2009 Toyota Prius SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

I HAVE A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS AND THE BRAKES SPORADICALLY DON'T WORK/RESPOND WHEN I GOT UNEVEN ROAD, HIT A POT HOLE, OR CORNER. IT DOESN'T LAST LONG. *TR

I OWN A 2009 PRIUS, PURCHASE DEC 2008. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR BRAKE PROBLEMS AS 2010. WHEN I HIT A ROUGH OR BUMPY ROAD, THE BRAKES GET SQUISHY & LESS EFFECTIVE. I NOTE THE ANTI-SKID CAUTION FLASHES, BRAKES DO BECOME SLIGHTLY LESS EFFECTIVE. I AM AN ENGINEER. I REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA 2/8/2010.

I HAVE THE BRAKE PROBLEM BEING REPORTED FOR THE PRIUS, BUT MINE IS A 2009 MODEL. WHEN BRAKING ON ROUGH SURFACES, THE BRAKES QUIT FOR A MOMENT. SINCE I DON'T TAILGATE, I'VE NEVER FELT IN DANGER. BUT IT IS A SLIGHTLY OUT OF CONTROL FEELING. I'VE FILLED IN THE DATE BELOW AS MAY 2009, WHEN I PURCHASED (LEASED) THE CAR. BUT THE SITUATION HAS BEEN CONTINUOUS. *TW

1. BRAKES FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY 2. OCCURS AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE WEEKLY; CONSEQUENCES -- EMOTIONAL DURESS AND CONCERN; NO ACCIDENTS YET, THANK GOD. 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS YET. I WENT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER, TOYOTA CAVENDER IN SAN ANTONIO, TX 48 HRS AGO TO GET USUAL OIL CHANGE AND TO GET THE BRAKES CHECKED FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPT. THAT THEY WERE CLOSING IN AN HOUR AND THE TOYOTA PRIUS TECHNICIAN WAS NOT THERE. I HAD TO CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIM -- EVEN THOUGH MY BRAKES HAD NEARLY FAILED TO STOP WHEN I PULLED INTO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE AREA. *CN

BRAKE FAILURE WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT OR POTHOLE IN BOTH 2005 AND 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WE HAVE OWNED TWO PRIUS, A 2005 AND NOW A 2009, AND BOTH HAVE EXHIBITED THE BRAKING ANOMOLY THAT IS BEING DESCRIBED IN THE PRESS AS ONLY OCCURING WITH THE 2010 PRIUS. I EXPERIENCE THIS FAILURE FREQUENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURS ONLY BRIEFLY -ABOUT ONE OR TWO SECONDS AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. HOWEVER, IT IS DISCONCERTING AND IF THIS IS A MALFUNCTION, IT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF FOR ALL PRIUS, NOT JUST 2010. *CN

GOING OVER POT HOLES IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES SKIP. IT OCCURS ALMOST EVERY TIME I GO OVER A HOLE OF SOME SORT AND APPLY THE BRAKE. I ASKED TOYOTA TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT THE ABS BRAKES WERE WORKING CORRECTLY. TOYOTA SAYS ITS NORMAL AND THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WORKS BY MOMENTARILY INTERRUPTING THE BRAKING FORCE TO PREVENT A SKIT AND THE RESULTING LOSS OF CONTROL. *TR

I OWN AND DRIVE A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS, AND I HAVE NOTICED A LAPSE IN BRAKING WHILE BRAKING ON ROUGH ROADS. THIS GOES BACK TO DEC. 2009, SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ON MY CURRENT COMMUTE, I'M NOTICING THIS LAPSE IN BRAKING ALMOST DAILY. *TR

TOYOTA 2009 PRIUS LOSES BRAKES TEMPORARILY WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. *TR

I HAVE A 2009 PRIUS, PURCHASED IN MARCH 2009. SEVERAL TIMES MY BRAKES HAVE STOPPED WORKING ON ROUGH SURFACES AND THE SURGED FORWARD. EACH TIME I WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I WOULD BRAKE, THE BRAKES WOULD WORK, AND THEN I WOULD HIT A ROUGH PATCH IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES WOULD STOP WORKING, AND THE CAR WOULD SURGE FORWARD. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WAS IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. EACH TIME I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY LETTING UP ON THE BRAKES AND THEN BRAKING AGAIN. LUCKILY I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ONE TIME THOUGH I ALMOST WENT INTO THE INTERSECTION BEFORE BEING ABLE TO STOP. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN MY 2009 PRIUS. WHEN COMING TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT (ICY CONDITIONS) I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR, STARTED TO COAST AND THEN BEGAN TO BRAKE. I HAD TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. THE CAR KEPT GOING AND I HEARD A THUMPING LIKE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WERE TRYING TO ENGAGE. I FINALLY HAD TO THROW THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL. *TR

