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Toyota Prius abs comes on

1,303 of the 12,530 owner complaints about the Toyota Prius describe aBS light or ABS activating, most of them for the 2010 model year.

owner complaints
1,303
worst model year
2010
typical repair cost reported
$3,000
typical mileage
97,000
Is there a fix? There are 4 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

Often reported together

Brake failure 171Warning lights 62Spongy pedal 56Jerking 41Sudden acceleration 31Check engine light 26Loss of power 20Hesitation 15

Trouble codes mentioned

C1391 166C1256 23C1252 13C1253 12C1247 4C1300 3P1391 2C1319 2C1241 2U0293 1

What owners say

Filed Nov 7, 2026 · Brakes · AR

ABS pump failure. This is a known issue for Toyota Prius owners. My Prius ABS pump is failing and I am losing power brakes.

Filed Nov 7, 2026 · Brakes · MS

Abs, traction light on , and brake light on and the brake is not working good. Need to press it hard to apply brake . It happen with out a reason.i called toyota when i have a recall for that but they refused because it dont have any light sign on it but still it make a loud buzzing sound all time time when car runs and brakes also feels spongy .now recall is expired i have to replace by my self

Filed Nov 1, 2026 · Brakes · NV

I own a 2012 Toyota Prius with approximately 132,000 miles. I first experienced problems with the braking system approximately one year ago, in 2025. The ABS, brake, and other warning lights began illuminating intermittently, and I experienced occasional hesitation in braking response. I was concerned enough about the vehicle's safety that I stopped driving it for an extended period. After recently returning the vehicle to service, the warning lights continued to appear intermittently, even when the brakes seemed to function normally. An independent mechanic inspected the vehicle but could not retrieve a diagnostic code at that time. On November 1, 2026, an ABS diagnostic scan at O'Reilly Auto Parts confirmed trouble code C1391, "Abnormal Leak of Accumulator Pressure." The diagnostic report recommended replacement of the brake booster and master cylinder. Toyota previously acknowledged this brake booster problem through Customer Support Program ZJB, which covered certain 2010–2015 Prius vehicles with this defect. Despite my vehicle having fewer than 150,000 miles, Toyota informed me that the coverage period had expired and that no exceptions would be granted. I am concerned that this known braking system defect can develop in vehicles that remain in service after Toyota's limited coverage expires. The intermittent nature of the malfunction makes it particularly concerning because the brakes may appear normal even when an underlying hydraulic pressure problem exists. I request that the federal safety agency investigate whether this defect warrants a safety recall rather than a time-limited customer support program. My diagnostic report is available, and the vehicle can be made available for inspection upon request.

Filed Oct 21, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · FL · crash

The Toyota Prius, models through 2010 - 2015 have a known issue with the Brake Booster (actuator) and ABS Pump where the parts will degrade and break at or around 100,000mi. Toyota issued a bulletin and had a replacement program that covered the part that has since elapsed but has not corrected the issue with existing stock and inventory so the problem remains. When I purchased my car I was the 2nd owner, the car was purchased with roughly 160,000mi. The previous owner had informed me that he already replaced the actuator and ABS pump so I wouldn't have to worry about that repair. All told he said he spent $4000+ on the repair. When the car was driving I heard a high pitched whine. I took it to garages after my OBD tools could not identify the issue, no one had a fix and speculated that it was a power inverter and it was normal. Some weeks later, I was involved in an accident where the car did not stop in time, the brake went spongy and locked up, ABS failed to activate with no warnings or indicators. This is what first led me to suspect something wrong with the ABS. later the persistent whine was loud enough that I could identify that it was hydraulic in nature, pointing to the brakes. Within weeks the whine had stopped and my brake, ABS, and TCS lights came on, on the cluster. My OBD indicated that the ABS pump and Brake actuator were giving codes to the ECM. I replace it, and at about 240,000mi it went out again. Due to the extremely expensive nature of the part I purchased a used part which is now also bad. Toyota informed me that they have no intention of passing a recall notice or fixing the defective part. I would imagine that if the NHSTA looked into crashes involving this model and year group they would see an unusually high trend of these getting into an accident around 100,000mi increments. I believe that a recall should be issued due to the serious safety implications of potential defective cars on the road that may not be able to brake in time.

