2005 Toyota Prius SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

CAR ALWAYS SURGES WHEN I HIT A SLIPPERY PATCH. IT HAS DONE THIS FOR YEARS AND I HAVE COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. (LOCAL SERVICE AT DEALER), BUT AM ALWAYS TOLD IT'S NORMAL. *TR

MY CAR, A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, WAS STATIONARY AT A STOPLIGHT ON A CLEAR, SUNNY DAY. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND THE BRAKE WAS FULLY DEPRESSED. I COULD FEEL A SUDDEN PRESSURE CHANGE IN THE BRAKE, AND WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I DROVE THE SHORT DISTANCE TO WORK, BUT THE CAR WAS HANDLING BADLY (WOBBLY) AND THE BRAKE WAS VERY SOFT AND ONLY PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE. AFTER WORK, A FEW HOURS LATER, THE CAR SEEMED TO BE HANDLING NORMALLY AND BRAKING NORMALLY, BUT I DROVE TO THE CLOSEST DEALER AS A PRECAUTION. THEY CHECKED THE COMPUTER AND FOUND CODE C1357 (DECREASING PRESSURE SOLENOID MALFUNCTION). THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. *TR

SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM WHEN BRAKING IN LIGHT RAIN; MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES * MODEL YEAR: 2005 * MAKE: TOYOTA * MODEL: PRIUS * COMPONENT: ANTILOCK BRAKES BEFORE I BOUGHT MY CAR, I WENT ON A TEST DRIVE OF A PRIUS WITH THE SALESMAN IN THE CAR. DURING THE TEST DRIVE, IT BEGAN TO RAIN LIGHTLY. WHEN I APPROACHED A STOP SIGN, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE SLOWING DOWN AND STOPPING. I ASKED THE SALESMAN NEXT TO ME WHAT THAT WAS ALL ABOUT. "THAT'S THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM; ISN'T IT GREAT?" IN FACT, IT WAS GREATLY TERRIFYING. WHEN I BOUGHT MY OWN CAR, I ALSO FOUND THAT IN A LIGHT RAIN, THE CAR ALSO CONSISTENTLY ACCELERATES BRIEFLY BEFORE SLOWING DOWN AND STOPPING THE CAR. THIS HAPPENED ON MANY OCCASIONS, AND NOW I DO MY BEST TO AVOID DRIVING IN THE RAIN UNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. I REALIZE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUDDEN ACCELERATION LATELY, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IS BEING LOOKED AT IN THAT IT ONLY OCCURS (SO FAR) ON SLIPPERY ROADS, IT ONLY LASTS A FEW SECONDS, AND IT OCCURS WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKES, NOT WHEN I RELEASE THE GAS PEDAL. I'VE ALWAYS ALLOWED PLENTY OF ROOM FOR BRAKING AND SO FAR HAVE NOT CRASHED, BUT I'M HOPING YOU'LL FIND A SOLUTION BESIDES LUCK TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. A MINOR BUMP CAUSED ALL WARNING LIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRAKES TO COME ON, NO BRAKING OCCURRED UNTIL PEDAL WAS PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. THEN IT WOULD BRAKE HARD, NO GENTLE BRAKING. TWO DAYS EARLIER THE LIGHTS COMPLETELY CUT OUT AT 65MPH ON THE FREEWAY IN THE DARK. TURNED LIGHTS ON THEN OFF AND THEY CAME BACK ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY'VE REPORTED THAT THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THEY'RE SUGGESTING THAT I TAKE THE CAR BACK AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT LIKE NORMAL. SOMEONE COULD GET KILLED IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY COULD FEEL THAT WAS OKAY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 20 TO 30 MPH THE BRAKES STARTED TO FAIL CAUSE THE CONTACT TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS STATED THAT THE SKID CONTROL ECU NEEDS TO BE REPLACE ON THE VEHICLE. CONTACT FEELS THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE BRAKE FAILURE CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 63,174.

