I was reading a story today about some reported brake problems with the 2010 prius. i bought mine back in september 2009. i have not noticed any brake problems during the winter on slippery surfaces, but just in the last week(january 30-february 2, 2010) i have had two instances on rough roads(from melting ice creating some small potholes) while braking where it feels like the car either accelerates for a brief moment or the wheels slip. the first time it happened i looked back to see if there had been any ice in that section of the road and there was none. the other time it happened as i was nearly stopped and the sensation was more like i had been bumped from behind by another car. i remember immediately looking up to see if a car had hit me and there was not a car close at all. *tr
I am driving a 2010 toyota prius since august 2009. under certain conditions the brakes seem to malfunction. i can replicate this issue on a certain road when i am coming down a slope approaching a traffic light and the vehicle (driver side front tire) hits a pothole as i am braking. the vehicle continues to go forward momentarily instead of the brakes working as they should. the date mentioned below is the most recent time i have experienced this issue. all together this has occurred approx. 10 times sinf august. *tr
When the car is moderately braking (so called regenerative braking) and either (or both) of the rear wheels hits rough pavement (pot holes, metal plates covering road, rough rail-road crossings) the car ceases to break and the car actually accelerates (the actual time is about 1 second of no breaks and acceleration). i have had this happen 10 times since i bought the car in oct of 09. in the first month the dealer told me they had not heard of this. two months ago (dec)a mechanic told me that the electric engine kicks in (when regenative breaking) which drives the front wheels for a smoother breaking, so he surmised that if the breaking wheels are not making contact the car would speed up. on 1/13/2010 i met with the head of service for the dealership. he told me that the dealership tested a prius hooking it up to a computer and reproduced the environment of this complaint. although he admitted there was a momentary lack of breaking with the loss of back wheel contact with the pavement he claimed there was no acceleration noted. he also admitted the test was done at approx. 25mph. i suggested he should repeat the test at 40-50mph as this is where it is most notable. toyota's only suggestion is to drive carefully. they know they have a problem but this is there solution. i have been careful but on 1/31/10 i was driving at 45mph beginning to decelerate as the light ahead had turned red, and the truck infront of me had to panic stop as a car cut infront of him, at that moment my rear left wheel hit a pothole so i was not able to brake and actually accelerated toward the back of this truck. when the brakes reengaged i actually stopped 12 inches from his bumper. the consequences of this are an obvious safety hazard when you need to stop unexpectedly, you might well be endangering other drivers and/or pedestrians. *tr
1. event: normal city driving (i.e., car in drive and cruise control off) 2. the failure: press on brake and feel softness instead of firmness; must press much harder on brake than typically required to bring car to stop in same distance. failure occurs sporadically during course of regular driving. have not associated failure with traveling over rough surfaces. 3. contacted toyota dealer and was told that we would receive letter in mail instructing us on what to do, because no correction has been developed yet for this problem in existing cars. *cn
I would like to add my report to your other complaints about 2010 toyota prius brakes. i purchased mine in july and since then have experienced 4 (four) instances of this problem. in each case, i was decelerating with the brakes steadily applied, and rolled over a bump or pothole in the road. at that moment, the brakes stopped working, or the braking power was severely reduced, and the car felt as if it lurched forward. applying more pressure on the brakes when this occurs does cause the braking to resume, but there is a delay of perhaps 1/2 second. i have not had an accident so far, but if i were behind another car which was also braking when this happened, there is a high likelihood that my car would smash into the other car's rear. *tr
Just reinforcing what has already been reported about the 2010 model prius. i have a 2010 prius that was purchased in november 2009, and i have on numerous occasions had issues when braking at slower speeds and driving over potholes or dips. the brakes seem to give out for a moment and the car accelerates, resulting in the need to slam down the brake harder immediately. the incident usually only lasts for a second or two, and i am trying to drive extra carefully to compensate. but the delay in braking could absolutely result in a traffic accident due to the increased time to decelerate. *tr
I have a 2010 prius. if braking while going over a pothole or bump, the brakes seem to release, causing the vehicle to accelerate momentarily. consistently happens in these circumstances. *tr
Prius 2010 owner. i was braking to enter a parking lot from the road. as i entered the lot, the car went over a bump in the pavement and the brakes failed for a very short instance. it didn't put me in danger but it was an immediate scare. (this happened just a few days before the media reports of this issue came out, so i related with the repots when they came out.) *tr
2010 prius feels like brakes not working bumpy or rough road, also brakes grab real bad when backing up some times. nothing has been done to fix it. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. while driving 25 mph and attempting to slow the vehicle down, it lunged forward. the weather was not a factor and the failure occurred approximately four times. the failure has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the contact is concerned that the risk could cause a crash to occur. the failure mileage was 5,000.
