010 toyota prius does experience momentary brake failure when hitting bumps or potholes. The problem never lasts more than a moment and has not caused any accidents or near accidents. I have not brought the car for repair.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 5,000 miles · NJ

This has occurred several times (at least half a dozen times) since I've purchased my new 2010 toyota prius in july 2009. While driving at low speeds (~20 MPH), the brakes have momentarily stopped working (causing the vehicle to surge forward) after driving over a pothole or similar other uneven surface. I have tried to adjust how I drive, in an effort to avoid the surprise of the surge, and potential accidents, related to this braking problem. I have not yet sought a repair from toyota.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 100 miles · OH

My wife and I purchased a 2010 toyota prius (new) in july, 2009. We have driven it slightly more than 8,000 miles. I have two safety related complaints to report with the braking system: complaint #1 - several times (perhaps 10-15) when applying the brakes after coasting a short distance as I prepare to stop, I have momentarily lost all braking. It feels as if I have hit a patch of glare ice with all four wheels. It always happens the moment I first apply the brakes, and then after a moment (perhaps a second or less) the braking system returns to normal operation. For that brief time there is no braking action at all. Complaint #2 - several times (perhaps 8-10) when taking the car from "park" to "reverse" to back out of a parking space, the braking system is so sensitive that it is nearly impossible to control the car's speed. The brake pedal has nearly no "play" or "feel" to it, causing the car to jerk to a stop when the slightest pressure is applied. This results in a pattern of "coast a few feet and jerk to a stop, coast a few feet and jerk to a stop", repeated several times while backing up the necessary 30 +/- feet. I don't recall ever experiencing this problem while moving forward. Since I have experienced each of these malfunctions multiple times over these past seven months, the "approximate incident date" below is arbitrary.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 563 miles · CA

The brakes on my 2010 toyota prius failed during heavy traffic on the south 405 freeway in los angles nearly causing an accident. I almost rear ended a nissan 370 zx. In general the brakes seem substandard and feel mushy after driving in traffic or especially rain as we have been having in california. I am concerned about the brakes on the car and have started shopping for any upgrade kits that might be available. The brake failure was very unsettling and I read reports today about other prius drivers complaining as well. Therefore I felt that I should file a complaint to ensure that the brakes are looked into by toyota.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 3,820 miles · TX

I had trouble braking my 2010 prius--when I hit the brakes and went over a bump at the same time the car sped up instead of stopping.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 600 miles · OH

I have a 2010 prius that is now about six months old. I thought I was nuts when I described to my wife the incident of braking over a manhole cover and feeling the car seem to slip and jerk forward for a second. Seeing an article at cnn.com this morning caused me to write as this appears to be an issue.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 7,000 miles · TX

I own a 2010 toyota prius and have noticed several issues when braking. On numerous occasions I have noticed that when I am braking and hit a pothole (or any form of dip in the road) my car seems to lunge forward (I.e., accelerate) until the tires are back on level pavement. One of the more frightening incidents occurred this past january. It was below freezing outside, but there had been no precipitation. However, there was one area near a red light where the sprinklers had been left on overnight. This area had turned into a small section of ice. I came up to the intersection and began to brake when I hit this spot. The brakes seemed to malfunction, but it wasn't as if I was skidding on the ice. Rather, I could feel the car lunging forward again as it does when it hits a pothole. I heard on npr that other prius owners are experiencing similar issues so I wanted to lodge a complaint to ensure that this gets the proper attention.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 6,000 miles · NJ

My wife and I have both experienced rare but scary braking in our new 2010 prius. Under the right conditions there is a definite lag (less that two seconds)between application of the brake pedal and when the brakes actually engage. I suspect an electronic problem is not telling the electric traction motor to shut off fast enough during these braking events, so the car is braking against its traction motor which is still pushing the car. We've attempted to pinpoint the conditions when this unusual braking behavior occurs and here is our best description: 1. Happens when one front wheel hits a slick spot like a wet manhole cover or storm grate during braking and the ABS cuts in 2. It happens during braking on very bumpy roads especially in tight corners where traction may be lost momentarily on braking causing the ABS system to cut in. 3. It happens at relatively low speeds below 25mpg and when the accelerator in not pressed and usually when the traction motor is running. We drive two other cars (non-hybrid)over the same roads in similar conditions and don't experience these braking anomalies. The toyota dealer can't identify a problem.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 8,000 miles · MI

