Problems with 2008 Toyota Prius SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. while driving 20 mph, the brake, anti-lock braking system, vehicle stability control, and traction control warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. additionally, there was a triangle symbol flashing. the vehicle was taken to autonation toyota leesburg (1 cardinal park dr se, leesburg, va 20175, 571-357-3965) where it was diagnosed that the anti-lock brake system actuator needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and provided case number: 1809122780. the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not covered under a warranty. the failure mileage was 206,970.

Whenever i'm braking the vehicle and it goes over a bump in the road the anti skid braking system engages and blinks on the dash and there is a brief several second loss of braking and i can feel the brakes disengage. *tr

While entering a highway onramp in my company's 2008 toyota prius, the car suddenly began accelerating out of control without application of the gas pedal. i had to press hard on the brake just to hold the car at 65 mph. the car was surging and lunging forward, and i worried i wouldn't be able to find a place to pull over before losing control completely. for the next 5-10 minutes, as i approached traffic in front of me, the car continued to accelerate, even though i had my foot on the brake the entire time. at one point i noticed the car was reaching speeds in excess of 95 mph. a loud rattling noise ensued and an electrical smell filled the car. eventually, the brake completely failed to have any effect, and, barreling down the highway at 90 mph, i put the car in neutral, but it continued to accelerate. at this point i had my right foot on the brake pedal and depressed the parking break all the way to the floor with my left foot, this slowed the car slightly, but not enough to regain control. finally, i turned the car off completely, and with my hazard lights on, managed to pull the car away from traffic and off on the shoulder of the highway, where i coasted for a long distance, speeds decreasing gradually until eventually it stopped. smoke and a burning electrical smell filled the car. i filed a police report with an officer who happened to also be on the shoulder, giving someone a speeding ticket. my company towed the car to a dealership, and an investigation is supposedly underway, though i'm not optimistic about any sort of resolution based on the testimonies i have read from others who have experienced the same thing. luckily, in my case, this didn't result in an accident, and noone was killed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. the contact was braking from 15 mph and entering into a parking lot but the brakes did not respond. the contact continued to apply pressure to the brakes until the vehicle came to a stop. the contact stated that the vehicle sustained scratches due to being in close proximity to a building. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact was awaiting a diagnosis of the failure. the manufacturer was contacted and stated they would send an inspector to investigate the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 30,000.

2008 toyota prius. consumer states two problems with vehicle, the abs release momentarily causes a brief surge forward any time there is a small bump in the road when braking and consumer also states he nearly rear ended another vehicle at a stop light when he almost couldn't stop, even by putting his entire weight on the vehicle. *tgw the consumer also believed the pedals were designed too close together. *jb

What happened on 12/23/10 was that i was going to turn around in a short driveway, approximately 6 ft long, that was on a steep incline. as i came up to the driveway, i took my foot off the accelerator to move it over to the brake. my foot was completely off the accelerator and, when the car hit the incline, it sped up really fast. i had to jam on my brakes to keep from crashing into a garage door. my main complaint, though, is that there is some sort of override system built into the 2008 prius so that, when you drive over certain potholes or bumps in the road -- but not all of them -- and your foot is on the brake to slow the car down, the car automatically speeds up to move you out of the pothole or over the bump. this overrides the brakes so that there is a possibility that you could run into the car in front of you if it was stopped or into something blocking the road or a garage door. it happens when you are braking to slow the car down, whether you are going down a hill, around a curve or coming up to a red light or stop sign. you have your foot on the brake and the car speeds up momentarily. there is a square metal plate that is slightly lower than the tarmac in the road about 1/2 mile from my house. the road is a canyon road so it is a hillside road that is very narrow. every morning when i drive to work, i have to drive over that plate and, every time i do, my car speeds up. this happens with other 2008 priuses that friends have, it's not just mine. it is very scary and everyone i know who has a 2008 prius knows that it is a bad design flaw that could possibly cause an accident or injury. something needs to be done to stop the override system. it's very dangerous.