I HAVE A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE PROBLEM I DESCRIBE HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR, IT IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM. OCCASIONALLY, WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, STOPPED CAR OR RED LIGHT, THE CAR DOES NOT STOP IMMEDIATELY IT SEEMS TO BE DELAYED IN IT'S RESPONSE AND THEN I HAVE TO STEP DOWN HARDER ON THE BREAK TO MAKE IT STOP AND THEN IT BECOMES A "HARD" STOP. THIS HAPPENS USUALLY AT SLOW SPEEDS. 20-55MPH. I'VE NOTICE THIS PROBLEM OCCURS MANY TIMES DURING THE WEEK, TODAY I ALREADY EXPERIENCED IT ONCE AND I AM BECOMING AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL OCCUR, THERE IS NO FOREWARNING. I HAVE BEEN CONCERNED FOR A LONG TIME AND FEAR THAT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS BREAKING PROBLEM RESULTS IN AN ACCIDENT. I TOOK MY CAR IN YESTERDAY TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT FINE AND THEY COULD NOT FIND/RECREATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE MENTIONED IT TO THEM IN THE PAST AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS JUST A DIFFERENT FEEL BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE "VACUUM" DESIGN. *TR

ON 4/05/2010 AS I WAS DRIVING WEST ON GALBRAITH ROAD I WAS HEADED DOWNHILL TO A RED LIGHT AND APPLYING MY BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN FOR THE LIGHT. AS I WAS SLOWING THE ROAD BECAME EXTREMELY BUMPY AND MY BRAKES ALL OF A SUDDEN FELT LIKE I WAS SLIDING OR FLOATING EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE PEDAL DEPRESSED. WITH MY STOMACH IN MY THROAT I LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE PEDAL AND REAPPLIED. IT THEN BEGAN TO SLOW AGAIN. I THOUGHT I WAS MISTAKEN. ON 4/12 AT 9:30 AM AS I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE I WAS HEADED DOWN THE HILL. I WAS BRAKING TO MAINTAIN MY SPEED. I HIT SOME BUMPS IN THE ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT FELT LIKE CAR WAS NOT SLOWING ALTHOUGH I HAD THE BRAKE DEPRESSED. WITH MY STOMACH IN MY THROAT, I REMOVED MY FOOT AND RE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE AND IT WAS FINE. I DECIDED I NEEDED TO CALL TOYOTA. HOWEVER WHEN I GOT TO THE BOTTOM OF MY CONDO COMPLEX AND WAS MAKING THE RIGHT TURN OUT I HAD MY FOOT ON MY BRAKE TO CONTROL MY TURN, THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHEN I HIT THE BUMP OUT OF HERE AND I OVER CORRECTED MY TURN WITH MY HEART IN MY THROAT AND I HIT A SMALL RETAINING WALL GASHING THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR AND RIPPING OPEN MY REAR TIRE. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY ON A TOYOTA LOT AWAITING MY INSURANCE ADJUSTER BEFORE TOYOTA WILL REPAIR OR INSPECT THE VEHICLE. *TR

ON MY 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS, I CONSISTENTLY EXPERIENCE BRAKING DIFFICULTIES ON ROUGH OR UNEVEN SURFACES. IF I AM PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AND PASS THRU A HOLE OR HUMP IN THE ROAD, THE CAR FLASHES THE STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS AND I HAVE NO BRAKES WHAT-SO-EVER FOR WHAT FEELS LIKE A FEW SECONDS. IF I RELEASE THE BRAKE AND PRESS DOWN AGAIN, I THEN HAVE BRAKE CONTROL BACK. I REPORTED THIS TO MY DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR AND CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE SAME RESPONSE 'THAT IS THE WAY THE BRAKES ARE ON THE PRIUS.' *TR

