Bulletins

BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK
TSB-0174-1209/17/201210048160Toyota: instrument panel illuminates with malfunction of abs/vsc, mil on and brake warning lights, resulting in overly sensitive monitoring logic without any abs/vsc system issue. models 2007-2011 camry; 2004-2009 prius. *pe12/12/2012
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK - ABS WARNING LIGHT
TSB-0174-1209/17/201210048160Toyota: instrument panel illuminates with malfunction of abs/vsc, mil on and brake warning lights, resulting in overly sensitive monitoring logic without any abs/vsc system issue. models 2007-2011 camry; 2004-2009 prius. *pe12/12/2012
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
TSB-0174-1209/17/201210048160Toyota: instrument panel illuminates with malfunction of abs/vsc, mil on and brake warning lights, resulting in overly sensitive monitoring logic without any abs/vsc system issue. models 2007-2011 camry; 2004-2009 prius. *pe12/12/2012
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK
TSB-0174-1209/17/201210048160Toyota: instrument panel illuminates with malfunction of abs/vsc, mil on and brake warning lights, resulting in overly sensitive monitoring logic without any abs/vsc system issue. models 2007-2011 camry; 2004-2009 prius. *pe12/12/2012
4500C02/08/200510015589Repair manual correction for the skid control ecu assembly (brake). 00400-rm113-0u3. *tt07/29/2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - ABS WARNING LIGHT
TSB-0174-1209/17/201210048160Toyota: instrument panel illuminates with malfunction of abs/vsc, mil on and brake warning lights, resulting in overly sensitive monitoring logic without any abs/vsc system issue. models 2007-2011 camry; 2004-2009 prius. *pe12/12/2012
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
TSB-0174-1209/17/201210048160Toyota: instrument panel illuminates with malfunction of abs/vsc, mil on and brake warning lights, resulting in overly sensitive monitoring logic without any abs/vsc system issue. models 2007-2011 camry; 2004-2009 prius. *pe12/12/2012

Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
SERVICE BRAKES
02/15/2012200
 Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, a grinding noise was heard from the rear end of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technicians advised that the failure was undetected. the technician also stated that there were other vehicles with the same failure and the manufacturer was working on a remedy. the contact mentioned that the vehicle was taken to the dealer on numerous occasions for the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 200 and the current mileage was 2,122.
02/15/2012200
 Tl - the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, a grinding noise was heard from the rear end of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technicians advised that the failure was undetected. the technician also stated that there were other vehicles with the same failure and the manufacturer was working on a remedy. the contact mentioned that the vehicle was taken to the dealer on numerous occasions for the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 200 and the current mileage was 2,122. kmj
02/15/2012200
 Tl - the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, a grinding noise began starting from the rear end of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic testing where the technician stated the failure was undetected. also the technician stated there were other vehicles with the same failure which had to do with the brakes and toyota was searching for a remedy. the contact mentioned that the vehicle was taken to the dealer on numerous occasions for the same failure.the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 200 and the current mileage was 2,122. dr
01/28/200530001
 This complaint related to the brake system. ever since the car was taken of the dealer ship, the brakes act in a sudden, jerky manner approaching a stop. the brakes function normally at normal speeds, but as i approach a stop, it feels like (for comparison purposes)as if you where pulling the emergency brake on a normal car while the car is moving slow. along with this, when i press the brake pedal hard a noise is generated from the engine compartment. the above description has been exhibited ever since i bought the car brand new at triangle dealer at kennedy ave (carr#2) in san juan, puerto rico. i took the car to the dealership approximately on jan 28, 2005 (i bought it october 16, 2004) to have the breaks checked and the service employee told me that because it was a hybrid car, that was normal behavior. for the time being the car always exhibited the brake strange behaviors and recently a brake light lit on for the abs and brake warning light. my car is now 130,000miles and over 8 years. i took it to the dealership and they indicated that the brake actuator assembly was damaged and needed to be replaced at a cost of $2500. im sure this is a design issue that toyota has not claimed responsibility for. im sure that due to the expense of it. i just want my experience to be accounted for. thanks! *tr
01/28/20053000
 This complaint related to the brake system. ever since the car was taken of the dealer ship, the brakes act in a sudden, jerky manner approaching a stop. the brakes function normally at normal speeds, but as i approach a stop, it feels like (for comparison purposes)as if you where pulling the emergency brake on a normal car while the car is moving slow. along with this, when i press the brake pedal hard a noise is generated from the engine compartment. the above description has been exhibited ever since i bought the car brand new at triangle dealer at kennedy ave (carr#2) in san juan, puerto rico. i took the car to the dealership approximately on jan 28, 2005 (i bought it october 16, 2004) to have the breaks checked and the service employee told me that because it was a hybrid car, that was normal behavior. for the time being the car always exhibited the brake strange behaviours and recently a brake light lit on for the abs and brake warning light. my car is now 130,000miles and over 8 years. i took it to the dealership and they indicated that the brake actuator assembly was damaged and needed to be replaced at a cost of $2500. im sure this is a design issue that toyota has not claimed responsibility for. im sure that due to the expense of it. i just want my experience to be accounted for. thanks!
11/21/2012981001
 While cruising at 35 mph, experienced sudden onset of high pitch noise along with the red warning light and abs light being illuminated on console. when attempting to brake, noticed that the brake pedal felt very stiff and not depress. fortunately, there were no cars in front, and was able to gradually stop the vehicle by pressing on the brake as hard as possible. the braking distance felt a lot further than usual. after coming to a stop and waiting a few minutes, stopped and restarted the engine. the high pitch noise stopped once the engine turned off. once the engine was back on, the brake pedal felt normal again, and while the abs light was no longer illuminated, the red warning light remained on. took the car immediately to the toyota dealer where my car is normally serviced, and they indicated there was a fault code c1300 and recommended replacing the skid control ecu (part# 89540-47130). looks like there is at least one other incident reported on this (odi id# 10320472). this seems to be a major safety hazard due to potential loss of braking power if this component goes out. request investigation and safety recall as appropriate. *tr
11/21/201298100
 While cruising at 35 mph, experienced sudden onset of high pitch noise along with the red warning light and abs light being illuminated on console. when attempting to brake, noticed that the brake pedal felt very stiff and not depress. fortunately, there were no cars in front, and was able to gradually stop the vehicle by pressing on the brake as hard as possible. the braking distance felt a lot further than usual. after coming to a stop and waiting a few minutes, stopped and restarted the engine. the high pitch noise stopped once the engine turned off. once the engine was back on, the brake pedal felt normal again, and while the abs light was no longer illuminated, the red warning light remained on. took the car immediately to the toyota dealer where my car is normally serviced, and they indicated there was a fault code c1300 and recommended replacing the skid control ecu (part# 89540-47130). looks like there is at least one other incident reported on this (odi id# 10320472). this seems to be a major safety hazard due to potential loss of braking power if this component goes out. request investigation and safety recall as appropriate.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
04/02/201069186
 2005 prius no problems except water pump until now. 69,000 miles. went to start the care and while in neutral idleing the brake pedal pumped up and down and the ps light came on. the red triangle danger message came on. i did not drive it but toyota told me to tow it in. they say the computer is shot and needs a new skid control ecu. i was not in an accident
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK
02/26/20053001002/10/2005
 (1) driving at speeds between 60-75mph on smooth flat roads (2) vehicle sways or floats side to side, especially during crosswind conditions (3) report to dealer, no repair was done by dealer as they think it was caused by grooves in the road
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - CONTROLS - FOOT CONTROL
04/12/20056001
 My wife and i bought a new prius in early march of 2005. my wife was coasting to stop (around 5 mph) for a stop sign and when she put her foot on the brake the car started to accelerate. she came to a stop after hitting another car head on. before she hit the car (she also sideswiped another car) she was able to look at her feet to confirm that she was indeed pressing on the brake pedal.
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
08/01/201185300
 Brakes on 2005 toyota prius started intermittently acting up about a year ago, after six years of no problems. observed symptoms were extreme jerkiness of brake operation despite constant pressure on brake pedal. symptoms observed at any speed, but especially noticeable at slow speeds (coming to a final stop, such as at a traffic light, or in reverse backing out of driveway). when applying brakes at highway speeds, jerkiness felt like alternate over braking / under braking. symptoms were quite scary the first times it happened. had personal mechanic check out brakes. test drive confirmed problem, but he was unable to find anything wrong with hydraulic brake system. since problem was intermittent, we decided to see what happened. problem continued intermittently, gradually increasing in frequency to the point in the last month where it was happening much more often than not. took car to toyota dealer for diagnosis. problem was not evident on day of service. they checked computer for stored error codes, and found none. rear brake drums showed slight wear and were out of adjustment, so drums were cleaned and turned and brakes adjusted. no difference in observed behavior; by end of the next day, jerky behavior noted as bad as it had ever been. took car back to dealer. they replaced the stroke sensor even though there was no stored error code. this appears to have fixed the problem, since there has been no recurrence of problem in a week or driving since repair. brakes feel totally normal again, for the first time in a year. note on diagnosis procedure: the dealer seemed to initially discount my detailed, written description of the problem, and reacted only to their observations. while understandable, it is frustrating to the owner and could lead to a serious problem not getting fixed. i feel that the symptoms as described to them pointed directly to the stroke sensor and it should have been replaced on that basis.
06/24/201174215
 (1). i slammed on the brakes, but there was no power brakes. the 2005 prius slowed, but did not stop until it crashed into another vehicle. i was going approximately 35 mph, and i traveled 3 car lengths before colliding with the other vehicle. (2). loss of power assist had previously occurred while backing up, but this was the first failure going forward. (3). total loss(totaled,, $7,000 damage). the 2005 prius is now at an automible recycling yard. )4) i notified toyota. but i had to call them back several times, and after 15 days, someone finally answered, instead of me getting their voice mail. if the power brakes had failed at an intersection, it could have been a fatal crash.
01/30/2011140350
 Nov 15 2010 the car was in service for 5000 miles check. the dealership declared that the brakes and coolant flow valve needed replacement and stated the car was unsafe to drive. upon agreeing for repairs the dealership said the car was safe to drive and it will take 2 weeks for parts to arrive. 15 dec 2010 the car was taken in for stated repairs ($2000), since then the car has have intermitteted braking failures at low speeds under 20 mph and at stops on a downgrade. the car was taken in for repairs again in 16 jan 2011. the car stills has intermitted failures, the lights to the parking brakes, abs brakes, vbc lights and the warning lights are still on since the repairs. while replacing the tires firestone on 30 jan 2011 found the code 1247 on the ecu by their techinian. the lights on the dash board are still on at all times. after leaving firestone, the car surge forward while stop on a downgrade while the brake depress, i felt the pressure release thus i depress harder on the brakes petal until it was on the floor, i had to use the emergency brake to stop. i will take the car into the toyota dealership for the third time 31 jan 2011.
12/08/201084228
 Low-speed brake failure: accelerated lightly away from traffic signal to approximately 5-7 mph, traffic then slowed, applied brakes normally with no noticeable deceleration or pedal resistance. removed foot from brake and then reapplied brakes very hard, pedal again offered little resistance, no noticeable deceleration. roadway surface dry, free from dirt/gravel, smooth with slight downgrade, temperature believed to be slightly above freezing. impacted car ahead at low speed
01/30/2011140350
 Nov 15 2010 the car was in service for 5000 miles check. the dealership declared that the brakes and coolant flow valve needed replacement and stated the car was unsafe to drive. upon agreeing for repairs the dealership said the car was safe to drive and it will take 2 weeks for parts to arrive. 15 dec 2010 the car was taken in for stated repairs ($2000), since then the car has have intermitteted braking failures at low speeds under 20 mph and at stops on a downgrade. the car was taken in for repairs again in 16 jan 2011. the car stills has intermitted failures, the lights to the parking brakes, abs brakes, vbc lights and the warning lights are still on since the repairs. while replacing the tires firestone on 30 jan 2011 found the code 1247 on the ecu by their techinian. the lights on the dash board are still on at all times. after leaving firestone, the car surge forward while stop on a downgrade while the brake depress, i felt the pressure release thus i depress harder on the brakes petal until it was on the floor, i had to use the emergency brake to stop. i will take the car into the toyota dealership for the third time 31 jan 2011.