2008 toyota prius, when i hit a bump or pothole at relatively low speed, the car sometimes goes into "anti-skid" mode, leading to a brief disconcerting period of lurching/acceleration/loss of braking ability before the car returns to normal. this problem is usually accompanied by the yellow anti - skid icon indicator on the dash.

I own a 2008 prius. i have complained twice to my toyota dealership that at times, when braking on a bumpy road it feels as if my brakes momentarily release. some times it will take your breath away. i will not allow my daughters to drive this car because of the uncomfortable sensation. i know the car will stop (it always has) but for a split second it is frightening. both times i have been told by my toyota dealer that it is the anti-lock brake feature kicking in. once they test drove it for about 15 minutes and said there was no problem. i drive it daily and i may only experience it twice a week. 15 minutes will not tell them anything. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. the contact heard a squeaking noise when he applied pressure to the brake pedal, whether driving the vehicle or while it was stopped. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was told that the failure was common but it was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 30,000 and the current mileage was 60,743.

My 2008 toyota prius touring edition has had a consistent problem with the skid light going on under the most innocuous of conditions. i now have 34,000 miles on it, and after it happened again yesterday, and i saw this website address, i decided to report it. often, when i drive at any speed, especially on city streets, if i go over a tiny bump, a small pot hole, a minor moist spot, not to mention snow and ice, the yellow light comes on while the car seems to become airborne for a few seconds, seems out of control, and skids when the tires grip the ground again. my heart lurches along with the car, and it makes me afraid to drive it (in addition to the general recalls that have eroded my confidence in the car). in some cases, i have actually skidded into a curb before i could regain control with the brake. (i was told by my dealership 1) they haven't heard of such a problem; later: 2) well, it is because of the tires, which had only 20,000 miles on them; and when we replaced the tires with michelins and it still happened: 3) the car is supposed to do this and it's good that the braking system is so sensitive. *tr

2008 toyota prius with unintended acceleration. *kb an inspection was performed on the vehicle. according to the dealer, the front and rear brakes were completely worn, the rotors were also worn and were in need of replacement. the brake fluid was within normal limits and there was a fluid leak from the impact damage. the accelerator pedal was in good condition and moved freely with no binding or sticking. the drivers side floor mat was an aftermarket all weather mat, not properly secured. it was positioned forward where it could interfere with the accelerator. according to the letter the brakes caught on fire and a motorist extinguished the fire. *jb updated 12/30/10 *bf updated 01/07/11

On my 2008 toyota prius, when i hit a bump or pothole at relatively low speed, the car sometimes goes into "anti-skid" mode, leading to a brief (~1/2 second), disconcerting period of lurching/acceleration/loss of braking ability before the car returns to normal. this problem is usually accompanied by the lighting of the yellow skid icon indicator on the dash. *tr

2008 toyota prius - braking system. braking on a rough or bumpy road, the brakes will disengage and cause your braking time to increase by 5-10 ft without notice. when this disengagement happens, you feel for a few seconds as if you have lost control of the car and the skid light comes on as well. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. the contact stated that on may 21, 2010, while driving at 20 mph, the contact applied the brakes but the vehicle did not stop. as a result, the vehicle rear ended another vehicle. there were minor damages to the vehicle but the contact suffered a leg injury and was he taken to the hospital. there was no police report filed. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership but the failure could not be duplicated. the contact called the manufacturer who later sent him a letter stating that no failure was found within the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were approximately 60,000.

2008 prius. often when i go over a bump the anti-lock braking system kicks in and it feels as if i have lost control of the car. i don't think i could stop suddenly. i haven't had an accident but i am uncomfortable driving sometimes even in good weather. the service department was no help. *tr

Frequently while driving on dry, clear and clean roads, my car braking system will seem to fail and feel like the car is going into a skid. the abs warning light comes on as well - although there is no reason for brake trouble. seems to be happening more and more frequently lately. *tr

When i step on the brakes, and the road is bumpy, the brakes feel like they are not working for a second, and then they grab. this happens every time i am braking and there is a bump in the road. *tr

1. while driving and braking over potholes or rough road, the car veers forward even though brakes are being applied 2. happens ever since we received our 2008 prius maybe once a month or so: results in scary few moments, although no accidents yet have occurred 3. dealer claims cannot re-create the issue. *tr

During a hard braking event, the anti-lock-brakes take over but for a moment before they do, it feels like i have no brakes and the car seems to go faster. it is a scary feeling. *tr

S10 appropriate handling-letter to the secretary from re toyota problems *tgw the consumer stated the brakes made a noise. according to the dealer, there may have been rust on the rotors, due to lack of driving. the vehicle was not getting proper gas mileage and the gas motor made a lot of noise.

While driving about 65 mph on a smooth interstate, my 2008 toyota prius accelerated when i tapped the brake to take it out of cruise control. i stepped on the brake again and it stopped accelerating, and slowed down. i had removed the floor mat a few weeks prior. i took it to toyota to have the recall work done, which included a software upgrade. they said after they inspected the car that they determined form the log that the brake and accelerator had been pressed at the same time, twice. i am sure i did not step on both. as i said, i tapped the break to take it out of cruise control, and at the time it accelerated my foot was in the air, not touching either pedal. i suggested the cruise control may be erroneously putting flags in the log as it slows and accelerated to maintain a consistent speed. the dealer refused to report this suggestion or since it would be diagnosing, and said there was no place for them to report that i was sure i had not stepped on both pedals at the same time. thank you, and i hope you are able to resolve this problem. *tr

I drive a 2008 prius. when braking and driving over a pot-hole, bump, or other road work the anti-lock braking system engages, and the brakes release for an extended period of time (>1 second) causing the car to coast during this time. i drive on busy city streets and on highways with stop and go traffic, and this uncontrolled brake release represents a safety hazard. i have driven vehicles with anti-lock brakes before, and this kind of braking release is much longer and results in a much greater loss of vehicle control than in other vehicles i have driven. in a specific recent incident, i hit a car immediately in front of me. in the incident, i was driving over bumpy pavement and the car in front of me stopped abruptly. as i tried to brake sharply to avoid hitting the car in front, the braking released because the anti lock brakes engaged, and instead of stopping safely, i hit the car. although there were no injuries and damage was minor, the incident (and the regularity with which the brakes release under normal driving conditions) seems to me to represent a significant safety problem for the vehicle. *tr

I have a 2008 toyota prius that we purchased new in april of 08. on march 19th i was driving in heavy stop and go traffic on a street with construction panels on parts of surface. i was leaving a car length in front of me. when the car ahead stopped, i applied the brakes and nothing happened. the car kept going and crashed into the rear end of the car ahead. no one hurt but damage to bumper and hood of my car. took the car to the dealership next morning. toyota rep looked over it, ran diagonstic codes and said nothing was wrong with the car. i know the brakes failed. we have lost confidence in the car and toyota service.

Consumer is concerned with braking problems with the 2008 toyota prius. *ts the consumer believed the braking problem was related to weight of the vehicle, due to it being so light.

In my 2008 toyota prius, when i am braking (using the regenerative braking system) and hit a rough patch of pavement that requires the abs, there is a short time when no brake is engaged and the car seems to speed up temporarily (just a split second). please note that this has happened on numerous occasions, not just the date requested below. *tr

My 2008 prius has an unacceptable level of abs false activation. i have been waiting for an software update to be developed and deployed, but it seems toyota only acknowledges the issue on the 2010 model. i am a former brake systems engineer and i know how the abs should operate. this tuning is too sensitive on rough surfaces and results in temporary reduction in braking force that is disconcerting and potentially dangerous. this occurs anytime braking on rough surfaces (chatter bump). *tr

Whenever i brake while driving over a bump in the road or a pothole, my brakes give out momentarily. at that same time a symbol flashes on my dashboard. my manual identifies this symbol as "the vsc (vehicle stability control) has been engaged." this form requires a specific month, day, year. the approximately incident dates are every day, every week, every month, every year. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. while traveling at a speed of 25 mph the contact attempted to apply the brakes and noticed that they would not engage. when the brakes failed to stop the vehicle the contact crashed into a curb which caused the vehicle to stop. the vin was not available. there were no injuries or need to file a police report. the failure mileage was 15,000 and the current mileage was 15,500.