I OWN A 2009 PRIUS AND ANYTIME THAT I APPLY THE BRAKES AND HIT A POTHOLE OR ANY RAISED OBJECT ON THE ROADWAY THE VEHICLE SKIDS OR ACCELERATES FORWARD. THE PRIUS WAS PURCHASED IN FEBRUARY OF 2009. THIS FAILURE OCCURS EVERYTIME I HIT A POTHOLE, MANHOLE COVER OR ANY RAISED OBJECT IN THE ROAD WHILE BRAKING. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS THE YELLOW SKID WARNING LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE AUTOMOBILE WHILE THIS FAILURE IS OCCURRING. *TR

MY 2009 PRIUS, WHICH I LEASED IN NOVEMBER OF 2008, HAS HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS SINCE THE DAY I DROVE IT HOME. OCCASIONALLY THE BRAKE WILL CATCH (WHEN APPLIED), THEN RELEASE, THEN CATCH AGAIN. I'VE REPORTED IT TO TOYOTA 3 TIMES AND TOLD EACH TIME BY THE SERVICE DEPT THAT THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. IT HAPPENED AS RECENTLY AS 3 WEEKS AGO, WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH ON A HIGHWAY IN ARIZONA IN 22 DEGREE WEATHER. IT WAS A LITTLE SCARY TO SAY THE LEAST. I CAN'T GET TOYOTA TO RESPOND TO MY INQUIRY - AND HAVEN'T DRIVEN THE CAR SINCE. *TR

PRIUS BRAKING FAILURE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INSTANCES (FOUR OR FIVE) OF A BRAKING FAILURE ON MY 2009, SECOND GENERATION TOYOTA PRIUS. IT HAS OCCURRED DURING RELATIVELY SLOW SPEED BRAKING, SUCH AS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, COINCIDENT WITH HITTING A SEVERE BUMP, SUCH AS A POT HOLE OR CROSSING ROUGH RAILROAD TRACKS. THERE APPEARS TO BE A SURGE WHERE THE BRAKES ARE INEFFECTIVE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME---LESS THAN A SECOND. I DESCRIBE IT AS A SURGE BUT IT MAY WELL BE JUST A TOTAL RELEASE OF THE BRAKES. IT SEEMS TO BE MOST SEVERE THE GREATER THE BUMP. I HAVE ONLY EXPERIENCED THIS AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 30 MPH OR SO. THERE HAS BEEN NO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NORMAL BRAKING RETURNS IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE NOVEMBER, 2008. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO MY DEALER WHO SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS NORMAL ANTI-LOCK BRAKING ACTION AND EXPRESSED LITTLE INTEREST IN TRYING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 50 YEARS AND AT LEAST 10 YEARS WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND HAVE NEVER FELT THIS TYPE OF ACTION FROM ANY OTHER VEHICLE. *TR

I OWN A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS AND NOTICE A DELAY IN BRAKING SPECIALLY OVER BUMPY ROADS OR ICE, ALSO AT HIGHER SPEEDS. WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKE THE VSC LIGHT COMES ON IN THE DASHBOARD AND THE CAR TRAVELS FREELY FOR A COUPLE OF METERS SOMETIMES EVEN ACCELERATING A BIT BEFORE THE BRAKES ACTUALLY ENGAGE. THIS IS OBSERVED VERY OFTEN. *TR

BRAKING OVER UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE SUCH AS MANHOLES, RAILROAD CROSSINGS AND BROKEN PAVEMENT, THE CAR'S RATE OF DECELERATION IS BRIEFLY HALTED (GIVING A SENSATION OF ACCELERATION). *TR