12/08/201084228
 Low-speed brake failure: accelerated lightly away from traffic signal to approximately 5-7 mph, traffic then slowed, applied brakes normally with no noticeable deceleration or pedal resistance. removed foot from brake and then reapplied brakes very hard, pedal again offered little resistance, no noticeable deceleration. roadway surface dry, free from dirt/gravel, smooth with slight downgrade, temperature believed to be slightly above freezing. impacted car ahead at low speed
01/30/2011140350
 Nov 15 2010 the car was in service for 5000 miles check. the dealership declared that the brakes and coolant flow valve needed replacement and stated the car was unsafe to drive. upon agreeing for repairs the dealership said the car was safe to drive and it will take 2 weeks for parts to arrive. 15 dec 2010 the car was taken in for stated repairs ($2000), since then the car has have intermitteted braking failures at low speeds under 20 mph and at stops on a downgrade. the car was taken in for repairs again in 16 jan 2011. the car stills has intermitted failures, the lights to the parking brakes, abs brakes, vbc lights and the warning lights are still on since the repairs. while replacing the tires firestone on 30 jan 2011 found the code 1247 on the ecu by their techinian. the lights on the dash board are still on at all times. after leaving firestone, the car surge forward while stop on a downgrade while the brake depress, i felt the pressure release thus i depress harder on the brakes petal until it was on the floor, i had to use the emergency brake to stop. i will take the car into the toyota dealership for the third time 31 jan 2011.
12/08/201084228
 Low-speed brake failure: accelerated lightly away from traffic signal to approximately 5-7 mph, traffic then slowed, applied brakes normally with no noticeable deceleration or pedal resistance. removed foot from brake and then reapplied brakes very hard, pedal again offered little resistance, no noticeable deceleration. roadway surface dry, free from dirt/gravel, smooth with slight downgrade, temperature believed to be slightly above freezing. impacted car ahead at low speed
01/04/2011
 During wet weather, the brakes grab. this usually occurs during the first 10 mins. of driving. based on the recent recalls, i decided to do some research online to determine if others owners had similar problems. i have not taken the car in to the dealership. the brakes have been this way since i've owned the car.
10/23/2010161700
 Yesterday on a long trip through the mountains, lights came on my dash on my 2005 toyota prius that indicated a hybrid problem. hoping to get to a place where i could get service i continued on. (i also noted that the cruise control light would not come on.) then the brake light and abs came on the dashboard with an auditory alarm. i tested the brakes and they seemed okay and there was no berm to pull off. then i hit the brakes on a curve and the peddle went down low. i pressed hard and got it off the road on a wide spot that by the grace of god appeared. i had it towed to the nearest dealer. today, the dealer said they checked all codes and inspected the braking system and can find nothing wrong and all codes have left. they said the hybrid battery seemed to be low but they find the battery and charging system to be ok. (they said brakes do not work when the battery is low and the battery is charged by braking which i was doing plenty of in the mountains.) they also said the computer is ok. they drive it and nothing is wrong.
09/01/2008135000
 I first reported this to toyota march 10, 2010. i did so after talking with a coworker who had a 2010 prius. i have a 2005 prius. we both experienced the same thing. therefore, i figured i should take it more serious. the toyota's safety incident number is 100310-000322. when going over bumps and hitting the breaks i notice that instead of immediately slowing the car down, the car seems to either not slow at all and seems to accelerate. knowing that going over bumps can cause a tire to temporarily loose contact with the road surface and that cars can electronically transfer drive from a tire that looses contact with the surface to the other wheel, there may be mixed signals happening. the brakes telling the car to stop, the traction control telling the the acceleration to transfer. it seems the acceleration is taking precedence. regardles, this seems that it could cause a problem if on a bumpy road surface or a pot hole or something and a car stops infront of me or a kid runs into the street or for some other reason i need to stop.
05/13/20101429621
 I drove a 2005 toyota prius vin#[xxx] until 5/13/2010. at around 10am i was driving on the hwy in the lft lane. with cruise control on going 75mph. i had a gps on and navigating. and i had my blue tooth earpiece on. then all at the same time my blue tooth shut down. my gps shut down. and every warning lite came up in the car. even the display that usually shows how the hybrid systems works was blinking problem!! problem!! so i let off the gas and started to move to the rt side of the road. thats when i realized that i had no power steering. there was an exit coming up so i let the car slow down to about 50mph. as i started to exit i put my ft on the brakes. thats when i noticed that the pedal was very stiff and vibrating. i was coming to a blind intersection and i had the red lite. so i pushed on my brakes. instantly i could hear screaching tires. so i looked in my side mirror. and to my suprise im looking at a large amount of smoke coming from me! my rear tires had locked up and my front tires werent doing anything. so i started fishtail back and forth like i had my ebrake on. i put all my wt on the pedal cause the intersection was really getting close. and without power steering it was very hard to keep the car from crashing. i came to a stop just before the light. then drove my car to the nearest dealer at in berkeley ca at 10mph. i told them everything. even about my blue tooth and garmin. they got me a rental car then 4day later they said if i give them $2000 for a part and $1000 in labor it might fix it but there not sure cause they never saw this problem before. and they werent going to pay for my rental cause the part was out of warrenty after 36000miles. i have had every svc done at toyota. and if theres a computer pt that toyota knows can brake easily. which they do. thats why its only warrenty to 36000miles. it shouldnt result in the loss of your brakes and power steering. very dangerous!! i could of died. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) *tr
05/20/201026000
 I drive a 2005 toyota prius. my car has 26,000 miles on it; which is very low mileages. while i was on the highway, my car`s lights on the dashboard starts to flash. the brake system warning light and buzzer comes on along with the abs warning light and the malfunction indicator lamp. i had nowhere to pull aside. after two minutes the warning signs shut off so i kept driving. five minutes later, all the warning lights come on so i decide to get off the highway to take it to the knoxville toyota dealer. as i`m exiting the highway, i immediately realized that i had no breaks (when i pressed the brake pedal with my foot it automatically touched the ground)! i remembered that my dad always told me that in case of a brake emergency to pump the paddle until the breaks work. i almost crashed into another car; the exit ramp was very steep. i was going about 50 miles per hr by then; luckily i managed to stop while i kept pumping my breaks. i took it to the dealer right away. they checked my car and replaced: pump assy. water, super long life c, invertor coolant pump, sliding yoke, reflashed engine and hv ecu and shaft kit. steeri. i found my case very dangerous and my life was at risk. not only was my life at risk but as well as other individuals. i would hate for this to happen to someone else! it was scary and i felt like my life might have been over.
01/10/201088000
 1. while driving over rr tracks, a lack of brake response (or feel) - happened once in 2008. mentioned to dealer, but i did not know if this was a typical problem. 2. while driving downhill on a slippery road, the vehicle would not stop. there was no feel of braking. the vehicle finally stopped when it hit a curb. happened jan/2010. mentioned to dealer, but i did not know if this was a typical problem. 3. while driving uphill on slippery roads, the vehicle would slow down to a stop, or not go at a s&g light. this happened repeatedly in 2010. mentioned to dealer, and was told this was a function of the traction control that prevented tires from spinning.
06/15/200952000
 Vehicle type: toyota prius 2005 [uncorrected by recalls] problem: was driving at approximately 45 mph, attempted to brake in preparation for a turn and brake pedal would not depress. examined brake pedal and discovered floor mat had crept under the pedal preventing braking. shifted vehicle to neutral. attempted to retrieve mat but unable to by hand. used foot to pull mat from under brake pedal and was able to brake. removed mats to prevent future problems. resolution: none. toyota's recent floor mat recall doesn't address this problem. contact with toyota has left me with the feeling that they are unaware of the problem [or worse, have misdiagnosed this problem as being a stuck accelerator problem which is also related to the floor mat].
05/03/201095000
 Braking momentarily fails after hitting a bump, pothole, or other road irregularity. this article describes the issue perfectly. http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2009/12/nhtsa-tracking-braking-loss-on-prius-hybrids/#more-17003 dealers since day of purchase have said there was nothing wrong.
04/01/2010500
 I have made complaints to the dealership since i purchased my 2005 toyota prius regarding a momentary brake failure when driving over a bump or hitting a pothole. i have been told everything from it is just how abs works to you need to hit the brake harder when you come to a stop (i.e. rather than a slow and careful stop, a quick and sharp stop). there are too many incidents to name but one that occurs routinely is about 30 yards away from a stop sign leading into the parking lot at my place employment. i now have to coast very carefully and prepare myself for brake failure. should there be cars around, this becomes a dangerous matter. again, this happens routinely and none of my complaints have been taken seriously by the dealership.
04/17/201090000
 48 mph traveling north on or 217; without cause and simultaneously brake warning light on abs warning light on vsc warning light on audible alarm steady tone then try to stop: brake pedal up high, brake pedal unresponsive and hard to press, immediately pulled of on allen exit; brakes still unresponsive, pressed maximum force on brake pedal brakes locked up the wheels skidding and burning rubber.
03/23/201076600
 My 2005 toyota prius arbitrarily lost braking ability as i approached a ramp to enter another highway. many lights went on including the red triangle with an exclamation point. i used the emergency brake to stop the car. i have been told that the skid control unit is broken and needs to be replaced. i will need to replace this part at a cost of $2200. is this unit a safety threat?
11/22/200840000
 Incident with my 2005 toyota prius i've had problems with my braking system and went to great lengths to get my car repaired. i have toyota dealership documentation of what was done to my car to correct the problem. my car was in their shop for 2 months and it took 2 dealerships to figure out what was wrong. if you would like to ask questions about my experience for your investigation, i'll be happy to cooperate to the best of my ability.
