2007 Toyota Prius Brakes
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The brake actuator failed. When the car was diagnosed by the Toyota dealership, they identified the problem as an internal leak within the brake actuator. Luckily, nobody has been hurt attempting to drive the car, but it is still being driven to get it from home to the repair shop so anything is possible. The first symptom I could link to this was in 2023, when the car would not accelerate via the gas pedal after the brakes were pressed during cruise control. Turning off the car and turning it back on fixed the problem. Afterwards, the red brake symbol was turned on. From that point on, the brake light would only shine sometimes. leading me to believe there must not have been something wrong with the car, since nothing else happened after that. 2024 is when the red brake light and ABS symbol both lit up. The only information that I could find in the manual was to take the Prius to the Toyota dealership. I could not find details on the problem. I continued to drive the car regardless because there seemed to be no problem. After letting the car sit for a few months in 2025, I began driving it again, and it was fine. A month later, I turned on my car and was met with a loud beep that did not end. This was my final sign to take it to get repaired. The car has exceeded 200,000 miles. This fix is $3,205.40 at the dealership. My 2007 Toyota Prius is valued between $2k to $4k. The repair would cost more than simply buying another Prius.
Check engine light came on with codes C 1256 & C 1300. Primary issue is Brake actuator failure. Toyota is ignoring this known and repeated issue and it may lead to a dangerous/ deadly situation if brakes go out while driving.
2007 Toyota Prius Brake Actuator needs replaced. ABS, Parking Brake, VSC light came on 2 weeks ago when driving down a highway.
There is a known, (by Toyota), issue with the ABS brake actuator in many Prius generations including the 2nd generation Prius that I own. My mechanic said it would cost @$3000 to fix. This as I said is and has been a known issue with these cars that affects the ABS braking and puts myself, my family and any one on the road near me in danger. Toyota was quietly replacing these under an unadvertised, extended warranty program. Mine is out of this so called warranty period but if this was a known issue and was corrected at no cost due to the fact Toyota knew there was an issue why was there never a recall on the affected models all with this same problem? I feel that this dangerous problem should be corrected by Toyota at no cost to the owners of their dangerous affected vehicles.
Failing Brake Actuator Assembly. This is known issue by Toyota and they issued a brief warranty repair program, but have since stopped and refuse to fix the issue or provide assistance.
Due to water infiltration from a poorly manufactured hatchback, water is able to get inside the "Supply Assy, Brake Control Power" module in the trunk of the second generation Prius. This part ultimately shorts out and fails causing a loss of regenerative braking and a "brake warning light". Toyota seems to be aware of the problem as a replacement module is now sold in a "water proof sheet" (see attached). Toyota has also moved this module to a different location (away from the rear wall of the Prius) in other hybrid vehicles (such as in the Camry where it has been moved forward). I wonder if the hybrid batteries in the Prius also fail due to water infiltration in the rear sections of these cars.
Brake Actuator system (ABS) needs to be replaced with only 133K miles on my 2007 prius. I heard a sound and had a Toyota service center check for any issues. They told me it was the ABS system that needed to be replaced at a cost of $5K. The repair costs are greater than the car value. Toyota knows about this year, make, and model issue. I contacted Toyota Corporate about this this week and learned there was an extended warranty for this specific issue on my car. They refuse to honor the extended ABS system warranty even though I'm under 150K miles per the warranty. They told me a letter was sent to me about replacing it at no cost in 2017. I never received the letter nor did the Toyota service center I used at the time tell me about the issue. Additional Info: I am not driving the car since the dash lights have come on - red triangle, check engine, VSC and (!) symbol - with a circle inside the (). Noise checked at Toyota dealer service center and confirmed it's the brake actuator system No inspection by the manufacturer, police, insurance rep, or others The sound came first when pressing the brake pedal and then the lights came on after taking to the service center
Toyota has admitted that their BRAKE ACTUATOR assembly on their 2007 Prius FAILS and they will fix it for no charge BUT ONLY IF YOU COMPLAIN. The brake actuator on my 2007 Prius is now failing and the braking system has become UNRELIABLE and UNSAFE. Toyota should replace my failing brake actuator with a new unit for no cost because this is a SAFETY ISSUE. I refuse to pay $3000 out of my own pocket to repair an item which has a long history of FAILING.