TL*THE CONTACT HAS A 2005 TOYOTA PRUIS. SHE STATED WHILE DRIVING HOME ALL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD ILLUMINATED AND WITHIN EIGHT MINUTES THERE WAS BRAKE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER . THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, SUDDENLY AN ABS WARNING LIGHT AND A BEEPING SOUND ENGAGED. TO INVESTIGATE THE ABRUPT OCCURRENCE I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER. HOWEVER AS I APPLIED MY BRAKES THEY WOULDN'T WORK. MY BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. I'M EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS AFFORDED THE DISTANCE TO ALLOW MY CAR TO SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN. TO MAKE A COMPLETE STOP I APPLIED MY PARKING BAKE. I WAS LUCKY TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE CAR JUST FEET IN FRONT OF MINE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE DEVASTATION IF THIS WAS TO HAPPEN ON A BUSY INTERSECTION OR A FREEWAY OFF RAMP. THANKFULLY, THERE ARE NO INJURIES TO REPORT. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A DEALER/SERVICE CENTER. THEY SAID THE BRAKE ACTUATOR AND SPEED SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I'VE OPENED A CASE WITH TOYOTA TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. *TR

COMING TO A STOP AT LESS THAN 10MPH I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL ONLY TO HAVE IT GO TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY RESULTS. I QUICKLY ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT NOT BEFORE HITTING A SERVICE TRUCK. THIS RESULTED IN A SMALL DENT IN MY FRONT BUMPER. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE TRUCK MOVED OFF BUT FOR ME TO RELEASE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE I HAD TO REACH WITH MY HAND TO FIND THE RELEASE LEVER. I WENT TO A TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY. THEY SPENT A COUPLE OF HOURS TRYING TO FIND THE PROBLEM THIS INCLUDED DRIVING MY CAR FOR 30 MINUTES. THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING TO EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM. READING IN DISCUSSION FORMATS ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A PROBLEM OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. MY INCIDENT, AS MANY ONLINE, HAPPENED IN THE RAIN. *TR

DRIVING DOWN A HILL NEXT TO OUR HOME. THE RED BRAKE LIGHT CAME FOR A SHORT PERIOD AT THE TOP OF THE HILL. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED MORE AGGRESSIVELY TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL THEY DID NOT RESPOND. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED TO THE FLOOR (THE ROAD WAS DRY AND THE TEMP. WAS IN THE 60S, THERE WERE NO LEAVES ETC ON THE ROAD) AND THE BRAKES STILL DID NOT RESPOND SUFFICIENTLY TO STOP THE CAR...IT SLOWED US SOME BUT WE WOULD HAVE RUN INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF US IF WE DID NOT SWERVE SHARPLY TO AVOID IT AND THEN DRIVE INTO AN ADJACENT PARKING LOT. THE CAR WAS TURN OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. WHEN IT WAS TURNED ON AGAIN, THE BRAKES RESPONDED CORRECTLY. THE CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAD FOUND AN ERROR CODE (THE ABS SYSTEM) IN THE COMMUTER AND THEY TECH'S AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS HAPPEN WITH A FEW OTHER PRIUS (THIS IS WHAT I FOUND CONCERNING?THERE WERE ALSO SIMILAR INCIDENTS POSTED ON THE WEB). NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH THE BRAKES. THE MECHANICS SPOKE TO TOYOTA HEAD OFFICE (??) AND THEY WERE TOLD TO RESET THE COMPUTER AND RUN A NUMBER OF TESTS. THE CAR RESPONDED CORRECTLY AFTER THE RESET AND IT WAS GIVEN BACK TO ME NO MECHANIC PROBLEM WAS FOUND.. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A GATE. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED AND NEARLY CRASHED INTO A GARAGE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 37,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL VERY HARD TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED, WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO REAR END THE VEHICLE ANYWAY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY PRIOR WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 16,000.