03/05/2010560001
 Our 2005 toyota prius has exhibited the same braking problems as described in the news. when you are applying the brakes and hit a bump or pothole the car feels like it lurches forward. i now understand that what i was experiencing as a lurch or skidding sensation was probably caused by the momentary split second failure of the brakes. these brakes are also extremely touchy when it rains. they grab as if you had slammed on the brakes. it is hard to deal with and we have not found a way to avoid the problem by somehow altering our braking. i mentioned these two problems to the toyota dealer after we bought the car and then again when all this was on the news. they said they'd had no complaints and dismissed my concerns. however, when i looked online there are other 2005 prius owners who have experienced the same problems. i feel it is unsafe for the car to do this. i think the earlier prius models need to be included in the investigation and fixed. *tr
04/15/20091350001
 I was driving my 2005 prius on the 210 freeway in los angeles, ca in stop and go traffic. the traffic sped up, then the car infront slammed on their brakes. i hit my brakes hard, and thought nothing's happening. i rear ended the dar infront of me, causing $a total of $9,000 damage to both cars. *tr
04/15/2009700003
 2005 toyota prius with momentary failure in braking system. occurring 3 times in 2009. *tr
01/27/200520001
 2005 toyota prius brake failure over bumpy or icy roads reported to nhtsa in 2005 with no response. toyota denied failure and we were told to sue. *tr
01/01/200520001
 I sent an e-mail to nhtsa on 2/8/10 describing this complaint. my husband and i are the owners of a 2005 prius which we bought new. ever since we've owned it we have always had the following problem: when we go over a bump, pothole, or uneven surface we experience a momentary loss of braking ability-we have always felt this was due to the nature of the anti-lock brakes and never considered that it might be a defect or flaw, until now. this situation is only momentary, and because it lasts only briefly we never felt our safety was compromised. this situation is on-going. we have had our floor mats modified by toyota last month. *tr
02/23/2010732001
 2005 toyota prius - slipping brakes - multiple occurrences over the years, one today while approaching a traffic light. as car slowed, brakes slipped during transition from regenerative to mechanical. car's nose passed about 1 foot beyond white line demarcating intersection. no crash or damage to vehicle or occupants - this time. why is toyota prius brake recall limited to 2010 year model when these events are occurring in earlier year models? i have submitted two requests to toyota customer service to understand the problem in the last two weeks with no response. *tr
01/10/20101
 Was driving down a flat hartford, ct street at around 20 mph and began to brake as approached intersection at an avenue with stop sign. when compressing brake absolutely no response came and the car continued to go as if it was coasting. went straight through the intersection--fortunately it was late and no traffic was present. happened again at the next intersection, stopped by bumping into curb. . thought nothing of it at the time, it had started snowing and i figured it must be some black ice. but given all the toyota brake problems reported, and thinking about the fact that no abs signal ever came up, and it didn't feel as though abs was pumping the brakes it seems like this could be consistent with the other reports of prius brake failures. *tr
02/16/2010478001
 My 2005 toyota prius brakes didn't engage when i pressed on them in stop and go traffic. i was behind a utility truck with a concrete post hanging about 10 feet off the back of it (properly marked), and i gave myself room behind the truck and was aware of the pole hanging off of the truck. traffic started moving, and i was going between 5-15mph, and then the truck braked and i braked but my brakes didn't respond until the concrete pole had come through my windshield and roof, inches from my head. my engine/front of car was not damaged but my insurance adjustor has estimated damages at a minimum of $4,000-$4,500 for the windshield and roof, not including possible dash replacement from the shattered glass in the vehicle. the car was drivable to move off of the road, but failed to turn back on when the tow truck arrived. i have reported this incident to toyota and am waiting for a case manager to get in touch with me. i was miraculously not cut, maimed, or decapitated, but have sustained shoulder, back, neck, and arm injuries and am seeing a chiropractor and awaiting x-ray results. i also have bruising from my knee hitting the dash board. my mileage is approximate based on an oil change receipt i found from last month. *tr
01/20/2010510001
 My 2005 toyota prius frequently experiences brake failure while braking on bumpy pavement or rough terrain. the car appears to lurch forward for one or two seconds. i described the problem to bay ridge toyota on several occasions while having the car serviced. they reassured me that the brakes were working normally, and this phenomenon was supposed to happen with abs brakes. since i was told this was normal, no repair was offered me. i have had one relatively minor crash because of this defect, resulting in damage to the hood of the car, but fortunately no injuries. but this problem has been there since i first took delivery of the car. *tr
05/30/200510001
 My 2005 toyota prius' braking system acts the same way as the 2010's with the recall. when approaching a stop, with the brakes depressed, if you hit a bump in the road the brakes disengage. *tr
01/28/20101
 I have a 2005 prius and have been experiencing temporary brake failures since the first winter in 2005, often on rainy or snowy days, driving down hill while trying to stop at the bottom of the hill at a stop sign. instead of responding to the brake, the car will appear to temporarily surge forward. i have had 4 near-misses, twice with the car coming into the middle of busy street and would have gotten into serious accidents had there been oncoming traffic. i have brought the car into the dealership 4 times, each time being told that the car is performing to spec, and hybrids take longer to brake. i do not buy this argument since it does not consistently behave this way, and if the brake cannot be engaged in time, then the design of the brake system is defective to begin with. performing to specification brings our families no comfort when we lie dead at the bottom of the hill. this same problem is being investigated and addressed in the 2010 prius model. it's obvious that toyota will continue to refuse acknowledging and addressing this fatal defect until nhtsa pressures them to. please broaden the prius brake failure investigation to include gen 2 prius also, from years 2004 through 2009. a quick google will demonstrate how wide-spread this problem has been among many unhappy prius owners. *tr
01/28/20102
 I have a 2005 prius and have been experiencing temporary brake failures since the first winter in 2005, often on rainy or snowy days, driving down hill while trying to stop at the bottom of the hill at a stop sign. i have had 4 near-misses, twice with the car coming into the middle of busy street and would have gotten into serious accidents had there been oncoming traffic. i have brought the car into the dealership 4 times, each time being told that the car is performing to spec, and hybrids take longer to brake. i do not buy this argument since it does not consistently behave this way, and if the brake cannot be engaged in time, then the design of the brake system is defective to begin with. performing to specification brings our families no comfort when we lie dead at the bottom of the hill. this same problem is being investigated and addressed in the 2010 prius model. it's obvious that toyota will continue to refuse acknowledging and addressing this fatal defect until nhtsa pressures them to. please broaden the prius brake failure investigation to include gen 2 prius also, from years 2004 through 2009. a quick google will demonstrate how wide-spread this problem has been among many unhappy prius owners.*tr
02/13/2010697001
 If the car drives over an unlevel surface (e.g. steel plate, manhole cover, transition from asphalt to cement road) and the brakes are applied, the car accelerates momentarily. this does not occur on a consistent basis, but is more random. i have repeatedly brought this to the attention of the dealer (russel toyota in baltimore md 21228) who keeps saying this is normal and expected for priuses. i have repeatedly told them that this is not normal. when i hit the brakes in my other cars, it never accelerates. they have advised that i contact toyota, but have requested that i not report this to nhtsa. *tr
09/10/20091
 After changing lanes from the left right lane to the left lane near downtown los angeles, a car suddenly stopped on a yellow light. i quickly hit the brakes which seemed to slowly engage and was hit the car from behind. *tr
01/10/20091
 After accelerating from a red light behind a van, the van abruptly stopped. i hit the brakes in an attempt to stop. the brakes did not enable right away and the car i was driving rear-ended the van. *tr
05/01/200511
 Easily replicated, unexpected brake release on 2005 toyota prius. 1) drive over rough part of road, or slick spot 2) apply brakes 3) no response from brakes for a second or so. *tr
01/24/20101
 My 2005 model prius lost brake momentarily and accelerated on a bumpy stretch of road. it happens always i pass over the same stretch just on a stop signal. it stopped very close to the other vehicle in front after regaining the brake luckily avoiding accident. this is the same problem reported on the 2010 prius and is being recalled. *tr
12/20/20091
 I have a 2005 and 2010 prius. i have noticed a sense ofsurge when braking slowly over irregular pavement with both cars. i always just considered it a quirk of the car. there is absolutely no question in my mind that this braking problem is at least present in the 2005 priuses. i have not had any accidents relating to this. nothing yet has been done to correct this. *tr
02/09/20101
 We have a 2005 prius hybrid. it has, ever since we purchased it, occasionally accelerated when we have put on brakes. it stops after a second or two, and has never caused an accident, though it is scary when it happens. i believe the only recall that applies to this model year is the floor mat problem, which is not the issue. what i've read is that the older prius's don't have the braking/acceleration problem. but ours certainly does. we love the car otherwise, but would like to know if there is some action we should take regarding this, and if other people have reported it. *tr
10/20/20091001
 I have a 2005 toyota prius i have the same braking issue that the 2010 prius has with braking on uneven surfaces and hitting pot holds my brakes have memory loss they hit the uneven surface the car continues to move, it feels like it gets air borne also when the weather is wet the brakes lock up, i barely touch them then brakes lock throwing everything forward. i have taken my car into the dealership for brake issues the last time was about 10/09 they found no trouble, both problem are current issues. the dealership continues to tell me there is no problem with the brakes. *tr
06/15/2009510001
 I was sitting at a stop light waiting for it to turn green when my brake pedal suddenly went all the way to the floor. i only had a few blocks to get to my destination and the brakes still worked if i pushed on them really hard. i got it parked and left it for about 4 hours and when i started it back up they worked fine again. it only happened once. i have abs brakes. *tr
01/23/201025001
 2005 prius that has the same braking issues that the 2010 prius is being recalled for. the brakes momentarily fail while slowing down and hitting rough or slick road spots. this behavior has occurred many times since i first purchased my prius. *tr
05/01/20061
 My 2005 toyota prius brakes failed when i tried to stop at a stop light. i didn't realize it was red until i was very close to it, so i slammed on the brakes. i had my foot all the way down on the pedal and it was like the brakes released. less than 2 weeks later, my husband was driving the prius and traffic infront of us stopped very quickly. the same thing happened to him, the brakes released when he had the brake pedal all the way down. again this was an extreme braking situation. i took the prius to darcars in frederick, md, where i bought it, to report the problem and they said that it did not happen. they said if anything went wrong it would be recorded in the software of the car and it wasn't so that meant that nothing was wrong with the car. i then traded the car in for a rav4 because i wasn't going to drive a car that had unreliable brakes. *tr
07/18/2008550001
 My 2005 toyota prius brakes failed totally while driving. when i touched the brake pedal the brakes locked hard, and the smell of the brake bands was high. i slowed to 20 mph and went to tonio divion toyota in riverdale utah. the drive train warranty had not expired, but they said that the brakes were not a part of the drive train. the electronic board failed and was replaced at a cost of $985.87. if this qualifies on a prius recall can i get any money back? *tr
06/01/200510001
 I have a 2005 (early 2nd generation) prius and i experienced the latest reported design flaw in the braking system from day 1 in 2005. the best description i've heard of it is inconsistent braking over rough surfaces. that is, when driving over a pothole or bump when applying the (regenerative) brakes, the bump seems to push back, momentarily disengaging the brakes. the effect is at best, unnerving, and at worst, scary, depending on what you're trying to do when it happens (ie, slowing vs trying to stop). i brought this experience to the attention of my dealer service personnel a couple times over the last several years and was met with the equivalent of blank stares and the sound of crickets. bottom line, this is not a new problem in 2010 model prius only. *tr
07/11/2009435801
 I have a 2005 prius that has experienced brake issues including surging forward when brake is depressed. i brought this to the attention of my dealer and was told this is normal. it doesn't happen all the time but is a bit scary. i plan to bring it up to the dealer again when i go for my 45,000 mile tune up, probably next week. *tr
02/05/201052001
 For a number of years i've noticed a strange sensation when going over a bump or ripples in the road while braking in my 2005 toyota prius but didn't think too much about it because it is a rare occurrence. after reading about toyota's recent recall of the 2010 prius i realized that what was happening is the brakes were releasing while going over the bumps. recently while driving one of the few times in the snow, i had the sensation that the anti-lock function released the brakes for about 2 seconds during which i could not stop the car and there was no sensation of pulsing or skid marks. there is a rippled spot on a nearby road that i can always reproduce the brake release issue. *tr
02/13/2009535391
 Feburary 13, 2009, my breaks failed to engage when approaching a busy intersection. no warning lights flashed. my breaks just didn't work. in order to stop my vehicle from slamming into cars waiting at the light and people crossing at the cross walk, i applied the parking break and turned off my car. thankfully i was able to stop my car in time. i turned my car off, then back on and a warning light came on; indicating something wrong with the abs system. toyota diagnosed the problem citing the break actuator and computer skid control. *cn
02/05/200987000
 I have noticed the ongoing disturbance with the brakes on my 2005 toyota prius, as described in media reports on the newer prius models. during the braking process, if i encounter any disturbance in the road such as a pot hole or an expansion joint, i feel a momentary loss of braking. the car will regain braking control if i continue to hold the brakes down. i have been told that it was just to be expected with the traction control system. i have noticed this issue every since i bought the vehicle in march of 2008.
