Problems with 2009 Toyota Prius SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. the contact stated while driving at 45 mph he had to brake hard and fast. the vehicle slowed down but crashed into a truck. the contact stated the vehicle was totaled. updated 04/28/10.*jb the consumer stated he never felt the abs activate. updated 02/24/10.*jb updated 3/8/10 *cn the consumer stated he did not hear the anti-lock system sound or feel the usual brake pedal vibration. the vehicle slowed initially, then deceleration began with no lock up of tires and no apparent anti-lock system engagement. the accident was due to the vehicles failure to stop as expected. updated 05/11/10. *jb

Driving car on los angeles freeway during a gentle rain. i was going slow and a car cut in front of me and when i went to brake, the car began to accelerate. took car to hamer toyota in mission hills and they tested the car and said the brakes were fine. today's headlines that i am not the only person that is experiencing this problem makes me all the more concerned. *tr

Three events describe safety incidents concerning the brakes in my 2009 prius; 1) descending a ramp onto rock creek pkwy at calvert street, washington, dc, where road flattened out, car in front stopped abruptly on a dry surface. i responded quickly, applying the brake with hard, lasting pressure.the car slowed but not to match the pressure on the brakes i was applying--i had the pedal to the floor. the car coasted smoothly, seemingly slowly to a stop, terrifyingly about 1 inch from the stopped car. the brakes did not grip sufficiently but miraculously i avoided a crash. 2) at times when i go over a bump in my prius and hit the brakes, the car "kicks" and jumps to the right or to the left or a bit ahead. this is not an unusual occurrence and happens mostly on dry road surfaces 3) i was descening a very slight incline on a city street--reno road. the road was partially damp from a shower an hour or two before, but not puddle. i was going about 28 mph. the car ahead stopped abruptly because the traffic light at tilden turned yellow. i hit the brakes and the rear of the car bucked a bit and then slid into the left lane. luckily there was no one in that lane and i was able to regain my position in the lane in which i'd been traveling. 15 seconds earlier and i would have hit someone in the left lane. nb--on this form i am not sure i chose the right type of brakes. i have regular prius 2009 brakes in my car and i do not know if they are known as hydraulic brakes. *tr

I bought my 2009 prius in april 2009. i have been having the same brake slipping problem that the 2010's are being recalled for. i have had my car to the dealership three times to have this problem addressed. each time it was no fault found and "gosh these brakes are complicated and you would have an idiot light go off if there was a problem". i am feeling very unsafe with this vehicle and want to know when my software will be updated. *tr

I have a 2009 toyota prius, and the brakes do not always engage. there have been several instances where i felt that the car would not stop, one time i even engaged the emergency brake to stop it from going into my garage wall. i have had it into my dealer about 4 times, and each time they haven't found any problem and that "it is just the way the car works" .*tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. the contact was driving approximately 25 mph on an uneven road. suddenly, when pressure was applied to the brake pedal there was a temporary delay of braking power. the vehicle was able to continue in normal operation. the failure occurred whenever encountering an uneven road surface. the vehicle has not been inspected for the malfunction. the failure mileage was 28,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while driving approximately 55 mph across the railroad tracks, the brakes would release momentarily before being reapplied. the contact also experienced the identical failure after driving over a pothole. the failure occurred about two hundred times. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer and the contact had not called the manufacturer when the complaint was filed. the current mileage was approximately 33,000. the failure mileage was approximately 10.

I wish to report a breaking problem with my 1999 toyota prius. this occured in about sept. 2009. i have a 2009 toyota prius that had about 18,000 miles on it at the time of this failure. i had just pulled out of a gas station (for gas only) when i got a number of warning lights on the dash board. (about 4 as i recall) all the warnings were either tire of break related warnings. i immediately noticed a big problem with the breaks. only maximum foot presure would actuate the breaks and then they would grab very hard. fortunately, the local toyota dealer was just around the corner, so i carefully limpped the car in. no damage or accident was caused by this failure. toyota did fix the problem the next day and reported that the front breaks had stopped working and only the rear beaks were stopping the car. if i recall the fix correctly, they replaced some part called the "break actuator" since then, no problem has been noted *cn

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while driving 2 mph in reverse, the contact shifted the vehicle into drive and noticed that the vehicle was still reversing. the vehicle was then shifted back into reverse and then back into drive before the vehicle would drive forward. the failure has occurred on three different occasions the vehicle had not been diagnosed by the dealer. he contact also stated that when pressing the start button the vehicle would not start. the brake light also illuminates on the instrument panel even though the brakes are not engaged. the failure mileage was 5000 and the current mileage was 10000.