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 18000 MILES COMPLAINED ABOUT A A MASSIVE BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 12-4-06, UNDER DRY CONDITIONS, WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, SHE TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES WHICH FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO USE THE EMERGENCE BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A CRASH. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER., SHE HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT KEPT TURNING ON WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. THE DEALER TOLD HER THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HER BRAKING SYSTEM. THE DEALER HAD THE REGIONAL TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE CHECK THE VEHICLE, WHO WAS UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM AS WELL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE LIGHT TURNED ON THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERABLE. *AK

EVERY TIME OUR 2005 PRIUS IS OPERATED IN RAIN SNOW SLUSH THE REAR BRAKES ARE SO GRABBY THAT IT MAKES THE CAR UNSTABLE. ON DRY DAYS BRAKES ARE FINE WHEN YOU START OUT ON WET DAYS THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ACT NORMAL AS TIME GOES ON THEY GET MORE AND MORE GRABBY TO WHERE IT IS UNSAFE. *NM

MARCH 2, 2007 5:01 PM ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2006 IT RAINED AND MY CAR HAD BEEN IN THE PARKING LOT ALL MORNING DURING THE RAIN. I DROVE IT FROM WORK TO A BUS STOP WITH CLIENTS IN THE BACK SEAT. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKES, THE CAR SLOWED AND AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE BRAKES GRABBED AND ALL OCCUPANTS WERE JOLTED FORWARD. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE. THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE WET FROM RAIN. AFTER DISCUSSING WITH TOYOTA I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE TOYOTA TEAM LEADER AT MY DEALER. BEFORE TEST DRIVING THE CAR, HE SAID HE WOULD TAKE IT INSIDE AND PULL THE TIRES AND INSPECT THE BRAKES. I WAS THEN ADVISED BY SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE REAR BRAKES (DRUM) WERE FILLED WITH BRAKE DUST. I FIND IT INCONSISTENT THAT THE LARGE ACCUMULATION OF BRAKE DUST DID NOT EXIST ABOUT 8,000 MILES AGO WHEN THE GRABBING CONDITION FIRST PRESENTED AFTER I HAD DRIVEN WITHOUT THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 21,000 MILES. (CAR NOW HAS ABOUT 30,000 MILES.) I FIND IT VERY STRANGE THAT THE "LARGE ACCUMULATION OF BRAKE DUST" WAS NOT FOUND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE INSPECTED BY MORRISTOWN TOYOTA ON 2/16/07 WHEN THE WARRANTY WORK WAS DONE AND THE BRAKE ISSUE WAS PRESENTED. AFTER LEAVING MORRISTOWN TOYOTA I PHONED MY MECHANIC. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO BUILDUP OF DUST AT ANY TIME THE BRAKES WERE PULLED. I WATCHED HIM PERFORM BOTH SERVICES IN SEPTEMBER AND 500 MILES AGO (I HAVE THE NEXT CHANGE STICKER IN MY CAR SET FOR 5,000 MILES AND ONLY 500 MILES HAVE ELAPSED SINCE THE LAST CHANGE). I CHANGE THE OIL EVERY TIME THE COMPUTER INDICATES THAT THE CAR IS DUE FOR SERVICE AND, SINCE SEPTEMBER, IT WAS DURING THOSE OIL CHANGES THAT THE MECHANIC WOULD PULL THE WHEELS, CHECK THE BRAKES, CLEAN THE BRAKES (IN SEPTEMBER) AND ROTATE THE TIRES. I BELIEVE THE BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE REAR DRUMS SUDDENLY BEING FILLED WITH BRAKE DUST (WHICH, BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE BRAKES WERE CHECKED ON FEBRUARY 16TH BY MORRISTOWN TOYOTA, WAS GENERATED IN 2 WEEKS). *JB

WE KEPT HEARING A SOUND WHICH APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE AND SOUNDED LIKE A LIGHT HORN OR ALARM SOUND. IT SEEMED TO BE CONNECTED WITH BRAKING AND YET AT OTHER TIMES MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND THE SOUND WOULD OCCUR OVER AND OVER. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BRAKE ACTUATOR AND HAS INFORMED US THAT IT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $2500 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THIS SEEMS EXCESSIVE. IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A 2005 PRIUS. *JB