The abs actuator failed which caused the breaks to act up.also casue warning lights.and noise from the pump.it also can casue the hybrid battery to fail because it can't charge right
MY CAR HAS ONLY 65,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ABS ACTUATOR HAS FAILED. BEFORE GETTING IT REPAIRED, THERE WERE MANY INSTANCES WHEN THE BRAKING POWER WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF, BUT NOT WILLING TO REPAIR. I AM SHOCKED THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL.
When turning car on the car beeps loudly for 10-15 seconds. The brakes will randomly lock up. They do not always work properly on hills.
Brake Actuator Re. Vin: [XXX] On 4/13/21 my Toyota Prius '07 was diagnosed by Toyota of Hollywood of a bad abs actuator that needs to be replaced. The fact of the matter is that about 28 months before that on 2/14/19 the Actuator assembly was replaced by Toyota of North Miami after being diagnosed first by Toyota of Hollywood. The reason I choose to do the job in north Miami is because it was less costly. My question is how can a genuine Toyota part fail in just 28 months.? Many Prius owners have been experiencing this safety issue since 2018. The warranty enhancement program ended before the fact in 2017. And there seem to be a misprint because how can the Secondary Coverage end on the same date as the Primary Coverage? (2017) When you use the date of first use of a 2007 Prius. Toyota needs to do another Recall for this safety problem. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
ABS ACTUATOR FAILURE AT ONLY 64,000 MILES. POTENTIAL FOR COMPLETE BREAK FAILURE IF NOT IMMEDIATELY ADDRESSED. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS THERE IS A TSB, BUT THEY ARE CHARGING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR A REPAIR FOR A SAFETY CRITICAL ITEM THAT IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL.
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY MY BRAKE WARNING LIGHT, ABS WARNING LIGHT, AND OTHER LIGHTS CAME ON AS WELL AS A CONSTANT BEEPING NOISE. THE BRAKES ALMOST STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY; IT ONLY WORKED ABOUT 10%. MY FOOT WAS ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE CAR WAS STILL MOVING. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, BUT THIS ISSUE LEFT ME IN A COMPROMISING POSITION FOR MY SAFETY AND COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT FROM IT. THE WARNING LIGHTS GO AWAY AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR, BUT THEN THEY COME BACK ON RANDOMLY. BASED ON WHAT I'VE READ ONLINE ON SIMILAR ISSUES, I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE ACTUATOR.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN THE BREAK LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, AND TIRE LIGHT ALL CAME ON ACCOMPANIED BY A HIGH PITCH BEEPING. AS I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER THE BREAKS WERE ALMOST COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. WHEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THE ISSUE THEY LET ME KNOW IT WAS A PROBLEM THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT HAVING YOUR BREAKS GO OUT WAS GROUNDS FOR A RECALL. I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN A HIGH SPEED CRASH WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO STOP BECAUSE OF THIS.
MY WIFE AND I PICKED UP OUR 3 LITTLE BOYS FROM SCHOOL ON OUR WAY HOME AS WE GOT ON THE HIGHWAY WE HEARD THIS LOUD LONG BEEP SOUND AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT MY BRAKES WILL NOT WORK SO I BEGAN PUSH DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL MANY TIMES AND FINALLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD I WAS ABLE TO STOP. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND THE MECHANIC CONCLUDED IT IS AN ABS/ACTUATOR PROBLEM WHICH TOYOTA IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF. THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME TO CONTACT TOYOTA TO FIX IT FREE BECAUSE IT IS COSTLY. I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THE SITUATION AND THEY JUST DIDN'T CARE. NOW I HAVE NO CAR BECAUSE ITS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT. THIS WAS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION FOR ME AND MY FAMILY HAD IT NOT BEEN GOD WE WOULD HAVE LOST OUR PRECIOUS LIVES.
