Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK | |||||
| TSB-0174-12 | 09/17/2012 | 10048160 | Toyota: 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. *pe | 12/12/2012 | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK - ABS WARNING LIGHT | |||||
| TSB-0174-12 | 09/17/2012 | 10048160 | Toyota: 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. *pe | 12/12/2012 | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||||
| TSB-0174-12 | 09/17/2012 | 10048160 | Toyota: 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. *pe | 12/12/2012 | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||||
| TSB-0174-12 | 09/17/2012 | 10048160 | Toyota: 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. *pe | 12/12/2012 | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - ABS WARNING LIGHT | |||||
| TSB-0174-12 | 09/17/2012 | 10048160 | Toyota: 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. *pe | 12/12/2012 | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||||
| TSB-0174-12 | 09/17/2012 | 10048160 | Toyota: 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. *pe | 12/12/2012 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES | |||
| 11/06/2007 | 5000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph over a bump in the road and the brake pedal engaged; the vehicle failed to accelerate. after the failure occurred, the abs warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. the technician stated the vehicle operated as designed. in addition, when the anti skid was activated it would not respond during inclement weather. the manufacturer was not notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 5,000. | |||
| 11/06/2007 | 5000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph over a bump in the road and the brake pedal engaged; the vehicle failed to accelerate. after the failure occurred, the abs warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. the technician stated the vehicle operated as designed. in addition, when the anti skid was activated it would not respond during inclement weather. the manufacturer was not notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 5,000. rvk | |||
| 01/06/2010 | 40000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, he applied the brakes and one of the rear tires seized. the contact removed his foot from the brake pedal and the tire retuned to normal. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they advised that there was a failure with the anti- lock brake actuator, which needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 40,000. the vin was unavailable. kmj | |||
| 01/06/2010 | 40000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, he applied the brakes and one of the rear tires locked up. the contact stated that he took his foot off the braje pedal and the tire unlocked. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and they stated that there was a failure with the anti- lock brake actuator and it needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but they provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 40,000. the vin was unavailable. ap | |||
| 11/02/2012 | 71300 | 1 | |
| Anti-lock brake system on dry and wet roads have adversely effected braking on my 2007 prius for as long as i've owned it (since 10/2010). when the anti-lock brake system engages while pressing the brake with your foot the car slightly accelerates (or jumps/lunges) forward for a fraction of a second before the brakes then engage. on 11/02/2012 this issue contributed to a collision. without this glitch, i may have been able to stop my car completely (as i was already only going very slowly). on previous visits to the dealer, i was told that's just the way the car is built and that there's nothing that can be done to change it. *tr | |||
| 11/02/2012 | 71300 | ||
| Anti-lock brake system on dry and wet roads have adversely effected braking on my 2007 prius for as long as i've owned it (since 10/2010). when the anti-lock brake system engages while pressing the brake with your foot the car slightly accelerates (or jumps/lunges) forward for a fraction of a second before the brakes then engage. on 11/02/2012 this issue contributed to a collision. without this glitch, i may have been able to stop my car completely (as i was already only going very slowly). on previous visits to the dealer, i was told that's just the way the car is built and that there's nothing that can be done to change it. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | |||
| 10/20/2010 | 39500 | ||
| I am documenting that i am experiencing this issue: toyota recall campaign #10v039000 though this recall is technically for 2010 prius vehicles only, my 2007 prius experience the same problem: inconsistent brake feel after abs actuation during slow and steady application... however, this issue has occured even during dry weather on smooth road (unlike the campaign states under slippery/wet/rough road conditions). this problem has happened 3 times total over the past month since i purchased the vehicle mid-october 2010. additionally - the safety complaint portable form doesn't work correctly (i have a macbook running os 10.6.5). if your quick version doesn't work on apple computers, you should say so before people waste their time trying to use your alleged quick form. | |||
| 05/08/2010 | 36500 | ||
| While driving my 2007 prius in a congested area, the brakes did not respond when depressed quickly contirbuting or causing a low-speed collision with the vehicle in front of me. i found this article on cnet reviews that accurately matches my issue. toyota redesigned the braking systems for the 2010 prius. that appears to be toyota's response to the fact that the u.s. generation 2 prius (2004-2009) has had low-speed brake failures reported to the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) at 31 times the rate of such failures reported for the 2004-2009 corolla, which of course has traditional brakes. many of the prius low speed brake failures were in low-speed city traffic, resulting in rear-end collisions without injury. it appears that the several computers that control the complex braking systems were too busy calculating the most efficient way to apply the brakes, and did not get around to actually applying them, until it was too late. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC | |||
| 05/25/2010 | |||
| Whenever i brake when going over a bump, such as a manhole cover, pothole, or cobblestone road, the abs system engages and for a moment the brake does not seem to be working, the car is not slowing. i am worried it could lead to an accident if another car were close in front of me. when my husband mentioned the problem to the toyota dealer, the brakes were checked and we were told there was nothing wrong. however, this continues to happen and the moment without braking is too long for comfort. | |||
| 05/07/2010 | 42000 | ||
| 2007 toyota prius---repeatedly on rough pavement, if my wife or i attempt to brake the car, it is as if the car is running away with us in it. i just had the car serviced at our local toyota agency (landers toyota), and was told that our problem was normal. i tell you it is not normal, and has never occurred in any other car i own or have owned. | |||
| 05/17/2010 | |||
| I own a 2007 prius that has a break issue concerning me. when the brakes are engaged and i go over a rough spot or bump, the brakes fail for about 1 second and it feels as though the car is propelled forward. i have been told by the dealer on 2 occasions that it's just the abs brakes kicking in, however i have never had this happen with any other car i have driven. i have not had an accident (yet) but have become extremely cautious when i can identify a spot in the road that might cause trouble. the lack of brakes for even 1 second might mean that i am unable to stop from hitting a car ahead of me if that car stops quickly and the road if rough. | |||
| 05/08/2010 | 36500 | ||
| While driving my 2007 prius in a congested area, the brakes did not respond when depressed quickly contirbuting or causing a low-speed collision with the vehicle in front of me. i found this article on cnet reviews that accurately matches my issue. toyota redesigned the braking systems for the 2010 prius. that appears to be toyota's response to the fact that the u.s. generation 2 prius (2004-2009) has had low-speed brake failures reported to the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) at 31 times the rate of such failures reported for the 2004-2009 corolla, which of course has traditional brakes. many of the prius low speed brake failures were in low-speed city traffic, resulting in rear-end collisions without injury. it appears that the several computers that control the complex braking systems were too busy calculating the most efficient way to apply the brakes, and did not get around to actually applying them, until it was too late. | |||
| 03/18/2010 | 40000 | ||
| This is an incident involving the brake stability system of our prius (2007). it did not result in a crash or injury. my wife had been going to different stores and on leaving a store, suddenly the brake system acted very strange. the vsc icon was on and the red parking brake light remained on. my wife could barely drive the car home. we read the instruction book and learned that she should not have driven the car. but this information is buried in a very large instruction manual. the car was towed to our toyota dealer yesterday (march 18th). working on it today, they still have not found the problem. the service advisor is joe and his phone number is 540 382 2981 ext 6326. we thought our experience might provide a clue to the problems that others are encountering with toyota brakes | |||
| 03/10/2010 | |||
| Two months ago, i purchased a used 2007 prius and have been experiencing some odd incidents with the brakes. for instance, when i was exiting the freeway last week, i ran over a small pothole and the car lunged forward even though i was braking the whole time. also, when i drive at speeds higher than 60 mph and press on the brake, it always feels like there is a slight delay before the brakes actually take hold. it feels as if the brake pads on the tires are momentarily disconnected (for less than a second). i asked the toyota dealership if the 2007 model has been affected by all of the recent recalls, but they reassured me that my prius is fine. nonetheless, i wanted to report these incidents to the nhtsa in case others are experiencing similar problems. thank you. | |||
| 08/17/2008 | 25000 | 1 | |
| I currently own a 2010 prius and have had the brake recall work done. previously when i was living in belgium, i leased a 2007 prius. i complained to the toyota dealer about the lurching forward of the car when i braked if there was even mildly rough or damp pavement. they told me that it wasn't a problem. my husband and i were in an accident in belgium due to this problem. a stop light turned red and when we tried to stop, the car kept going and we ran into a motorcyclist. thankfully he wasn't injured but we had about $1,000 worth of damage to the front end of our car that we had to pay for. the dealer continued to claim that there was nothing wrong with the brakes. *tr | |||
| 03/12/2010 | 43000 | 1 | |
| I drive a 2007 prius. while going over rough patches, potholes, etc., my car seems to lurch forward and momentarily lose braking control. the vsa light flashes as well. it is definitely worse in the rain, and if i am turning. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2009 | 20000 | 3 | |
| For the last 10 months starting after ownership of the car for approx 15 months, after braking and while at a stop with foot on brake pedal, my 2007 toyota prius makes a loud sound like a large metal coil being tightened. toyota has attempted repair three times over the last 10 months to no avail. toyota has repeatedly stated that have no knowledge of the cause but are attempting to determine a fix. after the third repair attempt, the dealer declared my car a lemon and suggested i contact their third part arbitration center who has now turned down my case because although the defect was reported while the car was under warranty, the car no longer is under warranty. my state's lemon laws do not support cars no longer under warranty either. i have a car that could not be sold to anyone due to the loud and frightening noise. in addition, the situation worsened considerably after the last attempt at repair. *tr | |||
| 01/05/2009 | 0 | 1 | |
| Vehicle was sb in lane 2 of 2 when it is reported that the driver lost control struck a guard rail on the right then traveled across two lanes crossing onto a shoulder where it eventually struck a tree. eye witnesses saw no brake lights at any point. autopsy concluded that the driver died from trauma caused by impact with the tree. the vehicle was a 07 prius. *tr | |||
| 05/21/2009 | 39250 | 1 | |
| Prius 2007, failed to stop at very low speed. with a guest inside my car, i drove over a railroad track. there was a street light up front, and a couple of cars ahead of mine. as i pressed my brakes, the car did not stop. my car rear ended the front car, and my insurance was charged for it. indeed, i had no idea the prius could have a brake problem. to make it less expensive for my future insurance, i did not had my front bumper replaced, and the driver side outside mirror plastic cover, thinking that perhaps the insurance would not go up. now i have a doubled car insurance payment. the accident occurred on may 21, 2009. i took my car on the 26 may 2009 for a 40 miles maintenance paid in advance when i bought the car. the brakes were also checked and no problems found by the toyota dealer. i took my car again feb 20, 2010, again, no problems found. today i am reluctant, on my mind, if the prius will stop or not when brakes a pressed. car was purchase on february 2007. *tr | |||
| 02/11/2010 | 45000 | 1 | |
| When i drive my 2007 prius to work, i pass by 101 south to 110 south freeway. at that curve, there is a little bump, when i drive about 30 mph at that bumpy spot, i experienced four times lost my breaking system for a second or two. (whenever i loose braking system brake light come on for a second or two) one tine i had nearly miss the car in front. whenever i drive that spot i am slowing down to 20 mph. 2007 prius definitely has braking problems. i am afraid to drive my prius. i need help. *tr | |||
| 02/22/2010 | 36000 | 12 | |
| This has happened dozens of times, to myself and my wife. we are braking, and whilst braking drive over a pothole or drain. the traction control comes on, and the car disengages the brakes and the car lurches forward. after clearing the pothole, the traction control then disengages, and the brakes re-engage. several times, i have come close to hitting the car in front. conditions: clear, sunny, dry roads. car: toyota prius, year 2007. *tr | |||
| 02/12/2010 | 35000 | 1 | |
| When braking while driving over potholes, speed bumps, manhole covers, or any kind of bump in the road, car lurches forward, and brakes do not work at that moment, in addition, the traction warning light flashes telling driver car has lost traction with road. it occurs every single time the brakes are depressed while driving over a bump, pothole, manhole cover, or any kind of bump in the road. have come extremely close to rear-ending an individual in front of me at an intersection because there was a bump as i approached the intersection, and was braking to slow down. have taken to dealer once and told brakes are fine, unable to duplicate problem. taking back again to have service technician ride with us so we can demonstrate problem. *tr | |||
| 02/08/2010 | 50000 | 2 | |
| Driving on icy road. slowly approached red light. brakes did not work, no pumping or slowing. this occurred twice. able to avoid accident. took to dealer who said brakes checked out ok. why did they fail? *tr | |||
| 01/28/2010 | 1000 | 1 | |
| I have an ongoing problem with my 2007 prius with braking and traction control in slippery conditions (rain, snow, ice), and on slippery or uneven surfaces (railroad/trolley tracks, manhole covers, etc.). i have reported it to the toyota dealer several times starting in the summer of 2007 and have been told there is no problem. the car seems to lurch or slide under these conditions which is alarming even at very low speeds. the traction control light flashes, and there is a momentary inability to brake or stop the car. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2010 | 35600 | 1 | |