03/01/2007200001
 2005 and 2009 toyota prius braking problems. i have a 2005 and a 2009 toyota prius. on both of these vehicles, i have experienced the same problems which are being described in the news about the 2010 prius model. i have never had an accident relating to this problem, but the potential is certainly there. the problem occurs when i am moving forward, have the brake slightly depressed, and i hit a pot hole or speed bump. the wheels momentarily speed up, so i react by pressing harder on the brakes and the wheels slow down. *tw
01/01/20091600001
 There were no events leading up to the failure. the failure is of the brakes in my 2005 toyota prius. the nature of the failure is intermittent and brief, and only occurs when going over rough terrain or potholes. it is identical to the recent advisories issued on the 2010 model prius. i called the dealer and was told that it was a normal 'anti-skid' feature on the vehicle, but now i believe otherwise, after reading about the 2010 model issues. *cn
10/22/200996001
 Our son was killed on oct 22nd in a single car crash while driving a 2005 toyota prius( the police report states that he lost control, jumped the curb and died in the ensuing crash) while negotiating a curve while attempting to enter the freeway in tucson az. we strongly believe that this may have been caused by sudden acceleration and or break problems. i know this is an older model, but in light of toyota's lies and coverups time will only tell. updated 02/19/10 *bf *cn updated 03/10/10 *bf
02/04/2010101
 Brakes stop working intermittently when applied going over rough surfaces such as railroad tracks and potholes. this results in a brief suspension of braking activity. occurs each time the above conditions are met and brakes are applied. this has happened since i purchased the vehicle new. since i always reduce speed in these potential situations, no accidents have occurred, but it does result in an intermittent loss of braking which could result in rear end collisions. previously my 1999 chevrolet suv did the same thing and i was told it was an inherent characteristic of the antilock breaking system. *cn
04/16/2007450001
 2005 toyota prius braking delay on bumpy/wet roads single vehicle accident 04/16/2007 on rt 70 in brick, nj. *tr
02/04/2010450001
 We have the same brake defect in our 2005 toyota prius as the defect that is currently being reported in the 2010 toyota prius. in our car, when we go over a manhole cover or similar irregularity in the road while braking, the car feels like it is momentarily hydroplaning and you have lost traction. my wife stopped driving this car because of this sensation that the car is out of control. this has been going on since we first bought the car in 2005 and has happened many times. i thought it was because the car is light weight so i never reported it until i read people's descriptions of the 2010 prius problem. our problem is exactly the same thing. *tr
02/05/20101001
 This is an ongoing problem with a 2005 prius. if you hit a bump or pothole while braking from a normal speed, the car will briefly accelerate on its own. this causes additional braking pressure to be needed and precise steering. many prius owners since 2004 have indicated this problem. *tr
05/15/2008250001
 2005 prius brake my brakes failed in the rain. i was driving on a road that has old trolley tracks and i was only going about 20 mph and i decided to stop for a yellow light. i put the brake pedal to the floor and nothing happened. i just kept rolling downhill. no abs nothing. if there had been something in front of me i would have hit it. after about 20 feet my brakes started to work and at that point the skid light came on. i was really lucky that this intersection has a stop 20 feet before the corner or i would have gone right through the intersection. *tr
03/30/20052001
 2005 prius that i purchased new loses braking momentarily when going over a bump or a pothole. i noticed this soon after i took possession of the car. i have never contacted the dealer regarding this but feel it is important to mention it after hearing about the problem with the 2010 prius. this problem persists. *tr
02/04/20101
 When braking on bumpy roads or potholes my prius lurches forward before the brake finally engages. i put today's date as the incident date but this has happened numerous times since i've owned the car. there is a bumpy road near my home where i frequently experience this. *tr
02/04/2010400001
 Just heard a report about brake issues with the 2010 prius. my 2005 prius does the exact same thing - sometimes accelerates when pushing the brake pedal on bumpy roads or streets with potholes. this is an ongoing issue that has happened on numerous occasions. *tr
06/01/200751
 My toyota prius 2005 has the same braking issue as described in the media today for the 2010 model. in addition, the skid control causes a sudden power loss during acceleration in similar situations to the problems described with braking failures in the 2010 model (potholes, even small bumps in the road, rapid acceleration around curves, in addition to when there is ice on the road) that reportedly has been fixed. although the complete power loss lasts less than a second recovery of power is slow enough to have stranded me in front of oncoming traffic waiting for acceleration in a number situations where there was no risk associated with loss of traction. i contacted toyota several years ago and tried filed a complaint (i was really persistent), but they refused to recognize this as a design flaw saying only that the vehicle was functioning as designed. when i pointed out that the vehicle, as designed, was dangerous, they only reiterated that it was functioning properly and refused to take further action. it felt to me that they were concerned that admitting the problem could avalanche into a problem similar to what they have now. please note that this is a recurring and persistent issue that has occurred numerous times since i have owned the car (four plus years). *tr
12/11/20091
 I own a 2005 toyota prius and i want to report that there is a problem with the anti-lock brake system in that model as well. during the 4 1/2/ years that i have owned the car there have been three incidents where the abs system took too long to kick in. in two of those incidents, if there had been one more second before the brakes worked, i would have been in an accident. all these incidents occurred on smoothly paved freeways. i want it to be known that the abs failure is occurring in 2005 models and on smooth pavement. during my ownership of the car the brake pads have been replaced but this did not prevent the abs failure from happening again. the incident date i am including is the most recent time this happened on the north 5 freeway in los angeles in december 2009. *tr
05/01/2009570001
 I was driving approximately 35 mph and braking upon approaching a curve and a metal plate on the road about 40 feet before a stop sign. the car accelerated momentarily (surged) on the uneven surface, for less than 1 second. as i drove this stretch of road once per week, i then approached it more slowly. at lower speeds, the braking problem did not occur, but weeks when i forgot to drive more slowly, the braking problem recurred (not sure of the hit rate - perhaps 40% of the time at ~35 mph). i am uncertain of the dates: very roughly, april 2009 - september 2009, while the metal plate was in place. // i have experienced a braking problem on one other occasion on a straight stretch of uneven road, going about 35 mph and over a pothole. this was approximately january 1, 2010. once again, the car accelerated/surged for less than 1 second. *tr
02/02/20108520012
 I bought a new toyota prius in 2005. when the vehicle rides over uneven pavement the stability control makes the car quickly lurch forward. this has happened dozens of times over the past five years. recently, i have had a problem with my brakes in icy conditions. i was cruising at about 15 mph to a stop sign, not on snow, it was just below freezing that day, when i applied the foot brake i felt no resistance in the pedal. i could feel the abs system disengage for about 3 seconds. i could not stop the car using the brakes so i rolled to a stop. this happened again a few minutes later. *tr
10/10/2009240001
 Pulling away from the curb, on a slope, my 2005 prius did not respond to the brake pedal and the engine continued to accelerate. at the bottom of the slope (hundreds of feet), the brake stopped the car just at a very busy, fast moving intersection. i told this to the floor mat recall desk (as my floor mat was fine) and they insisted i call a different number, which i neglected to do. *tr
07/01/200510001
 This morning's ap story about the nhtsa looking into allegations of momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over uneven road surfaces, potholes or bumps in 2010 priuses jogged my memory about this having happened several times to me in my 2005 prius. i can't state dates, but i'd say that every 3 months or so, i will brake where the road is uneven, the slip indicator lights up on the dashboard, and i feel a loss of control just for a moment until i feel the car regain control. maybe that's just the antilock brakes kicking in, but it is an uneasy feeling. *tr
01/15/201001
 I just read about the 2010 prius braking complaints. i have a 2005 prius and constantly experience what is being described. every time i hit a bump or a pot hole, the prius lunges forward especially if i'm braking at the time. also, when i brake on slick roads i often experience the prius' brakes not engaging as they should. once i tried to make a right hand turn, going a proper rate of speed, on a snow covered road. the prius' brakes did not engage enough to slow the vehicle in order to make the turn. i was forced to go straight through the intersection in order to avoid a collision. this problem has been present since we purchased the vehicle in 2005. i knew it was the computer system causing the anomaly, but i figured that i just needed to get used to it. now, after reading the media reports, i believe this is infact a problem with my vehicles sensors and software. *tr
02/02/20101
 I have a 2005 prius that has an extra option of stability control. the car does as others are reporting in the 2010 models. if i hit a bump or icy patch while applying the brake or as i am applying the brake the car lurches forward and the brake does not engage. thus far i am able to hit harder and hold the brake a second time and the car then behaves as expected and stops. *tr
06/30/2009800003
 I have a 2005 toyota prius with about 80k miles. when braking, the car jerked forward into an intersection almost hitting another car. there were no special weather conditions to report when this happened and i was driving at a normal speed before braking. this has happened about three times. *tr
06/15/2009700001
 Our 2005 toyota prius surges when we are braking, coming to a stop and pass over a mound or pothole, that is, any irregularity in the road's surface. this has happened many times, and luckily, no collision has yet occurred. *tr
02/03/20101
 My 2005 toyota prius, exhibits the same symptoms of acceleration, skidding effect when hitting a bump and braking, as today's report of the 2010 prius doing the same thing. i thought it has been the anti-skidding mechanism all these years, but the description of this malady in the 2010 prius sounds like my 2005. *tr
01/01/20081
 '05 toyota prius. chronic failure of antilock brakes and of vehicle stability control. toyota dealers repair shop claims that this is to be fixed at my expense. seems to me that important safety defects should be repaired for free. how many like-complaints have you rec'd.? *tr
07/09/2008251331
 Toyota prius 2005 failing brake system- for the second time (the first incident was on 27-jun-2008) my brakes were not functioning properly. the first time the toyota dealership recalibrated the computer and could not tell me why is failed or that it would not happen again. the second occasion, yesterday, i actually rearended another car. no damage other than a complaint of possible whiplash and a warning that i may hear from him in a few days. the dealer just called me this afternoon to tell me that now they are replacing the computer. does this happen to prius's. it was very frightening and really makes me feel quite unsafe to drive my car which presented no major problems until the present braking issue. the anti skid light comes on a fair amount and my tires slip. i have been on line and there seems to be a number of complaints similar to mine and in different model years. *tr
04/19/2008220001
 Spontaneous failure of regenerative and power braking systems on prius, resulting in extremely difficult braking and long stopping distance; the 2 occurrences happened at a speed of less than 30mph so i was able to safely come to a stop, but at a higher speed it could have been disastrous. there was no warning, and in one case, the brakes were not even being applied at the time, if i remember correctly. the problem, brake, abs, and ps warning lights illuminate, and there is an audible alarm. the dealer did not perform any repairs after the original incident but after a second incident they are now replacing the abs electronic control unit and several other electronic components. *tr
01/03/20067532107/05/2005
 I was involved in a low-speed accident in which the brakes in my car (2005 toyota prius) did not slow or stop the car and caused me to run into the back of another vehicle. no one was injured, the airbags did not deploy and there was no damage to the vehicle my car collided with. the exterior damage to my car was estimated approximately $6700. soon after, i was notified by the insurance company that my car was totaled due to damage sustained to the hybrid system. i requested that the event data recorder be downloaded to determine if there had been a failure in the brake system. my insurance company refused and toyota appears to have ignored my request. i also find it disturbing and curious that the front end and hence the hybrid system was destroyed beyond repair in an accident so minor that the police would not even give it a report number. *jb
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
03/08/201297370
 I was on the freeway far right lane moving onto an interchange to another freeway when traffic suddenly stopped ahead. i slowed in preparation to stop with plenty room to do so. the car behind me was too close and rear ended my car. after the impact, my brakes failed and i ran into the car ahead even though i should have been able to stop in time, causing significant damage to the front of my car in addition to the rear damage.
05/26/2011103000
 I rolled slowly (<1 mph) uphill to the parking slot (l.a. code, 2%grade down away from buildings) up to the parking cement stop, and was ready to shut it down. the engine started to race, about to go over the cement stop when i put my foot on the brake. the car continued over the cement stop. i pushed harder on the brake and the car started to drive over the sidewalk. then the car drove through the plate glass of the studio and then came to a stop inside. i put the car into neutral and tried to turn the car 'off'. the car's engine was still on after several tries to turn it off and i had my foot off the brake and on the floor. then the car took a turn to the left and drove through the wall (my foot was still on the floor). i got out of the car without taking it out of neutral and it was still on. i took the key with me to the middle of the room (i used the keyless ignition) so the car should have chimed because; the passenger side door was open, i was out of the car, and the car was still left on. however, the car did not chime (indicating it did not detect i was 12 feet away). my teacher came up to the shattered glass window of the studio at the same time the security officer for the mini mall a few minutes after i got out of the car. i was looking for my insurance card in my purse when the three of us witnessed the car rev again and the wall began to shatter with plaster and wooden studs falling around the car with no one driving (the car was in neutral). because of the movement of the car, without a driver and in the wall, the security guard tried to get people out of the building. the towing company could not 'pull' the vehicle out of the wall with their tow truck for more then 20 minutes so, i gave my car key to the police officer and he gave it to the towing company. the man from the towing company drove the car out of the wall and out of the studio.
08/01/201185300
 Brakes on 2005 toyota prius started intermittently acting up about a year ago, after six years of no problems. observed symptoms were extreme jerkiness of brake operation despite constant pressure on brake pedal. symptoms observed at any speed, but especially noticeable at slow speeds (coming to a final stop, such as at a traffic light, or in reverse backing out of driveway). when applying brakes at highway speeds, jerkiness felt like alternate over braking / under braking. symptoms were quite scary the first times it happened. had personal mechanic check out brakes. test drive confirmed problem, but he was unable to find anything wrong with hydraulic brake system. since problem was intermittent, we decided to see what happened. problem continued intermittently, gradually increasing in frequency to the point in the last month where it was happening much more often than not. took car to toyota dealer for diagnosis. problem was not evident on day of service. they checked computer for stored error codes, and found none. rear brake drums showed slight wear and were out of adjustment, so drums were cleaned and turned and brakes adjusted. no difference in observed behavior; by end of the next day, jerky behavior noted as bad as it had ever been. took car back to dealer. they replaced the stroke sensor even though there was no stored error code. this appears to have fixed the problem, since there has been no recurrence of problem in a week or driving since repair. brakes feel totally normal again, for the first time in a year. note on diagnosis procedure: the dealer seemed to initially discount my detailed, written description of the problem, and reacted only to their observations. while understandable, it is frustrating to the owner and could lead to a serious problem not getting fixed. i feel that the symptoms as described to them pointed directly to the stroke sensor and it should have been replaced on that basis.
