2007 Toyota Prius SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

I HAVE A 2007 PRIUS. THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 30, 2013 BECAUSE "NO BRAKE". IT WAS IN A STOP AND GO SITUATION TRAVELING AT ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR IN FRONT STOPPED, I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE AND TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. MY 16 YEARS OLD SON SITTING IN THE CAR OBSERVED THE "NO BRAKE" SCENARIO. THERE WAS A 25 POUND OF RICE IN THE TRUCK DID NOT EVEN MOVE. NO SKIP MARK... NOTHING. TOOK MY CAR TO LONGO TOYOTA AND FOUND NOTHING WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM, OTHER THAN THE FRONT PAD WAS THIN, TIRES WERE MARGINAL ETC. NONE OF THE FINDINGS EXPLAINED THE NO BRAKE SCENARIO. FOR SOME REASON I CANNOT MAKE THIS NO BRAKE TO APPEAR AGAIN. I WANT PEOPLE TO AWARE OF THIS AND GATHER INFORMATION. IT APPEARS TO ME THE PRIUS CANNOT RESPONSE TO A QUICK STOP AT SLOW SPEED. SOMEHOW, THE CAR TAKES MORE THAN A SECOND FOR THE BRAKING TO KICK IN - THE REACTION DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE INSTANTANEOUS. AND IF YOU ARE TOO CLOSE, THAT EXTRA ONE SECOND WAIT WILL CAUSE A COLLISION.

I WAS DRIVING IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A 4-LANE BOULEVARD. THE VEHICLE AHEAD IN THE LANE TO MY LEFT SLOWED FOR A CAR IN FRONT WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THEN SUDDENLY VEERED INTO MY LANE. I HIT THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD, BUT FOR THE FIRST 2-3 SECONDS, MY CAR DIDN'T SLOW DOWN. IT ALSO DIDN'T MAKE ANY SOUNDS I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED FROM URGENT BRAKING - NO SCREECHING TIRES, ETC. I CONTINUED TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD. AFTER 2-3 SECONDS, THE BRAKES FINALLY GRABBED AND MY CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT. I CONSIDERED MYSELF LUCKY THAT I HAD ENOUGH ROOM TO AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME.

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED IN DECELERATION AND THE VEHICLE HITS A BUMP OR POTHOLE, THE BRAKES RELEASE FOR A SECOND, THEN GRAB AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH FOOT PRESSURE HAS NOT CHANGED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AS THE CONTACT APPROACHED A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,432. UPDATED 02/17/11*LJ UPDATED 05/02/11

WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 PRIUS IN A CONGESTED AREA, THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND WHEN DEPRESSED QUICKLY CONTRIBUTING OR CAUSING A LOW-SPEED COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I FOUND THIS ARTICLE ON CNET REVIEWS THAT ACCURATELY MATCHES MY ISSUE. "TOYOTA REDESIGNED THE BRAKING SYSTEMS FOR THE 2010 PRIUS. THAT APPEARS TO BE TOYOTA'S RESPONSE TO THE FACT THAT THE U.S. GENERATION 2 PRIUS (2004-2009) HAS HAD LOW-SPEED BRAKE FAILURES REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) AT 31 TIMES THE RATE OF SUCH FAILURES REPORTED FOR THE 2004-2009 COROLLA, WHICH OF COURSE HAS TRADITIONAL BRAKES. MANY OF THE PRIUS LOW SPEED BRAKE FAILURES WERE IN LOW-SPEED CITY TRAFFIC, RESULTING IN REAR-END COLLISIONS WITHOUT INJURY. IT APPEARS THAT THE SEVERAL COMPUTERS THAT CONTROL THE COMPLEX BRAKING SYSTEMS WERE TOO BUSY CALCULATING THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO APPLY THE BRAKES, AND DID NOT GET AROUND TO ACTUALLY APPLYING THEM, UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE." *TR

CONSTANT PECULIAR NOISES FROM BRAKE SYSTEM, PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR COMPUTER SYSTEM HAD TO BE RE-INITIALIZED AT 15,000 MILES. BRAKES PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED AND ROTORS RESURFACED AT SAME MILEAGE. BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR BEFORE VEHICLE STOPPED, IT WAS AN EMERGENCY STOP. THESE PROBLEMS HAVE PERSISTED FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS AND THE DEALER AND FACTORY REP. SAYS IT IS NORMAL. ARBITRATION IN FAVOR OF TOYOTA. I HAVE NEVER HEARD THESE NOISES IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE DRIVEN IN 62 YEARS. THESE NOISES COULD BE A PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