I have experienced the identical problem that is being described with the brakes on my 2010 prius. when braking, if a pothole or bump in the road is hit, the car seemingly jerks forward/accelerates for a split second. i thought this was a "normal" oddity that was occurring as a result of the abs, but now realize that this is a systemic problem. *tr
Dear, nhtsa i was driving my prius in november of 2010 and noticed that the braking system was not braking well. i recently was involved on jan 29, 2010 in an incident driving out of the parking lot from work were the brakes failed on the vehicle when i went to stop the vehicle and the car skidded and struck some ice/snow (one the edge of the parking lot) causing damage to my front passenger side bumper. i am not as concerned about the damage as i am about my overall safety in the vehicle. i have reported the problem to toyota and they have responded and i have told them that there is an issue with the braking. i want to take this time to formalize my complaint. i am not checking crash and property damage due to the fact that it is not well defined on this page although i had property damage to the car itself and i crashed into snow/ice on the side of the road. *tr
I have a 2010 prius v vehicle. every time i approach a stop sign that has a fairly deep transverse rut in the pavement in front of it, my head snaps back as the car lurches forward. this appears to be the momentary loss of braking that is in the news for the 3rd generation prius. it is extremely repeatable...it happens every time. the date below is only the most recent time i've driven on that road. i have not had an accident. *tr
The brake of my car was malfunction. while breaking, the car slowed down initially. however, before the car totally stopped, it accelerated suddenly and spontaneously for several seconds. this condition happened for 4 times within 2 months. there was no ice on the road and the road was not bumping either. *tr
When trying to brake on ice, the car jerks forward. it happened several times before jan. 28th, as well. today (feb. 04, 2010) ... braking on bumpy road with slight sink hole before railroad tracks and it jerked forward ... no train on the track and no car in front of me, so i was fortunate not to have a serious accident with my grandson in the car. i have informed boulder toyota. *tr
2010 prius brakes grab abruptly coming to a complete stop going through an intersection at about 20 mph. i was almost rear-ended and suv behind me had to pull aside to keep from hitting me. also, when backing the brakes will grab repeatedly making vehicle jerk - and makes driver look like we cannot drive. see 'prius chat' site for many other like incidents by other drivers and speculative solutions. this also happens when pulling forward from parking and hit brakes in order to make a 3-point turn (example) etc. this happened the very first time i got into the car with the salesman sitting beside me, and he remarked what good brakes they were. i thought it was just an annoying trait of the car (being a hybrid) until the intersection incident last week - and the new brake news on the prius. this needs to be addressed as part of the defect before a pile-up collision is caused. it almost seems as if there is no 'power' to the brakes in a 'gliding' type mode. *tr
i have had problems with my brakes working in my 2010 toyota prius. i was driving on a cold, wet road that was bending to the right. i pressed the brake pedal to slow the car, the car stuttered then accelerated while i was braking. the car slid off the road, into a ditch, and accelerated itself out of the ditch on the side of the road, the whole time i was depressing the brake pedal. no one was injured, no property damage was sustained, and there were no other witnesses. the left front bumper of my car sustained body damage that has not been replaced or fixed. the left front wheel well was pushed out of place so that when i turned the steering wheel at a sharp right, the left front tire would rub against the hard plastic wheel well. i had to pay to get the wheel well pushed and bolted back into place. this is the incident that took place on january 28th. prior to this incident, i have also had other times when the brakes failed, most often when i was driving at night when it was colder outside. they had failed at least three times while i was depressing the brakes to stop at a stop sign. while i depressed the brakes the car would jump forward and accelerate instead of slowing. i would have to take my foot of the brake and reapply pressure to get the car to come to a stop. *tr
An inconsistent feeling when applying the brakes over bumpy roads. *tr
I experience difficulty with the brakes of my 2010 prius. sometimes the breaks do not take hold when i press the brake pedal and the car seems to skip forward for a second or two before it begins to slow down and the brakes take hold. it is very unsettling but i have not had an accident. my wife will not drive the car. i reported it to the service manager at my dealer, seeger toyota in st. louis county, missouri. he said he knew of no complaints like this whatsoever. then he called me back and said toyota was investigating a brake issue with the 2010 prius that only occurred on rough surfaces and was not applicable to the problem i described that happens on smooth surfaces. *tr
Almost 100% of the time when approaching the intersection of 20th & broadway (santa monica, ca) from the east so i can turn right to head north on 20th, my 2010 toyota prius surges forward when i hit a bump/pothole in the road while braking to a stop. the surge is enough to launch the car forward into the crosswalk, so if someone were crossing the street it is possible the car may hit them. i haven't done anything to correct the failure, but i need to see the dealership about the problem. *tr
