2004 Toyota Prius SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS FAILED. THE ABS AND VSC LIGHTS FLICKERED WHILE SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES AND ALL FOUR TIRES LOCKED. THE LIGHTS CAME ON LAST WEEK WHEN THE FUEL WAS LOW IN THE VEHICLE. THE ABS WAS STILL NOT WORKING. HE WAS TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY. *AK UPDATED 1/25/2006 - *NM

WHEN TRYING TO STOP ABRUPTLY CONSUMER BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. *TS *JB

WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, I EXPERIENCED A MAJOR BRAKE MALFUNCTION (BRAKES BARELY RESPONDED AT ALL--ONLY BY PUSHING BRAKE PEDAL TO FLOOR DID I MANAGE TO SLOW DOWN/STOP VEHICLE). A CONTINUOUS WARNING BUZZER SOUNDED, AND THE ABS WARNING LIGHT AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED ON DASH. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO NEAREST DEALER. THIS COULD HAVE LED TO A CRASH AND INJURIES IF TRAFFIC HAD BEEN HEAVY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A "BRAKE ACTUATOR" FAILURE, AND THE PART(S) ARE CURRENTLY ON BACKORDER. THE VEHICLE IS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. *AK

REPORTED TO TOYOTA ON 2/7/04 FILE #200402110133. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, 70MPH, CRUISE CONTROL ON, BOTH MY WIFE AND MYSELF HAVE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED THE GEAR SHIFT KNOB WITH OUR HAND AND PUT THE PRIUS INTO DYNAMIC BRAKING MODE (DBM). THE SEMI-TRUCK BEHIND ME ALMOST RAN ME OVER BEFORE I COULD GET THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE. VERY DANGEROUS!!! THE BRAKE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON DURING DBM. TOYOTA SHOULD CHANGE THE SOFTWARE TO MAKE A DELAY IN THE GEAR-SHIFT FOR DBM SIMILAR TO SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL?*AK

FLUID ON LEFT REAR TIRE RIM AND LOSS OF HUB CAP. DISCOVERED LEAKING BRAKE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY AND SOAKED DISK BRAKE PADS. MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE LEVEL DOWN TO TO MINIMUM FILL LEVEL. BRAKE FLUID POOLING ON GARAGE FLOOR UNDER LEFT REAR WHEEL. *AK