BRAKES STOPPED WORKING WHILE IN MOTION. DEEMED UNSAFE AND NOT TO BE DRIVEN. NO PRESSURE IN BRAKES. BRAKE ACTUATOR HAS GONE BAD. $1700 PART TO FIX PLUS LABOR.
I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK NAVIGATING THROUGH BUSY TRAFFIC WHEN THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED IN MY VEHICLE. SO BASICALLY MY WHOLE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED, AND I WAS HAD TO DRIVE MY CAR TO A STOP WHICH WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT SINCE I HAD NO BRAKES. I WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE IT FAILED DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC. SO, NOW, I AM LEFT WITH A VEHICLE WITH NO BRAKES. IT'S NOT DRIVEABLE BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE.
I OWN A TOYOTA PRIUS 2007 AND I EXPERIENCING BRAKES NOT ENGAGING AS THEY SHOULD WHEN APPLIED. I NOTICE MY ABS VSC BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON MY DASHBOARD. I TOOK IT IN TO A SHOP AND WAS TOLD I HAVE A BAD ABS ACTUATOR. I RESEARCHED IT ON THE RECALL LIST AND IT WAS LISTED BUT EXPIRED IN DEC 2017. TOYOTA SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM.
STARTED GETTING BRAKE ACTUATOR FAILURE NOISES IN MY 2007 PRIUS BACK IN MARCH 2020 AND TOOK IT TO THE WEST COAST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN LONG BEACH, CA. THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE ABS SYSTEM EVEN THOUGH THE GRINDING NOISE I NOW KNOW IS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROBLEM WAS GOING OFF. THE OTHER DAY THE ABS LIGHT WARNING CAME ON AS WELL AS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT. I PULLED OVER ON WASHINGTON BLVD AND ARLINGTON IN LOS ANGELES AND WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN AND STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE BRAKES AND TURNED THE CAR OFF IMMEDIATELY. FROM WHAT I'VE READ THIS IS EXTREMELY COMMON! TOYOTA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY'S ON MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES TO 10 YEARS BUT THERE WERE NO RECALLS SO IF THIS PART MALFUNCTIONS A DAY AFTER THE WARRANTY THEN YOU ARE OUT OF LUCK. THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS JUST ABOUT THE MOST DANGEROUS PART TO FAIL. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE SAME THING HAPPENED AT A HIGHER SPEED.
I WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED UNDER 5MPH AND SIMULTANEOUSLY THE BRAKES BECAME VERY HARD, THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND A VERY LONG HIGH PITCHED BEEP CAME ON. IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. MY DEALER CHECKED AND THE BRAKE ACTUATOR FAILED AND THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE. THE FIX IS OVER $2000. THE CAR HAS ONLY 118,000 MILES.
WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON MY WAY BACK TO HILO FROM KONA DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT ON MY 2007 PRIUS AND OUT OF NOWHERE I LOST BREAKS FOR A TIME AND IT WAS A TERRIFYING EXP AND I M HAPPY I M STILL ALIVE. BREAKS CAME BACK WITH WARNING SIGNS ON DASHBOARD THAT THERE IS A FAILURE IN THE BREAK SYSTEM, ABS AND OTHER. CALLED HILO TOYOTA DEAL MORE THAN 5 TIMES AND EACH TIME I GIVE THEM THE VIN NUMBER THEY HANGUP ON ME IN A RUDE WAY WITHOUT GIVING ANY EXPLANATION WHY THEY ARE CUTTING THE CALL. FROM THERE WEBSITE I MANAGED TO START A TXT MESSAGE AND ASKED FOR APPOINTMENT TO SEE WHAT'S WRONG AND PAID 170$ AND THE RESULT WHERE THAT MY BREAK SYSTEM HAVE A RECALL ON IT AND MY CAR IS AT 118 000 MILES SO THE RECALL EXPIRED IN 2017 AND THEY ASKED ME 3500$ TO FIX THE BREAK SYSTEM INVOLVED IN THE RECALL. AFTER MANAGING TO CALL TOYOTA MAIN