While driving on a wet city road, the car in front of me stopped abruptly. when i applied my brakes, my car was over railroad tracks. initially the brakes didn't respond and my car didn't slow down. i didn't hear anti-lock or other brake noises. after a 2-3 second delay, the brakes began to work normally. had the brakes delayed much longer, i may have collided with car in front of me. i have about 6,000 miles on the car, and this is the only incident when the brakes didn't respond as expected. *tr

While crossing a small bridge over an expressway, applying brakes at the point of bumpy transition caused the vehicle to lurch forward for approximately one second. this caused a sudden panic, but no other effects. this is the second occurrence at the exact same bridge transition and bump over the course of 8 months. there are no recognizable side effects. this has not been reported to the dealer, nor to the company. *tr

In may 2009 i purchased a 2009 toyota prius my prius has had similar braking problems as those described as affecting the 2010 prius models. in august 2009 i brought my prius in to the toyota service department because i had experienced a significant lag in braking (more than 1 second) while slowing to a stop. since then i have experienced the same problem on several other occasions. unlike the first time i experienced the problem, the recent occurrences have happened when i was trying to brake and hit a small pothole and when braking and hit a lane divider. although the media reports do not indicate that this problem affects prius models other than the new 2010 models sold prior to january 2010 i would like toyota and the nhtsa to be aware of the fact that my 2009 prius is having similar problems. *tr

Any time the "slippery condition" light comes on (for instance, when going over a pothole or a patch of water on the road), my 2009 prius jumps forward. i told the dealership about this in the fall and was told that the car was working properly. now, it appears that there are others with 2010 priuses with the same problem, but mine is a 2009. i have a young daughter and i won't put her in this car anymore because it's winter now and it happens on slippery roads nearly every time i drive. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. the contact stated that whenever the brake pedal was engaged while decreasing the speed driven, the vehicle lunged forward and accelerated. the dealer advised the contact that when the electrical engine switched to the gasoline engine it was normal for the vehicle to lunge forward. the contact stated that the malfunction occurs frequently when the brake pedal was engaged. the dealer has not diagnosed the failure. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 26,500.

When driving my 2009 prius in either wet or snowy conditions, i've noticed that the car "skips"/doesn't hold the braking when i apply my foot steadily to the brake pedal. i've noticed this in wet conditions from the time of purchase, in june 2009, and again more recently in snow. i've wound up not driving the prius when the roads are either wet or snowy now, but obviously have been caught in these conditions when rain or snow started while i was on the road. it is not a safe feeling to feel the car slipping. *tr

2009 prius, on three occasions i experienced a slight hesitation in the braking of this car. i emailed toyota about the problem on 2/15/2010, and bib not receive a answer until 5/10/2010. i made an appointment with the local dealership before i received their answer on 5/10. the local dealer said they did not find a problem or any brake error on the computer. why should it take so long to answer my email and i still have no solution to my braking troubles. *tr