I own a 2008 toyota prius and i have problems with my brakes after going over bumpy roads or potholes. i notice this when i am applying constant brake pressure through bumpy road conditions as my brakes will simply let go. i personally believe that there is a software problem regarding the abs system and the system believing there is wheel lock up when there is none. this would cause the abs system to engage. it should not be so sensitive that is goes off when no wheels are slipping. i have experienced this in many instances and it has almost lead to me crashing into a toll booth arm/pole. or once driving too far into an intersection at a red light. toyota says the braking problem only affects the 2010 prius model but this is simply not true. i have been experiencing this since i first took possession of my model 2008 prius in early 2008. *tr

Second accident caused by brake failure with acceleration. 2008 prius in stop and go traffic driving in battery (brake)mode about 10-15 mph. car in front slowed down, i hit the brake and the car accelerated slightly. i look to be sure my foot was on the brake pedal and it was and then rear ended the car in front. car in front move forward but prius wouldn't stop and started to accelerate again so i pushed on the parking brake with my left foot and slowed it down for the second impact. car in front then drove slowly to a parking lot and the prius kept moving so i drove it into the parking lot and when it slowed going up the ramp i pushed the parking button stopping the car. i then restarted it and released the parking brake to move further into the parking lot. 4 people injured, 3 seriously. a similar incident occurred 29 september 2008 when driving on cruise control at 26 mph the prius suddenly turned left hitting a parked car. the video shows i was trying to counter steer hard right. skid marks showed the left front wheel stopped and the car pivoted on it with acceleration marks from the right front tire. *tr

Low speed brake failure resulting in crashing into car in front. impact speed about 10-15mph. damage to car >$2800. stood on the brake and the car would not stop as it should. updated 03/12/10

The brakes cut out any time i hit a rough place on the road while braking. i have encountered this issue approximately once per week. it depends on where i am driving. for example: there is a road close to my work where i need to brake for a stop light right at a place where a rough bridge junction exist. when i drive on this road, the brakes cut out every time. toyota has announced they have this issue with the 2010 prius. my car is a 2008 prius. i kept waiting for them to include my car, but so far they have not. *tr

2008 toyota prius with anti-slip rear-wiggle upon hitting small bumps in road. the anti-slip electronic system is way too sensitive as it is responding to small bumps in the road. i can understand how this may be helpful at high speeds or icy conditions, but at slow speeds the blinking yellow skid-control dashboard light and rearend wiggle as the system tries to recover does seem annoying. the system is overly sensitive. *tr

Toyota prius 2008 less serious - frequent release or lapse of braking by abs (assumed) on irregular roadway small cracks seem to confuse system with significant forward travel of vehicle before brakes reengage. similar to my earlier 2005 model but more frequent occurrences and longer lapse in pad rotor contact during braking. most serious brakes failed almost 10 seconds. travel on wet slushy highway for 2 hours on 55 mph road with uphill grade and slight turn to right driver applied light brake pressure attempting to time deceleration to controlled intersection for green light. application of brakes slowed vehicle no more then uphill coast, firmer pressure to no effect, full hard pressure no effect, slight release and full slam, no immediate effect, finally abs stuttered/pulsed and stop vehicle. *tr

My brakes flash a signal on the dash and feel like they 'release' when i am braking and drive across a rough spot. also, today my car did the same thing when i went to accelerate from a stop light, the road was wet from rain. this has happened more times than i can count and i didn't realize it was a problem although it is very concerning, until the toyota recall information about the new prius. i drive the same road everyday and there is a down hill area that comes to a stop light and my car does this every time if i have to brake going down the hill for the light, unless i take my foot off the brakes when i hit the rough areas. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. whenever the contact applies the brakes while traveling over a rough surface the abs will activate causing the vehicle to surge forward. the vehicle had not been diagnosed by the dealership and there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 65000.

2008 toyota prius - when braking over an uneven surface, the deceleration momentarily disappears - this is usually less than a second, but is very noticeable. this has happened for as long as i've owned the car (late 2007) - and i can reproduce the event. a road was just worked on near my house and a part of the pavement near the intersection has been removed and filled in with gravel - when approaching the intersection, the braking suddenly releases, then reapplies. i always thought this was related to the traction control. *tr

While driving over a bumpy road today, i applied brakes to my prius (2008). the vehicle jumped into anti-lock position and would not stop even after applying more pressure. finally, just before rear ending the vehicle in front of me, i was able to stop. i notified toyota about this today on their web site. is there anything else i should do? *tw

2008 prius, 2006 lexus 400h momentary brake loss. i believe the 2010 prius brake issue goes well beyond 2010 prius models. i think the momentary (split second) delay in braking happens at low speeds, infrequently, perhaps in the b shift position exclusively (not certain on this in the lexus) and usually on slippery surfaces and/or cold weather and usually when going down an incline. the feeling i got in my prius and my wife in her lexus was not an acceleration feeling but a going into neutral feeling. it kind of felt like the car picked up speed but more from the coasting effect than anything to due with an accelerator. i would look at the anti-lock braking as it relates to regenerative braking with a dash of speed thrown in. good luck. i still feel the cars are safe. date below not real-just placeholder -today's date. *tr

I just reported the brake problem for this car, but there's also a problem with the tcs. when trying to accelerate on slick surfaces there is a momentary loss of traction resulting in an overly-long compensated period of seriously reduced acceleration; this has caused safety problems in intersections, where i am unable to quickly accelerate out of the way if conditions are slick or sandy, it is so unsafe that i wish i could turn off the traction control system.. *tr

I have a 2008 prius. i have had several incidents of while traveling on bumpy roads, over potholes, loss of braking power. my speed has been on average between 20 and 35 miles per hour the brakes will not catch for 1 or 2 seconds. i have come close to having an accident on three separate occasions because of inability to stop within. this only appears to occur over bumpy roads and the traction control light flashes in each incident. one incident occurred about september 2009 and the latest incident i have noted below. *tr

Hello, i live in israel, software expert, m.sc. in mechanical engineering. on feb 5th 2010 my prius 2008 crashed into the car driving ahead due to the brakes problem. crash pre-conditions: low speed - 28km/hour (17.4mph), slippery road during the rain, more than sufficient distance to the car ahead. the car ahead started braking sharply, instantly strong braking has been applied to prius with no response for a few tenths of sec, there was a feeling of sliding which resulted in crash. during two years disproportionally low brakes response happened to me twice in similar low speed conditions; when coming to roundabouts at 15-20km/hour while applying significant pressure on brakes i came 2-3m further than expected with the feeling of very weak brakes response. attempts to reproduce this condition didn't succeed, it happens in very specific circumstances. the crash resulted in no injuries, but significant damage to both cars (about $4000). *tr

I have a 2008 prius and it does exactly what they are reporting the 2010 models are doing. mine jumps forward while braking over a rough road. my friend owns a 2007 model and his does the same thing. mine occurs almost daily when transitioning home from work over a particular stretch of road. i will be glad to testify. i also sent a complaint to toyota. *tr

Summary: brakes hesitate if i have the brakes on before driving over bumpy road transition: driving ~25 to 30mph going up hill, on bridge that is a freeway overpass, where i turn into the left turn lane that has a stoplight that leads to the freeway on ramp. if the light is red or i need to slowdown for the turn, when my wheels go over the metal transition plate between the asphalt road and the concrete bridge, if i have my brakes on prior to the transition, the out of control light flashes , abs engages and after the transition, i lose brakes for a second or two or maybe three. if the light is red it can be a little tricky as i need to stop for the light shortly after the transition. there are two lanes that turn onto the freeway and if someone shifts from one lane to the other for a better light position, it gets even trickier to stop on time. for those in san diego, this is the light at la costa in carlsbad, going west on la costa and entering the i-5 south on ramp.

2008 toyota prius with a braking condition which i've come to realize isn't normal. since i've purchased the car, i've had poor braking while traveling over rough roads, potholes and cornering. i thought this was normal as a result of abs brakes and skid control. the feeling is disconcerting and feels as though the brakes aren't initially engaging. i now realize that this isn't normal handling and performance even though i've somewhat gotten used to it over time. i can replicate this issue. there is a road that i travel frequently that causes this issue. *tr

The car's anti-lock brakes fail to engage when the traction control kicks in. thus, the car slides forward uncontrollably. i have avoided accidents only by swerving. additionally, the traction control will activate when on dry pavement. thus, normal stopping can be difficult if the car's traction control is activated (typically due to a bump/pothole). *tr

I have a 2008 toyota prius which i bought new from a dealership in riverhead, ny. the car's braking system seems to temporarily stop working when i try to stop on a slippery or bumpy surface. if i depress the brake pedal forcefully, the car will eventually stop, but the stopping distance is at least 2 to 3 times what it is under other (normal) road conditions. i am a certified nys driver education instructor in my mid 60's and have never run into this situation in any other car model i have ever driven. please have toyota investigate this issue as i have narrowly avoided several accidents. i have not had the car checked since i thought i was perhaps just skidding, but today i have read about other drivers experiencing the same braking problem with the 2009 prius. i believe the problem exists on the 2008 model as well. please keep me informed of any action i should be taking to ensure the safety of my family and myself. *tr

I own a toy.pri.2008,on 02/03/10 i was leaving driveway applied gas,car took off across st. into tidalflow of at. ocean at high tide,the car would not shift. brake or turn off. the police pic's noteded gas pedal was not visible, floor mat was over it, the salt water was in car and upon leaving car it was waist deep. the car was serviced 1/4/10 at toyota dealer for state inspetion and usual mt. never mentioned recall of mats which i now find was a well known fact in sept.09. they are insisting it will dry out and be fine,salt water on any car is deadly buti hybrid. the hour it sat in water prior to tow,the car still would not shut off. i called toyota that day as tow took car to it,they insisted that there was no issues with 2008 prius. the car was moving much faster than my 10mph of origin and would not brake,shift or shut off. water was pouring out stereo speakers and up under hood on/or under engine block,the engine ran for the hour the car sat in salt water. toyota hsa been absolutely no help and still insists despite an offical recall that there were troubles with 2008 prius. the police photos say it all. *tr

I am having problems with braking in my 2008 prius that sound identical to the problems being investigated on the 2010 model. when stopping at a stop sign or light, sometimes the brakes disengage and the traction control light comes on the dash and the car lurches forward. this also happens when hitting gravel, pot holes, bumps, wet patches, ice, etc. this has been a problem from the time i bought the vehicle. just yesterday, i was barely moving(less than 10mph) and coming to a stop sign where it was wet, and when i applied the brakes i continued to advance forward into an intersection. i was fortunate the other vehicles on the road were far enough away to have time to stop before hitting me. once the brakes re-engaged i proceeded to drive in control. the brakes also have problems when there is any moisture. when applied in these conditions, when they do engage, the vehicle stops too abruptly, causing the driver and passengers to be lurched forward. this sometimes engages the antilock brakes when there is no traction issue causing the vehicle to slide a bit. these things sometimes happen on a daily basis or in dry conditions it may be a few days between incidents. *tr

My 2008 prius lurches forward after applying the brakes when encountering a small pot hole/ slippery conditions...the traction control light comes on. i have heard of this happening with the 2010 prius, but i am also experiencing this with my older model. this happens every time i encounter some unforeseen obstacles (2 or 3 times/month). *tr