While going over a speed bump, my 2010 toyota seemed to accelerate while the brake was depressed. this has occurred on other occasions. *tr
Momentary brake failure at slow speeds 2010 prius. *tr
I am copying below an incident with my prius' brakes that reported to toyota earlier this week (confirmation of receipt from toyota and then my description of event): _____________ thank you for contacting toyota motor sales, u.s.a., inc. we appreciate your consideration and hope to have your email addressed as quickly as possible. our current office hours are monday through friday from 5 am to 6 pm and saturday 7 am to 4 pm pacific time. if you need immediate assistance, we recommend you contact the customer relations manager at your local toyota dealership. discussion thread customer 02/03/2010 01:04 pm i have heard/read of a few instances of braking issues with prius'. i would like to let you know i experienced this problem the other day. i was approaching a stop light at a slow rate of speed (~20) and braking lightly when i went over a small bump across the road. the brakes/pedal immediately felt useless. i quickly let up on the petal and hit the brakes much harder and i was able to safety come to a stop without any danger or locking the brakes. i wanted to be sure to let you know and be on record of this issue with my new prius which i love so far short of this incidence. is there a known issue or fix that i can have my dealership look into? *tr
Toyota prius 2010, having difficult backing out of my garage because the brake is extremely tight. after i eventually backed out, i drove a few yards forward and then tested it backward, the brake felt normal. *tr
I noticed that the car lurches forward whenever driven on a manhole, or a rough patch on road, or a speed hump despite the braking. though i regain control within seconds, the moment of lurch is scary and makes me feel unsafe in other traffic situations. this happens at almost all speeds. i guess from now onwards i will maintain enough gap between this car and the forward one as i seem to be not able to trust this car any further. perhaps i will never recommend this car or any toyota to anyone in future. *cn
I have a 2010 prius. when i go over small bumps while breaking, the brakes stop working and the car accelerates for a bit. disconcerting. *cn
2010 toyota prius has "jumped forward" three times since purchase two weeks ago. twice when traveling over a pot hole with my foot applied to the brake and once when braking over a speed bump on a side street. the car felt like it accelerated and that i was not in control of the vehicle. *tw
Braking system. i notice that as i pull up to a stop sign while driving, i apply the brakes lightly to slow down gradually. i have noticed multiple times that when i hit a bumpy spot or a pothole, the car loses it braking capacity. i mash the brake down harder to slow down if necessary and then it works fine. i don't know if it is related to the car's ability to absorb kinetic energy and recharge the hybrid battery or what. i also noticed one day when it began to snow heavily, the roads were very slippery and i almost skidded off the road as i applied the brakes. *tr
We have the same braking problem with our 2010 prius as described recently in newspapers. there seems to be a momentarily lapse of braking power when going over slippery or bumpy surfaces. it has happened numerous times in the past few months (well over 25 times). *tr
Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). [xxx] to whom it may concern: i purchased a prius 2010 in the summer of 2009. i called my dealer a week ago to report that i too had experienced the braking issue that was reported on the news. i was not sure if the car was skidding the first time i experienced it, i was going slowly and braked over a slippery patch and the car lurched before braking, but then it happened again over a rough surface. when i reported this to the service department of my dealer, conicelli toyota of springfield, pa, i was told that no recall had been announced, no other concern or care was given to me at that time. i did ask for the contact information of the company and was given an 800 number and the website. i tried calling the customer service line of toyota twice to report my experience, and was on hold for over 10 minutes before hanging up without being able to leave a message. i contacted my dealer again and spoke with the customer relations manager, i asked that they report my experience to you and that they work to advocate for a solution for the brake issue. i am awaiting a response from them. i again tried the 800 number without success and then accessed your website. i was unable to locate a place to send or post my comment/concern, so i wrote this letter. please add me to the 210 complaints reported for the prius braking problem. i am deeply concerned that toyota 'fixed' the problem on the production line but was not proactive in finding a correction for the models produced before january 2010. i will be contacting my lawyer and other authorities about this issue. my safety and the safety of my family and those that share the road with me are of utmost importance to me. i am concerned that they are not of the utmost concern of toyota, who would leave us all at risk unless public pressure is brought to bear. . [xxx] *tr