PRIUS BRAKING BEHAVIOR I OWNED A NEW 2007 PRIUS WHICH I LEASED AND DROVE FOR THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF THE LEASE AND THEN TRADED FOR A VEHICLE WITH A LARGER INTERIOR. THIS VEHICLE WAS LEASED IN FEBRUARY 2007 DURING THE PRESIDENT'S DAY SALE AT KARL MALONE TOYOTA IN ALBUQUERQUE. THIS VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY "PAUSED" BRAKING FOR MOST OF A SECOND WHEN ONE OF THE FRONT WHEELS PASSED THRU A SMALL POTHOLE ON PAVED ROADS. IT MAY HAVE ALSO HAD THIS BEHAVIOR IN OTHER SITUATIONS, BUT I DIDN'T ENCOUNTER ANY OTHER CASES. I EXPECTED MORE BRAKING MISBEHAVIOR WHEN ALBUQUERQUE INSTALLED SOME REDLIGHT CAMERAS BECAUSE THEY ALSO INSTALLED WARNING STRIPS IN THE PAVEMENT APPROACHING THESE INTERSECTIONS. IN SOME CASES THEY DIDN'T INSTALL STRIPS IN THE FOUR GROOVES CUT IN THE PAVEMENT PERPENDICULAR TO VEHICLE TRAVEL, BUT NEITHER THE GROOVES OR THE STRIPS BOTHERED MY PRIUS DURING BRAKING. MAYBE THAT WAS BECAUSE BOTH WHEELS SAW THE SAME TRANSIENTS. I DIDN'T REPORT THIS TO THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER/GOVERNMENT BECAUSE I CHALKED IT UP TO MORE NONSENSE FROM MODERN ANTI-LOCKING BRAKING SYSTEMS, AND BECAUSE THE BEHAVIOR WAS CONSISTENT/PREDICTABLE AND MOST ANTI-LOCKING SYSTEMS ANNOY ME WITH THEIR BEHAVIOR. WE'VE CONTINUE TO "IMPROVE" ANTI-LOCKING BRAKE SYSTEMS, BUT DIMINISHING MARGINAL RETURNS HAS CAUSED THE IMPROVEMENTS TO ACTUALLY REDUCE THE VALUE OF THESE BRAKING SYSTEMS TO DRIVERS. FOR EXAMPLE, BRAKING DISTANCES IN TYPICAL (I.E. MOST) CONDITIONS ARE LENGTHENED BY THE PREVENTABLE. OVERLY CAUTIOUS ACTIONS OF THESE SYSTEMS. MORE PROBLEMATIC, THESE BRAKING SYSTEMS DO NOT DELIVER THE PERFORMANCE IN URGENT SITUATIONS WHICH THEY SEEM TO PROMISE IN DAY-TO-DAY DRIVING. EVEN BRAKING FOR AN UNEXPECTED YELLOW LIGHT CAN SURPRISE THE DRIVER WITH A FIRMER THAN USUAL PEDAL WHICH THEN REQUIRES MORE EFFORT THAN EXPECTED TO GET THE DESIRED URGENT BRAKING. THE NEEDED BRAKING IS ULTIMATELY AVAILABLE, BUT IT ENDS UP COMING TOO LATE BECAUSE THE DRIVER HAD TO ADJUST HIS ACTIONS. *TR

WHEN CAR GOES OVER A BUMP IN THE PROCESS OF BRAKING, THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY DISENGAGE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. THE DATE STATED BELOW SIMPLY IS THAT OF ITS LATEST MANIFESTATION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 25 MPH OVER A ROUGH SURFACE THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SKID AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ALSO APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND SENT A REPRESENTATIVE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT DIDN'T PROVIDE ANY DETAILED INFORMATION REGARDING THE DIAGNOSIS THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE FOUND. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 27,000. UPDATED 05/14/10. *LJ

CAR SEEMS TO LOSE BRAKE POWER FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND WHEN DRIVING OVER POTHOLES, ON BUMPY PAVEMENT, OR ON WET SLIPPERY DIRT ROADS. OCCURS EACH TIME WHEN BRAKING UNDER SAID CONDITIONS. *TR