I am writing to let you know of a problem i am experiencing with a 2009 toyota prius that i purchased new just one week ago and which still has less than 500 miles on it. a couple of days ago i was approaching a stop at an intersection, in town where my speed had been only about 15 mph. while my foot was on the brake, just prior to a full stop, the car accelerated on its own. i kept my foot on the brake, pressing hard, and the brake eventually overrode the accelerator and stopped. looking at the dash i saw that the abs brake light flashed on briefly. it was a sunny day, no rain, no slick surface. no one was in front of me, so no damage to me or anyone else. another incident happened this morning in my garage. i got into the prius, foot on the brake, pushed the power button, and then a moment later, still in park, i felt a surge. the car did not lunge forward, but i strongly felt the revving and surge of power, and the car lifted from the power. these incidents caused me to search the web for similar experience of others, and i have found many, some with severe consequences. i would also like to add that in hindsight i realize that two other things i have noticed about the brakes might be important to relate. i sometimes hear a slight grinding disk sound when i brake, and i have on a few occasions noticed that the brakes are skipping and the abs engaging, as if i were on a slippery or graveled surface. yet that was never the case; the road conditions were dry and tar was in good condition. i know this because i looked back each time to see what might have caused the brakes to act strangely. there was no apparent cause. in retrospect, after having experienced the acceleration at the stop sign, i realize that these other odd braking issues might be symptoms of the bigger braking issue. *tr

We rented a 2009 prius when we were in las vegas. we almost got into a collision in the parking lot of a casino when someone pulled out in front of me all of a sudden. i pressed on the brake pedal as hard as a could and the car did not want to stop. i t was if the pedal was pushing on air. it did not go down as expected and the car barely came to a stop. this happened well before all the recalls with gas pedals sticking and such. i think that the sudden application of the brake pedal might of locked up the cylinder. the effect was similar to trying to push on a shock absorber really fast. they lock up and don't move very much. i am no small person 6'-2" and 285 lbs. and i was stomping on it ! *tr

Last may, i purchased a 2009 toyota prius. for some time now, i have been aware of braking issues that sound eerily similar to what is being described with the 2010 prius recalls. i have not reported anything until now because i was able to identify when the problem occurred, and adjust my driving accordingly. whenever i hit the brake pedal, while simultaneously going over rough, bumpy, or potholed areas of road...my "slippery road conditions" light flashes momentarily on my dashboard. additionally, it almost feels as though the car accelerates in that split second, but as long as i keep my foot on the brake pedal, i have always been able to stop the car. i make sure to keep adequate space between my car and the cards in front of me, but if i ever had to stop too quickly on road conditions such as i have described above i am certain that i would crash into the other car before my brakes actually took over. i am simply reporting this issue because i wonder if, despite toyota's claim that only the 2010 model is being affected, other year models of the prius are having issues as well. i am entering an approximate incident date below, however, i really can't pick just one. this has happened on a multitude of occasions since i purchased the car in may of 2009. *tr

brigham physician killed in car crash top internist was loved by patients, hospital's staff she was a mother, wife, doctor, and supervisor. globe staff / april 23, 2009 email| print| single page| yahoo! buzz| sharethistext size ' + the popular medical director of a major physicians' group at brigham and women's hospital died tuesday after she was involved in a head-on car crash near her home in needham. police and relatives said it appeared that an internist who for the past 27 years served as medical director of brigham internal medicine associates, crossed into oncoming traffic shortly before 6 p.m. as she was driving home from work in her 2007 toyota prius on greendale avenue. the 60-year-old relatively small hybrid car collided with a toyota sequoia. the woman who was driving the sport utility vehicle and her two passengers suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, police said. their names were not released. investigators said it does not appear that speed or alcohol played a role in the crash, but police said they are investigating whether she was using her blackberry at the time. the speed limit on the road is 40 miles per hour. they also said it does not appear that she was wearing a seat belt. the three in the sequoia were wearing seat belts. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. the contact stated that when driving approximately 15 mph over an uneven surface and trying to depress the brake pedal, the abs light illuminated and seemed to hydroplane for a short time. the failure never occurred on smooth surfaces. she called the dealer and was told that the brake system was "too perfect" which was why she experienced the failure. she had not spoken with the manufacturer to-date. the current mileage was approximately 10,000. the failure mileage was approximately 10.

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while driving 5 mph into a parking space, the brakes did not work when the pedal was depressed. on two separate occasions, the vehicle struck a garage door and the contact rear-ended another vehicle due to the brake failure. there were no injuries. the dealer has not been notified. currently, the vehicle is in the repair shop for the body damage, not for the brakes. a police report was filed. the failure and current mileages were 1,200.