06/06/2011110000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds he noticed the engine light, the abs, and the brake light illuminated. the vehicle then started to make a loud clunking noise and then when decelerating he noticed that the abs starting to kick in when it shouldn't. the vehicle was then taken to a dealer and they advised him that the computer had malfunctioned on the abs system and the right front wheel had locked up. the vehicle has not been repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and they advised him they will escalate the failure. the failure and current mileages were approximately 110,000. the vin was unavailable. tb
04/14/201162000
 Were driving a 2005 toyota prius, when the brakes suddenly started behaving erratically, would not depress when pressure was applied. all abs /vsc lights came on, drove to the nearest dealership (glendale, ca toyota). they said that the brakes had short circuited and needed to be replaced. ($2500 part), subsequently they said that the skid control ecu was also gone and had to be fixed. this was another $1500 part. on reading other complaints, this sounds like a major and common issue, does not appear that toyota is addressing or even reviewing the problem. this is a single owner car, all maintenance service followed and with only 62,000 miles on the car.
03/27/2011119000
 Note: the date above does not reflect first date of occurance. this is the event date that led to toyota admitting something is wrong with the car. please read narrative: on three occasions the car has died while being parked at work and at home. on one occasion the car died in my garage. after the vehicle was jumped it seemed fine. no lights were left on nor were any electrical devices plugged into the accessories. when it started up the car stated that the parking brake was not properly engaged and the vehicle needed to be moved to a level surface. it was in my driveway. another time the car did the same thing, dying at work in the airport employee parking lot. the car required being jump started and again it gave the same message. a co-worker stated that they had heard the car alarm go off at one point about an hour prior to shift change. both times the vehicle was checked and the report was
11/21/201050000
 We have noticed repeatedly (a dozen or more times) over three years of owning this car and 100k miles, that as we brake going over a bumpy section of road, the braking system fails and the car actually accelerates for one or two seconds. this is especially alarming when we need to brake suddenly in a curve on a bumpy road as it seems we will lose control of the car. i always brake with my right foot and my right foot remains off the accelerator and on the brake throughout these episodes. our car is equipped with the vehicle stability system and the passenger notices that the stability system warning light comes on during these episodes. it is not simply that the car coasts when the braking fails, the engine actually sounds like it is revving up and the car noticeably speeds up. once the bumpy section has been passed, normal braking resumes. this has nothing to do with the floor mat. this situation should be reproducible thru testing.
11/11/201030000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph and trying to decelerate the vehicle wouldn't stop and the contact crashed into the rear of a pick up truck. the air bags did not deploy. the contact received injuries to the neck and chest. the driver of the other vehicle was not injured. the contact was transported to the hospital via ambulance. a police report was provided. the vehicle was considered a total loss. the failure mileage on the vehicle was 30,000. the vin was unavailable. tb
07/27/201072293
 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.
06/06/2010
 When i go over a bump or hit a pothole in my 2005 prius and i am braking it feels like my brakes disengage for just a second and the car seems to go faster. i have never felt comfortable with this situation but since i don't know a while lot about cars i thought it might be normal until i saw an article in the newspaper from another prius owner with the same complaint. this article suggested a complaint be filed with nhtsa. i am filing this with the date of the newspaper article although the strange braking feeling has been ongoing since i purchased the vehicle in june 2005.
05/24/2007
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that the vehicle would intermittently experience braking failures. when the brakes were applied, the vehicle would surge forward before the brakes would engage. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the failure continued to occur intermittently. the vehicle was again taken to an authorized dealership where the vehicle was serviced using the remedy associated with nhtsa campaign id number 10v039000. the failure mileage was unknown. the current mileage was 115,039.
05/20/201038000
 I have a 2005 toyota prius and have concerns about its braking system. this has beem a constant occurrence that, to date has not caused a crash. when braking on a bumpy road it feels like the braking system does not engage for about a second and the car surges forward. this is only when there is a bump in the road and does not occur when braking on a smooth surface. even when i apply my brakes slowly this occurs when there is a bump in the road.
08/30/20050
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. while driving at 30 mph and attempting to stop, the brakes failed to engage for about three seconds. on one occasion, while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle did not stop and crashed into another vehicle in front. the driver in the other vehicle sustained injuries and a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed and repaired. the contact called the dealership and the manufacturer but was told that they could not assist because there was no failure with the vehicle. the failure mileage was unknown. the current mileage was 35,235.
05/03/201095000
 Braking momentarily fails after hitting a bump, pothole, or other road irregularity. this article describes the issue perfectly. http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2009/12/nhtsa-tracking-braking-loss-on-prius-hybrids/#more-17003 dealers since day of purchase have said there was nothing wrong.
04/01/2010500
 I have made complaints to the dealership since i purchased my 2005 toyota prius regarding a momentary brake failure when driving over a bump or hitting a pothole. i have been told everything from it is just how abs works to you need to hit the brake harder when you come to a stop (i.e. rather than a slow and careful stop, a quick and sharp stop). there are too many incidents to name but one that occurs routinely is about 30 yards away from a stop sign leading into the parking lot at my place employment. i now have to coast very carefully and prepare myself for brake failure. should there be cars around, this becomes a dangerous matter. again, this happens routinely and none of my complaints have been taken seriously by the dealership.
10/12/2004427
 Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated while driving at unknown speeds, the brakes would not engage when depressed. the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. the contact stated the failure would occur intermittently for years. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was 427 and the current mileage was 50,000.
04/17/201090000
 48 mph traveling north on or 217; without cause and simultaneously brake warning light on abs warning light on vsc warning light on audible alarm steady tone then try to stop: brake pedal up high, brake pedal unresponsive and hard to press, immediately pulled of on allen exit; brakes still unresponsive, pressed maximum force on brake pedal brakes locked up the wheels skidding and burning rubber.
05/01/200589000
 2005 toyota prius--experiences braking and handling failures when braking on uneven or wet surfaces. when we are braking and hit a pothole, gravel, railroad tracks or wet surfaces, the car feels as if we are losing control of it, and braking seems to temporarily stop. the skid danger light comes on, even at very low speeds. this happens nearly every time we brake under these conditions. also, at idle (ie. stoplights), the car will frequently lurch forward slightly, even with the brake pedal fully depressed, especially when engine transfers from electric to gas. we were told early in our ownership that this is normal dieseling. these have been on-going problems, since we purchased the car in 2005 (new), that we thought we were imagining until hearing all of the reports of similar problems.toyota claims that the prius braking issues only affect the 2010 prius, but we see it firsthand on an on-going basis.
12/01/20081
 2005 toyota prius brake failure *gr the consumer stated she drove into a parking lot, made a sharp left turn, and then a sharp right turn into a parking space and experienced complete brake failure. the only thing that stopped her was an elevated median between parking rows and the fact that she was going very slowly. after several days of the vehicle being at the dealer, they were unable to find a problem. the consumer has since traded the vehicle, because she did not feel comfortable driving the vehicle any longer. *jb
10/15/2009550001
 About 6 months ago, i was on i-95 in ft. lauderdale, just exiting: i touched the brakes to slow -- and they firmly locked. i touched them again and, fortunately they worked normally. had this happened while i was still on i-95, there would have been a horrible accident. i reported this to toyota, at their nyc headquarters, when their other problems became public. this has not happened again, however, i no longer take any passengers, and i drive much more cautiously! *tr
08/02/200967079206/01/2005
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. while driving at speeds of 45 mph, the abs warning light and master warning light indicator illuminated on the warning panel. the driver experienced total brake failure. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for possible repairs. the dealer replaced the battery in an attempt to correct the failure. the vehicle exhibited the same issue again after the repairs were performed. the current mileage is 71,000 and the failure mileage was 67,079. updated 05/11/10. *lj updated 06/03/10*bf updated 06/04/10.*jb
12/23/2009350001
 Although i have never had an accident because of it, my prius (2005) has a habit of lurching forward when i hit the brake the stop at a light, for example. rather than decelerating the car suddenly speeds up before coming to a stop. this happens about once a week. sometimes it does not happen for a couple of weeks and other times it happens a couple of days in a row. *tr
10/15/2009610001
 I was traveling down a residential street and approaching a pedestrian intersection when a pedestrian on her morning exercise run suddenly ran across my path. i immediately tried to stop, but the edge of the sole of my dress shoes were caught behind the brake pedal, and i was unable to move my foot onto the pedal to depress it. only by steering away from the pedestrian, and her action to stop, did i avoid a serious accident. the cause of this incident is the fact that the accelerator and brake pedals are displaced by several inches, that is, the brake pedal is closer to the driver than what the accelerator is. this requires one to lift your foot by 6 inches or so before moving it over to the brake pedal to depress it. in an emergency situation your reflexive reaction is to try to move your foot over as quickly as possible. however, the displacement of the brake pedal creates an obstacle than, in the best case, results in a delay, and in the worst case results in an inability to operate the brake pedal in time to avoid an accident. *tr
03/03/2010810001
 Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) 2005 toyota prius [xxx] when braking on uneven/bumpy road (even freeway lane divider bumps), skid light come on and braking force is reduced. has happened at both low and high speeds. no issue on smooth roads. has occured several times, over several years, have never had the brakes serviced. last occured 3/3/2010. *tr
01/10/2007100001
 Abs braking system on my 2005 toyota prius will lock the drive wheels leaving you stalled in the middle of the road/turn. the accelerator can be all the way to the floor - engine racing - i have had to sit for 30-45 seconds before system released the drive wheels. *tr
01/13/2010570001
 I would like to file an official report of my accident that involved my 2005 toyota prius on january 13 of this year. it was in the morning after i had dropped off my children to their school. i was driving down the hill and driving the normal 25- 30mph down the hill to go home. upon coming to the stoplight, i noticed the cars in front of me stopped at the stoplight so i went to hit my brakes and did not feel any power from my brakes so i quickly stood on my brakes with both feet and realized i had absolutely no brake power. i subsequently crashed quite hard into the car in front of me and experienced severe pain to the right side of my neck. after initial shock, i was able to maneuver my car out of traffic to a parking lot and noticed it funny that my brakes were working at that point. after exchanging information with the man that i hit, my car was towed to an autobody shop. after going to kaiser to look into my injury (which was whiplash) i was told at the autobody shop that my car was totaled and could not be fixed. he also told me that my airbag did not deploy because i had hit a larger american car which was higher than my bumper. it never hit the airbag sensor on my car that was lower than the impact point. after the accident, i asked my insurance company, the interinsurance exchange of the automobile , to please look into the brake situation and they stated that they did not find anything wrong. i am not satisfied with this answer because i have read that the toyota problems are not easy to diagnose. i have been driving for 27 years and have never been in an auto crash that was my fault. i also have never experienced such a scary feeling as having absolutely no control over my car. *tr
09/07/2006117051
 Abs service light and brake light came on. when braking vehicle bucks - driver hesitated to drive car few miles to dealership. abs code c1247 strolesensor malfunction performed linear int and calibrate. if condition recurs abs ecu may be faulty - (9/7/06) abs light comes on. code #c1247...internal open circuit in skid control computer, replaced computer. - (3/20/07) abs light on. diagnosed brake pedal stroke sensor internally shorted code #c1247. replaced sensor. (4/23/07) . the preceding was taken from the dealership service department's notes on their service sheets. after the three trips to the dealer the problem appears to have been solved -- obviously an electronic part that might have had serious consequences depending on the circumstances. *tr
02/18/20052500
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that when the traction control engaged, the brakes would release for a second. he noticed the issue on a bumpy road and he saw the traction control engage when the light on the dashboard illuminated. the problem occurred whenever he had to brake on a bumpy surface (1-2 times a month). he had not taken the vehicle to the dealership or called the manufacturer to-date. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 98,100. the failure mileage was approximately 2500.