I PURCHASED A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS FROM DUNNING TOYOTA IN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN IN OCTOBER 2008. UNFORTUNATELY I, AS WELL, HAVE ABSOLUTELY EXPERIENCED SUDDEN BRAKE LOSS WHEN HITTING MY BRAKES "HARD AND SUDDENLY". IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE SLIDING ON ICE AND THE VEHICLE IS "LOCKED" - YOU HAVE NO CONTROL. AS OTHERS HAVE STATED RECENTLY, THIS SUDDENLY LOCKED BRAKE LOSS OCCURS FOR APPROXIMATELY A SECOND TO SECOND AND A HALF. THIS HAS OCCURRED TO ME 4 OR 5 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. I DIDN'T THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT IT UNTIL THE NEWS REPORTS, AND MY WIFE INDICATED THAT IT TOO HAS OCCURRED TO HER 3 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. I NOTICED THAT WHEN IT DOES OCCUR THAT IF I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND THEN SLOWLY DEPRESS DOWN I REGAIN MY BRAKES AGAIN. ALTHOUGH THE SERVICE HAS BEEN GOOD THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP, I HAD TO BE HONEST IN FILING THIS COMPLAINT FOR MYSELF AND THE PUBLICS SAFETY. *TR

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS HIT POTHOLE AND CAR LURCHES FORWARD. BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON FOR A SECOND. *TR

I DRIVE A LEASED 2009 PRIUS. THIS IS MY FAMILY'S FIRST HYBRID VEHICLE. ENROUTE HOME AFTER WORK EACH WEEKDAY (A DRIVE TOTALLING 5 MILES), I DRIVE DOWN A TYPICAL LOS ANGELES MAIN STREET, THAT HAS NUMEROUS POTHOLES. IF BRAKING WHEN RIDING OVER THE POTHOLES, THE CAR SURGES FORWARD FOR A SECOND, AND SEEMS UNCONTROLLABLE. BECAUSE IT HAS DONE THIS SINCE OUR LEASE OF THE PRIUS (WE GOT IT LAST MARCH, NEW), I ATTRIBUTED IT TO MY NEEDING TO GET USED TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HYBRID AND THE 2008 CAMRY WE OWN, AND TRY TO REFRAIN FROM BRAKING OVER POTHOLES WHEN POSSIBLE. NOW THAT I KNOW THIS IS A DEFECT, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT CONTINUING TO DRIVE EITHER CAR WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD IN IT..... PLEASE EXPAND THE RESEARCH ON TOYOTA'S BRAKING SYSTEM FOR PRIUS BEYOND 2010 MODELS. *TR

ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 9, 2009 I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON I-93 NEAR THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, MA. I WAS ON MY WAY TO LOGAN AIRPORT TO RETURN THE 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS I HAD RENTED THAT PREVIOUS WEDNESDAY. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 9:30 AM; THE FREEWAY WAS STILL BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WITH RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I WAS IN THE LEFT-HAND LANE OF THE HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC WAS STOP AND GO. A GAP OPENED UP IN TRAFFIC AND I ACCELERATED. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME (APPROXIMATELY 60') SUDDENLY STOPPED. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES BUT MY CAR KEPT GOING. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO AS MY CAR PLOWED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, AT THE SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. THE IMPACT WAS SUFFICIENT TO DISLODGE MY FRONT LICENSE PLATE. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, HOWEVER THE TWO PASSENGERS WERE EXTREMELY SHAKEN UP. THERE WAS A MASSACHUSETTS STATE TROOPER ON THE SCENE WHO TOOK ALL THE INFORMATION BUT DID NOT FILE A REPORT. AS SOON AS I COULD, AT ABOUT 11:00 AM, I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY, USAA TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT, AND I EXPLAINED ALL OF THE DETAILS TO THEM. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS FROM MY LOCAL DEALER AND HAVE HAD THE BRAKES DO THE SAME SKIPPING AS THE 2010 MODEL. WHEN BROUGHT TO THE LOCAL DEALERS ATTENTION THEY STATED THAT IS THE WAY THE BRAKES WORK IN ANTI LOCK MODE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES TO HER AND JUST RECENTLY TO ME AT NIGHT. SO FAR THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENTS BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. THANK YOU. *TR

MY 2009 PRIUS CONSISTENTLY EXPERIENCES LOCKING BRAKES WHEN SMALL BUMPS ARE HIT. I CAN RECREATE THIS ISSUE CONSISTENTLY ON SPECIFIC ROADS. *TR

THE BRAKES ON MY 2009 PRIUS ARE DANGEROUS. WHEN I GO OVER A BUMP OR ROUGH PART IN THE ROAD, I CAN FEEL THE PEDAL ROLL UNDER MY FOOT AND IT FEELS LIKE I MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE BRAKES. *TR