Entire system shut down tow service from dealer came and charged battery to no avail system came back online as vehicle was being raised on flatbed tow truck car was then driven away under its own power dealer could not find the problem problem has not reoccurred brake delay problem which occurred prior to system shutdown has recoccurred brake delay or temporary loss of braking when peddle depressed has occurred brake squeek also reported to delaler who advises there is nothing wrong with brakes *cn
i purchased a prius 2010 in the summer of 2009. i called my dealer a week ago to report that i too had experienced the braking issue that was reported on the news. i was not sure if the car was skidding the first time i experienced it, i was going slowly and put on brakes over a slippery patch and the car lurched before braking, but then it happened again over a rough surface. when i reported this to the service department of my dealer, conicelli toyota of springfield, pa, i was told that no recall had been announced, no other concern or care was given to me at that time. i did ask for the contact information of the company and was given an 800 number and the website. i tried calling the customer service line of toyota twice to report my experience, and was on hold for over 10 minutes before hanging up without being able to leave a message. i contacted my dealer again and spoke with the customer relations manager, i asked that they report my experience to you and that they work to advocate for a solution for the brake issue. i am awaiting a response from them. i again tried the 800 number without success and then accessed your website. i was unable to locate a place to send or post my comment/concern, so i am writing this letter. please add me to the 210 complaints you have reported for the prius braking problem. i am deeply concerned that toyota 'fixed' the problem on the production line but was not proactive in finding a correction for the models produced before january 2010. i will be contacting my lawyer and other authorities about this issue. my safety and the safety of my family and those that share the road with me are of utmost importance to me. i am concerned that they are not of the utmost concern of toyota, who would leave us all at risk unless public pressure is brought to bear. *tr
I own a 2010 toyota prius ii. i've noticed that when i run over a bump or a pothole on the road, the car seems to accelerate or jolt forward. it happens while i brake to a stop sign and run over a bump or pothole. it has also happened while letting go of the gas pedal but not stepping on the brake. therefore, i have to quickly step on the brake even harder to stop or slow down the car. during one incident, i nearly ran into a pedestrian crossing the street. it was a 4 way stop and i approached slowly. the pedestrian was directly in front of my vehicle and he had the right of way. i slowly approached and as my tire ran over the pained "stop" on the pavement, my vehicle jolted forward. it was a close call and it scared the pedestrian and myself. i went to a toyota dealership and has asked about the problem. they said they don't or have not had any complaints. told me that mine was probably an isolated incident. i went home and googled to see if other prius drivers had the same experience. i was shocked to have read a few incidents of other prius owners experiencing the same thing. what can i do about this matter if toyota claims that my experience was isolated. going back to the toyota dealership won't resolve anything. *tr
I have a 2010 prius. when i hit a pothole while stepping on the brake, the brakes let go. i have to rebrake. the car actually seems to speed up. it is very frightening. i have taken it into the dealer. they say it is the anti-lock brakes. i have had anti-lock brakes before and never have had that kind of problem. *tr
When my 2010 prius goes over a pothole it surges and brakes aren't responsive enough to prevent hitting the car in front of me. so far i haven't hit any body or another vehicle.*tr
While braking at a speed of about 25 mph, wheels hit a pothole and the car seemed to accelerate and lurch forward for a fraction of a second before braking resumed. *tr
Regarding my 2010 toyota prius: brakes did not engage. it was raining; i was slowing to make a right turn into a parking lot and merged into the turn lane, applied the brakes just prior to driving over a drainage grate, and car's brakes did not respond. i released my foot from the brake pedal and then re-engaged it, whereas the brakes responded. incidents very similar to this happened two prior times when backing out of my driveway (not raining). the brake warning light also goes on unexpectedly while idling at a traffic light or when coasting to a stop (not stopping suddenly). when this happens, i have to place the car into park and then back into drive. i inquired about these issues with the toyota dealer and have been advised that they have had no complaints of this nature with their 2010 priuses. *tr
I have purchased a 2010 toyota prius, and never noticed any problem with my braking, until 1/22/10. i was driving over a section of road, that was uneven where a bridge meets the road. i was braking for the stoplight ahead that was red and cars were waiting in the line. when i applied the brakes at about 10 mph, and hit the uneven road section, the car seemed like it lost braking, for an instant. i had to push harder on the brake pedal to assure a stop. i have since driven that same section of road to replicate the problem, and it had repeated itself, but not on every occasion. it appears that there is some issue with the hybrid brake system...between regeneration and friction but not sure what the issue is. i only have 3800 miles on the car so have not called the dealer for service yet. will plan to do that if it can wait until the first 5,000 mile service. *cn