| I believe it is the vehicle's right rear wheel that spins and speeds up going over (stone, bump, deviation in road) and lunges forward. i felt loss of control for a brief second but thought i was going to crash into car ahead of me. car frequently does this since i purchased it in 2007 and was told by dealer that this happens when the car changes from standard braking system to other braking system. the complaint has never been registered until it happened again and in feb 2010 and i had heard of this happening to the prius 2010. i have since had the complaint put in writing. the dealer stated it was because i needed new tires and i tried to explain that this has happened since i bought the car. frequently when i start to drive, whether the road is wet or dry, the car warning light shows that it is skidding. i can feel it skidding but i do not understand why. the dealer stated there is no fix for this problem it is just how the car is. they stated that if toyota gets enough complaints they will look into it. they stated if this is a problem that toyota finds and they figure out how to fix it, i will be able to have the problem resolved. i have not contacted the toyota corporation on this problem. i bought new tires on 2/8/2010 at the recommendation of the dealer. *tr | |||
| 01/08/2009 | 55000 | 11 | |
| I have a 2007 prius. when it is really cold outside (below 15 degrees) the brakes are less effective. i noticed this last year during a cold week. i was driving 15 miles an hour and gently applied the brakes for a stop sign. there was a significant delay in the brakes working and i had to slam down on the pedal to stop. this happened about 10 times last winter and has happened once so far this winter. most of my driving is in town and i try to go slow, particularly in the cold, so i have always been able to stop in time. i called the toyota dealership about this last year and was told that it happens to all cars in cold weather and there was nothing they could do. with the recent discussion of the brake system for toyota i thought it was best to report this in case that wasn't true. *tr | |||
| 03/18/2007 | 0 | 1 | |
| I own a 2007 toyota prius and have experienced occasional momentary loss of braking (my foot firmly on the brake pedal) while driving over a bumpy surface. while braking over small pot holes, railroad tracks, rough patches, etc., the car seems to lunge forward apparently as the brakes release for a split second (approximately 1/4 to 1/2 second). the road conditions can be wet or dry. at the same time, my traction control light will flash on and off until the road smoothes out. this issue is ongoing, so incident date below is meaningless. *tr | |||
| 02/08/2010 | 12500 | 1 | |
| I own a 2007 toyota prius that exhibits exactly the same symptoms with the braking system that has caused the recall in 2010 models. when going over a bump the brakes appear to fail for about 1 or 2 seconds which gives the illusion that the car is lunging forward. this happens everytime i am applying the brakes while driving across bumps or railroad tracks. i reported this to a toyota dealer twice since purchasing the car and was told this is just how prius's are. *tr | |||
| 02/11/2008 | 15000 | 1 | |
| Car failed to stop on hill in snowy day -- antilock brakes froze. brakes also were weak in snow in general. i took the car into the dealer and asked for snow tires. they said it wouldn't make a difference, and that priuses were just bad in the snow. i traded the car in for a camry hybrid in the spring to avoid going through another winter with it. *tr | |||
| 12/15/2009 | 50000 | 1 | |
| 2007 toyota prius. when i am braking and drive over a disruptive surface: pothole, train tracks, i have experienced a brief loss of control with the brakes. best description is if during a controlled deceleration, you expect a consistent decrease of speed. however, the rate of deceleration was interrupted by the pot hole, then it would return to braking. this is a consistent event if i am braking while riding over a disturbed surface. *cn | |||
| 02/04/2010 | 63000 | ||
| While driving on a freeway entry ramp our 2007 prius' brakes failed to engage when the brake pedal was pushed. no braking action was felt and our car ran into the rear of another car on the entry ramp. estimated speed was eleven miles per hour according to the police report. this was not a skid situation as the speed was so low. the brakes simply failed to engage. our car is currently being evaluated by our insurance company. | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 100 | ||
| The 'brake cut-out driving over a pothole or manhole cover' is >not< restricted to the 2010 prius. my 2007 has done that since day one [65k miles ago]. there are hills near my house where i have to go out of my way to avoid manhole covers -- particularly the last one near a stop sign. the car just goes into free-wheel mode for a second or so. | |||
| 02/06/2010 | 24000 | ||
| My 2007 prius touring can/does experience braking issues when slowing/braking downhill and coming in contact with a manhole cover, pothole, or other even road surface. thought it was the tires, so replaced the original bridgestones for nokians, but the issue still occurs. the sensation is you feel like you've lost control of the car momentarily. as a result, i've changed my commute route home and drive much slower (was already driving slower since prius mileage is dependent on mph). on occasions, the speed (on a straight away) set with cruise control will increase by itself ... by a couple mph .... w/o me doing anything or touching anything. so i'm forced to tap brake ........ occurred this weekend with passengers - they said they felt the surge ..... | |||
| 09/01/2007 | 450 | 1 | |
| Toyota prius 2007 - antilock brake failure hitting potholes, man hole covers, crossing train tracks, going the speed limit down hills, rain & snow are the worst. every time car is taken in to dealer for servicing, we inform them of the brakes. they ensured us that nothing was wrong with them and there was nothing to worry about. we contacted our primary dealer who has done most of the services for the car, they conveniently no longer have service records for my vehicle prior to august 2009. the most recent incident that sent us complaining to the dealer was in october 2009, when returning home from work and the brakes needed to be applied in order to avoid hitting a deer, the brakes did absolutely nothing. the car continued to move and narrowly missed hitting the deer. this was reported to toyota of york in pennsylvania. the primary dealership that has provided our services is riverhead toyota in new york. the recent snowfall in pennsylvania has essentially made my car useless, it cannot handle the snowy roads without sliding all over the place, and we no longer trust the brake system in the event we need them. no physical injuries have occurred as a result of the brakes on our particular car, however emotionally, we are worried about placing ourselves in any potential situations where an accident could occur. *tr | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 20000 | ||
| Transient loss of braking ability when the car encounters potholes, bumpy or uneven pavement. when hitting brakes over these road conditions the car continues to move forward without slowing down; the 'slippery pavement indicator also lights up onthe dashboard transiently. has been occurring regularly (every week or so) since car purchased in 2007 but didn't think anything of it until recent description i read in the paper about braking problems in the 2010 prius (wall street journal article 2/5/10). . when i read that, it seemed identical to what i had been experiencing for a few years with my 2007 priius. fortunately all incidents have been at low speed on local roads, no accidents. | |||
| 06/01/2007 | 5000 | 1 | |
| Toyota prius 2007 braking problem. the braking problem that has been reported in the 2010 prius is also occurring in my 2007 prius. *tw | |||
| 02/06/2010 | 30500 | 2 | |
| I was braking to slow down and make a turn. when i applied my brakes over the uneven surface, the brakes were working, then let up for a second. this has happened enough that i have changed my driving habits to account for this slippage in brakes. it's not a sliding issue - i can feel the tension in the brake pedal ease up momentarily each time. i'd say this happens at least once per month since i purchased the car new in 2007. *tw | |||
| 05/13/2009 | 30000 | 1 | |
| Toyota prius loss of electical power, loss of steering resulting in crash in may 2009 while driving in a residental neighborhood at low speeds, prius lost all power resulting in loss of steering and loss of brakes resulting in crash into a high curb. i had prius towed to toyota dealership and filed complaint with dealership as well as with main california complaint center. they said that it would take them 4 months to investigate complaint. they recommended my storing car at dealership for four months if i wanted an investigation. they would not investigate otherwise. they told me there was no cause for concern and that the power loss must of resulted after the crash. they said that toyota had no safety complaints about power loss or steering or brake loss. i went on line and found same year model recall in australia. they told me the products were dissimilar and not a cause for concern. i disagreed. my routine mechanic at merchants tire and auto could find nothing wrong. i repaired the structural damage and sold the car since toyota assured me there was nothing wrong. toyota corporation's methodology of investigation appears to be designed to stifle any meaningful determination of baseline safety fault. the requirement to store a car for months at owners expense and for driver to have no access for transportation would appear to discourage any meaningful investigation of safety concern. given the current finding of brake and other safety defects in toyota products, i am concerned that the power loss may have been under-reported because of their unethical business practices. i report it to help you determine if there is a pattern of power loss, loss of steering and loss of braking in the prius. *cn | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 53490 | 1 | |
| On seven separate occasions since 2007 (the year of the prius being reported ) a slight skid occurs, which also results in the skid light coming on, when brake pedal is pressed. has been increasing in frequency -- three times in last week--and usually occurs within the first mile of car use that day. i reported the last incident below. however, this was first noticed sometime in 2007 after july purchase date. *cn | |||
| 11/06/2009 | 1 | ||
| Brakes momentarily disrupted when going over potholes and yellow light flashes. this has been a regular occurrence with our pre 2010 (2007) prius since purchase. never considered it a serious hazard, but i am reporting it now in connection with your ongoing investigation of the 2010 models. *tr | |||
| 01/10/2010 | 24500 | 1 | |
| I think that the prius braking problem is not limited to the 2010 model. my 2007 prius often hesitates in braking over bumpy and slippery surfaces including rain wet roads. i slid into an intersection that i feel any other car would have stopped without trouble. *tr | |||
| 05/30/2007 | 300 | 1 | |
| I've complained -- with no response or help -- to a toyota dealer about 2 concerns i have with my 2007 prius that i've always believed were manufacturer/design defects: 1) the brakes skip when i hit a pothole, especially the one i traverse every weekday turning into my worksite. 2) during hard acceleration early in a drive (the uphill left turn leaving my neighborhood), there is a hesitation for about a second or two -- like the engine is going to stall and die (it hasn't yet.) when i 'floor it to move into a hole in traffic, i get full power for a couple of seconds, followed by no power for a second and then a return of power. it's as if i took my foot off the accelerator, only it hasn't moved. my fear is that some time the delay will cause me to get hit and that some time the engine will just die. i've noticed this from when the car was within the first month old (i took delivery 4/30/07). stevinson toyota (golden, co) said they hadn't heard of such complaints. when i took it in about a year ago, they said they couldn't reproduce the problems and did nothing. *tr | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 33000 | 1 | |
| 2007 toyota prius braking issue!!!! the issues you are addressing with the braking system of the 2010 toyota prius aren't isolated to the 2010 prius. please take note that i have a 2007 toyota prius and i have experienced the exact same issue with braking system seemingly every time the traction control light illuminates... for example when i hit uneven pavement or potholes and moments when the tires lose traction on wet/icy roads. the sensation when driving during the second or two that it feels it takes for the brakes to regain full function leaves me, the driver, feeling slightly out of control of the vehicle and unsafe on the road. why are they/you not looking at earlier prius models, too, in this recall?? from what i understand, toyota has had complaints similar to mine since 2006 with their prius model. nothing has been done to acknowledge/correct this issue. *tr | |||
| 07/08/2008 | 1000 | 1 | |
| Toyota prius 2007 also has the brake problem as the 2010 model. we were scared many times when braking and instead slowing down the car momentarily lurched forward. we have never reported it. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2008 | 10000 | 1 | |
| Similar to the reported braking incidents with the 2010 prius, my 2007 prius loses braking resistance when driving over a rough surface such as pot holes. when i brake over pot holes, the yellow warning light on the dashboard lights up (symbol is a car over wavy tire tracks), and the brake pedal has no effect whatsoever, even when fully depressed. braking works once i am over the rough surface, but this has happened many, many times. although lack of braking has not led to an accident in my car, it is a very frightening situation to be in. *tr | |||
| 08/02/2007 | 1000 | 1 | |
| I have owned my 2007 prius since july, 2007. on an erratic basis, as i am braking (often as i am going over a bumpy road), the car seems to surge forward. it is as if the engine starts running harder. the light that indicates poor traction also comes on - it is as if i am not making good contact with the road. i have had no accidents but it is terrifying for me and i am fearful when someone/family member drives my car who is not aware of or has not become comfortable with dealing with this problem. fyi: even before prius said we should use different floor mats, i had made the change. i am not one to make a complaint but think that this is the time to make my concerns heard. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2010 | 0 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 toyota prius, and i have experienced the problem of the brakes not engaging immediately when i am on a bumpy surface. this is exactly the same problem i have heard reported on the 2010 prius.' *tr | |||
| 01/10/2008 | 5000 | 15 | |
| 2007 toyota prius. in the 3 years since we've owned the car, we have noted about 10 to 15 times that the car lurches forward when we have applied the brakes while going over a bump. it is always in conjunction with the traction control being activated. it has never been at high speed, but we have felt that we are not able to break for a second or two. after learning of problems with other prius models, we are concerned that this is a safety issue with our vehicle. we are contacting our dealer to see if there is a fix available. we have not had an accident as a result of this issue. *tr | |||
| 01/31/2010 | 1 | 1 | |
| When braking, the vehicle seems to momentarily accelerate when going over puddles, bumps, grooves or train tracks. this can happen repeatedly on wet or gravel roads... vehicle has slid off a gravel road and sideways going over traintracks when the brake slipping occurs. the anti-slip regulator light goes on when this happens. *tr | |||
| 02/03/2010 | 70000 | 1 | |
| The toyota braking problem is not a new issue. i own a 2007 prius and my brakes have always failed when driving on slick surfaces or over potholes. the slippery surface icon flashes on the dashboard and the car does not stop immediately. most recent was wednesday morning in an inch of snow when my car failed to stop and came to a halt inches from a brick wall. i hope the system is inspected on all cars and not just 2010 models. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 10000 | 1 | |
| 2007 toyota prius braking issue. this issue is not limited to the 2010 prius models. i had similar braking issues on uneven or frozen terrain for 2 years with my 2007 model. i just assumed it was a quirk of the hybrid, and that it had to just be a sense of lost control, not that the situation was truly dangerous. please urge them to look into this and issue a recall of all affected vehicles. *tr | |||
| 01/19/2010 | 1 | ||
| The braking problem on the toyota prius is not limited to the new model. i have a 2007 prius and it has exactly the same issue - momentary loss of braking power when hitting bumps, potholes, or going over a slippery surface. the brakes do re-engage after a second, but the problem has definitely affected the way i drive and the confidence i have in being able to avoid an accident if there was a sudden need to brake quickly in a short space. *tr | |||
| 05/21/2009 | 380000 | 1 | |
| On may 21, 2009, i had a rearend collision, where my 2007 toyota prius did not stop, as the traffic stopped at a red light. i was less than 10 miles/hr. my car has extended warranties as well as change of oil every 5k miles paid in advance. no one at the toyota service dealership did not find any problems with my brakes. now i hear on the news about 2010 prius brake problems. i do believe the brake problem is also in my 2007 prius model. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2007 | 1000 | 1 | |
| Traveling slow speed 25-35 apply brakes and hit a dip in the road or bump in the road and the car quickly lunges forward. i don't feel like i necessarily lose the brake but that the car just lunges forward. i thought i reported this to toyota soon after getting the car but i checked my records and i reported it twice last year after my husband confirmed that it happened to him. toyota checked the brakes and said everything looked okay and that they could not duplicate the problem. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2007 | 1000 | 1 | |
| Traveling slow speed 25-35 apply brakes and hit a dip in the road or bump in the road and the car quickly lunges forward. i don't feel like i necessarily lose the brake but that the car just lunges forward. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2010 | 25000 | 1 | |
| My 2007 toyota prius has braking problems similar to the ones i've read about today in the 2010 model. when conditions are wet or i go over uneven roadway or a pothole, the brakes do not function properly; they seem to take a second or two to engage, resulting in a jerking motion and a failure of the car to stop as quickly as it should. i first noticed the problem last year and took it to my local toyota dealer to have them address the problem, but the said they could detect no problem other than bald tires. i replaced the tires, but the problem has continued. i have not had any accident as a result of the braking problem, but it is an ongoing concern, especially on rainy days. *tr | |||
| 01/22/2010 | 30000 | 1 | |
| Toyota prius braking issue. when going over manhole cover or approaching a toll booth going about 20 mph, i cannot brake for a few seconds. in addition, a yellow light flashes on the dashboard. this happens consistently in certain spots. *tr | |||
| 01/15/2010 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2007 toyota prius. when something causes the vehicles anti-skid control to act, the car briefly accelerates or lurches forward, which seems dangerous when it's caused by something like a pothole or construction plate at a point where i am slowing down. this has happened on multiple times for as long as i've owned the vehicle, which was purchased new in 2007. *tr | |||
| 01/09/2010 | 17000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 toyota prius and i have experienced poor braking and slippage when traveling over bumpy and/or wet surfaces, the most noticeable of which is the non-asphalt surfacing around and between railroad tracks. i understand you're aware of this on the 2010 models, but it happens on the earlier models too, and these should be made part of the recall. this has happened to me on multiple dates, the latest is below. luckily, i leave more room between me and the car in front than the average person. *tr | |||
| 12/10/2009 | 29600 | 3 | |
| I purchased a 2007 used toyota prius in june 2009. on two or three occasions in the past 7 months, the brakes have failed to respond momentarily. this happened at low speeds, when braking around a corner or when the road was wet. the lack of brake response was accompanied by a delay in acceleration. the problem only lasted for a moment and was accompanied by a warning sign on my dashboard. in all prior instances, control of the vehicle resumed after a few seconds. *tr | |||
| 02/03/2010 | 35000 | 1 | |
| Hard to stop car because of brakes for the last 6 months? *tr | |||
| 01/29/2010 | 0 | 1 | |
| When braking, if the car hits any kind of pothole, speed bump, or imperfection in the road that causes the traction control light to illuminate, all braking power is lost and the car glides (as if neither the brake or gas pedal are depressed) until the traction control light goes off, at which point braking power is returned. the traction control is very sensitive and many small bumps or imperfections can set it off, and the lack of braking power has caused me some close calls in the past. *tr | |||
| 09/25/2009 | 65000 | 1 | |
| I was driving under normal conditions and suddenly my 2007 prius brake light, vsc, abs, circle-exclamation point lights all lit up on the dash. toyota manual states that the user should drive immediately to a dealer. i took the vehicle to the dealer, and after a day's examination, they explained that they cannot locate any issues, the lights are no longer on, and it is safe to drive. a couple of days later, again under normal driving conditions, all of the light illuminate again. i immediately take it to a different toyota dealer, and they indicate that the brake actuator assembly has failed. they explained that it is not safe to drive, and the replacement part alone is $1900 +labor. *tr | |||
| 08/14/2009 | 43000 | 1 | |
| This was a first time occurrence for my 2007 prius. i was stopped midway on my mountain, long & steep, dirt driveway trying to park along the rock side. it was too tight to park so decided to continue down to the bottom. i was in reverse and shifted, with my foot on the brake, into drive. the car suddenly bolted forward propelling me through the fence and down a steep embankment to our deck where 12 people were having a dinner meeting. my brakes didn't work, nor did the steering. the bolting force was heard by all on the deck. there is no way i would have pressed the gas by mistake for two reasons: your foot must be on the brake to shift; and as is typical on our steep gravel roads, one never presses the gas pedal while proceeding down. the car propelled 10 or 12 feet forward crossing the drive at a diagonal, crashed through the fence boarding the drop off, and proceeded down the embankment stopping only when it hit the big tree by our deck. to my right were all the guests and my husband, just feet away from the oncoming, out of control car. had i missed that particular tree, i would have rolled down an even steeper ravine because of rocks to bounce off and very sharp drop off.*tr | |||
| 07/27/2009 | 38000 | 1 | |
| 2 incidents: 1) 05.15.09 i was approaching a car going 20 mph; i pressed my brake to the floor but my toyota prius 2007 didn't stop. i tried to avoid the car in front of me. i ran into the explore. 2) 07.27.09 i was exiting my driveway. i tried to slow down, but my brakes failed. i was able to use the emergency break to prevent me entering traffic. *tr | |||
| 03/24/2007 | 25202 | 1 | |
| Driver was on a local road, accelerated and turned left to pull into a commercial parking lot, then applied brakes when the front tires left the road and made contact with the parking lot entrance (slight concrete curb between asphalt road and lot). the brake pedal depressed fully with little resistance, and neither the regenerative braking system nor the brake pads were activated. after approximately two seconds, the regenerative braking system applied, braking the car normally. no visible indicators were noticed on the dashboard. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | |||
| 12/20/2006 | 1000 | ||
| The mileage is between 30 and 35 mpg, which is a long ways from the sticker claim. the headlight goes on and off intermittently, even though replaced several times. second headlight is also failing. the blower works only intermittently, usually after hitting a large bump in the road. | |||
| 09/05/2007 | 500 | ||
| When the brakes are applied in deceleration and the vehicle hits a bump or pothole, the brakes release for a second, then grab again, even though foot pressure has not changed. | |||
| 02/08/2011 | 53950 | ||
| I was driving in the right lane of a 4-lane boulevard. the vehicle ahead in the lane to my left slowed for a car in front waiting to make a left turn, then suddenly veered into my lane. i hit the brakes as hard as i could, but for the first 2-3 seconds, my car didn't slow down. it also didn't make any sounds i would have expected from urgent braking - no screeching tires, etc. i continued to push the brake pedal hard. after 2-3 seconds, the brakes finally grabbed and my car pulled to the right. i considered myself lucky that i had enough room to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of me. | |||
| 02/01/2007 | 9000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving approximately 10 to 15 mph when approaching a gate, after she tried to use the brake the vehicle continued to surge forward and she crahsed into the gate. the contact was not injured and the police were called and a report was available. the vehicle was towed to a dealer and they advised her that they could not diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vehicle has continued to have the same failures for the next 2 years on a intermittent basis. each time the vehicle was taken to a dealer and they constantly informed her that they could not diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was contacted in the form of a letter and they replied by saying they have inspected the vehicle and found no known failures. the failure mileage was approximately 9,000. tb | |||
| 11/15/2010 | 25432 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving approximately 40 mph the vehicle failed to brake while approaching a light. the vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle. the police were called to the scene. there were no injuries reported. the vehicle was towed and declared a total loss. the approximate failure mileage was 25,432. ds | |||
| 07/31/2010 | 43000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving at approximately 45 mph the vehicle began sliding towards the left. he tried to steer the vehicle towards the right but the vehicle would not change directions. pressure was applied to the brake pedal but the vehicle would not stop, which resulted in a single car rollover crash. the air bags did not deploy. the police appeared on the scene and speculated that the front passenger side tire blew out prior to the crash. an ambulance also appeared on the scene and the driver suffered minor injuries. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to an insurance company lot. the vehicle was not examined for the cause of failure and was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were . sm. | |||
| 06/06/2010 | 55000 | ||
| When going over a speed bump or a bumpy road, the brakes seem to fail momentarily, or the brakes fail to respond. | |||
| 06/09/2010 | |||
| When car goes over a bump in the process of braking, the brakes momentarily disengage. this has been an ongoing problem since the car was purchased. the date stated below simply is that of its latest manifestation. | |||
| 10/01/2009 | 35000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that whenever driving down a hill while applying the brake assist lever the engine will rev. when the engine revs the brake assist does not function and pressure has to be applied to the normal brake pedal in order to keep the vehicle from surging forward. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed the vehicle was operating as normal. the failure recurs whenever traveling down a hill. the failure mileage was 35,000 and the current mileage was 44,000. sm. | |||
| 04/03/2007 | 100 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while slowing down at about 25mph and there is a bump in the roadway or there is a rough surface the vehicle would lunge forward and surged. she would lose control for a second of the vehicle when this happen but no accident. the dealer was told about this failure and stated this is normal with the brakes but have not repair the vehicle. the manufacturer has not been notified of this failure. the failure mileage was 100 and current mileage was 69,000....mw | |||
| 09/18/2007 | 1 | ||
| I feel my 2007 toyota prius has a problem with its braking system and have taken it back to the dealer. they have assured me that the abs is working the way it should. this is what happens: when i am driving on a road that is bumpy or has potholes and i have to brake, there seems to be a disconnect or too much of a lapse in time when the brakes finally take. it is especially disconcerting when going down hill. i have had times when going down hill if i wasn't far enough back from the car in front of me, i would not be able to stop in time.....not a good feeling. i am now very cognizant of this fact and have to drive to accommodate my brakes. i should also inform you that the little yellow sliding car on my dashboard lights up when all of this is happening. i've had this car for almost three years now and i must say that it has always acted this way when braking. i should have returned it to the dealer as soon as i noticed it but because it was the first prius i had ever owned, i thought this was normal for this vehicle. i am now feeling less and less confidant about this car. would you ask the toyota company to recall the 2007 prius's as they have the 2010 prius's for the same problem? i do not feel this is asking too much of toyota to fix this problem. thank you *tr | |||
| 05/23/2010 | 29000 | ||
| 2007 prius seems to lose braking momentarily going over bumps. | |||
| 05/22/2010 | 40000 | ||
| 2008 prius-brakes release when rolling over rough surfaces. this has happened dozens of times. i have learned to start the braking early if i see rough pavement, but this could be very dangerous at night. | |||
| 04/17/2010 | 58500 | ||
| 2007 prius, on approximately four occasions when coming to a stop it felt like the brakes slipped or disengaged momentarily. | |||
| 05/08/2010 | 36500 | ||
| While driving my 2007 prius in a congested area, the brakes did not respond when depressed quickly contirbuting or causing a low-speed collision with the vehicle in front of me. i found this article on cnet reviews that accurately matches my issue. toyota redesigned the braking systems for the 2010 prius. that appears to be toyota's response to the fact that the u.s. generation 2 prius (2004-2009) has had low-speed brake failures reported to the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) at 31 times the rate of such failures reported for the 2004-2009 corolla, which of course has traditional brakes. many of the prius low speed brake failures were in low-speed city traffic, resulting in rear-end collisions without injury. it appears that the several computers that control the complex braking systems were too busy calculating the most efficient way to apply the brakes, and did not get around to actually applying them, until it was too late. | |||
| 03/28/2009 | 35000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving at 48 mph, the brakes suddenly locked up and swayed to the left side when he depressed the brake pedal. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership for diagnosis. the dealer repaired the axle and driver side body but it was unknown if the dealer repaired the brake system. the contact believed that the rain was a factor in the failure as it caused the computer chip for the brake pedal to malfunction. the braking system for the vehicle failed periodically in rainy weather. the vin was unavailable at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was approximately 35,000. the current mileage was approximately 60,000. | |||
| 04/22/2010 | |||
| My 2007 prius has the same braking safety issues involving momentary loss of braking power described for the 2010 prius. it is especially troublesome when going over a bump or a slick spot in the road. | |||
| 08/01/2008 | 15000 | 1 | |
| Constant peculiar noises from brake system, premature brake wear computer system had to be re-initialized at 15,000 miles. brakes pads had to be replaced and rotors resurfaced at same mileage. brake pedal depressed to the floor before vehicle stopped, it was an emergency stop. these problems have persisted for almost 3 years and the dealer and factory rep. says it is normal. arbitration in favor of toyota. i have never heard these noises in any other vehicle i have driven in 62 years. these noises could be a problem waiting to happen. *tr | |||
| 09/17/2009 | 23406 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact was driving approximately 40 mph, approaching a traffic light. when the brake pedal was engaged, the brakes failed to respond in a timely manner. additionally, the electrical system failed without warning. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired when the complaint was filed. the failure mileage was 23,406. the current mileage was 30,000. | |||
| 03/08/2010 | 50000 | 1 | |
| Car seems to lose brake power for a fraction of a second when driving over potholes, on bumpy pavement, or on wet slippery dirt roads. occurs each time when braking under said conditions. *tr | |||
| 03/10/2010 | 58000 | 1 | |
| 1. wife is leary of driving our 2007 toyota prius because of problem brakes. we need a better description of what happens when we try to turn off the engine going 100 mph. 2. lights are poor. we cannot see very far ahead in this deer infested environment. i have better lights on my 1997 hyundai 3. one or the other headlight flickers and goes out for no understandable reason. we turn the lights off and turn them on again and it works ok. this could be a safety hazard. what is being done to fix it. 4. seating. my first encounter with the toyota complaint system cam about as i was trying to get the driver seat moved back because i have long legs. the dealer said they have no way of fixing this but that i should go to the after market. i asked if toyota would accept an aftermarket solution. the dealer said that they will evaluate it after it is installed to tell us if it meets safety specifications no aftermarket supplier will try to fix this because they have not assurance that it will be accepted by toyota. yet toyota gives no technical information about what is acceptable. i complained formally to the dealer and got nowhere. i then sent a formal complaint to national toyota. they passed the complaint back to the dealer for response. for me this is a major flaw in the toyota complaint handling system. they have a closed loop when it comes to complaints. 5. i like the car and it gets the mileage i expected. i am not sure i will ever get another toyota if there are reasonable alternative that get good mileage. *tr | |||
| 08/12/2008 | 14107 | 1 | |
| Just completed a left turn behind another vehicle. the other vehicle then slowed to make an immediate left turn into a gas station across the road. i was gently applying the brakes to keep my following distance (10ft, traveling about 8mph). the other car suddenly applied the brakes harder to turn, when i pressed harder there was no reaction until i hit the other car, at which point the brakes engaged and i stopped. *tr | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 2007 toyota prius. consumer states when applying the brakes, one wheel of the car hits a bump in the road with the brakes applied, the brakes release for a short time. *tgw | |||
| 09/01/2007 | 7000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2007 toyota prius, and when decelerating on a bumpy road, i have on several occasions felt an unexpected acceleration which lasts only for a fraction of a second, but its enough to cause me to feel alarmed. i have asked my dealer if this has been addressed by recalls as he informed me it has not. *tr | |||
| 03/04/2010 | 52000 | 1 | |
| While turning into a parking spot, i experienced a total loss of braking while the vehicle began accelerating without gas pedal pressure. after jumping a curb, the brake pedal became active and the car was stopped. *tr | |||
| 10/21/2009 | 55000 | 1 | |
| I was driving my vehicle and exiting a highway when i applied the brakes and the vehicle sped up and hit the vehicle in front and pushed it into two other vehicles. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2010 | 1 | 07/01/2009 | |
| 2007 toyota prius. consumer states delayed brake reaction. must press firmly for brake to stop the vehicle. *tgw the consumer stated she noticed the problem with the brakes when she first drove down a hill. when she applied the brakes, it took a long time for it to hold instead of holding at the first pressing of the brake pedal. the vehicle continued to roll down the hill until the pedal was applied harder. *jb | |||
| 03/01/2010 | 1 | 05/01/2007 | |
| 2007 toyota prius with tire failure and brakes grabbing. *kb the battery and headlights failed. the consumer stated toyota has since removed this particular type of bulb and assembly from production. when the vehicle was 1 year old the consumer was stopped by the police and given a warning for the headlight being out. however, when the consumer and her husband exited the vehicle, they along with the police officer found both headlights were working and he let them go without a citation. the consumer has since discovered that one headlight or the other will just go out on occasion during every drive. the brightness of the headlights began to dim when the vehicle was only a year old. toyota recommended using the headlights less and they further recommended not using the highly touted feature that allows the lights to automatically turn off after the vehicle has been turned off. last month, the consumer received a letter from toyota regarding information about a problem with the hid headlights. the letter stated the customer support program would reimburse for some cost relative to the defective headlights. however the local dealer did not agree and the cost far exceeded anything mentioned in the letter. the dealer informed the consumer the cost of installation for new bulbs would be $245 in labor for each headlight replacement, that was in addition to the exorbitant cost of the bulbs themselves. *jb | |||
| 10/10/2007 | 1000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2007 prius. i have noticed on many occasions that when you go over a pothole, or there is gravel on the road, the traction control light comes on and for a moment, the car loses its braking ability. you accelerate for a bit before the brakes come on again. it is very scary. thank god nothing has happened, but how many injuries have to happen before toyota does something?! *tr | |||
| 09/06/2009 | 9500 | 1 | |
| 2007 toyota prius - braking issue on rainy or slick surface. upon normal braking on a slick or wet surface the car becomes unstable, the abs braking becomes irregular and the car goes into a skid and does not stop in a normal fashion or within a normal braking distance. the same braking response occurs if i hit a pothole while braking. the toyota dealer tells me that this is normal. it is not normal as i cannot drive the car under wet or snowy conditions for fear of an accident. the braking issues noted in the 2010 prius make me wonder if a similar condition exists for the 2007 model year. i suspect that it is the ecu which is faulty. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 12000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. she experienced break failure while driving 20 mph in inclement weather. her first failure occurred when she was unable to stop the vehicle when the brakes were applied with a vehicle in front of her. she was forced to make a left turn to avoid crashing into a vehicle. she has experienced the failure for a couple of years and thought that it was drivers error. she has not taken the vehicle to the dealer. the failure mileage was 12,000 and the current mileage was 38,000. | |||
| 02/09/2010 | 88636 | 1 | |
| Abs, vsc, brake failure. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2009 | 14000 | 1 | |
| 1. safety | |||
| 11/26/2007 | 6000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact was driving approximately 30 mph on an uneven road surface. while braking the vehicle loss slight control and skidded. suddenly, the skid control warning light indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. the driver was able to gain control of the vehicle. the failures occurred whenever encountering uneven road surfaces, and potholes. the failure mileage was 6,000. | |||
| 06/15/2009 | 39000 | 1 | |
| I am aware that there is a problem with the brakes on the toyota prius. news reports indicate that the problem is confined to the 2010 model, but i would like to report a brake failure incident with our 2007 model prius. in june of 2009 my wife and i were driving our prius down a hill approaching a stop light. it had been raining and the pavement was wet, but there was no standing water on the road surface. the light turned yellow as we approached the intersection at a speed of about 35 mph. i applied the brakes but the car continued to move forward down the hill with no braking action and no deceleration. i had no alternative but to speed up to try get through the intersection before the light turned red. the light did turn red just before we entered the intersection, but we were able to make it through before any opposing traffic entered the intersection. it is important to note that during this incident the car showed no evidence of being in a skid - - it simply moved forward without any swerving. furthermore, there was no vibration in the brake pedal nor any sounds that might be associated with anti-lock brake action. i took the car to the toyota dealer and asked the service manager if there could be something wrong with the anti-lock system. i was told that they had no way to check that. we have had no further problem with the brakes, but i am concerned that this behavior may recur because of the current braking issue. *tr | |||
| 05/14/2009 | 35878 | 1 | |
| I am the original owner of a 2007 toyota prius. my brakes seem to fail momentarily when i am trying to stop at a bumpy intersection. this has happened more one time. although i have not had an accident as a result it is a very uncomfortable feeling, because you just don't know if they are going to bring you to a stop. i have reported this problem to the toyota dealer (smart toyota - madison, wi) and their analysis at the time i took it in on may 14, 2009 was that it could not be duplicated and essentially found nothing wrong. *tr | |||
| 10/28/2009 | 39050 | 1 | |
| I read about the recall of the 2010 prius concerning the abs software. my 2007 prius experienced the same problems recently when i ran over a curb at low speed and the car lurched forward at high speed after i applied the brakes and i hit a wall about 5 feet away. damage to my car was a cracked bumper, slightly dented hood, cracked head light. i used to get 50 to 60 miles per gallon and i can not get over 41 miles per gallon now. i bought new tires and had them balanced and aligned but the mileage had not improved. damages to the exterior of the car will amount to about 2 to 3 thousand dollars. my toyota dealer says that my 2007 model is not part of the recall. i have read blogs where people with my model toyota have had similar experiences. i believe that the abs software is faulty in more than the 2010 priuses. *tr | |||
| 03/15/2007 | 0 | 1 | |
| Prius braking behavior i owned a new 2007 prius which i leased and drove for the first 2 years of the lease and then traded for a vehicle with a larger interior. this vehicle was leased in february 2007 during the president's day sale at karl malone toyota in albuquerque. this vehicle consistently paused braking for most of a second when one of the front wheels passed thru a small pothole on paved roads. it may have also had this behavior in other situations, but i didn't encounter any other cases. i expected more braking misbehavior when albuquerque installed some redlight cameras because they also installed warning strips in the pavement approaching these intersections. in some cases they didn't install strips in the four grooves cut in the pavement perpendicular to vehicle travel, but neither the grooves or the strips bothered my prius during braking. maybe that was because both wheels saw the same transients. i didn't report this to the dealer/manufacturer/government because i chalked it up to more nonsense from modern anti-locking braking systems, and because the behavior was consistent/predictable and most anti-locking systems annoy me with their behavior. we've continue to improve anti-locking brake systems, but diminishing marginal returns has caused the improvements to actually reduce the value of these braking systems to drivers. for example, braking distances in typical (i.e. most) conditions are lengthened by the preventable. overly cautious actions of these systems. more problematic, these braking systems do not deliver the performance in urgent situations which they seem to promise in day-to-day driving. even braking for an unexpected yellow light can surprise the driver with a firmer than usual pedal which then requires more effort than expected to get the desired urgent braking. the needed braking is ultimately available, but it ends up coming too late because the driver had to adjust his actions. *tr | |||
| 02/10/2010 | 1 | ||
| When attempting to use the brakes on my 2007 toyota prius when driving over a bumpy surface, pothole, etc., it takes a short distance or 1-2 seconds for the brakes to take hold and slow/stop the car. it feels as though the car lurches forward a bit before braking and the slip indicator warning light on the dash flashes. this has happened approximately 10 times since buying the car in april of 2007. i have notified the original dealer (toyota of north hollywood), but was informed that there is no way to correct the problem on my car's particular model. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 5000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 toyota prius and am experiencing braking problems similar to the ones described as part of the 2010 model recall. i have lost control over the brakes momentarily several times throughout the past few years of ownership and chalked it up to adjusting to a new make of a car. now i realize that i am part of a bigger problem, the experience i have is not normal and i do not feel safe. i strongly encourage the nhtsa to broaden the recall to all prius owners who are experiencing the same problem, not just 2010 models or those whose vin number match up to the computer system. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2007 | 1000 | 1 | |
| I've owned a 2007 prius since it was new and the problem that i see written about for the 2010 model, momentary loss of brakes when hitting a pothole or rough road, is exactly what i feel in my 2007 and have seen reported by other drivers for various year prius's. this problem is not a 2010 problem only!!! this symptom has been present since i bought the car. *tr | |||
| 02/08/2010 | 40205 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 toyota prius and have experienced the same braking issue that is being reported about the 2010 prius. i have noticed that when i am driving or braking while going over pot-holes, railroad tracks, or very bumping roads i can feel a sudden and momentary loss of braking and/or acceleration. i also noticed that the traction control indicator light on the dash always turns on when this happens. i took the dealer just after i purchased the vehicle and was told that everything was normal. this has been happening for the last 2 and a half years. it has happened 3 or 4 times this week alone. i have gotten used to this happening but have also been very concerned that it will cause a rearend collision, or something even worse. this needs attention asap. thank you *tr | |||
| 02/09/2010 | 45000 | 1 | |
| Car did not stop and seemed to accelerate when brakes hit during turn into driveway. hit curb. lost steering control and car had to be towed because of significant damages to wheel and also possibly steering. snowy road. i was already driving very slowly. no reason why this much damage to my car or this level of impact unless car suddenly accelerated beyond my current speed while i braked. car seems to accelerate on slippery, uneven surfaces and evs light comes on, even when brakes applied. acceleration is beyond that seen with normal slippage. it is not simply slippage but actual brief acceleration. *tr | |||
| 04/17/2008 | 25942 | 1 | |
| While approaching intersection, our 2007 toyota prius failed to stop. while braking, the car continued to roll - into the side of a truck. the car was totaled. at the time, we explained that the brakes were applied, but the car failed to stop. we asked the insurance company and toyota if there were any reports of problems with the prius, and we were told no reported problems with the car. prior to the incident we had just had the 25,000 mile maintenance done so we knew it was not the brakes. about a year later, we were informed of the car mat problem, and now there is talk of possible accelerator/electronic problems. we now have a 2008 prius, and experience a momentary loss of the electronic system when the car hits a bump. we contacted toyota last week, and were promised a callback in two days, but so far we have not heard anything. so until we get assurance that our car is safe, we have decided to stop driving the prius. subsequent to the accident, my back pain went from manageable to unbearable, which led to spine surgery in 1/09. my physicians believed that the accident might have aggravated the symptoms to the point that i required surgery - possibly from the impact from the airbags. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2007 prius. every time i hit a bump or pothole, the car feels airborne, and the skid control light comes on. the car has terrible traction in wet or snowy weather. i believe that the braking system on all prius should be investigated. *tr | |||
| 12/26/2009 | 26000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 prius. and i love it, however before all this came out about prius brakes, in december 2009 the brakes started acting weird. they would not engage when i stepped on the brake pedal and then would jerk to a stop a few seconds later. the first time it happened my passenger and i just looked at each other and commented on how that was strange. it has continued to happen usually when i am going slow (25mph) or less, when it is damp (i live in oregon, when is it not damp in the winter) and cold. *tr | |||
| 01/05/2010 | 50100 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 prius. i don't know if it is the braking system or a sudden acceleration but i have definitely experienced a surge when braking. this does not happen all the time but has happened on more than one occasion. it feels like the car stops braking for a second and surges forward before re-engaging the brakes. *tr | |||
| 04/06/2008 | 5000 | 1 | |
| Loss of braking capability while traveling over an uneven road surface, pothole or bump the abs system is apparently the culprit. 2007 toyota prius. *tr | |||
| 12/01/2007 | 7500 | 1 | |
| Date: 02/09/2010 time: 10:01:20 creation date: 02/09/2010 creation time: 09:58:43 i would like to report a braking/traction control/loss of engine power safety problem with my 2007 toyota prius. the problem happens while driving on snow covered flat road surfaces (1 inch of snow), snow covered hilly roads (1 inch of snow), and bumpy road surfaces. when the traction control system (trac) engages on these road surfaces, i lose the ability to brake and also lose power to the engine simultaneously. i have had four (4) near-accidents due to this safety problem. 1.snow covered (1 inch of snow) going downhill (slight hill)- lost brakes after trac traction control system engaged was unable to stop car - went through stop sign. car went onto busy highway (50 mph zone) and would not stop. luckily no cars were coming and i avoided a very serious accident. 2. snow covered (1 inch of snow) going downhill - lost brakes after trac traction control system engaged and almost crashed into cars that were slowing down ahead of me. 3. snow covered (1 inch of snow) going uphill - trac traction control system engaged and i lost all engine power as i was turning left up a steep hill. i almost crashed into large rocks at the roadside. i was able to avoid a crash. 4. snow covered (1 inch of snow) driving on flat road surface. i turned off of snow covered road into a parking lot area. trac traction control system engaged and i lost the ability to brake. my car went at least 15 feet in the parking lot area before stopping. luckily there were no parked cars there and i did not have an accident. a recurring problem with trac and loss of engine power also occurs on the hilly road leading up to my house. when the road is snow covered (1 inch of snow) or icy the trac traction control system engages and i lose all power to the engine. it makes it nearly impossible to get my car up the hill due to the loss of power when trac engages! *tr | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 20000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2007 toyota prius and have experienced occasional momentary loss of braking (my foot firmly on the brake pedal) while driving over a bumpy surface. while braking over small pot holes, railroad tracks, rough patches, etc., the car seems to lunge forward apparently as the brakes release for a split second (approximately 1/4 to 1/2 second). the road conditions can be wet or dry. at the same time, my traction control light will flash on and off until the road smoothes out. that split second is enough to cause an accident with the car in front of me if i don't give myself extra room or slow down prior to the bumpy condition (1/2 second at 20 mph = 15 feet of unwanted travel). i drive over the same railroad tracks just prior to a traffic light every day and i have had to adjust my driving habits to keep this dangerous, additional stopping distance from recurring. this has occurred approximately 15 to 20 times in various bumpy conditions since i bought the car over 3 years ago. i have had some close calls, but no accident yet. i have not complained to toyota, but due to all the complaints i have read about online, i assumed they would do something eventually. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2010 | |||
| When+driving+over+bumps+or+potholes+the+vehicle+will+sometimes+lose+total+braking+control+as+the+traction+control+system+takes+over.++the+brake+will+be+non-responsive+and+the+traction+control+system+dashboard+light+will+illuminate. this+has+happened+at+least+twice+a+week+for+the+past+2.5+years+on+my+2007+toyota+prius.++when+i+had+inquired+about+it+at+the+dealer+in+the+past%2c+i+was+informed+that+this+was+how+the+traction+control+system+operated+under+normal+conditions *cn | |||
| 02/08/2010 | 34504 | 1 | |
| When i hit a bump, while applying my brakes, they will stop working for a short period of time. this happens frequently. *cn | |||
| 12/10/2008 | 1000 | 1 | |
| Prius 2007 hydraulic braking/traction control. there is a delayed interaction between the hydraulic brakes and the traction control, that overrides the actions or the driver's braking, for several seconds. this typically occurs if there is any momentary loss of traction due to, even a minor ripple in the road. the effect is most dangerous at speeds over 40mph, because quite some distance is covered before braking resumes. the traction control relinquishes hydraulic braking for 2-3 seconds, before normal braking action is restored. the delay appears to be software related, and the toyota dealer insisted that the behavior is normal. i disagreed but found no relief. i adjusted my driving to account for this. *cn | |||
| 02/28/2007 | 1 | ||
| I own a 2007 prius. it experiences a lapse in braking power when on uneven terrain (ie a pothole or railroad tracks). this has occured nearly every single time i have driven on an uneven surface since purchasing the vehicle in early 2007. the consequence is a momentary surge in the vehicle speed during times that i am attempting to slow down-it is a frightening situation that makes one's heart jump every time it happens. i have reported the issue to my dealership-their response was that they have not received any complaints about the issue and that they will wait and see what happens with the anticipated 2010 model recall. this appears to be the same problem that is being described in the 2010 prius. | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 100 | ||
| The 'brake cut-out driving over a pothole or manhole cover' is >not< restricted to the 2010 prius. my 2007 has done that since day one [65k miles ago]. there are hills near my house where i have to go out of my way to avoid manhole covers -- particularly the last one near a stop sign. the car just goes into free-wheel mode for a second or so. | |||
| 01/12/2010 | 43510 | ||
| When driving on rough road or over rail road crossing and applying brakes brakes fail for split second and abs light flashes nothing done to fix issue | |||
| 02/06/2010 | 24000 | ||
| My 2007 prius touring can/does experience braking issues when slowing/braking downhill and coming in contact with a manhole cover, pothole, or other even road surface. thought it was the tires, so replaced the original bridgestones for nokians, but the issue still occurs. the sensation is you feel like you've lost control of the car momentarily. as a result, i've changed my commute route home and drive much slower (was already driving slower since prius mileage is dependent on mph). on occasions, the speed (on a straight away) set with cruise control will increase by itself ... by a couple mph .... w/o me doing anything or touching anything. so i'm forced to tap brake ........ occurred this weekend with passengers - they said they felt the surge ..... | |||
| 01/29/2010 | 17000 | ||
| 2007 prius brakes applied for yellow light on good roadbed, brakes stopped working approximately 1 second and a few feet later, an additional failure of approximately 1 second. car stopped but braking distance greatly extended. this car has always had issues with stopping on rough surfaces. this is the first experience on good road. | |||
| 02/25/2007 | 327 | 1 | |
| The brakes on the 2007 prius act the same as the 2010 brakes. ever since i owned my prius if i happened to brake on uneven surfaces no matter what the speed the brakes seem to release and then start braking again. the time span is short, maybe 1-2 seconds, but the traction light comes on for every incident. called the dealership several times and then recently after hearing about the 2010 brakes and their response is the same, no injury, no accident, no problem. i hope someone makes them fix the entire prius line brakes, all makes and models. the incident date is the first day i noticed the problem. *tw | |||
| 01/30/2010 | 15000 | 1 | |
| This involves a 2007 toyota prius. i have the same experience with the brakes of this vehicle as described with the 2010 toyota prius model. when braking somewhat forcefully and driving over a suddenly uneven surface, the braking ceases for a brief moment. i have reported this several times to the toyota dealer/service center. that dealership/service center is toyota of braintree, braintree, ma. each time, i was told that they (the dealership/service center) and the wider toyota organization had no knowledge and that it was probably operator related. the last time i brought this up was saturday, january 30, 2010. i mention this date date below as the incident date although i reported these occurrences before. *cn | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 53490 | 1 | |
| On seven separate occasions since 2007 (the year of the prius being reported ) a slight skid occurs, which also results in the skid light coming on, when brake pedal is pressed. has been increasing in frequency -- three times in last week--and usually occurs within the first mile of car use that day. i reported the last incident below. however, this was first noticed sometime in 2007 after july purchase date. *cn | |||
| 11/11/2008 | 32000 | 1 | |
| While driving my 2007 prius on many occasions, the vehicle failed to stop while i was driving over any uneven road such as grooves and potholes. braking system only became effective after the surface became more regular. this has occurred many times and i did not report issue to toyota as i believe this was a normal vehicle behavior given the driving conditions. in view of toyota's potential recall of 2010 prius vehicles, it has become clear to me that vehicles from other years should also be evaluated. *cn | |||
| 12/14/2009 | 1 | ||
| Braking system fails to respond under circumstances of wet or uneven pavement. traction control symbol lights up on dash. this has happened since new. (i filled in an approximate incident date only because it is a required field in this form.) *cn | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 15000 | 1 | |
| When i bought my new prius in 2007 i knew there was something strange. everytime i went down this big hill near my house the car would shoot forward a bit and it would be hard to brake. i called my dealer and they told me it was an advanced safty feature. the more i drove the car the worse it got. i would avoid routes with hills in the rain. in 2009 when i had my 2nd child i decided to get rid of the car because the problem was getting worse. it was as if i was sliding on ice in the middle of the summer *cn | |||
| 12/06/2009 | 25491 | 1 | |
| On december 6, 2009, automatic brakes kicked in at low speed coming to a stop at a red light. shortly thereafter a screeching metal against metal sound. took the car to the dealer and they said brakes were fine. on december 28th, again at low speed braking for a red light, applied the brakes and heard a loud bang and the car lurched. at first i thought i had been rear-ended but there was no car behind me. drove immediately to the dealer. this time they said the brakes were grabbing and they cleaned and adjusted the brakes. this happened on a 2007 prius, not a 2010 prius, so i am wondering if the brake problem is more widespread than is currently assumed. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 9000 | 1 | |
| I own a prius 2007 and have been experiencing the brake problems reported in the news since buying the car used in 12/08. sometimes when applying the brakes on uneven surfaces, a dashboard slip indicator light comes on as the brakes release/stop working and the car feels like it is skidding forward for about a second. then they reengage and the car can be stopped. i have not been in a accident yet. my dealership had told me that it is a normal function of the prius. this happen again on 2/2/10 as i was turning into a parking lot and went over the lip of the entrance. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 1 | 05/01/2007 | |
| I am experiencing a problem with my '07 toyota prius. i purchased my prius in may of '07 & have approximately 17,600 miles on the odometer. since then i have experienced on approximately 6 occasions a lurching when braking to a full stop at a stop light. i am braking after a slow coast and gradually braking so it is not a sudden action. since it happens so rarely and with no warning and doesn't repeat the problem for months i have not taken my car in to the dealership. after hearing similar complaints re: 2010 prius i called my dealership to see if they could check my car for the same defect. the dealership said it would be difficult to diagnose unless the car would just happen to experience the behavior during a test drive. but for $79 i could bring it in which would document my complaint. i was also told that since the 2010 recall the dealership was being inundated with hypochondriac owner's reporting imagined problems. i think those owner's are more likely to be like me. just now reporting a hard to replicate incident. i think the investigation needs to be broadened immediately for all prius involved in the floor mat recall as i think that is just an invented problem to cover up the braking/acceleration defect. *tr updated 04/15/10. | |||
| 05/31/2007 | 100 | 1 | |
| I just wanted to let you know that the braking problem associated with the vsa icon in the toyota prius is not isolated to the 2010 model year. my 2007 prius does exactly what i have seen described in the media. it has done this ever since it was brand new. i had never driven a hybrid before, so i thought it was just the nature of the beast. but it is very unsettling when the car lurches forward when i drive on a road with an uneven surface. *tr | |||
| 01/07/2010 | 13860 | 1 | |
| Momentary loss of braking power and feeling of acceleration. *tr | |||
| 09/15/2009 | 45000 | 3 | |
| On 3 occasions, while stopped at a traffic light, and with my foot on the brake, the brake pedal would suddenly drop part way to the floor. the car would roll either forward or backward, depending on grade, until i put pressure on the brake pedal. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2010 | 1 | ||
| My 2007 toyota prius sporadically lurches forward if i hit a bump or pothole during braking. it has done this since it was new and the dealer has always told me since they cannot duplicate the problem there is nothing they can do about it. could this be related to the current issues being claimed on the 2010 model. *tr | |||
| 05/03/2009 | 75000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving various speeds to include approximately 35 mph and attempting to slow down to stop the vehicle, the vehicle lunged forward and accelerated. a local mechanic replaced the entire braking system for $800. the failure mileage was 75,000. | |||
| 10/31/2008 | 1 | ||
| I owned a 2007 prius that was totaled after the brakes failed at a yield sign in biloxi ms, and i ran into the side of a car in an intersection. (previously, i had also had trouble with the brakes and it caused an accident in chevy chase md. i hydroplaned when using the brakes in the rain, and rear-ended a car.) *tr | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 1 | ||
| 2007 toyota prius with same brake problem as the 2010 prius. i could not describe the problem better than what is being said now by toyota about their 2010 model. this problem they are having goes back to previous prius model years. *tr | |||