From august 1st of 2009, I had been driving a 2010 prius. It is a great vehicle for economy but there is a problem with brakes. When brakes are applied and if there is a bump, the vehicle jumps forward or accelerates and the stopping distance increases. Usually a safe distance behind a vehicle is when the tail pipe of the vehicle in front of you is visible. With the prius, to be safe, I stop at least ten feet behind a vehicle because if there is a bump, the vehicle will jump forward.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · DC

I purchased a 2010 prius in august 09 and have problems with the braking system. The car "lurches" forward when applying the brakes on a bumpy surface. I was fortunate on a number of occasions that there was distance between me and the car in front of me. After 3 or 4 occasions of experiencing this, I took the car to the dealership in oct to have them check it out. I was told that the brakes were fine, nothing showed up in computer electronics and there were no recalls. They told me that I had to learn how to drive a hybrid and only drive on smooth surfaces! What city has smooth roads with no seams or bumpy surfaces on it. It continued to happen so I called the dealership a week later and was told that if I could recreate the problem the shop foreman would go out for a test drive with me. Recreating the problem is nearly impossible. I am a realtor and my livelihood depends on my having a reliable car. I am nervous driving my car and find that I drive always anticipating that I am going to have a brake problem...this is not a safe way to drive. The problem continues and I do not feel safe driving my vehicle. I am happy to hear that you are looking into it. Also, check out the prius chat room for more complaints about the braking problem. Thanks so much for your investigative work.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 1,000 miles · NY

I have a 2010 toyota prius iv. On at least two occasions, when I pressed the brake pedal and hit a pothole, the car's brakes seemed to have stopped working for 1-3 seconds. It felt as if I lifted my foot off the brake pedal but I was pressing it about 1/3 of the way down. This increased my braking distance substantially. Luckily there was no car or pedestrian in front of me. If there was one, I would have definitely hit them.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 9,927 miles · IL

I have a 2010 toyota prius iii, purchased in june 2009, and have been experiencing brake problems for the past several months. If while braking I happen to hit a bump in the road my brakes fail for a brief moment causing the car to speed up rather than slow down. In order to stop the sudden acceleration I have to push the brake pedal down even further with more pressure and/or quickly lift my foot and brake again. This failure happens fairly consistently if the conditions are correct. The size of the bump in the road does not seem to matter as the brake "failure" has happened with everything from a small pothole to railroad tracks. The failure seems to last only a matter of seconds, but it's enough to possibly cause an accident especially while in a high traffic situation. I didn't start to notice this problem until close to a month into ownership of the vehicle but have become increasingly aware of it every time it happens. I have called my local toyota dealer and filed a complaint with them during my latest service appointment on 1/19/10 since I experienced the failure while on my way to the dealership, but they said they were unable to replicate the problem.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · WA

Infrequently, but repeatedly, while braking at low speeds, the brakes on my 2010 toyota prius will briefly cut out. When this occurs, the car will often seem to surge forward for the briefly period; it is hard to tell if this is simply a period of discontinued deceleration, or in fact a brief burst of acceleration. In over seven months of ownership, this has occurred at least 10 times, but certainly less than 50. It typically seems to happen when traveling on wet roads (I live in seattle) or after sudden change in the nature of the road (I.e. A pot hole or change of road surface height/type). So far this has not resulted in any injury or crash, but is concerning.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 3,000 miles · IL

I purchased a toyota prius 2010 in october last year. I have had one braking failure incident when the car failed to brake as I was approaching a stop street. The brakes did not respond and then a few seconds later kicked in and the car came to a slow stop. I have also experienced about 6 incidents where my car accelerated while my foot was on the brake. These incidents occurred when I traveled over a bump or variance in the road. I have scheduled a service so that toyota can review the braking system in my car.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 800 miles · DC

We own a 2010 prius and several times since we purchased it in november 2009 we have noticed issues with the braking system. On each occasion we were driving over an uneven or slippery surface (e.g., potholes, icy manhole covers) and when the brake was pressed it didn't immediately engage or catch. Rather, the brakes engaged after the car passed the slippery or bumpy surface. The problem seems to result in an acceleration (or perhaps slower deceleration) when one steps on the brake pedal. On at least one occasion, an indicator light on the dash display lit up.

Filed Feb 3, 2010 · Brakes · 5,000 miles · TX

I drive a 2010 toyota prius. I have found on multiple times (5-10), while braking, the car seems to accelerate for a brief period of time (1 second) then begin to brake. This only happens on bumpy roads. It has happened ever since I purchased the vehicle in oct 2009.

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2010 Toyota Prius?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history