ON DECEMBER 14TH, 2006, I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 TOYTOTA PRIUS FROM BERKELEY, CA TO MONTEREY, CA. AT 18 MILES OUTSIDE OF MONTEREY. CA, AND WHILE STILL ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING AT 65 MPH, A CONTINUOUS LOUD AND HIGH FREQUENCY BUZZER WENT ON AND THE PANEL WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON INCLUDING THE RED BRAKE LIGHT ON THE PANEL. I PULLED OFF A FREEWAY EXIT NEAR CASTROVILLE, CA AND STEPPED ON MY BRAKES TO SLOW INTO THE EXIT, THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK UNTIL I STOMPED ON THEM WITH MUCH PRESSURE. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND TURNED THE ENGINE BACK ON. I DROVE BACK ONTO THE FREEWAY TO MONTEREY, CA AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH, WHEN I DROVE INTO TOWN ONCE AGAIN THE BUZZER AND RED BRAKE LIGHTS WENT ON.I PULLED OVER TO THE CURB AND HAD TO STOMP ON THE BRAKE AGAIN. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN SEASIDE CA. THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED AND I WAS SHOWN A TEST FORM INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION LISTED AS CM1300. THE CONCLUSION OF THE MECHANIC WAS THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT A REPLACEMENT PART MAY BE NEEDED WHICH WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS AND THAT THERE WAS SOME REFERENCE TO MY USE OF SKID CONTROL AT THE TIME OF THE MALFUNCTIONS THAT I EXPERIENCED. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD DRIVE THE CAR HOME AND THAT I SHOULD STOP EVERY 15 MILES TO STOP AND REBOOT THE CAR AGAIN TO PREVENT THE MALFUNCTION FROM OCCURRING AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THAT IF THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED AGAIN THAT I SHOULD STOMP ON THE BRAKE REALLY HARD AND THE SKID CONTROL WOULD SOMEHOW BE ACTIVATED. I MADE IT HOME SAFELY AND DROVE AS ADVISED TO. I TOOK THE CAR THE NEXT MORNING TO BERKELEY, TOYOTA AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TEST DRIVE AND THEIR TESTING SHOWED NO MALFUNCTION AND THAT I SHOULD TAKE THE CAR HOME, BUT THE MALFUNCTION MIGHT OCCUR AGAIN. I FIND THIS AN UNSATISFACTORY RESPONSE. I AM EXTREMELY FEARFUL OF DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION TO WHY THE CAR MALFUNCTIONED IN A VERY DANGEROUS WAY WHERE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO USE MY BRAKES!! *NM

WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, MY BRAKES FAILED AND PEDAL RELEASED TO THE FLOOR. TOYOTA OF VISALIA SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT COMPUTER SHOWED CODES C1357 AND DETAIL CODE 28. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE CASE OF BRAKE FAILURE, OR DUPLICATE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH I REQUESTED THEY REPLACE COMPONENTS THAT MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INCIDENT, GIVEN THE CATASTROPHIC POSSIBILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH BRAKE FAILURE AT HIGH SPEEDS, THEY REFUSED. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPING THE BRAKES RELEASED. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS USED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS MADE AT THIS TIME.*AK

WHILE TEST DRIVING A NEW '05 TOYOTA PRIUS I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT ITS BRAKING SYSTEM IS INADEQUATE. EMERGENCY BRAKING WHILE TURNING EASILY INDUCES UNDER-STEER BECAUSE OF THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING. AS THE AGGRESSIVE BRAKE-ASSIST TAKES OVER THERE IS "SNAP" OVER-STEER AND FRONT WHEEL LOCKUP. FOR AVERAGE DRIVERS THIS CAN RESULT IN COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL.