Problems with 2009 Toyota Prius SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2009 toyota prius. consumer write regards to vehicle brake problems. consumer also sent revised toyota document. *smd the consumer stated the same braking problem existed for models before and after the 2010 models. however, only the 2010 models were recalled.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius hybrid. the contact stated that while attempting to brake, the traction warning light illuminated and the brake failed to respond with a reduction in engine power. the contact stated that the failure only lasted for a moment before returning to normal function. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 67,000. the current mileage was not available.

One week after being at the dealership for its routine oil/vehicle check-up (55,000-60,000), my red brake light, the yellow warning sign and the abs lights come up on my dashboard. towed it back to dealership since the brakes didn't work. they found i needed to change my brake actuator and the solenoid that is stuck. according to what i've read, this should not happen period paragraph but if it does it would be on a much older vehicle with a lot more miles with a stop and go history. according to the customer service representative at the dealership this is a malfunction of the part. when i called toyota they gave me the go around about being out of warranty. i need help. also there is a reflective line of light that shines on the driver side of the window from my dashboard. *tr

Braking ability decreases temporarily what appears to be a second or so while driving when applying brakes and going over a bump or small pothole. decreased braking ability while going over bumps/potholes appears to occur every time. the last time of occurrence it appeared that the car may have accelerated momentarily when initially braking and going over a very shallow small pothole.

2009 prius model1220 a 2 experiences where car seemed to "surge" when brakes applied in traffic. only lasted seconds but disconcerting. abs did engage initially (felt pulsing). took car to dealership 5/17 after first episode. nothing found wrong; tech could not duplicate problem. had second experience 5/21. *tr

Inconsistent brake feel on rough or wet surfaces. though brake pedal is depressed, brakes don't feel like they are engaging properly, it feels like a violent shudder. recently, on wet pavement i narrowly avoided hitting the car in front of me when i had to stop suddenly and the brakes took much too long to stop the vehicle. *tr

I depressed the brake pedal suddenly going about 35 mph to avoid a car stopped in front of me. the brake didn't "catch" immediately, delaying stopping time and forcing me to swerve off the road to avoid a collision. the brake problem has occurred before, approx. once a week. the dealer told me its due to the transition between battery and gas engine and there's no remedy. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while driving at 35 mph approaching an intersection, the contact depressed the brake pedal but when the vehicle went over a bump in the road, it did not slow down. the contact had to apply more pressure to the brakes to slow the vehicle down. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership but the dealer could not duplicate the failure. the failure occurred again after the contact picked up the vehicle from the dealership. the failure mileage was approximately 11,400. the current mileage was 11,634.

When braking on a bumpy surface, the car brakes seem to disengage for a second and the car shoots forward. the last time this happened i was going down a hill at an intersection and the car went around the corner much faster than i would have liked. *tr

I was moving toward a stop sign and slowing as usual. the road is level and it was dry. suddenly there seemed to be no braking and the next thing i knew i had been hit by a truck traveling at right angles from my left. i apparently went through the stop sign. i brought the car to a stop safely at the side of the road to check on the truck which had swerved into a fence. the driver of the truck was cut by glass. my car had the bumper and grill torn off and unibody bent. this was a brake failure. unlike some reports, the road was not rough. this was a low speed failure. another few feet and my driver's door would have been hit and i could have been seriously injured. *tr

2009 toyota prius with 15000 miles. when i step on the brake (going less thank 30 mph) they slip for no reason. it was a nice sunny day, temps in the high 70s. i was in the process of making a right turn and the brakes slipped for a few seconds. the yellow light comes on the dash board showing traction control coming on. this happened coming down a small hill to a intersection , it happens with out warning and for no reason, the brakes were just checked and i was told they are ok from the local dealer. it seems to be happening more often. *tr

I have a 2009 prius. the issue that i experience which is giving me concern is that when i'm pressing on the brake and i pass over a bump or rough terrain or something, all of a sudden, i feel the braking to stop and the car seemingly accelerate or lurch forward and the slippery road indicator signal (sorry i don't know what it's called) will pop up for a second. *tr

I have a 2009 prius that is not a part of the "braking/traction" recall, however i've experienced the same exact problem from day one of driving the vehicle. on wet or uneven surface the traction control kicks in and car seems to lose power in the brake and accelerator for a few seconds and it is not possible to control the vehicle. in other words, you should be able to either brake and prevent a bad situation or accelerate your way out, and neither are possible for a few seconds. this happens nearly every day on the 2009 prius. looking at consumer blogs, it is obvious this has been a consistent problem with the prius, and not just the 2010 model. *tr

I was driving my 2009 toyota prius, exiting the staten island expressway and as i approached the intersection the light began to turn yellow and i tried to stop (the road surface was uneven). when i put my foot on the brake the car lurched forward into the intersection so i had to go though the red light and i was lucky that the oncoming traffic hadn't begun to move yet. *tr

2009 toyota prius: when driving over pot-holes, bumps, or uneven patches of road at all different speeds, the car's "traction light" will flash and the car will momentarily surge forward. it seems at this time that the brakes also temporarily lose power. this happens several times a week. this worries me as i feel this could lead to car accidents or put pedestrians in danger. spoke with many other prius owners and they report the same problem. contacted the dealership where i bought the car and the service manager told me this was a "normal function" of the abs. i still feel this is a safety issue that is not being properly addressed. i've driven many other cars with abs and none of them behaved this erratically. *tr

Momentary brake failure when driving over potholes. also, brakes are "grabby" at very low speeds. both conditions have existed for several months. nothing has been done to correct the problems. *tr

2009 toyota prius my 2009 exhibits similar braking issues to those being recalled on the 2010. at least weakly during slow braking over a bump, pothole, or damp surface, the "slip" indicator comes on and the car lurches forward for approximately one second. *tr

On a daily basis, my 2009 toyota prius loses control, skids, (the traction light goes on), fishtails and has brake failures on ice and snow. when i hit potholes or big bumps, the car accelerates and i have to quickly brake. the northbrook toyota service manager drove it today. the car lost control, skidded, the traction light went on, it fishtailed, and the brakes failed on the ice and snow. his comment was "that's the way the car is. it doesn't drive well on ice and snow". we couldn't find a good pothole for the car to demonstrate the acceleration today. i was told by an automechanic that works on our other cars that the 2009 and 2010 prius have problems with their brakes. presently there is no recall for the 2009 prius. i am afraid i am going to kill someone at an intersection when i can't stop. yesterday i had 2 catholic nuns in the car and the car failed to turn left at an intersection, almost fishtailing into an embankment before it righted itself. a lexus suv behind me almost hit me while trying to avoid me. i am hoping that no lives will be lost, or severe injuries occur, before these problems are acknowledged by toyota and fixed. *tr

I own a 2009 toyota prius and i have experienced the same issue as the reported 2010 brakes. when i drive over pot holes or street covers, my vehicle feels like it's out of control. what is the difference between the braking system in the 2010 with the 2009 models? *tr

I own a 2009 toyota prius and am experiencing the same problem with braking that the 2010 prius' are having. when braking on an uneven or bumpy surface, it seems like there is a momentary pause or hesitation. *jb

I am experiencing momentary loss of braking capability while driving over an uneven road surface, pothole or bump. this happens frequently in my car. sometimes even on a stop sign and making a right turn into a state high way it feels like jumping off with no control of the car. *tr

I have read about the brake issues with the gen 3 2010 toyota prius. my gen 2 2009 prius has the exact same issues with brakes releasing after driving over a pothole. i can demonstrate this issue to anyone at will any day of the week. it is quite easy to reproduce. there is a pothole near my work that i drive over often and there is a traffic light shortly after the pothole. if the light changes and the car in front of me brakes for the light, i have come very close to crashing into the car in front of me several times. i have learned to leave an extra amount of space between me and the car in front to allow for this situation. but that only works for potholes that i know are there. a new or unknown pothole is still a danger. this really needs to be fixed as i said, i can demonstrate this issue at will to anyone who doesn't believe it. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while the contact was driving 50 mph he attempted to stop the vehicle and noticed that the brakes were taking longer than usual to stop the vehicle. the contact also noticed that the vehicle lunged forward before coming to a complete stop. the vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer who stated that the failure could not be reproduced. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 9500.

When braking on rough road, like when you hit a small pothole, our 2009 toyota prius handles improperly. the "slip indicator" light flashes. it briefly feels like there is a loss of control. *tr

Toyota 2009 prius brake problem 15 jan. 2010 i took my 2009 prius to lakeland toyota (my dealer), lakeland florida, usa 33880. the brakes had gone all the way to the floor. they have a maintenance record of the event. at the time they could not find any mechanical problems in the brake. i was driving on a rough road on a cold day just prior to the brake failure. please expand the prius recall to include the 2009 year. *tr

I own a 2009 prius, purchased april 2009. i have more than once, if braking in a section of bumpy road or on slick surfaces (such as in snow or ice), experienced the car jerking forward/accelerating for a split second. it almost seems to stutter as if the abs brakes are engaging, but doesn't feel like they are working. i thought it was my inexperience with the braking system and computer software in the prius, but i am realizing now that it could possibly be a potential safety issue for me. *tr

Acceleration of 2009 prius when braking and hit a pothole. *tr

My 2009 toyota prius brakes are faulty. the brakes do not respond properly, especially on slippery roads and on a decline. i took the car into the dealer in 10/2010 and they didn't find anything. i changed all 4 tires on the car in 2/2011 and still experienced the problem. i took the car into the dealer on 5/24/11 and again they did not find anything. they mentioned "abs system" and implied that i was experiencing the abs system kicking in. the problem is intermittent, and thus difficult to identify. but, i do notice the problem more frequently when it rains. *tr

Snow covered road, was braking for stop sign, went over manhole cover, abs (electronic stability control) kicked in, lost braking for about three feet. *tr

I have had more than 10 occasions of braking problems with my 2009 prius. most recently, in january 2010, but also prior to that. after the last problem, i called the local dealership to see if a brake recall existed but was told "no" only recall for floormats on my model. the issue has occurred on pavement and gravel road, in school zone, traveling at less than 20 mph. when slowly pulling up to stop sign and applying even break pressure the car will suddenly come to a jolting stop before the anticipated stop. all the kids in the car look at me like i'm crazy for making their heads suddenly hit the back of the seat. fortunately, no one has been driving closely behind me during these abrupt stops. i am very familiar with the feel of this vehicle, as this is my 3rd prius and i drive many miles. *tr

2009 toyota prius vehicle slid into intersection, no collision occurred. approx 3 ft past stop point. during moderate to hard braking, if a wheel hits sand or a pothole, the "traction control" system engages, causing the brakes to release for approx .25 to .75 second. it is very unnerving (to say the least) to be out of control of my vehicle. it is also repeatable when accelerating on a short entrance ramp around a corner. this ramp is very uneven. the traction control engages and the car seems to steer straight, towards the outside of the curve. i spoke to the dealer about the issue, and was told that the vehicle is behaving normally, and there is no way for an operator to disable the traction control. i thought i would have to live with this, and assumed it was something about this vehicle... but now with the investigation on 2010 i am wondering if my report is similar and if the investigation should be expanded to include 2009. *tr

Toyota prius - are you guys paying attention to this? *tr

2009 toyota prius. consumer states problem with braking system *tgw the consumer stated when he applied the brakes to stop, he realized they did not engage and neither did the abs. the vehicle continued at the same slow speed finally coming to stop only after a truck sheared off the front license plate on the consumers vehicle. there was no other damage to the vehicle. *jb

2009 prius (not 2010). when applying brakes on bumpy surface, brakes will momentarily stop working. occurs all the time. *tr

2009 toyota prius also suffers from temporary loss of braking after hitting potholes or other rough road surface. this problem has existed since the car was new. this is an ongoing problem. *tr

2009 toyota prius - delayed braking has been experienced several times. seems to be related to hard braking. it only last about a second but is very unlike any other car i have driven. i had passed it off as just something weird but then i heard others describe it on the tv and i said that happened to me too!" as a safety engineer in the aerospace industry, it does seem to be related to the delay from switching from regular braking to hydraulic braking...sometimes it seems to switch in a weird way. *jb

The problem is that our 2009 prius at times seems to accelerate momentarily when the brakes are applied. my wife and i drove this car for eleven months and didn't realize we had a problem until i had to drive the car during the start of the snow storm with 2" of snow. i was going down a hill that i have driven on in different cars a number of times in the snow. with the prius, everytime i applied brakes to keep the car at slow speed , it seemed to accelerate a bit before the brakes would work, thereby causing the rear of the car to slide sideways. the loss of control was of great concern to me (i had my wife and granddaughter in the car). so i inched down the hill. a considerable number of cars backed up behind our car. since then i have noticed the momentary acceleration before breaking on a number of occasions in dry weather as well.. today, i took the car into newark toyota world in delaware and explained the problem to them, including the service manager. they drove the car and said they ran the diagnostics but couldn't find the problem. i am sorry but, to me, that's not satisfactory because neither my wife nor i trust this car in inclement weather. someone should look into this problem before something serious happens. *jb

2009 toyota prius. strange behavior of antilock brakes/traction control system when hitting a single pothole or small patch of ice on otherwise clear road surface. vehicle significantly dampens brake response and does not recognize that the tires are now on a good contact surface and continues to be in tc mode for excessive time period. only way to assure you will stop within reasonable distance is to lift up on brake pedal and redepress (now out of tc mode car will stop quickly). this problem presents itself regularly when road conditions are right. the problem is the most noticeable at moderately low speeds i would estimate 5-25 mph but likely occurs at higher speeds which is less noticeable. it seems to be a factor of distance or the fact that the car does not realize the wheel is getting traction again. *tr

Continual problem whenever we try to brake, the car will begin to accelerate. this problem has been apparent since we purchased the car and each time we mention it at the servicing, we are told the brakes are working fine. *tr

2009 prius - i've had what felt like the car was recovering from a skid but there was no skid. during this time i sometimes see the skid warning light on and hear one wheel spinning fast. it occurs very rarely but when it does occur the road is wet or bumpy. an easy way to see this problem is to drive down the fdr north of the triboro bridge. if you want a test track of bumps this is it. it has occurred randomly since i got the car. a friend with a 2004 prius reports the same problem. i guess we just thought it was something the prius did. i haven't thought of it as a safety problem. *jb *tr

The braking problem that has been reported in the 2010 prius is not limited to that model year. i have a 2009 (2nd generation) prius and i have at times experienced the same slight braking problem when going over a bump or a railroad track. *tr

When i go over a railroad track or large bumps the braking system of my prius stops operating for a moment. *tr

On dec 11, 2009, i was driving down a street in cambridge, ma (i had a coworker in the car) and we were in stop and go traffic at a stop light. the car in front of me crawled up to approach the light after several cars had gone through-then stopped @ the red light. i proceeded to do the same. when i applied my brakes to stop there was no response, so i pressed down harder-still no response. i then began to pump my brakes to avoid the accident but there was still no response from the braking system. if the braking system had not failed i would have more than enough response time and distance to stop but my car kept @ a steady speed and ended up rear ending the car in front of me. no one was injured but there was minor damage to the car in front of me and $1800 damage to my car. i've had other instance where i've hit potholes in the past while slowing down- and the brake system would stop momentarily from working. i work in the boston area- where i'm constantly in stop and go traffic. i've experienced 2 previous times slight brake delay-which i've compensated for and give myself more room between my car and the car in front of me. in addition there was one instance 4months ago where i was coming to a stop- and i heard one of the motors (i'm assuming the electric b/c it charges as you stop) rev up and my car jilted forward- as if i had stepped on the gas but i had my foot on the brake the whole time. that was the only instance of that. i've had my car since april 2009 and when the two instances of brake delay occurred, i had the toyota service center check my brakes and they came back stating they were fine. after the accident i did report the failure to toyota and have yet to hear from them about it. i would like to note that there are several sites online with customers complaining about brake failing/delaying at speeds less than 20mph. *tr

2009 toyota prius while driving on uneven pavement or icy roads, when depressing the brake pedal the car slides and it feels as if you are losing control over the car. this happens on any uneven surface like speed bumps and or wash board roads, and during the winter months for icy roads. i have an appointment with toyota in colorado to fix since it is still under warranty but they say no recall has been initiated on the 2009 model. *tr

2009 toyota prius. when braking the brakes would disengage temporarily causing the car to go faster. i have come real close to rear ending the car in front of me during adverse road conditions. i have driven for 35 years in snow and slick conditions and i know when a car isn't braking right. i always maintain a save distance and this is the only car that has done this. this scarier part is that this happens every time when braking if the road is at all slick. i took it to my local dealer to get it checked. after treating me like a total moron accusing me of not knowing how to drive they said they did do a thorough run through and didn't find any problems. *tr

I have a 2009 prius. i've been complaining to friends and family, since i got it about six months ago, about its instability when i go over small bumps and ruts in the road. the car seems to surge ahead, swerve a bit, and lose contact with the ground. the other major problem is the car's horrible traction on wet highways. if i'm traveling over 45 m.p.h., my car begins to hydroplane. the experience is unnerving. i've never driven a car that feels so unsafe and that makes me feel such a lack of confidence, and i've been driving for 35 years. plus, during the last snowstorm, when i put my prius in park on a slight incline on the road in front of my home, the car slid about 20 feet, in park. i had to put on the emergency brake to stop. it slides all over the road, in snow. i hate this car and wish i'd never bought it. i believe that its merits were misrepresented. despite the chosen date that you've required me to enter, unfortunately these problems are ongoing. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while driving 30 mph going down hill on a wet road the vehicle surged forward when she engaged the brake pedal and crashed into a vehicle. the brakes fully engaged after she crashed. the failure only occurred whenever she drove over a pothole. the dealer advised the contact to have the vehicle diagnosed and stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the failure has occurred 5 to 6 times. no repairs have been made to date. a police report was unavailable. the failure mileage was 12000. the current mileage was 15500.

I am an owner of a 2009 prius. i have experienced from day one, an issue when braking over a bump or pothole in the road. the brakes do not grasp. a picture of a swirving car appears on the monitor of the car showing out of control vehicle. this appears to be the same problem as the 2010 recall. please recall all affected prius' which now include 2009.

Multiple issues with 2009 prius. first: loss of air pressure in front left tire from time i picked up the vehicle to present. i continually need to put air in the tire, usually on a weekly/bi-weekly basis. the other tires are fine. second: for the same tire, the tire pressure light would not be triggered until ~23 pounds, should have been triggered in same tire at 33 lbs. third: vehicle would not stop when applying pressure on brakes at slow speed. this has occurred about 6 times in a 6 month period. simultaneously, the vsc light went on and the slid indicator went on. the terrain was on either asphalt or concrete roads, slightly downhill (concrete) and one street is a bit rough (filled in pot holes). also, both areas are within a quarter mile of each other and near the ocean. with each occurrence the vsc went into effect. on 11/21/09 it jolted hard much more than the other occasions; this date was the incident on the bridge when the car was going in a slight downward direction. i lost control of the vehicle for several seconds and was afraid that i would hit the car in front of me; i beeped my horn to warn the driver in front of me. my vehicle did stop in time but it took alot longer than it should have taken. on a later occasion, i was going about 5-10 mph faster on a nearby street and attempted to stop for a stop sign and it did the same thing, however the vsc did not jolt back as hard. the vehicle was not angled down as much as the 11/21/09 incident. on 11/21/09 i took the vehicle to cabe toyota dealership and they looked at the car but found nothing wrong with it. i also had the car looked at by toyota corp today and was told that the driver feels that i felt the abs brakes only. this is not the case. when i stepped on the brakes each occasion it was as though there was nothing there and i had no control in stopping it. this was especially true when the vsc kicked in (the jerking). each time it lasted many, several or ...

I own a 2009 prius and i have noticed numerous times when i am driving at a slow rate of speed and i hit a bump, i lose control of the car for a split second. it seems the brakes lose traction. when this happens, i notice a orange light on the dash lights up for a second. *cn