| 01/10/2010 | 52000 | 1 | |
| 1. first time occurrence event: icy roads, around freezing point, lasted one or two days. a few days ago recurred. 2. failure: car brakes very abrupt opposed to the gentile brake that is applied 3. done: nothing yet, waiting for recall info. *tr | |||
| 05/20/2007 | 100 | 1 | |
| Temporary brake loss when hitting bump or pothole. *tr | |||
| 12/04/2009 | 34000 | 1 | |
| On friday, december 4, 2009 at about 4:15 pm, i had a sudden acceleration incident with my 2007 toyota prius. i had not had any prior difficulty with this vehicle in the approximately 34,000 miles i had driven since i bought it new. however at this time when i tried to back the car about 50 feet backwards into a motel parking spot (actually there were 3 open spots in a row), it responded very abnormally. i started the car, put it in reverse and gently applied pressure to the gas pedal. instead of creeping backwards at ~5 mph as i had intended, the car took off at about 30-40 mph. i stomped on the brakes with both feet and initially didn't slow down. i felt an impact as my car grazed a parked vehicle. my car jumped over the curb at the parking lot edge, passed over some short bushes and entered a culvert. somehow i was able to turn the car and it carved a 180 degree curve and came to a halt about 75 feet after it passed into the culvert. fortunately i did make this sharp turn since there is a 4 lane highway on the other side of the culvert. there were no injuries and only slight damage to the other car, but an estimated $7000 of body damage to my car. the police were called as well my insurance company. the owner of the other vehicle was located. my car was towed to a local toyota dealership. since that time, the local toyota regional office sent out a representative who inspected my car and during a road test no abnormal braking or acceleration problems were found. i have since been in contact with toyota usa in torrance , ca. i have spoken with a case representative who has not been helpful. finally after 5 or 6 phone calls, i was able to get the address of the legal department. i wrote them a letter on january 20 and have heard nothing from them. i also called and left messages on february 2 and 4. as a physician interested in public health i don't want my family or anyone else to drive this car. my faith in the toyota company is diminished.*jb | |||
| 05/11/2008 | 40000 | 2 | |
| Applied brake while running less than 5 mph in flat parking lot with flat surface road; i was feeling like floating or like earth quake while inside the car. it happened two times within 3 minutes time frame. when my car was about 40k mile (now my car is 75k miles), and only happened two times in the past has not occurred again yet. *jb | |||
| 01/21/2010 | 7400 | 1 | |
| Brake lockup while driving less than 20 mph on normal flat road (rain). *jb | |||
| 09/24/2009 | 2 | ||
| I believe my 2007 toyota prius has a problem similar to the recent media reports regarding the braking system in the 2010 prius. i have on several occasions over the past few years observed a lapse in braking power when going over a bump. a few times, this lapse resulted in my vehicle coming uncomfortably close to the vehicle in front of me. *jb | |||
| 01/15/2010 | 1 | ||
| I am describing a repeating issue with my 2007 toyota prius. this failure occurs when i drive over bumpy surfaces, a large pothole, or an area with a dip in the road. often, when faced with these conditions, the car stutters and lurches and the vehicle stability assist light flashes. at times, the car's slip and stutter seems to last several seconds after hitting the rough patch in the road. while it seems to exacerbate the problem if i am turning or braking, i should point out that i sometimes experience this lurching and stalling sometimes when i am simply driving along at 35 mph and hit a pothole. it often seems to occur in a situation where braking or turning is involved, but it seems more related to the vsa process. i am reporting this failure because i have seen news reports of an investigation of the 2010 prius model. the description of the brake failure reported in the media are basically the same as mine.*jb | |||
| 01/05/2010 | 10 | ||
| I drive a 2007 model year prius, manufactured by toyota. over the nearly 3 years of ownership - i have experienced, at least 10 times, a seemingly small defect during light braking conditions. what happens is when i tap on the brakes during a slowdown to a traffic light (where i may be slowly pumping the breaks to slow), the traction control light will pop on - and the car will seemingly lurch forward for a second or two, as if it wants to accelerate. the matter always resolves itself - and i don't feel in danger or anything like that. however, it has happened multiple times, and is always accompanied by the traction control light - and the lurching forward i told you about. i do not believe this is the traction control system working - because none of the situations i'm speaking involved conditions where i was losing traction. being that most of the prius problems seem to be in the 2010 model, i'm not sure if you've had other complaints about this. i had not felt the need to report this until now - because i feel that perhaps you might want to examine this, especially if you're getting feedback from other drivers of the second generation prius. *jb | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 43000 | 1 | |
| The braking issues that i have experienced for the 2007 prius within months of buying the vehicle are the same issues that are currently being reported for the 2010 prius. i have a prius with traction control. there are two things with the traction control that happen on a regular basis living in st. george, utah. one is when i come out of a parking lot that has the steep dip for water control the traction control system misfires on dry, clean surfaces and in many cases leaves me dead on the road for a few seconds in which the car will not move at all. this also happens when i drive on roads where there is a drainage lid in the middle of the road, and i am actually not attempting to brake. the second is when i brake. if there is any rough or uneven surfaces, bumps, or dirt roads, i have to anticipate that the braking system will fail and/or i will have to quickly pump the brakes and leave extra braking room. i have not taken the vehicle to toyota because having had a 1999 tacoma whose brakes would fail on a regular basis to the point, for which they continually replaced sensors, i sold it after i had it less then one year, i don't expect toyota to do anything about it. i just drive differently. the speeding out of control, for me, only occurs when i have cruise control on. many times when i press on the brake the car actually speeds up with a jerk or i will look down at my speed and cruise control will have increased it by 10 or 15 mph. *jb *tr | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 1 | ||
| My 2007 prius has the brake problem identified on the 2010 models -- when i go over a pot-hole or bump the brakes slip. this probably happens once a month and has happened since i purchased the car in the fall of 2007. the brakes grab again as soon as i hit solid road. *jb | |||
| 11/15/2009 | 1 | ||
| On 2 separate events, the brake system in our 2007 toyota prius failed. it felt as if there was no brake fluid in the system and the brakes became dangerously spongy and unresponsive. the dealer made two separate fixes to the system. *tr | |||
| 04/15/2007 | 10000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving 25 mph the vehicle accelerated on its own when the brake pedal was engaged. the vehicle towed to the dealer who stated that the brakes were damaged. the entire brake system was repaired under the warranty. the failure recurred 3 months after the vehicle was repaired; however, toyota advised the contact that they would assume responsibility. the failure mileage was 10000 and the current mileage was 46390. | |||
| 09/07/2007 | 3 | ||
| 2007 toyota prius. i noticed brakes slipping or delayed engagement very soon after purchase. when the brake hesitates the slippery road icon always comes on. i took the car into the dealer 3 times within the first 12-18 mos. they kept it overnight and had the tech drive it without the problem occurring for him. since the warranty expired i have decided to live with the problem. i since purchased new tires which has decreased the frequency of the brake hesitation. now i fear serious brake failure. i called the dealer dave white of toledo, ohio today and was told by the service dept.to wait for a letter re. the brake and accelerator problems which should arrive in about a month. i am concerned about the safety of my car in the interim. actions to date have done much to heighten awareness of problems but have done nothing to increase safety in the short term. i hope that the nhtsa will address this issue. *tr | |||
| 04/24/2007 | 2500 | 1 | |
| If you drive over a manhole or pothole while applying brakes, the brakes won't work and the little anti-skid light on the dashboard goes on. you have to wait until after you pass over the pothole before you apply the brakes. sometimes not possible to do this if you need to stop in a hurry. contacted my toyota dealer about this in july 2007 and was told this was normal. just don't use the brakes until after you pass the pothole. was what i was told. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 1 | ||
| Obviously there has been a lot of media coverage over the past day or so over the third generation prius and brake issues. while i have a 2007 prius (second generation), i can say that my car also suffers from the same issue while braking on an uneven road, going over a bump, etc. (this has happened on dozens of occasions). with my foot on the brake pedal, my cars feels as if it momentarily lurches forward before the brakes once again react. my traction-control light momentarily flashes on my dashboard when this happens. this comment from a poster on your website exactly describes my problem: when braking, if a pothole or bump in the road is hit, the car seemingly jerks forward/accelerates for a split second. since my car is not a third generation prius, i find it interesting that it is suffering from the same problem that apparently only involves the newest model. *tr | |||
| 09/30/2008 | 200 | 1 | |
| I own a 2007 toyota prius, and the problem now being investigated on the 2010 models where the brakes fail momentarily when driving over a pothole or bumpy road is a very common occurrence for me, and has been since we bought the vehicle in september of 2008. *tr | |||
| 12/21/2009 | 55000 | 1 | |
| I won a 2007 toyota prius. i had two accidents in last 4 months timeframe (both incidents were filed). in both the cases, i have observed that there has been braking issue. especially during snow/icy conditions, the car did not stop. when braking, if there is little ice i would expect it to stop at normal distance. but it crosses the road until some distance, before it comes to complete stop. the car seemingly jerks forward/accelerates for some time. i am good fan of prius and it's my 3rd prius in the family since 2005. honestly, the braking distance & sliding bothering me recently alot. *tr | |||
| 01/30/2010 | 1 | ||
| Loss of control of prius briefly when braking on icy or uneven conditions. every time i go over a particular bridge here in the suburbs of philadelphia the problem occurs. most recently brakes shuddered for about 10 seconds on icy conditions, not like in abs way but in a way in which i wasn't sure if they were going to engage or not. *tr | |||
| 02/03/2010 | 1 | ||
| Please probe 2007 toyota prius brakes too. my brakes have felt weak for some time now. i brought it to the repair shop in december 2009 and they said they were fine and were at 50% worn. the repair shop thought i was nuts. they still grind, squeak and feel weak. *tr | |||
| 08/03/2009 | 10000 | 1 | |
| I purchased a 2007 prius on 8/31/07. both my wife and i occasionally experience a slight forward surge of the vehicle when the brakes are applied. i had the car inspected on 5/14/08 for this concern and have a toyota workorder stating the issue and indicating that they could not find a problem. i repeated my concerns on additional service visits (not written up on the workorder and, again, nothing was found. on 8/3/09 i was involved in a minor accident when i failed to completely stop behind a car sitting at a traffic light and struck that car in the rearend. my car required a bumper replacement as the plastic bumper cracked on impact while the other vehicle only experienced scratched paint on it's rear bumper. i am concerned that there is something systemic wrong with the brakes on my car and wanted to report this and, hopefully, hear back as to the number of similar reports that you have received. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2009 | 21000 | 1 | |
| For the past several months, my 2007 toyota prius has experienced the occasional low speed braking problem that has been reported in the news media today. i first noted this when going over railway tracks at low speed while braking. i experienced what felt like a loss of traction briefly, and the anti-lock brake light warning system flashed. this has happened again in low speed braking situations while going over an uneven surface several times, but not constantly. i report this because my prius is a 2007 model -- not a 2010, which initial news reports indicated were affected. i am the original owner. i notified the dealer (bob bridge toyota in renton, wa) this morning. i initially did not understand the nature of the problem until i heard the news reports this morning. *tr | |||
| 02/06/2009 | 29000 | 1 | |
| I pressed on the brakes in an emergency situation and there was a slight delay between when the brake pedal was depressed and when the brakes grabbed. i ended up striking the car in front of me. i have the license plate of the car i hit etched in my front bumper. 2007 toyota prius. *tr | |||
| 06/20/2009 | 22000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 toyota prius and i have experienced a brake problem. my brakes will become unresponsive if i hit a series (2 or 3 in a row) of sharp bumps my brakes will not work to the point that i have to reapply the brakes. if i had been closer to the cars in front of me i would have crashed into them. now that i am aware of this problem i just allow extra space in case i hit bumps. the problem can be duplicated at a particular place in the road that i travel. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2010 | 19261 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 prius. my complaint regards the braking system. my issue happens under low speed conditions while braking. while braking and hitting a minor bump or pothole, the brake will completely disengage for a split second and reengage. the stability control light will turn on when this happens as well. this was mentioned to the dealer and their response was i've heard that before. it's because it has a light front end. seemed like an uninformed answer to me. this issue occurs frequently and has occurred since day one of ownership. *tr | |||
| 02/07/2008 | 16000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2007 toyota prius, and since i have had the car i have continuous issues with momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over uneven road surfaces, potholes and bumps, so i don't think it's just an issue with the 2010 models. i asked my dealer, olathe toyota in olathe, ks, about it last year and they told me it was just part of the auto-correct system that's an advance feature installed in the car and for me not to worry... that was how it was suppose to work they said. however, you momentarily lose control of the braking system and sometimes the steering even auto corrects itself but not always in the right way...i have had several instances of it happening and correcting in a way where it almost caused me to wreck. it's so nerve racking that i try and avoid bumps or potholes as much as possible. to add to my confusion though, i received a floor-mat recall letter from toyota back in november 2009 but never received one about a recall on the prius gas-pedal. but aren't the floor-mats what toyota originally said was wrong with the systems before they admitted to the gas pedal in the other models, so why didn't i receive a gas pedal recall letter as a 2007 prius owner, if it really wasn't the floor-mats that they recalled? needless to say, i'm a confused 2007 prius owner with huge concerns over the safety of my car that i still owe money on. should i talk to my dealer again about the braking/auto-correct system/gas pedal issues ? i'm just not clear on what my options are but i am concerned about the safety of my car, not only for me but for other drivers on the road, especially since i have a 45 minute commute to work each way five times a week in heavy highway traffic. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2007 | 1 | ||