02/23/20101
 2005 prius brakes fail temporary when traveling over bumpy surface. it occurs weekly. no consequences yet. nothing done to correct the problem. *tr
01/20/20051001
 Please note this is my second complaint about my prius's brakes, but it is not a duplicate complaint. my car has two problems with it's brakes which seem to me to be unrelated. my prius brakes very oddly when driving in the rain, or in the early morning when there is appreciable dew/condensation. when gently depressing the brake pedal at a constant pressure, the car decelerates slowly, then abruptly transitions to very rapid deceleration, as though i had slammed the brake pedal down hard. it is very difficult to modulate the braking. this happens several times, then seems to ease up as the vehicle is operated for around 15 minutes. on several occasions i have reported this to the toyota dealership. they have sometimes dismissed the complaint out of hand, and once attempted in vain to replicate the defect, unsuccessfully. in any event, i have always been told my brakes were operating normally. please note that this is not the same problem as the brake failure which occurs when braking while riding over a rough or uneven surface, which my vehicle also does. at least, i assume the two problems are unrelated. i have filed a separate complaint form for that problem. *tr
11/05/2009738001
 On 11/5/09 in mid-afternoon i was driving my 2005 prius north on calvert st. in baltimore city, just above saratoga st., at about 25 mph when the traffic in front of me slowed. at the time i was speaking to my boss on my verizon cell phone using my bluetooth headset. i applied my brakes and the car was braking as usual slowing down normally until about 10 mph, or so, at which point i felt the car bounce very slightly and gently as if there was a small gradual dip and rise in the roadway surface. my foot was still applying light pressure on the brake pedal as i intended to come to a near crawl as i neared the car in front of me, but after the slight bump the brake pedal gradually went to the floor and my car proceeded without any braking in effect. after the pedal was depressed to a point near the floor i pumped the brake pedal once and press on it as hard as possible. at this point the right rear wheel brake applied and the rr tire squealed as it appears it was the only one braking. i continued pressing until the car came to a stop at which point i notice that several of the instrument panel lights were now on, including the ones for the brake, the abs, and vsc. i then continued driving slowly home, about 2 mi., because it appeared that only the rr brake was working and that there was not power assist with the braking. when i got home i turned the car off and then back on to see if the problem persisted, and upon restart the brakes appeared to work properly and some or perhaps all of the warning lights were off. i took the car to bill kidd toyota in timonium, md on 11/9/09 and they reported that scan code c1357 was present. they reportedly contacted toyota tech assistance who instructed them to clear the scan codes and perform linear solenoid calibration. they road tested the car and said it was ok to drive. my boss was on the phone with me during the entire incident and hear the rr tire squealing and we discuss what was going on. i am a mechanical engineer. *tr
07/23/20091183001
 The brakes began to noticeably grab then release at low speeds, but it was intermittent. my son was driving, slowed for a stop light and hit the car in front of him when the brakes released. i took the car to the dealer, they could not recreate the problem and told me no fault was detected. three weeks later, driving back from washington, through oregon, we pulled into a gas station, the car slowed at first, then the breaks let go and my husband had the stomp on the pedal. he turned off the car, filled it with gas, and when he turned it back on all the warning lights went off, signaling brake failure. we had it towed to a dealer in roseburg, and the brake sensor had faulted. but they told us we could probably drive back to sacramento. we decided to have it replaced there and not risk driving it any further. *tr
12/12/2009670001
 I have a 2005 toyota prius and my brakes slip whenever a front tire drops onto an uneven surface. it seems to be the exact problem described as happening to the 2010 models. i have had it happen several times as i live on a gravel road and when i turn onto my road it is an uneven surface. it has happened numerous times, to the point that i anticipate the occurrence when on an uneven surface. i think that i could recreate the occurrence if needed. (the date listed below is just one of several) also, the light showing that vehicle stabilization is on lights up whenever this happens. *tr
02/16/2010350001
 Vehicle: 2005 toyota prius, currently not covered by brake recall. when i apply the brakes and drive over a bump or pothole, i experience a momentary loss of braking power. this happens consistently - there is one particular pot hole that always causes this to happen, so it happens at least three times a week. i took it to the dealership to have it fixed, and they told me to call toyota directly. this has been happening since 6-28-09, two days after i bought the car, and happened again as recently as this morning. *tr
02/20/200830000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that when driving slowly, 5-15 mph, the brakes would fail to engage when she depressed the brake pedal.the skid light and chime would flash on the dashboard. after that, the vehicle would operate normally. she noticed the problem three times. she took the vehicle to the dealership and the dealer told her that there was nothing they could do about it. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. she had not spoken with the manufacturer to-date. the current mileage was approximately 45,600. the failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
07/06/20071
 Owned a prius and had a brake failure.. coming of the highway slowing to a stoplight by taking foot off gas, when i started to get close to the car infront i hit the brakes to complete my stop when i did nothing happened.. i ended up rear ending the car in front of me.. i had my car repaired and i reported the problem to toyota dealer (who did the repairs) they said they checked the brakes but didn't see any issues.. the braking problem happened after that too.. but they just ignored my claims.. *tr
01/01/2008650001
 My 2005 toyota prius has the same brake/acceleration problem that has been reported in the media. sometimes when i apply the brakes on bumpy surfaces, the car tends to accelerate - or even lift up slightly - until the wheels touch down and regain contact with a flat surface. i never pump the brakes, but when this happens, my control over the vehicle is momentarily interrupted. this problem has recurred on numerous occasions since i bought the car a few years ago, but i ignored it. however, when i read a description of this braking problem being reported on 2010 models, i immediately recognized it as something that i have experienced from time to time. note: the incident date is merely an estimate of the first time i experienced this problem. *tr
01/10/20081
 Brakes appear to not engage properly or momentarily release when applying brakes over rough pavement or potholes. seems to last for about a second. this occurs frequently and i noticed this two years ago... assumed it was normal... odd, but normal. this can be easily replicated. *tr
02/05/2006150071
 We ordered a 2005 prius in the fall of 2004 and received delivery in may 2005. my wife drives the car more often than i do and she informed me that during times of wet or rainy conditions the brakes grab' when applied. this braking problem was not apparent during the first year. i've experience the brake grab evertime i drive it in wet weather, and even though i try to avoid it by gently applying the brakes, they they still grab this is just not a one time occurence...i have read the reports from other prius owners about the brakes. if there is a fix, and there should be, toyota should take care of this and not be in denial. *tr
08/10/20071
 2005 prius braking issue: my brakes delayed to engage when i tried to brake on an uneven road surface. i ended up going thru a curb at a higher rate of speed and just missed being in an crash. i now avoid engaging the brake if the road is uneven (where possible) to avoid this type of response. *tr
01/15/2010650001
 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
06/01/20055001
 After listening to publicity about the 2010 prius problem i realize that i have had the same problem of brake fade in my 2005 prius. there is a bridge section that i drive over several times a month. this bridge section is 1 inch higher than the asphalt road and on a steep hill immediately before a stop sign. so if i am braking as i hit the bridge section, i notice an immediate brake fade. so for all these years, i assumed it was an abs peculiarity with car unweighting. i've learned to brake hard immediately before i enter the bridge section, release the brakes as i hit the edge of the bridge section, brake hard on the bridge section and release as i drop off the section, then brake to the stop sign. i have never experience this problem in other situations but i am aware of the brake fade and might be anticipating the problem. it has been occurring since i purchased the car in 2005. *tr
02/03/20101
 My wife and i recently bought a used 2005 prius from wilde toyota in west allis, wi. in the last few months we have experienced braking issues with the vehicle on icy roads, slick roads, and snow covered roads. we have had three brake failures. the first was when i was driving on a side-street. i was going slow, less then 15 miles per hour, and stepped on the brakes to make a turn. the brakes were unresponsive for aprox. 2 seconds causing me to roll before the brakes engage. the second occured when my wife was driving at a low speed, under 40 miles an hour, on a main road. as she approached the stoplight she stepped on the brakes, which also failed to engage. due to her higher speed she rolled over 10 feet and came close to hitting the car stopped in front of her before the brakes finally engaged. the final occurance also occured when my wife was driving, this time at a higher speed between 40 and 50 miles per hour, when pressing on the brakes on an overpass the brakes failed to engage and the car physically seemed to shake a bit. after being unable to stop for several feet the brakes finally engaged. we believe these occurances are due to an error with our abs system. in each occurance the slippery road warning has appeared. we took it to wilde tayota this morning. after software testing as well as road testing on their snow covered lot they failed to replicate the problem. no system errors were present and they were unable to take any further action. we are, however, still convinced that a problem exists. if it occurs again we will once again take it to the dealership and try to replicate the problem. *tr
12/10/200510001
 I own a 2005 prius, bought new. i now have 130,000 miles on it. it has been serviced and maintained at scheduled intervals, mostly by a toyota dealer. #1: i have complained to the dealer since the first winter that i bought the car that the traction control system is dangerous in bad weather conditions. whenever the road is slippery, if the car senses wheelspin, it cuts power to the engine. this is scary if you're pulling out into traffic on a rainy day, as the car will sometimes just quit running for a second, leaving you vulnerable to oncoming traffic. snow is far worse. i live on a hilly road. if it's snowy the car will slow down, and simply stop trying to move forward on the first steep slope i come to. it doesn't matter how hard i mash on the accelerator, or if i back off and try again, the car will not attempt to move. once the car stops moving forward it begins to slide backwards, and control is totally lost. i was nearly killed the first time this happened (in about one inch of snow) as my car eventually slipped sideways across the oncoming traffic lane. an suv came down the hill and nearly broadsided me before i was able to get my car turned back down the hill. (my car was equipped with aggressive snow tires at the time.) ever since then, if i'm coming home from work in the snow, i leave my car in the shopping center at the bottom of the hill and call my husband, who picks me up with his ford bronco. # 2: anti-lock braking. the 2010 prius's aren't the only ones with problems; mine does the same thing. if i'm braking on a bumpy stretch of road or over a manhole cover in the rain, the car will cut power to the brakes, causing the car to feel like it's surging forward. again this problem is much worse in the snow. going downhill on a snowy, slippery hill the anti-lock brakes repeatedly cut braking power, which actually causes the car to accelerate to unsafe speeds. my dealer tells me that this is how the car works, and nothing can be dome to correct it. *tr
02/09/2010100001
 2005 toyota prius has brake issue. when braking over pothole or bump, i momentarily loose all brake. the brake comes back about 1 sec later. this has always happened, i have talked to the dealer several times, but i am only told that i need to 'get used to it'. *tr
06/01/20071
 Several times over past 5 years my 2005 toyota prius abs system had released the brakes for uncomfortable amount of time (0.5-1.0 seconds) when coming to a stop over slightly bumpy road. if i didn't keep good distance i could have crashed into a vehicle in front of me. *tr
10/30/200501
 The brakes slip when driving over a bump or pothole in the road. this experience is similar to what has been described in the 2010 prius model recall. i am driving a 2005 prius hybrid and have experienced similar slips since i purchased the vehicle in october of 2005. to date the slipping has not resulted in a crash, injury or failure however i have had some close calls. *tr
01/10/2010700001
 I have a 2005 toyota prius. i am having the same problem with braking. it happens mostly in wet weather when going over a bump. it always brakes after so i haven't done anything about it. they should know it is not just 2010 cars, it has happened several times. *tr
01/29/2010480001
 I consistently experience the feeling of my brakes momentarily releasing when going over a pot hole or train tracks while driving in normal conditions (usually at low speed). when i glance to see if the anti skid light is on , on these occurrences it is not. i have become accustomed to the odd feeling and the situation is always only momentary so i came to think nothing of it. however, with all the information about prius brakes failing completely, i want you to know that this is also occurring on my 2005 model. *tr
05/01/2009500001
 2005 toyota prius - i have had braking problem. near where i live there is a small pothole near an intersection with a stop sigh. when trying to stop if i hit the pothole the car's brakes just seem to disappear for a second. almost ran out through stop sign. this has happened a couple of times so i am now very careful to avoid the hole by nearly running off the right side of the road. now i hear there is a recall for the same thing with the 2010 prius. i've already had the floor mat recall. this concerns me because i wonder if it is really the floor mats or the run away gas pedal problem. i'm going on vacation and seriously considering renting a car because i'm almost afraid to drive my car. *tr
01/24/20051001
 Braking on 2005 toyota prius. when slowing to a stop and you hit a bumpy surface or manhole cover the antilock brakes go off and the brakes release for approximately 1-2 seconds and you feel as if you are skidding on ice. *tr
02/01/200630001
 I have been complaining to the dealer since i have had my 2005 prius (i bought it new) that at slow speeds on occasion when i just very lightly touch the brake my prius will suddenly stop as if i had slammed on the brakes. they insist that they have to see the problem before they can do anything about it. naturally the car doesn't do it when they have it for service. i selected service brakes hydraulic below because, you don't have a selection for just brakes. *tr
01/29/20101350001
 I am writing to express my concern over a one car accident in which i was the driver. this accident occured on a snow covered road while on my way to work. i was driving a 2005 toyota prius. this is the same explanation i gave to the police and to the insurance company. i was driving somewhere around 40mph when i applied the break. when i did this i did not stamp on it harshly rather in a normal break application. immediately my car slammed across the road very very fast, and it rolled over on its side. my seatbelt held me firmly in place but i was tilted with my head down by the passanger seat and my legs upwards to toward the top of the steering wheel. i remained in that position for about 20 or 25 min.unable to move until the emergency squad arrived. i was transported to the hospital in the ambulance. my car was declared to be totalled. my concern is that the insurance company keeps saying that the car is not on a recall list but my acciident experience is curiously similar to what they are saying is the problem with the 2010 toyota hybrids.. i think they should be investigating all possible vehicle issues. how can i persue this? do you have any recommendations? *cn