OFFICE THEY STARTED A CASE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND ON MONDAY THEY WILL GIVE A FINAL ANSWER IF THEY WILL CHANGE THE FAILING RECALL BREAK SYSTEM OR NOT. ALSO I MANAGED TO CONTACT TOYOTA HONOLULU AND I KNEW FROM THEM THAT TOYOTA HAWAII IS A DIFFERENT ENTITY FROM TOYOTA MAINLAND AND THAT THE SAFETY RECALLS NEVER EXPIRED AND THEY SHOULD CHANGE THE BREAK SYSTEM INVOLVED IN THE REPORT NO QUESTIONS ASKED. HERE I AM REPORTING THIS TO NHTSA AS TOYOTA IS GAMBLING WITH PEOPLE LIVES WHO STILL DRIVING PRIUS WHICH MIGHT LOSE BREAKS AT ANY TIME AND MIGHT ENDUP IN DEATH RESULT. I HOPE NHTSA WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND ASK TOYOTA TO CHANGE ALL THOSE DEFECTED BREAK SYSTEM FROM MANUFACTURES BEFORE MORE AMERICAN FAMILIES DIES FROM BREAK FAILURE WHICH WHERE NEVER CHANGED BECAUSE THE DEALER PREFER PROFIT ON SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE.
DEFECTIVE BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY
THE ABS BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY IS FAILING ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS, CREATING UNPREDICTABLE AND DANGEROUS BRAKING. IT IS A $3,000 REPLACEMENT THAT, UP UNTIL THE END OF 2017, TOYOTA WAS REPLACING AT NO CHARGE, BUT NO LONGER, UNDER A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, ZG1, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS PART IS DEFECTIVE. I WENT ON LINE AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2007 TOYOTAS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE JUST A VOLUNTARY "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT," BUT A MANDATORY RECALL TO FORCE TOYOTA TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT. THIS DEVICE RUNS ALMOST CONSTANTLY WHEN IT SHOULDN'T, CREATES A DRAG ON THE CAR THAT HAS CUT MPG IN HALF, IS PROBABLY WEARING OUT THE BRAKES PREMATURELY, AND CAUSES DANGEROUSLY SLOW ACCELERATION FROM A STOP THAT HAS RESULTED IN SOME NEAR ACCIDENTS. I PRESUME THE ABS FUNCTION WOULD NOT WORK WHEN CALLED UPON. THE REPAIR COST IS ABOUT HALF THE RETAIL VALUE OF THE CAR, AND IT SEEMS UNFAIR THAT JUST BECAUSE THIS SHOWED UP AFTER THEIR PROGRAM ENDED, I HAVE TO FOOT THE ENTIRE BILL, OR JUNK A CAR THAT IS OTHERWISE IN PERFECT SHAPE. THERE ARE 150K MILES ON THE CAR, LOW FOR A TOYOTA OF THIS AGE. I HAVE ATTACHED THE TOYOTA ZG1 LETTER THAT I FOUND ON LINE. PLEASE CONSIDER AN IMMEDIATE RECALL ON THIS BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY AND MAKE TOYOTA FIX IT FOR EVERYONE.
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER CAR TO WORK, AN AUDIO WARNING AND LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON INDICATING THAT THE ABS SYSTEM HAD A PROBLEM. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. SHE STARTED THE CAR AND THE LIGHTS HAD RESET AND NO SOUND. LATER IN THE DAY SHE STARTED HER CAR AND THE SYMPTOMS HAPPENED AGAIN BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS MUSHY. I GOT THE CAR HOME AND LOOKED AT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS AND REPLACED THINKING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. IT DID NOT WORK. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE, TOYOTA HAD A ITEM CALLED A BRAKE ACTUATOR THAT SEEMS TO FAIL AFTER SOME TIME.AFTER READING SOME FORUMS IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WERE ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. TOYOTA WANTS AROUND $6,000 TO REPLACE THIS UNIT AND IT ISN'T AS EASY AS REPLACING A COUPLE OF BRAKE PADS.
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Quick Summary
The 2007 Toyota Prius has 86 Brakes complaints on file. 8 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.