Driving at very slow speed...braking at stop sign behind another car; needed to hit the brakes--not quite "slam on the brakes" --as i realized i was closer to car in front of me than i'd thought. car in front of me pulled away at the same time (fortunately) as my car lurched forward; i didn't feel it was going to stop; when i then proceeded car made horrible noises...sounded i thought bottom was going to fall out. have experienced the same "not going to stop" feeling a second time since. what followed? called dealership immediately; they suggested i come in for brake check, which i did following day. told it was going to cost $125; we discussed likelihood that problem probably wouldn't happen for the mechanic, i decided against spending money for brake check up when service dept. told me it was "just the way prius' abs brakes work." when i asked about the news reports i'd heard about this braking problem they didn't know anything about it, pointed to absence of info on toyota's website for service departments and said media often blows things out of proportion. called toyota corp and case manager that returned call to me had no information about media reports i referred to. *tw
Experienced lack of braking when my 2010 prius was going over bumpy terrain. i was pressing on the brake as i was approaching an intersection, and no braking was occurring until the car reached smooth ground again. instead it felt like i was skidding, and the brake pedal just vibrated back at me. i can confirm that the problem being reported in the news media in japan, is in fact, a real problem. when i heard about it on the news, i realized, hey, i experienced that. i would encourage a recall. it is a legitimate problem that does indeed sometimes occur in the situation i described. it is scary. *tw
I own a 2010 toyota prius. on a number of occasions it feels as though this vehicle has lost braking force for a brief period of time (no more than 1 second) when the vehicle encounters an uneven road surface while braking. i believe this only happens while the vehicle is using regenerative breaking. when this happens the vehicle feels like it's lurching forward because the braking force has been removed. once i press harder on the brakes to force the friction brakes to apply, or after a brief period of time, the car does continue to slow down. i have not yet had an accident of any kind, but i can imagine how one could happen because of the increased stopping distance. *tr
I recently purchased toyota prius 2010 and already have an accident due to faulty brake system. when the brake is applied, the care does not slow down instantly but kind of accelerates and the slows down which is a major safety hazard. *tr
Brake failure on 2010 toyota prius. when going over a traffic bump on a rainy day, the brake failed for about 1-2 seconds before i was able to bring it to a stop at the traffic. there was no accident, no property damage. *tr
While braking while going through shallow water and small pothole, the brakes felt like they slipped. the car stopped braking for about a second or two. *tr
I purchased a 2010 toyota prius on dec. 23 2009 in columbus oh, and experienced brake problem twice. when i was coming out of my street to merge to a bigger street, i used the brake trying to stop the car. instead of coming to a stop, the car jumped forward. i had to brake it again and hard to stop it. i felt as if there was an internal energy pushing the car forward. this happened to me twice. the first time was 3 weeks ago, the second 2 weeks ago. *tr
2010 prius we have had a problem with the brakes releasing when we drive over pot holes or a slick surface. this has been a reoccuring thing. it prevents us from stopping quickly or reacting to a situation. it has not resulted in an accident, but it seems like it has a strong possibility to in the near future. *tr
My 2010 prius has brakes releasing while my foot is on the brake pedal. in reverse the brakes frequently "stick" on. in this most recent incident i was changing lanes looking to make a future left turn and i was in the right lane of a 4 lane road, i was slowing down to change lanes and did not see a car in my "blind spot" where my mirrors did not show the car. once i side swiped the acura mdx, i made emergency maneuvers to get back to the right lane, which included swerving right and hitting the brakes after the car started moving right. at that point my vehicle seemed to move on it's own irregardless of my pedal and steering actions (i was in panic mode since i haven't had an accident in decades - except a parking lot "bump"). i wrote off the fact that i was unable to defensively drive as i have relied on for all these years since i couldn't pull out of the accident. now however, after hearing of the similar issues on 2010 prius i am wondering whether the vehicle played a part in the accident that i could not compensate for? *tr
2010 toyota prius experiences brief loss of braking when traveling downhill on same section of the road. i've experienced this about 5 or 6 times and it's been very noticeable. even with firm brake pressure, the vehicle seems to suddenly accelerate for a fraction of a second. it always seems to happen on the exact same section of the road, which is on a downhill grade. *tr
There have been several instances since i purchased my 2010 prius in october 2009 that i have gone over a bump in the road and my 2010 prius has felt like it's speeding up and i had to push hard on the brakes to feel like i had control of my car. *tr
I bought a 2010 toyota prius in the end of december 2009. since then i have experienced the momentarily brake loss when driving over the uneven surface. it only have happened 2-3 times but it makes me worry about the safety of my family and myself. *cn