01/15/20065001
 I noticed a problem with breaking. it would lunge forward if i hit a manhole cover or any bump. i complained to the toyota dealer and they told me it was normal because of the abs. it didn't seem normal and i've gotten used to it but i was frightened the first few times. *cn
02/04/2010101
 Brakes stop working intermittently when applied going over rough surfaces such as railroad tracks and potholes. this results in a brief suspension of braking activity. occurs each time the above conditions are met and brakes are applied. this has happened since i purchased the vehicle new. since i always reduce speed in these potential situations, no accidents have occurred, but it does result in an intermittent loss of braking which could result in rear end collisions. previously my 1999 chevrolet suv did the same thing and i was told it was an inherent characteristic of the antilock breaking system. *cn
02/03/2010650001
 When crossing over uneven surfaces or during wet road conditions, the brakes will occasionally momentarily disengage while the pedal is pressed down. during such conditions on a handful of occasions, i came very close to rear-ending the vehicle stopped in front of me. when i heard about the 2010 prius brake issue, i immediately identified with the problem which i've experienced since i bought my 2005 prius as a new vehicle. my prior vehicle was this was an all-wheel drive so i assumed it was a quirky prius thing, but given the recent news, i believe this may in fact be a defect similar to that described for the 2010 prius. each time it occurs, there is a feeling of brief loss of control of the vehicle which is frightening. the date provided is the most recent incident which occurred as i crossed over a bumpy stretch of road with uneven paving. *tr
12/15/2009445001
 Rare but occasional, sporadic brake failure in 2005 toyota prius. last occurrence i remember was a few months ago. i was backing slowly into a parking slot on a lot at a store. when i stepped on the brake pedal, it felt like there was no braking for just a second or 2, then brakes engaged properly. we had driven several miles, so engine was well warmed up. it was cold out, so heater blower was blowing warm air. *tr
08/31/200511
 I am an owner of a toyota prius 2005. after reading the investigation about the 2010 prius brake problems i feel i experience the same problem in my car. when brake sometimes it feels as though the car momentarily speeds up before the braking action occurs. it is brief (about a second in duration) and then the car brakes as expected. i have asked the service department of toyota dealerships i've had my car serviced at several times about the sensation and was told this was normal as the car switch regenerating the batteries to when the hydraulic brakes are engaged and nothing to worry about. i understand toyota has admitted a problem in the 2010 model year but i feel the same problem exists in my car and would like to make sure that the investigation is not just for 2010 model year of the toyota prius. *tr
12/15/2009500001
 My 2005 prius has periodically experienced the momentary loss of braking associated with the 2010 model. the problem has usually occurred on a bumpy downgrade, with the brakes applied. when the car encountered an especially large bump, or sometimes on level ground when it hit a pothole, it suddenly felt as if it were airborne. this sensation was very brief, and the vehicle almost immediately regained braking effectiveness. however, it was disconcerting. *tr
12/29/2009510001
 We have a 2005 toyota prius that was involved in an accident as a result of the car taking off on it's own and the brakes not working. the prius only stopped when it hit another car and then we were unable to get the car turned off. this was not due to the floor mat recall. the car was in park and took off, would not stop even with both feet on the brakes, it stopped only upon impact. literally was seconds away from pinning a person inbetween the two vehicles. this could have led to a death or serious injury. since then the car was repaired but toyota engineers test drove it for about 10 miles and of course it didn't happen to them so they indicated there was no problem. we had 51,000 miles on the car before this happened. currently the car sits in the driveway not being used because of the defect. this model is not part of the recall yet but obviously is defective. we have two additional 2007 prius models in the family that are of concern. this is of major concern as nothing is being done to correct or address these models, only the newer prius models. we see toyota as ignoring the concerns on this model. it is a huge safety hazard as when you look around on the roads, many of these vehicles are still in use. *tr
10/15/2008300001
 When approaching a light, i changed lanes into the left turn lane, applied the brake to slow down, let up on the brake to go over a depressed area where a pipe was being replaced and the road repaired. i then applied the brakes firmly to stop the vehicle. unfortunately, nothing happened. the traction control light went on when i went over the bump and it took about 2 seconds of heading towards the back of a truck for the breaks to engage at all. when they finally engaged, the car stopped very quickly (as i would expect) and i was almost rear ended by the person behind me. i have had the brakes not engage on one other incident that also involved switching lanes and a bump. traction control and abs on this prius need to be replaced with something that will not kill. i was very disappointed that the braking problem was limited to 2010 priuses. it is not. this issue has clearly occurred twice for me in the past 5 years of moderate driving (about 10k miles per year). to address the issue, toyota told me that i was making it up, it never happened, i must have not pressed the brake pedal. i never released my foot from the pedal and the car stopped just fine after a significant delay. they did not replace any parts or make any changes to the vehicle. *tr
01/06/2005100112/01/2004
 Feb. 4, 2010 -- similar to what is being said about the abs brakes in a 2010 toyota prius not working properly if the vehicle has hit a pothole or is going over wash-board type surfaces, i have noticed that my 2005 prius has done the same thing when i go over very rough/choppy road surfaces. this has happened since i bought it brand new in dec. 2004. i never thought much about it until the recent reports of the 2010 model. i just chalked it up to the wheels bouncing in reaction to the surface. *jb
01/01/2010910001
 My 2005 prius has the same braking problem that has been identified in the news as only occurring in the 2010 model. anytime i am braking and hit an uneven road surface i feel a loss of my ability to brake. it seems like the car stops braking if you hit a pothole or bump while you are pressing the brake. it only lasts for a few seconds then the car starts to brake again. *tr
01/01/20061
 Please be advised that the braking problem in the toyota prius is not a 2010 model problem only. i complained to my dealer at least 3 years ago that my 2005 prius lurched forward when braking on bump or even a manhole cover. they did not consider it a serious problem at the time. your investigation needs to go back to earlier models! *tr
12/07/2007250001
 I have a 2005 toyota prius. while driving my prius at a low rate of speed, under 5 miles per hour, in the rain, i was unable to stop the vehicle. the brakes ceased to work. i glided into the back of a very large suv. while his car was not damage and neither of us were injured my car crumpled. there was no reason for this accident to occur other than the brakes not engaging. i am very very concerned about driving my car in the rain in stop and go traffic. the dealership has told me repeatedly there is nothing wrong with the prius braking system. i have seen discussion boards were many people were complaining about this exact same issue. *tr
01/01/20101
 2005 toyota prius - when applying brake lightly in the phase of slowing down, as i go over a defect in the road, the car speeds up immediately until i put heavy pressure on the brake and the car stops. this has happened several times. the dealer has test driven the car and has not been able to reconstruct the defect which is intermittent. their response is disbelief! approximate incident date is latest date but problem has been there all along. *tr
12/15/2009800001
 Temporary loss of speed control when hitting uneven surface (pothole) during braking. has occurred on at least two or three occasions recently (based on my recollection following announcement of braking issue with 2010 toyota prius). i was able to regain control of the car with no other consequences (stayed on road; didn't hit another car or pedestrian). *tr
01/01/20055001
 The prius braking problem is not limited to 2010 models. i have a 2005 prius and have noticed that after applying the brakes, if the car moves over an uneven or slick surface, the brakes seem to disengage for a moment. an example is applying the brakes while traveling over a crosswalk stripe that has been moistened by fog or rain. the car seems to lurch forward as the brakes seem to disengage and the slip indicator light comes on. then the brakes come back on. this can be somewhat disconcerting and could be hazardous if there were an obstacle or pedestrian immediately ahead. *tr
01/18/2010830001
 Toyota prius braking issues - pre 2010 models. on jan 18th, while approaching a traffic light on wet pavement, i applied the brakes on my 2005 prius and felt what appeared to be a slight delay in the brakes engaging. i firmly believe this contributed to my sliding out into the intersection and hitting another vehicle. had i stopped an inch or two earlier i would not have hit the other vehicle. toyota has admitted to its dealers that there are braking issues with its 2010 model and i believe these issues may go back to previous models also. the hybrid system has not changed significantly in the past 5 to 6 years. toyota should be required to thoroughly test this system on all prius models. *tr
03/01/200510001
 I read lots of news reports yesterday that the 2010 prius has a braking issue when run over speed bumps. my 2005 prius has a similar behavior which semi-known cause which might explain this, while being slightly dangerous in another way. when one drives a 2005 prius too fast over a speed bump, or through another situation which causes the car to think one of its wheels is slipping or spinning at a different rate than the others, the car temporarily (as i believe is in the instruction manual) flashes a briefly appearing indicator light on the front panel indicating it is slipping, and temporarily cuts back on engine power. avoiding this requires knowing the driving behavior of the prius, and i wonder if this is the behavior certain 2010 prius owners may be noting. {if one is looking at the road and scared by the sudden drop in engine power, one may never look down at the dash to see the indicator flash for 1-2 seconds either.} normally this is might seem like reasonable, but this becomes potentially extremely hazardous should one try to make a sharp right turn onto a higher-speed main road (40 mph+) from a dead stop on a side road with a high rate of acceleration to attempt merge into high-volume, fast-moving traffic. in such cases (especially if water is present, but even if the road is dry), i have had the anti-skid feature kick in and cut back on engine power for a half-second or so, which risks stalling the car temporarily in front of an oncoming vehicle. as a result, i try not to do any maneuvers like this, even though other cars often can burn rubber a bit and do this. nothing has been done to attempt to correct the issue, as it is presumed to be normal behavior for the car, and i never had a car with anti-skid abilities before. seeing this was common for me at first, but is now somewhat rare (less than once/month) due to changing my driving habits. (my2005 prius lacks vehicle stability control; but has the standard anti-skid safety feature.) *tr
05/15/2008380001
 I drive a 2005 toyota prius. i recently heard about toyota admitting there is a problem with the braking system. i have experienced this problem in my driving. when i either begin braking or have been braking and hit a pothole or rough pavement, it feels like the prius stops braking momentarily and then quickly resumes. the duration is maybe a second, but a lot can happen in a second. luckily this lapse in braking hasn't happened when there has been a car right in front of me. i think if it did, i would hit the car because i have no control of this braking lapse. i am concerned about this and if this is a defect that could be fixed, why wouldn't it be fixed. this has been an ongoing issue from when i first bought the prius in 2008. i didn't think about complaining until i just read the news article recently. *tr
01/01/20101
 Temporary loss of braking when going over a pothole or rippled surface. i have reported this twice to the toyota dealer, but was told this is just the way abs works. the new york times reports today this is a problem with the 2010 prius, but this has been happening in my 2005 prius since the beginning. *tr
08/30/2005501
 Applying brakes when going over slight road disturbances causes complete loss of braking temporarily, followed by a brief surge (acceleration). no other vehicle i've owned has had this problem. additionally slight road disturbances (mild bumps) cause traction control to turn on inappropriately. no other vehicle i've owned has had this problem. the dealer (specifically the sales person) was initially contacted in 2005 about these issues and it was reported back to me that this was normal. now i am finding out that many other owners are complaining about this problem, some of them in brand new 2010 vehicles. the initial incident date is aug 2005, but the problem continues to this day. *tr
01/27/2010610001
 My daughter was driving our 2005 prius at about 30 miles an hour at approximately 3pm when she saw a truck stop approximately 300 feet ahead of her. she applied the brakes but the prius did not stop and collided with the truck causing a total loss of the prius. the road surface was wet from snow and the temperature was approximately 34 degrees. although the car was heavily damaged the air bags did not deploy. this crash could have resulted from a brake problem or unintended acceleration. *tr
01/15/2010530001
 I was driving my 2005 prius on a residential street going approximately 20 mph approaching a stop sign. there were no other cars on the street. as i touched the brake pedal i felt a big thump like i was hit from behind but no other car was present. the weather was clear and the street was dry and smooth. i've owned the car about 7 months and have had no other similar problem. i am unsure what caused the incident. *tr
01/15/2010350001
 Brakes have begun to exhibit unusual behavior: inconsistent pressure to achieve the same stopping distance. sometimes, inexplicably, the brakes are extremely sensitive...an extremely slight pressure leads to a sudden stop, almost like the brakes are jamming or grabbing something inside. it's a bit scary when it happens, because the wheels feel like they are going to lock up, and it's hard to control exactly where the car stops. *tr
04/06/20081
 Abs & stability control lights stay on. dealer says that systems are faulty. not a warranty repair!!??!!! n.b.: it would help consumers if your complaint-search function would allow simultaneous searches for model of multiple years; and, for keywords so that results would appear regardless of whether complainant has chosen a different--or, even, an incorrect--category of equipment. *tr
12/31/20091
 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
12/02/20091
 2005 prius brakes disengage briefly when going over rough pavement. happens all the time when going downhill and braking to stop at low speed. *tr
05/01/2006200001
 1. multiple events, in order of frequency: a) high speed w/cruise control (65-75mph) b) high speed before braking (65-75mph) c) hitting a bump before braking 2. multiple events: a) car suddenly accelerated on its own and was difficult to slow / occurred multiple times, maybe 12-15 occurrences / gained control by turning cruise control off and firmly pressing on brake pedal b&c) car was initially unresponsive to braking / multiple times, approximately 3-5 / eventually slowed after firm compression on the brake pedal 3. multiple events: a) i no longer use cruise control b&c) i am very observant whenever i brake. *tr
11/28/2009970001
 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
08/14/200963174
 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.