| I have a toyota prius 2007 and ever since i got it the brakes do not go into motion right away specially on wet icy roads or slopes. it feels like it slides before stopping. *tr | |||
| 01/10/2010 | 10000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2007 prius. when i brake and hit a bump in the road, the car does momentarily jerk forward. this has happened since i owned the car, but did not file a complaint until now. it is a rather helpless feel when this happens, it's only momentary and i really only notice it at slower speeds (like when slowing for a stop sign), and could be dangerous especially if your not expecting it.*tr | |||
| 08/29/2009 | 63000 | 1 | |
| I was in stop and go traffic on i275 in tampa in my 2007 toyota prius during morning rush hour. the most i was doing during this time was 15mph. i always stay more than enough behind the car in front of me. i applied the brakes and it was like i was on ice skates. the road was dry but it was like i had no brakes and no control and just slid into the car ahead of me. i told the officer who wrote me up a ticket that my brakes failed, i also constantly told my car insurance and the car repair company to check my brakes because they failed. *tr | |||
| 02/03/2010 | 44000 | 1 | |
| The complaint involves a 2007 toyota prius. since new this vehicle exhibits a momentary loss in braking when suddenly encountering bumpy or slippery surfaces. the events are typically accompanied by a flashing warning light indicating a slippery surface. these events result in a slight but noticeable decrease in braking force. both my wife and i can detect when this occurs. no parts have been replaced and we have not visited the dealer. we thought that this was normal operation for our car until recent toyota news releases. *tr | |||
| 01/15/2010 | 82000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving approximately 6 mph in the snow the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. as she depressed the brake pedal, the vehicle continued to slide forward. the check engine illuminated intermittently prior and after the failure occurred. the dealer was unable to duplicate or diagnose the failure. the failure mileage was 82,000. updated 04/14/10 | |||
| 12/28/2006 | 1000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 toyota prius and its brakes have failed momentarily on several occasions. events that seem to trigger the failure include hitting potholes, turning sharply at speed, and driving on very rough road surface. the failure is momentary and has not resulted in accident or injury...just a skipped heart beat. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2007 toyota prius. i live in new england. i have noticed that the brakes do not stop the car in slushy conditions, even if the road surface is not icy. this situation repeats itself whenever the weather conditions are wet and near 32 deg. fahrenheit. the car just slides straight forward with no fish-tailing when the brakes are applied. other cars stop just fine in slush, because the road surface has adequate traction. i know several other prius owners, and they all experience this problem. i have stopped driving the prius whenever possible in these weather conditions. i have filled in a random incident date below, because the problem happens every time the weather conditions are as described. *tr | |||
| 01/12/2010 | 50500 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 toyota prius. when braking, the brakes feel tacky and/or there is a judder feeling, which makes the car stop suddenly or abruptly. this occurs when only applying a very light touch to the brake. secondly, when applying brakes over icy patch or bump, car will continue to roll for a split second. there is an electronic sound at the same time the brake and roll occurs. *tr | |||
| 01/19/2010 | 1 | ||
| I own a 2007 toyota prius and i have noticed that if i am braking and hit a bump or a pothole, that the braking seems to pause and i have to brake harder. also the abs warning light will sometimes flicker. this has happened on numerous occasions over the past 3 years. fortunately, i was never in a position to endanger myself or another, but in other circumstances it could have been a problem. *tr | |||
| 01/24/2010 | 35000 | 1 | |
| The incident i'm reporting took place while driving my prius home during a freezing rain and had two other passengers in the car. we were going about 15mph on suburban roads due to the treacherous conditions. since a t intersection lay ahead (maybe 100 ft) i very slowly and cautiously started to try to engage the brakes well in advance in order to avoid any skidding. however, *my brakes did not respond at all* and neither the abs system or the skid-warning light went on as the car refused to stop. rather, the car simply kept driving. since i had given myself ample time prior to the stop i was able to assess the situation and am very sure that this is what happened and told my husband, who was a passenger, that my brakes were not responding at all. when we reached the intersection i was able to turn the car to the right on top of gravel and dirt, when the brakes engaged and we came to a halt. the conditions remained icy and we tested the brakes a number of times on our drive home to see if we could replicate what had happened but were unable to reproduce the problem. although icy, the brakes worked as well as one might expect under the circumstances. also, abs and the skid-warning light went on normally thereafter. i called out dealership who urged us to bring in the vehicle for inspection and i plan to do so this week. i have also reported the problem to toyota. *tr | |||
| 01/10/2010 | 110000 | 1 | |
| There is a problem with the prius abs. if the car transverses ruff terrain during low speed braking, the abs light flashes, the brakes release, causing the vehicle to accelerates. it requires increased pressure to get the vehicle to slow. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 24000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 toyota prius and periodically the brakes slip on dry surfaces. the 'slip' indicator on the dashboard lights up and i feel the slippage. it only lasts a second or two. i brought it to the attention of the toyota dealer a year ago, but they didn't have anything to say about it, and did nothing about it. i have not had any accidents as a result of this, but it is disconcerting. it happens about once a week. *tr | |||
| 12/16/2009 | 1 | ||
| This description is of an occurrence which may be a the result of a flaw. upon light pressure on the brake pedal, while proceeding over areas with suspect traction, vehicle seems to lose all braking for a small but un-nerving moment. it is as though the abs is fighting the regenerative braking of the hybrid drive. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 0 | 1 | |
| My 2007 prius seems to have a brake issue. if i am on bumpy ground or hit a pothole while braking, it feels like the brakes fail for a brief time. on a couple of occasions when vehicles are in front of me, i have been concerned that i might cause an accident. this just happened again, and has happened more times than i can count. i just found out today about this method of reporting a complaint, otherwise i would have reported it a long time ago. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 74000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2007 toyota prius which i bought new. if i apply pressure to the brakes and then hit a bump in the road, the brakes seem to release until i get over the bump. i believe this is a known problem in the 2010 prius, but i want to report that i have the same thing happen in my 2007 prius. *tr | |||
| 01/07/2008 | 1 | ||
| 2007 toyota prius - brakes if driving over a pot hole, bump, or any other non-flat surface, the brakes do not work, the car thrusts forward, & the abs light flashes. this is likely the cause of an accident i had slipping off the road approximately a year and a half ago. *tr | |||
| 05/07/2008 | 33000 | 1 | |
| When it is humid and/or raining, the rear brakes of my 2007 toyota prius seize up as i come to a stop. just before a stop (ie at a stop sign or stop light) the brakes will seem to grab really hard in the back and the car will sort of lurch or jerk forward but be abruptly held in place by the rear. there is a loud noise from the back like a rubbing noise when this happens. the car has been to two toyota dealerships both of which deny that this could be occurring. i insisted that it be looked at and test driven and the mechanic claims there is nothing wrong. this has been going on since i first bought the car in may, 2008. passengers have witnessed this in the car. it only happens when it is seriously humid (ie on the verge of raining) or when it is raining....every time i approach a stop, without exception. it's like the rear of the car is suddenly superglued to the road and the body of the car/shell of the car continues with the forward momentum/motion. for the category of problem i checked service brake, hydraulic, because that was the only brake option i saw besides parking brake. i have no idea if this is the correct category. *tr | |||
| 05/19/2007 | 50 | 1 | |
| From the beginning, my 2007 prius (purchased 5/19/07) has consistently lost braking power briefly if i hit a small bump in the road as i am braking, at low speed, for a stop sign or traffic light. i understand this to be a problem in the transition from regenerative to hydraulic braking. my toyota dealer, in may 2008, could find nothing wrong. *tr | |||
| 12/04/2009 | 27741 | 1 | |
| I am writing to report transient failure of the anti-lock braking system in our 2007 toyota prius. since may 2008 we have noticed episodic accelerations during light braking (at intersections for instance) when the car encounters pot holes, grates, railroad tracks or slippery pavement. we seem to lose control of the vehicle momentarily. only with heavy brake pedal depression does the vehicle come to a complete stop. until january 2010 we thought this was a unique feature to our vehicle and we were hypersensitive to its idiosyncrasies. unfortunately, in january 2009 this defect lead to a low speed motor vehicle collision wherein my wife was unable to stop the vehicle when another driver abruptly pulled in front of her. no one was hurt, thankfully, but both vehicles were damaged. all other nearby drivers were able to stop in time and no other collisions occurred. on december 4, 2009 this same vehicle was involved in another low speed motor vehicle collision when a driver ahead suddenly stopped to avoid a pedestrian. the prius was unable to stop in time (even under heavy brake pedal pressure) and collided with rear bumper of the car ahead. more than $5,000 in damage occurred to the prius alone; though no one was hurt. in both instances nearby and subsequent vehicles experienced no problems stopping. there were no signs of ice or slippery pavement either time. furthermore, neither my wife nor i have ever been involved in accidents in the past or with other cars. we didn't recognize that this could be a manufacturer's defect until complaints to the nhtsa became public and widely discussed in december 09 & january '10. please note, however; our affected vehicle is a 2007 model year and we have experienced symptoms including loss of control and inappropriate acceleration just as described by others in the online community for 2010. *tr | |||
| 12/18/2009 | 22833 | 1 | |
| I was driving my 2007 toyota prius in heavy rush hour traffic and cold, wet snowy conditions this past friday night. my brakes failed to engage twice. the first time i was going 5-10 mph and stepped on the brake to maintain a safe following distance with the car in front of me, which had stopped. it was as if the car was in neutral and a yellow light started flashing on the dashboard (i think this was the abs system light, but i don't know) and i fortunately coasted to a stop before hitting the car in front of me. there was no skidding or sliding, just a non-response from the brakes. the second time occurred about 10 minutes later and i was again traveling at slow speed and attempted to brake to stay a safe distance from the car ahead. this time i repeatedly pressed hard on the brake and initially there was no engagement and then after approx 5 sec the brakes did engage and i again was able to avoid a fender bender. i drove the car home (white-knuckled) and it has been parked in my driveway over the weekend - we experienced a major snowstorm and i have not been able to drive anywhere. tomorrow i am going to see if i can get the car towed to a dealership because i don't want to drive it. *tr | |||
| 02/14/2009 | 37020 | 1 | |
| I was driving at low speed in cold weather, under 20 mph. i lightly accelerated to get through an intersection, then applied the brakes to stop because of a car stopped in the lane ahead. there was absolutely no response from the brakes so i ran into car in front. there was heavy damage to my car (estimated at $4,000 to $5,000), very little to car in front (less than $500). this is the only time this happened. the brakes worked fine for 2 years, and have worked fine since although i have only driven the car to the dealership for checking the brakes and to get the bodywork repaired. the dealership checked brakes, stated that there is absolutely nothing wrong (mechanically) with the brakes. toyota had a regional representative investigate, and toyota legal officially blames it on me not applying brakes in time. i have been trained to drive on the test tracks at gm's milford proving grounds, and have worked on engine and transmission software for 14 years, and have done a lot of testing on the track and road. i know how to apply brakes, and i know they did not work. since the brakes are not just the mechanical apparatus, i suspect a computer problem. *tr | |||
| 07/15/2008 | 12000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that the vehicle experiences reduced braking ability in rainy weather conditions. on one occasion, the brake warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. she took the vehicle to the dealer, but they could not duplicate the failure and provide a remedy. the failure mileage was 12,000 and current mileage was 19,000. | |||
| 12/15/2008 | 25000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving 3 mph, the abs indicator illuminated when the brake pedal was depressed. the vehicle accelerated and proceeded ten feet. the vehicle crashed into a curb and punctured the tire. there were no injuries. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the brake system was not the cause of the failure. the tire was replaced. the manufacturer stated that there were no current recalls on the brake system; however, they would have a factory service representative inspect the vehicle. the vehicle was inspected and it was determined that there were no current failures with the brake system. the current and failure mileages were 25,000. | |||
| 11/30/2007 | 20000 | 2 | 04/01/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving approximately 25 mph on normal road conditions, the vehicle failed to slow down when the contact depressed the brake pedal. she crashed into some bushes on the side of the road and proceeded to a complete stop. the failure occurred without warning. the vehicle was able to be driven to an authorized dealer, but they were unable to duplicate the failure. the failure occurred another time and caused a rear end crash. there were no injuries. the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 20,000 and current mileage was 24,000. updated 11/25/08. *lj the consumer stated the second time the incident happened, she stepped on the brake, the pedal went down to the floor with no resistance and the consumer crashed into another vehicle. updated 11/25/08. *jb | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 2 | ||
| 2007 toyota prius with brake problems. consumer states that the brakes were pressed and the vehicle continued to move backward slowly. he also states that the vehicle didn't stop when brakes were depressed and consequently hit a stopped car. *kb | |||
| 05/06/2008 | 24843 | 1 | |