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO USE THE BRAKES ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMPY SURFACE, POTHOLE, ETC., IT TAKES A SHORT DISTANCE OR 1-2 SECONDS FOR THE BRAKES TO TAKE HOLD AND SLOW/STOP THE CAR. IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD A BIT BEFORE BRAKING AND THE "SLIP INDICATOR" WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH FLASHES. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES SINCE BUYING THE CAR IN APRIL OF 2007. I HAVE NOTIFIED THE ORIGINAL DEALER (TOYOTA OF NORTH HOLLYWOOD), BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM ON MY CAR'S PARTICULAR MODEL. *TR

I HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS AND AM EXPERIENCING BRAKING PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO THE ONES DESCRIBED AS PART OF THE 2010 MODEL RECALL. I HAVE LOST CONTROL OVER THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE PAST FEW YEARS OF OWNERSHIP AND CHALKED IT UP TO ADJUSTING TO A NEW MAKE OF A CAR. NOW I REALIZE THAT I AM PART OF A BIGGER PROBLEM, THE EXPERIENCE I HAVE IS NOT NORMAL AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE NHTSA TO BROADEN THE RECALL TO ALL PRIUS OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM, NOT JUST 2010 MODELS OR THOSE WHOSE VIN NUMBER MATCH UP TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. *TR

I'VE OWNED A 2007 PRIUS SINCE IT WAS NEW AND THE PROBLEM THAT I SEE WRITTEN ABOUT FOR THE 2010 MODEL, MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKES WHEN HITTING A POTHOLE OR ROUGH ROAD, IS EXACTLY WHAT I FEEL IN MY 2007 AND HAVE SEEN REPORTED BY OTHER DRIVERS FOR VARIOUS YEAR PRIUS'S. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT A 2010 PROBLEM ONLY!!! THIS SYMPTOM HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. *TR

I HAVE A 2007 PRIUS. AND I LOVE IT, HOWEVER BEFORE ALL THIS CAME OUT ABOUT PRIUS BRAKES, IN DECEMBER 2009 THE BRAKES STARTED ACTING WEIRD. THEY WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THEN WOULD JERK TO A STOP A FEW SECONDS LATER. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED MY PASSENGER AND I JUST LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND COMMENTED ON HOW THAT WAS STRANGE. IT HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN USUALLY WHEN I AM GOING SLOW (25MPH) OR LESS, WHEN IT IS DAMP (I LIVE IN OREGON, WHEN IS IT NOT DAMP IN THE WINTER) AND COLD. *TR

LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY WHILE TRAVELING OVER AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, POTHOLE OR BUMP THE ABS SYSTEM IS APPARENTLY THE CULPRIT. 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. *TR

I HAVE A 2007 PRIUS. EVERY TIME I HIT A BUMP OR POTHOLE, THE CAR FEELS AIRBORNE, AND THE SKID CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON. THE CAR HAS TERRIBLE TRACTION IN WET OR SNOWY WEATHER. I BELIEVE THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON ALL PRIUS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *TR

WHILE APPROACHING INTERSECTION, OUR 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS FAILED TO STOP. WHILE BRAKING, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL - INTO THE SIDE OF A TRUCK. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. AT THE TIME, WE EXPLAINED THAT THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT THE CAR FAILED TO STOP. WE ASKED THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND TOYOTA IF THERE WERE ANY REPORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THE PRIUS, AND WE WERE TOLD "NO REPORTED PROBLEMS" WITH THE CAR. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT WE HAD JUST HAD THE 25,000 MILE MAINTENANCE DONE SO WE KNEW IT WAS NOT THE BRAKES. ABOUT A YEAR LATER, WE WERE INFORMED OF THE CAR MAT PROBLEM, AND NOW THERE IS TALK OF POSSIBLE ACCELERATOR/ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS. WE NOW HAVE A 2008 PRIUS, AND EXPERIENCE A MOMENTARY LOSS OF THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM WHEN THE CAR HITS A BUMP. WE CONTACTED TOYOTA LAST WEEK, AND WERE PROMISED A CALLBACK IN TWO DAYS, BUT SO FAR WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING. SO UNTIL WE GET ASSURANCE THAT OUR CAR IS SAFE, WE HAVE DECIDED TO STOP DRIVING THE PRIUS. SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT, MY BACK PAIN WENT FROM MANAGEABLE TO UNBEARABLE, WHICH LED TO SPINE SURGERY IN 1/09. MY PHYSICIANS BELIEVED THAT THE ACCIDENT MIGHT HAVE AGGRAVATED THE SYMPTOMS TO THE POINT THAT I REQUIRED SURGERY - POSSIBLY FROM THE IMPACT FROM THE AIRBAGS. *TR