Filed Oct 19, 2026 · Brakes · CA

On XXX, at approximately 152,570 miles, the brake, ABS, and traction-control warning lights illuminated at the same time on my 2013 Toyota Prius. The brakes felt spongy, and I heard a recurring buzzing sound approximately every 3 seconds. Because of the change in brake-pedal feel and concerns about braking safety, I stopped using the vehicle. I reported the problem to Longo Toyota in [XXX], which directed me to Toyota customer support. The vehicle was subsequently diagnosed with trouble code C1391, “Internal Leak in Accumulator.” I contacted the dealership and Toyota customer support about Customer Support Program ZJB, which addressed code C1391 brake booster and brake booster pump failures. Toyota denied coverage because the failure occurred outside the program’s time and mileage limits. The symptoms began only 2,570 miles beyond the 150,000-mile limit. My primary concern is **safety**, not simply the expiration of coverage. The vehicle developed spongy brakes, multiple warning lights, and frequent buzzing. The diagnosis appears consistent with the type of brake-system failure Toyota previously addressed through ZJB. I request that the federal safety agency investigate whether this condition constitutes a safety defect affecting 2013 Toyota Prius vehicles and whether a recall or other corrective action is warranted, including for vehicles that develop the failure after the support program expires. I can provide the diagnostic report and available supporting records. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 12, 2026 · Brakes · MD

While driving our 2013 Toyota Prius, the vehicle experienced a sudden and severe loss of braking effectiveness while the vehicle was in motion. This created an immediate safety risk because the vehicle did not respond to braking as expected. After the incident, the vehicle displayed the red BRAKE warning light, ABS warning light, brake-system warning light, and an audible warning. The vehicle was not driven after the failure and was transported to a Toyota dealership for diagnosis. The dealer confirmed a brake-system fault and recorded diagnostic trouble codes C1241, C1252, C1253, and C1256. Toyota previously issued Customer Support Program ZJB for certain 2010–2015 Prius vehicles involving internal brake booster and brake booster pump malfunctions. Toyota’s documentation for that condition identifies C1252, C1253, C1256, and C1391 as relevant diagnostic codes. This vehicle has three of those listed codes. The problem has been confirmed by the Toyota dealership. The failed brake-system components remain installed and are available for inspection at this time. There were no known brake-system warning lamps before the braking failure. The warning lamps and audible alarm appeared in connection with or immediately after the failure.

Filed Oct 1, 2026 · Brakes · FL

When I started my car this morning, the red BRAKE light, ABS warning light and anti-slip light were all illuminated. The car does still stop but the brakes are very spongy and there's a clicking noise under the hood. I only moved the car out of the driveway to allow other cars to leave. The brake fluid is not low. This is the problem listed under Toyota's Customer Support Program Notice ZJB but it is past the coverage expiration date. There should not be an expiration date on a known manufacturer issue. If this had happened while I was on the highway driving to work, I could have had a serious accident.

Filed Sep 12, 2026 · Brakes · CA

ABS and brake light are on. was on the freeway and when i pressed the brake the wheels got locked and the car made a 360 spin, it almost flipped over

Filed Sep 10, 2026 · Acceleration, Brakes · 140,000 miles · CA · crash · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated. Minutes later, the vehicle started to brake and lurch forward with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle spun out and crashed into the median. The contact’s chest struck the steering wheel, causing bruising and chest pain. The contact was managing the pain with analgesics. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. A Police report was filed, but the report number was not provided. The manufacturer was contacted and was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Filed Sep 4, 2026 · Brakes · TX