| This incident involves my 2007 toyota prius hybrid that i have owned for almost a year. as i was driving approximately 40 mph and put my foot on the brake as i approached a red light, the red brake warning came on the dash as did the abs warning light. my foot went all the way to the floor and i had no brakes. luckily i had a right turning lane that i could veer into and not hit the stopped vehicles in front of me. as i continued to push the brake to the floor and maneuver the vehicle out of traffic, it seemed to catch a little and i was able to slow the vehicle eventually to a stop. i put the vehicle in park as it was still running, and pulled out the owner's manual. the manual specifically stated that if these two warning lights came on at the same time, you were to stop immediately and contact your toyota dealership. this is exactly what i did. i had the vehicle towed into their facility that evening. the next day i was interrogated by the mechanic after a diagnostic report was done on my car. he wanted to know when i let the car run out of gas. i have never let my car run out of gas, and in fact that just filled the take the day before this incident occurred. the mechanic couldn't tell me what was wrong and contacted toyota's corporate office. two days later, i was advised that the reason the brakes didn't work was because i let the car run out of gas and this caused the engine to shut off. i argued that the car had never run out of gas and the engine didn't shut off, the brakes went out. the service manager pulled out the diagnostic test showing that at some point the car had run out of gas----this test doesn't give a date of when this may have happened. i advised the service manager that the car had 223 miles on it when i purchased it-- this test result could have happened when the car was still at the dealership, not in my possession. the service manager advised me that his hands were tied and that toyota had made their decision. *tr | |||
| 06/16/2007 | 3400 | 1 | |
| When attempting an emergency stop, the brakes failed to operate as expected. there was no feeling of any braking, and there was no surge to indicate that the abs was operating. the experience was similar to those reported on the web page http://www.hybridcars.com/forums/brake-failure-2007-t1013.html?s=500a78277ea2cb675fac1f9567000bee& i have taken it to a prius dealer, avondale toyota, but in the absence of any computer codes and the fact that subsequent tests of the abs system did not indicate a problem they were unable to offer any kind of explanation or repair. i had approximately three to four car lengths from me to the next car at about 30 mph, enough space that i believe i should have been able to brake without collision. when i went from accelerating to rapid braking there was no real sensation of the car slowing down more than slight braking. the other car had minimal damage, but the driver of the other car did hit her head on her steering wheel. i had close to $3,000 in damage to my front end (hood bumper and left fender). *tr the consumer was informed that there was nothing wrong with the brakes design. the brakes are electronically assisted and that the computer will first attempt to use the electric motor for initial braking, then engage the hydraulic system and finally the abs based on feedback from various sensors. the mechanic did agree, that is possible that while the computer is evaluating the braking efficiency, a delay between the motor only braking and fully engaging the hydraulics and abs are possible and part of the design. updated 08/02/07.*jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 1 | 05/01/2007 | |
| I am experiencing a problem with my '07 toyota prius. i purchased my prius in may of '07 & have approximately 17,600 miles on the odometer. since then i have experienced on approximately 6 occasions a lurching when braking to a full stop at a stop light. i am braking after a slow coast and gradually braking so it is not a sudden action. since it happens so rarely and with no warning and doesn't repeat the problem for months i have not taken my car in to the dealership. after hearing similar complaints re: 2010 prius i called my dealership to see if they could check my car for the same defect. the dealership said it would be difficult to diagnose unless the car would just happen to experience the behavior during a test drive. but for $79 i could bring it in which would document my complaint. i was also told that since the 2010 recall the dealership was being inundated with hypochondriac owner's reporting imagined problems. i think those owner's are more likely to be like me. just now reporting a hard to replicate incident. i think the investigation needs to be broadened immediately for all prius involved in the floor mat recall as i think that is just an invented problem to cover up the braking/acceleration defect. *tr updated 04/15/10. | |||
| 10/31/2009 | 62000 | 1 | |
| I had a 2007 toyota prius that seemed to have issues whenever i would hit the brakes on slickwet roads or sometimes when i would hit a bump. it felt as if the brakes would not apply and the car would feel like it accelerated forward instead of stopping. usually the brakes would kick in after a second or two of this kind of slipping. however, in early november of this year while taking my son to karate on a wet day we hit a spot of repaired road that caused this to occur again, instead of correcting itself it felt like i had no control of the car and the car veered off to the side of the road, went up an incline and flipped the car onto its side. fortunately in this case no one was injured at all as i was going fairly slow and the car quickly came to a stop when it went on it side. i always thought the issue was with the anti-lock brake system but i recently saw an article about 2010 prius having this issue and i thought i should report that this happened to me on an older version of the prius as well. *tr | |||
| 11/29/2007 | 9600 | 1 | 02/01/2007 |
| While backing out of my parking space at work, my brakes went to the floor and barely stopped the vehicle. alarm was going off, so i pulled forward just enough to see if the brakes were working at all and they were probably 98% gone. i parked, got towed to dealer near my home with aaa. i later found out that a pair of abs skid control relays (2 88263-21010) caused the problem. nothing mechanical failed. these relays caused my entire braking ability to be lost. i believe this is an unsafe design as there is no mechanical connection available at the pedal if you have this electrical problem. some mechanical brakes should be available. the emergency brake is on / off only and no in between. i would like to find what legal remedies are available to me as i am considering changing to a safer vehicle due to this design flaw. as in power brakes, if you lose the power brakes, you can still stop the vehicle, though difficult since there is still a mechanical hydraulic system in place even with a failed power booster. *tr the consumer also stated the master cylinder failed. updated | |||
| 03/12/2007 | 3000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that his complaint pertains to the anti-lock braking system on all vehicles. he stated that when driving on a road that is wet, icy, or contains snow, he has to slam on the brakes and depress the brake pedal to the floor in order to stop the vehicle. he stated that the tires lock up one by one, which takes all control of stopping the vehicle out of his hands, as opposed to pumping the brakes and maintaining some control over the vehicle. when the abs is activated, the vehicle shakes, bucks, wiggles, jerks, and makes a lot of noise. the contact did not want to provide any vehicle information other than the year, make, model, and mileage information. the current mileage is 4,000 and failure mileage was 3,000. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||
| 07/15/2008 | 1000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact was driving at speeds of 20 mph and depressing the brakes while traveling over a road bump when the vehicle abnormally surged forward. the dealer advised that the vehicle was functioning normal and the vehicle was not repaired. the vehicle did not receive diagnostic testing. the failure mileage was 1,000 and the current mileage was 21,000. | |||
| 08/10/2008 | 27000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while traveling at a speed of 25 mph over a rough surface the vehicle began to skid and it became difficult to control, the traction control light also appeared on the dashboard when the failure occurred. the dealer was contacted and sent a representative to diagnose the failure. the contact didn | |||
| 10/10/2009 | 40000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while approaching any type of stop sign and decelerating, if the vehicle traveled over a series of bumps or any uneven road surface, the vehicle would momentarily accelerate and immediately function normally. the contact stated that it felt similar to having depressed the brake pedal and removing his foot midway. the dealer was contacted and advised the him that the vehicle was operating as it was intended. they also advised filing a complaint with the manufacturer, which he did. the manufacturer did not respond. there were no repairs made to the vehicle to date and there were no recalls. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 80,000. | |||
| 08/15/2007 | |||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact was driving approximately between 20-30 mph on a rough road surface. while braking the anti-lock brake system warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle failed to slow down with a slight loss of vehicle control for a few seconds. the vehicle was able to resume normal operation. the failure occurred whenever encountering an uneven or snow covered road condition. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. there was no resolution. the failure mileage was unknown. | |||
| 10/23/2008 | 50000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that as he came to a complete stop with his feet on the brake pedal and there was a bump in the road the vehicle would lunge forward and accelerate. the dealer was called, stated that was normal and there was no failure. the contact stated the failure occurred repeatedly whenever he stopped the vehicle. the toyota manufacturer was never called. the failure mileage was 50,000. | |||
| 01/10/2008 | 1000 | 1 | 03/17/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving over any potholes in the road at speeds of over 10 mph, the traction warning light would illuminate on the instrument panel. the vehicle also made a loud grinding noise while depressing the brake pedal and they would not engage. the contact confirmed that the brakes felt as if they were locking. the manufacturer and a local dealer were contacted, both of which were not willing to offer any assistance. no repairs were made to the vehicle. on a separate occasion, the headlights intermittently failed to operate. the dealer replaced the bulbs in both headlights. there were no recalls. the failure mileage was under 1,000 and the current mileage was 20,400. updated 03/04/10. *lj updated 05/10/10 | |||
| 01/15/2010 | 1 | ||
| I am describing a repeating issue with my 2007 toyota prius. this failure occurs when i drive over bumpy surfaces, a large pothole, or an area with a dip in the road. often, when faced with these conditions, the car stutters and lurches and the vehicle stability assist light flashes. at times, the car's slip and stutter seems to last several seconds after hitting the rough patch in the road. while it seems to exacerbate the problem if i am turning or braking, i should point out that i sometimes experience this lurching and stalling sometimes when i am simply driving along at 35 mph and hit a pothole. it often seems to occur in a situation where braking or turning is involved, but it seems more related to the vsa process. i am reporting this failure because i have seen news reports of an investigation of the 2010 prius model. the description of the brake failure reported in the media are basically the same as mine.*jb | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 29997 | 1 | |
| I have a 2007 prius the following has occurred any time driving over rough patches of road or over rr tracks: the car loses traction and power for a sort time until smooth pavement returns. the vsc lamp on the dash shows up when this happens. i shudder to think what would occur on a rough mountain road or in wet weather. this type of event sounds very much like what's being reported by the drivers of the 2010 prius. in 47 years of driving i've never had a car react in this way. i've compensated by driving cautiously and wait for traction to return but it doesn't feel quite right when it happens. *jb | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 43000 | 1 | |
| The braking issues that i have experienced for the 2007 prius within months of buying the vehicle are the same issues that are currently being reported for the 2010 prius. i have a prius with traction control. there are two things with the traction control that happen on a regular basis living in st. george, utah. one is when i come out of a parking lot that has the steep dip for water control the traction control system misfires on dry, clean surfaces and in many cases leaves me dead on the road for a few seconds in which the car will not move at all. this also happens when i drive on roads where there is a drainage lid in the middle of the road, and i am actually not attempting to brake. the second is when i brake. if there is any rough or uneven surfaces, bumps, or dirt roads, i have to anticipate that the braking system will fail and/or i will have to quickly pump the brakes and leave extra braking room. i have not taken the vehicle to toyota because having had a 1999 tacoma whose brakes would fail on a regular basis to the point, for which they continually replaced sensors, i sold it after i had it less then one year, i don't expect toyota to do anything about it. i just drive differently. the speeding out of control, for me, only occurs when i have cruise control on. many times when i press on the brake the car actually speeds up with a jerk or i will look down at my speed and cruise control will have increased it by 10 or 15 mph. *jb *tr | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 1 | ||
| My 2007 prius has the brake problem identified on the 2010 models -- when i go over a pot-hole or bump the brakes slip. this probably happens once a month and has happened since i purchased the car in the fall of 2007. the brakes grab again as soon as i hit solid road. *jb | |||
| 01/16/2010 | 52000 | 1 | |
| During turns at times my 2007 pruis will bog down and have no power. i have reported the problem to the dealer and they believe it my be a sensor problem where the abs senses to much spin and cuts power to the transmission. it takes about 5 to 10 seconds to get the power back to the transmission. during this time the car cannot move. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | |||
| 10/01/2007 | 7005 | 2 | 12/30/2006 |
| Driving on a residential street, speed limit of 35mph, at 5:20pm in evening commute traffic, a normal stop transitioned into an emergency stop attempt and minor accident. when the brake pedal was depressed, did not seem to slow. upon hard braking, brake pedal all the way to the brake stop, no abs shimmy or increased slowing. (i have never noticed brakes going all the way to the brake stop before, but it happened the following day when driving to body shop for estimate) hit a 2007 toyota tacoma with tow package. front end damage of 2007 toyota prius estimated at least $3k. no damage to tacoma. san jose pd took report and with no fluids leaking, i drove the car home after the accident. i reported accident to my insurance company and then contact toyota customer service the following day. as previously stated, i drove to local body shop for repair estimate and brakes hit brake stop again (going less than 20mph). toyota created case file and today (10/05/07) regional toyota inspector is currently inspecting my vehicle at the local toyota dealership. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - MASTER CYLINDER | |||
| 11/29/2007 | 9600 | 1 | 02/01/2007 |
| While backing out of my parking space at work, my brakes went to the floor and barely stopped the vehicle. alarm was going off, so i pulled forward just enough to see if the brakes were working at all and they were probably 98% gone. i parked, got towed to dealer near my home with aaa. i later found out that a pair of abs skid control relays (2 88263-21010) caused the problem. nothing mechanical failed. these relays caused my entire braking ability to be lost. i believe this is an unsafe design as there is no mechanical connection available at the pedal if you have this electrical problem. some mechanical brakes should be available. the emergency brake is on / off only and no in between. i would like to find what legal remedies are available to me as i am considering changing to a safer vehicle due to this design flaw. as in power brakes, if you lose the power brakes, you can still stop the vehicle, though difficult since there is still a mechanical hydraulic system in place even with a failed power booster. *tr the consumer also stated the master cylinder failed. updated | |||