2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, ONE WHEEL OF THE CAR HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED, THE BRAKES RELEASE FOR A SHORT TIME. *TGW

WHEN+DRIVING+OVER+BUMPS+OR+POTHOLES+THE+VEHICLE+WILL+SOMETIMES+LOSE+TOTAL+BRAKING+CONTROL+AS+THE+TRACTION+CONTROL+SYSTEM+TAKES+OVER.++THE+BRAKE+WILL+BE+NON-RESPONSIVE+AND+THE+TRACTION+CONTROL+SYSTEM+DASHBOARD+LIGHT+WILL+ILLUMINATE. THIS+HAS+HAPPENED+AT+LEAST+TWICE+A+WEEK+FOR+THE+PAST+2.5+YEARS+ON+MY+2007+TOYOTA+PRIUS.++WHEN+I+HAD+INQUIRED+ABOUT+IT+AT+THE+DEALER+IN+THE+PAST%2C+I+WAS+INFORMED+THAT+THIS+WAS+HOW+THE+TRACTION+CONTROL+SYSTEM+OPERATED+UNDER+NORMAL+CONDITIONS *CN

I OWN A 2007 PRIUS. IT EXPERIENCES A LAPSE IN BRAKING POWER WHEN ON UNEVEN TERRAIN (IE A POTHOLE OR RAILROAD TRACKS). THIS HAS OCCURED NEARLY EVERY SINGLE TIME I HAVE DRIVEN ON AN UNEVEN SURFACE SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN EARLY 2007. THE CONSEQUENCE IS A MOMENTARY SURGE IN THE VEHICLE SPEED DURING TIMES THAT I AM ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN-IT IS A FRIGHTENING SITUATION THAT MAKES ONE'S HEART JUMP EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS. I HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE TO MY DEALERSHIP-THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THAT THEY WILL WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE ANTICIPATED 2010 MODEL RECALL. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT IS BEING DESCRIBED IN THE 2010 PRIUS.

WHEN DRIVING ON ROUGH ROAD OR OVER RAIL ROAD CROSSING AND APPLYING BRAKES BRAKES FAIL FOR SPLIT SECOND AND ABS LIGHT FLASHES NOTHING DONE TO FIX ISSUE

PRIUS 2007 HYDRAULIC BRAKING/TRACTION CONTROL. THERE IS A DELAYED INTERACTION BETWEEN THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES AND THE TRACTION CONTROL, THAT OVERRIDES THE ACTIONS OR THE DRIVER'S BRAKING, FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. THIS TYPICALLY OCCURS IF THERE IS ANY MOMENTARY LOSS OF TRACTION DUE TO, EVEN A MINOR RIPPLE IN THE ROAD. THE EFFECT IS MOST DANGEROUS AT SPEEDS OVER 40MPH, BECAUSE QUITE SOME DISTANCE IS COVERED BEFORE BRAKING RESUMES. THE TRACTION CONTROL RELINQUISHES HYDRAULIC BRAKING FOR 2-3 SECONDS, BEFORE NORMAL BRAKING ACTION IS RESTORED. THE DELAY APPEARS TO BE SOFTWARE RELATED, AND THE TOYOTA DEALER INSISTED THAT THE BEHAVIOR IS NORMAL. I DISAGREED BUT FOUND NO RELIEF. I ADJUSTED MY DRIVING TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS. *CN

2007 PRIUS BRAKES APPLIED FOR YELLOW LIGHT ON GOOD ROADBED, BRAKES STOPPED WORKING APPROXIMATELY 1 SECOND AND A FEW FEET LATER, AN ADDITIONAL FAILURE OF APPROXIMATELY 1 SECOND. CAR STOPPED BUT BRAKING DISTANCE GREATLY EXTENDED. THIS CAR HAS ALWAYS HAD ISSUES WITH STOPPING ON ROUGH SURFACES. THIS IS THE FIRST EXPERIENCE ON GOOD ROAD.

WHEN I HIT A BUMP, WHILE APPLYING MY BRAKES, THEY WILL STOP WORKING FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. *CN

WHEN BRAKING & GOING OVER A BUMP IN MY 2007 PRIUS, IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES DISENGAGE FOR A SECOND & CAR GOES FASTER. IF THERE WAS A CAR IN FRONT OF ME I WOULD HIT IT & IF I HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY THEN I'M NOT CONFIDENT I COULD. IT IS DISTURBING. FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE FAILING. *TR