08/12/200990000
 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.
02/27/2009621
 On 2/27/09, my 2005 toyota prius' brakes completely failed. i was going downhill in an highly transited urban road (rte 123 in va, close to tysons corner). thankfully i was only going about 40mph when the light changed to red. the 2 vehicles in front of me stopped. i pressed the brake pedal and my car accelerated initially, and then nothing. brakes are meant to work. always. i kept pumping the pedal hoping to engage the breaks, but they did not engage. what stopped me was the rear of a bmw x5. thankfully i was the only injured party, and my injuries are mostly muscular. i could have died or i could have killed someone. in january, i had taking my car to the dealer because all the alert lights on the dash would sporadically go off. they kept the car for a week and claimed that the secondary battery needed to be replaced. i got my vehicle back and on 2/23/09 the issue restarted. i was due to take my car back to the dealer the day of the accident. i called a lawyer to see if i had a case, and was told no. i am still researching the issue because someone should be held accountable and future tragedies should be avoided. if anyone has started a class action suit, please do let me know as i would like to join you. *tr
02/27/20091
 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
02/03/2009530001
 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
12/04/200837000
 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.
07/21/200816000
 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.
05/10/200718799104/30/2005
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that the vehicle began making unfamiliar noises while parked. while driving 30 mph, the noise continued in intervals. the service brake and the abs warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the brake actuator assembly (part number 4450047090) needed to be replaced at an estimated cost of $2,600. the year before, the brake actuator assembly was replaced under warranty by an authorized toyota dealer. the manufacturer confirmed that the part was previously replaced in may of 2007. the failure mileage was 18,799 and current mileage is 32,016. updated 10-07-08 *bf the tire showed unusual wear patterns. the vehicle pulled to the right. updated 10/07/08. *jb
12/18/200670000512/01/2004
 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
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK
04/01/200633703
 I have reviewed my service records and it is quite clear that i have had problems with the electrical system in my car since april 2006 @ 3,370 miles. this was also the same time it began to accelerate from a stopped position for the first time, when i noticed that the braking system began to feel different, when the car began slipping on perfectly dry roads, and when my steering wheel would lock up. i find it difficult to believe that the failure of my brakes and my intermittent acceleration issues are not somehow related to the cars computer system and not mechanical issues. i have filed complaints with toyota for these issues (cases # 200807100210, 200811030088). i experienced my first braking issue on 27-jun-2008 (25,133 miles). while i was able to bring the car to a stop eventually, the slowing of my car was a very gradual process requiring heavy pressure on the brake with minimal braking response. i went to the toyota dealership. the dtc code at the time was c1247 with code 179 stored, there was no brake assist. the dealership reset the memory and reinitialized the linear solenoid valve and calibration. the brakes were reported to have returned to normal. on 09-jul-2008 (25,551 miles), i returned to the dealership because my brakes failed again. this time my brake failure resulted in a car accident (the person i hit stated at the time of the accident he had whiplash but he never contacted me afterwards). toyota replaced the skid control ecu and rechecked operation reassuring me once again that the brakes had returned to normal. on 03-nov-2008 (29,575 miles) as i was driving over 65 on a major highway my brakes again failed (dtc c1247, code 179). toyota case #08300402. at this point the repair shop replaced the brake stroke sensor. i am concerned because my car had an acceleration issue on 13-feb-2010 and i find it to be slipping again on dry roads. similar problems to those i had before my brakes failed. please help. updated ivoq 04/02/10 updated 04/08/10.*jb
01/10/2010107415
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. he was driving 30 mph on a rainy day when he started to apply the brakes and the vehicle surged. the dealer test drove the vehicle and stated that the abs needed to be replaced. no repairs were made to the vehicle. the failure mileage was 107415. the current mileage was unknown. updated 4/5/10 *cn
09/10/2009450001
 Abs system failure while preparing to stop from 40 mph in 05 toyota prius last september. had at least three occurrences during the summer of the brake pedal going quickly and easily to the floor, making a thunk noise, sounding and feeling like metal on metal, but this would not happen again when i stepped on the brakes again immediately, and certainly didn't happen for my mechanic to hear. toyota diagnosed a computer failure that cost me $2000 to replace. *tr
11/13/2008532001
 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
01/08/200712000100
 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
12/04/2006180001010/12/2005
 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
12/14/200625568210/15/2005
 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
05/16/200614318110/13/2005
 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
11/08/2005110/18/2005
 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
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
01/01/19011
 2005 toyota prius makes a loud noise caused by anti-lock brake problems.*ts the consumer stated the noise was heard when the brakes were applied. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer. upon diagnosis, the consumer was informed it would cost $2,300 to correct the problem. the service rep stated a tsb had been issued regarding the problem, but there was no safety issue involved. the service rep it was not necessary to have the unit repaired. *jb
05/23/200918461
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. while driving 55 mph the mass air flow sensor failed causing the vehicle to shut off. the contact towed the vehicle to the dealer to have the mass air flow sensor replaced. the abs warning lights also flashed on the dash board causing the brakes to fail while driving 40 mph. the contact drove the vehicle to the dealer to have the abs brake actuator replaced. the failure mileage was 18,461.
02/12/200830000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. while driving 15 mph out of a parking lot in inclement weather, the contact applied the brakes and the vehicle failed to stop. the vehicle accelerated through a stop sign and crashed into a vehicle. the crash caused damages to both vehicles. no one was injured during the crash. the contact was able to drive the vehicle after the crash occurred. the contact has not called the manufacturer. the contact stated the brakes always malfunction during inclement weather. the failure mileage was 30,000. updated 3/24/10 *cn
02/20/201030000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated while driving at 20 mph on a bumpy road the contact applied the brakes to slow the vehicle down and the brake failed causing the vehicle to accelerate into the intersection. the vehicle eventually came to a stop. the contact feels this vehicle is unsafe to drive. the failure mileage was 30,000.
07/01/2009120000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. he experienced the identical failure as the 2010 prius when he attempt to engage the brake pedal. the brakes began functioning normally whenever he wasn't driving over a bump in the road. he has always experienced the failure but he thought it was normal. when he took the vehicle to the dealer for routine service and mentioned the brake failure; the dealer told him there was nothing to be worried about it was a normal function for the prius. the failure mileage was 120, 00 and the current mileage was 143,000.
12/26/200937047
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. while driving 20 mph over a bump in the road approaching a stop sign, with his foot on the brake pedal the vehicle surged forward and the brakes failed. the dealer will be contacted about the failure. the failure has occurred 20 times and more frequent whenever it rains. no repairs have been made. the failure mileage was 32000. the current mileage was 37047.
02/21/200880001
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that the brakes were momentarily unresponsive at low speeds including 10 mph when driving over a pothole or rough surface and appeared to lunge forward. he noticed the problem continuously since he purchased the vehicle. he had neither taken the vehicle to the dealership nor spoken with the manufacturer regarding the problem. the vehicle had not been repaired to-date. the current mileage was approximately 86,000. the failure mileage was approximately 8,000. updated 03/18/10 *bf updated 06/17/10*jb
01/06/2005100112/01/2004
 Feb. 4, 2010 -- similar to what is being said about the abs brakes in a 2010 toyota prius not working properly if the vehicle has hit a pothole or is going over wash-board type surfaces, i have noticed that my 2005 prius has done the same thing when i go over very rough/choppy road surfaces. this has happened since i bought it brand new in dec. 2004. i never thought much about it until the recent reports of the 2010 model. i just chalked it up to the wheels bouncing in reaction to the surface. *jb
08/13/2009400001
 Brakes stopped working. *jb
04/29/200870000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. while driving 50 mph he was going over a ridged roads with her foot on the brake pedal the would vehicle accelerated on its own. the failure has occurred everyday for approximately 2 years . the dealer has not been contacted. no repairs have been made. the failure mileage was 70,000. the current mileage was 99,000.
01/17/2009450001
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. while driving 15 mph over rail road tracks the vehicle accelerated while his foot was on the brake pedal. the failure occurred approximately 12 times last year. the dealer was not contacted. no repairs have been made. the failure mileage was 45000. the current mileage was 56000. updated 3/8/10 *cn updated 06/04/10.*jb
12/06/200747000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. whenever the contact attempted to apply the brakes while driving approximately 25 mph over a bump in the road, the brakes did not fully engage which increased the stopping distance. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer and the contact has noticed the failure since the day the vehicle was purchased. the current and failure mileages were 47000.
01/06/2009112000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact was driving between 5-19 mph on an icy road surface when the brakes were applied and the anti-lock brake system was inactivation and failed to deactivate. the vehicle failed to slow down and crashed into a vehicle on the front driver side. the failure occurred whenever encountering abnormal roads including icy road surfaces. there were no injures. the police was not called to the scene. both vehicles were damaged. the vehicle was not inspected for the malfunction. the failure mileage was 112,000.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DRUM - SHOES/LININGS
03/02/200722000104/26/2005
 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
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST
04/25/20056000311/06/2004
 2005 toyota prius -- floormat becomes lodged between pedals. -- while driving at high speeds (60-70 mph) on the freeway, i noticed a loss of sensitivity on both the brake and gas pedals. i had to press very hard to get a reaction from either pedal. as a result i was unable to keep driving at the same speed as the surrounding cars. everything else seemed to be operating normally. the sensation continued for a few minutes until i could safely pull off of the freeway. upon investigation, i realized that the floormat had come unhooked from its restraints and stuck between the pedals and the floor. i secured the floormat to its hooks once again and continued driving without trouble. this has happened a couple times since, but i recognize the symptoms and fix it promptly. however, i fear that another owner might experience this when they need to brake or accelerate suddenly to avoid an accident. (i noticed another posting that described the same problem). perhaps toyota should install locking hooks rather than the current ones that easily twist and unhook from the mats.
05/15/20052
 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.

Some parts © 2024 Advameg, Inc.
Based on public records. Inadvertent errors are possible.
This web site is not associated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by and has no official or unofficial affiliation with the vehicle's manufacturer.