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while driving approximately 30 to 40 mph, the driver encountered a bump whenever she drove over a bump or a pothole. the vehicle resumed normal operation; however, the failure occurred whenever encountering a bump or pothole in the road. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. the technician stated that the occurrence was normal contributing to the anti-lock brake system. the failure mileage was 500. updated 4/27/10 *cn the consumer stated while braking, there was a momentary lapse in the brakes. updated 05/17/10

I live on a dirt road 2 miles long with 1 mile uphill. i bought my new 2009 prius on march 10th 2009 and on march 12th could not drive out. going up the hill when ever the drive wheel slipped the traction control would brake the wheel until, with many brief braking, the prius came to a stop. i was unable to go forward and had to back down the hill till i could find a place to turn around. this created a very dangerous situation. i had the car towed out and toyota checked it and said all systems were working properly. i asked for an off switch and they said impossible. when i came home the same thing happened again and was towed out and again toyota refused to deal with it. i went to arbitration and presented my information along with articles i found on the consumer affairs website about this same problem affecting people all over the nation, some with bad results, especially on ice, stranding them, in intersections. toyota said this was not covered in the warranty so all my information and my case were totally disregarded. this is the same thing that has happened to others with the same problem. toyota refuses to acknowledge the problem or add an off switch. i also called the manufactures of all other hybrid or electric cars with traction control and they either have an off switch or offer one just for this reason. i was lucky that my road association spent $16,000 on the road shortly after this happened but as the road is deteriorating and there wont be enough money for several years i may be stuck again in the future. every other car can get up the road, even at its worst, including a 2003 prius without traction control. this happened again on another dirt road but i was able to get out thru the use of ropes and rocks and a shovel. is there anything you can do to help as i don't want to hire an attorney to follow through . thank you *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while approaching an intersection the contact tried to apply the brakes and stop the vehicle. the contact stated that he was driving approximately 15 miles per hour when the brakes did not engage. the contact crashed into a vehicle in front of him. the vin was not available. the failure mileages were 7,000. the current mileages were 21,000.

My 2009 pruis had a braking problem i took it back to dealer i told them i thought it was a software problem and it caused my car to spin out on a wet road it is fixed now and has not done it again. *jb

S10 appropriate handling re toyota brake problem fm owner of a 2009 toyota prius. *kb four days after purchasing the vehicle, the consumers wife was heading down a gentle incline toward a traffic light at an intersection shortly after a light snowfall, the street was wet, but there was no ice on the road. as she braked to slow down, she noticed there was no deceleration and continued to press down on the brake pedal to no avail. to avoid crashing into other cars, she veered sharply to the right into a curb and came to a stop. the vehicle sustained extensive damage to the wheel, axle and undercarriage. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and after the inspection, the consumer was informed there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the dealer implied the consumers wife must have applied the brakes incorrectly and was not accustomed to abs. a few months later on another wet rainy day, there was a similar incident of brake failure. *jb

Fax on behalf of re a safety concern related to their 2009 toyota prius; respond attn caroline/nyc office. *tgw four days after purchasing the vehicle, the consumers wife was heading down a gentle incline toward a traffic light at an intersection shortly after a light snowfall, the street was wet, but there was no ice on the road. as she braked to slow down, she noticed there was no deceleration and continued to press down on the brake pedal to no avail. to avoid crashing into other cars, she veered sharply to the right into a curb and came to a stop. the vehicle sustained extensive damage to the wheel, axle and undercarriage. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and after the inspection, the consumer was informed there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the dealer implied the consumers wife must have applied the brakes incorrectly and was not accustomed to abs. a few months later on another wet rainy day, there was a similar incident of brake failure. *jb

We bought a 2009 prius on 2/14/09. on 2/18/09 while driving 25mph on a local road during light snowfall, the brakes failed. to avoid hitting the car in front of her, my wife steered into the curb sustaining extensive damage to the wheel, axle, and undercarriage. the car was towed to our local toyota dealership. they found nothing wrong with the braking system and maintained the accident was her fault. a few months later we experienced another brake failure incident, this time without any accident as we were traveling at a slow speed and were able to decelerate by turning up an empty incline. again the dealership maintains there is no problem. since they can't find anything wrong with the brakes when they test them, they say there is nothing to fix. we speculate that there is a computer software problem, but toyota is not yet acknowledging that this is the case for the 2009 model. *tr updated 04/19/10

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while driving approximately 25 mph on a lightly snow covered road surface, the brakes did not respond when the pedal was depressed. the vehicle failed to slow down. there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact crashed onto the curb in order to stop the vehicle. the driver was uninjured, but the vehicle sustained severe damage. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for inspection, but they could not determine the cause of the failure. the vehicle is in the process of being repaired. the failure and current mileages were 480. four days after purchasing the vehicle, the consumers was heading down a gentle incline toward a traffic light at an intersection shortly after a light snowfall, the street was wet, but there was no ice on the road. as she braked to slow down, she noticed there was no deceleration and continued to press down on the brake pedal to no avail. to avoid crashing into other cars, she veered sharply to the right into a curb and came to a stop. the vehicle sustained extensive damage to the wheel, axle and undercarriage. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and after the inspection, the consumer was informed there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the dealer implied the she must have applied the brakes incorrectly and was not accustomed to abs. a few months later on another wet rainy day, there was a similar incident of brake failure. updated 04/15/10.*jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. the contact stated that in slippery weather, when he depressed the brake pedal, he did not notice an immediate response in the braking system. it seemed to "lag" so he would continue pressing down until it kicked in. he noticed the issue everytime it was raining or there was slippery weather. he took the vehicle to the dealership but the dealer could find nothing wrong with the vehicle. he had not called the manufacturer to-date. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was 11,248. the failure mileage was approximately 50.

Tl*the contact owns 2010 toyota prius. while driving 25 mph in the rain or turning a corner the tire warning light illuminated and the brakes would not engage. she will take the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. the failure mileage was 250. the current mileage was 900.

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. the contact was driving approximately 20 mph. whenever encountering a bump or pothole in the road the vehicle began to operate uncontrollably with an illumination of the warning light indicator. also, the failure occurred while making a sharp turn. the vehicle was taken to a dealer regarding the failure. the contact stated that the malfunction could cause a potential crash. the failure mileage was 20,000. updated 3/8/10 *cn the consumer stated the yellow brake system warning light illuminated and the vehicle lost traction momentarily. updated 05/11/10.*jb

Toyota prius ii brake issues. i have a 2009 prius that exhibit similar braking problems as the recalled 2010 prius. when i'm coming to a stop and hit a bumpy patch, the brakes will release momentarily. the release is for a second resulting in the car traveling 3 feet before i have to apply additional pressure to the brakes. this could easily mean a fender bender if i'm a bit closer to the vehicle in front of me. it is especially an issue when stopping down hill which is not uncommon here in seattle. i bought my car (brand new) in spring of 2009. i've always noticed the problem but thought it was just the nature of the hybrid drive. my concern is that this may worsen with the age of the car. please advise. i would hate to see this issue disregarded. *tr

I have a 2009 prius, and the brakes seem to disengage when going over a bump or pothole. i notice it everytime, in particular when exiting the freeway, if there are bumps on the off ramp. *tr

My 2009 model toyota prius is having similar braking problems being reported on 2010 model prius. car loses braking power when driving over uneven surfaces. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while driving approximately 20 mph and engaging the brake pedal and making contact with a pothole the vehicle would accelerate. the dealer has not diagnosed the failure and it continues to occur. the failure mileage was 16,000.

2009 toyota prius, brakes do not hold on uneven pavement or icy roads. you lose contact with the road which is very dangerous. the first time i noticed the icy road problem was november 2008, and the uneven lane/washboard road problem was in the summer of 2009. it was mentioned to the dealership but since they could not duplicate the problem no repairs were made. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. he stated that while driving at low speeds less then 5 mph when braking and going over a slight bump on the road the brakes disengaged momentarily. the failure occurred frequently and continued to do so whenever he drove on an uneven road. the dealer has not been notified. no repairs were made to the vehicle. he also stated that he does own another vehicle experiencing the same brake failure. the failure mileage was 2 and the current mileage was 27000.