While driving my 2014 Toyota Prius, the BRAKE, ABS, and vehicle stability/traction control warning lights illuminated. There was no crash, injury, or noticeable loss of braking before the warnings appeared, and there were no preceding symptoms. The vehicle was evaluated by Mac Haik Toyota in League City, TX, an authorized Toyota dealer. They diagnosed DTC C1391, “Abnormal Leak of Accumulator,” and determined that the brake booster and brake booster pump/accumulator assembly require replacement. The dealer advised that the vehicle cannot be driven and is considered down. The vehicle/components are available for inspection upon request. My safety concern is that this is a brake-system malfunction serious enough that an authorized Toyota dealer has determined the vehicle cannot be driven. Toyota previously established Customer Support Program ZJB addressing internal malfunctions of the brake booster and brake booster pump assemblies in 2011–2015 Prius vehicles. Toyota’s documentation specifically identifies C1391 as a diagnostic code associated with this condition. My Prius has only approximately 102,000 miles, well below the program’s 150,000-mile limitation, but is outside its 10-year time limitation. The Toyota replacement part required to repair the brake system is now backordered with no known timeframe for availability. Because Toyota has advised the vehicle cannot be driven, it will remain out of service until the part becomes available. I am reporting this because a previously identified brake-system failure continues to occur after Toyota’s support period expires. I ask the federal safety agency to consider whether continued C1391 brake booster/accumulator failures in these Prius vehicles warrant further investigation or safety action.

Related recalls

Service brakesReported July 24, 2019 · 6,925 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Lexus LS500, LC500, ES300h, UX250h, LS500h, Toyota Prius, RAV4 HV, 2019-2020 Toyota Prius Prime, and 2020 Corolla HV vehicles. The brake booster pump may fail causing a deactivation of the Vehicle Stability Control system and a loss of braking assist. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Risk
Deactivation of the vehicle stability control system or a loss of braking assist increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake booster pump, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2019. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1‑888‑270‑9371 and Lexus owners may contact Lexus customer service at 1‑800‑255‑3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are K1L/K0L. Lexus' numbers for this recall are K2F/KLF.

Recall number 19V544000 · Recall details

Parking brakeReported October 14, 2016 · 91,585 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2015, to October 3, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with a foot-operated parking brake system that has a parking brake cable that may disengage.
Risk
If the parking brake cable disengages from the mechanism and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while the ignition is on and the driver leaves the vehicle, the vehicle may roll unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a clip at the parking brake cable end to prevent the cable from disengaging, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1‑888‑270‑9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G01.

Recall number 16V741000 · Recall details

Service brakesReported June 5, 2013 · 87,060 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Prius vehicles manufactured March 31, 2009, through October 9, 2009; and model year 2010 Lexus HS250h vehicles manufactured June 19, 2009, through October 9, 2009. Nitrogen gas from a component of the brake booster pump assembly could leak into the brake fluid.
Risk
As nitrogen is released into the brake fluid, the brake pedal may have reduced hydraulic pressure. Under certain circumstances, this condition could affect stopping distance and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected brake booster pump assemblies. The recall began on August 7, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1‑800‑331‑4331.

Recall number 13V235000 · Recall details

Service brakes, air: antilock: control unit/moduleReported February 9, 2010 · 148,549 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 toyota prius and lexus hs250h passenger vehicles. Customers have experienced inconsistent brake feel after ABS actuation during slow and steady application of the brakes on rough or slick road surfaces. Stopping distances may be increased compared with a customer's expectation for a given pedal force.
Risk
Vehicle stopping distances may increase relative to a customer's expectation increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will rewrite the programming of the ABS control unit free of charge. The safety recall began on march 3, 2010, and is expected to be completed in late march 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1‑800‑331‑4331 and lexus at 1‑800‑255‑3987.

Recall number 10V039000 · Recall details

Questions about the Toyota Prius abs

Why does the abs come on in the Toyota Prius?

Owners who report it most often also describe brake failure, multiple warning lights and soft or spongy brake pedal, and the codes they mention most are C1391, C1256 and C1252.

Which Toyota Prius years have aBS light or ABS activating problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2010 (393 complaints), 2011 (131 complaints) and 2013 (124 complaints).

How much does it cost to fix ABS light or ABS activating on the Toyota Prius?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $3,000 (median of 274 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

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