Problems with 2010 Toyota Prius SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. while the contact was attempting to stop the vehicle while traveling at a low speed over a bump the contact noticed that the vehicles brakes would suddenly release for a short moment and then works properly. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership and there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 11000. the consumer stated he took the vehicle to the service dealer to have the recall performed on the brakes, however the vehicle continues to exhibit the same problem. when braking, the they seem to release. updated 06/15/10.*jb

The brakes on my prius have failed three times in three weeks in both city and rural driving conditions--two times i was braking while driving down a hill (both under 30 mph) and once while driving on a secondary blacktop road (35 mph). *tr when brake failure occurs, the prius brakes not only disengage (fail) but the car seems to lunge forward. it's as if i am braking with my foot on the gas pedal and then let up on the brake while the gas pedal is still depressed. it's a nauseating feeling when this happens. i was planning on taking the prius on a cross-country trip in the spring but will not now because of this braking issue. it is not a safe vehicle. i have great concern for my safety and the safety of others, particularly pedestrian safety at intersections. i am also going to post my complaint on priuschat.com (online priusphile community of which i am a member) in hopes that others will come forward with their braking problems to nhtsa, forcing toyota to fix this problem. i completed a complaint form for last week on your site (didn't require vin number) but since brake failure occurred again today, i realize that this is not an isolated incident. therefore, i am filing this formal nhtsa complaint. *tr

When approaching a stop sign and applying the brakes over a rough stretch of pavement, the brakes "stuttered" or seemed to momentarily fail and then catch again with continued pressure on the brake pedal. car lurched forward when this happened. this has happened twice at the same intersection. *tr

We have a new 2010 toyota prius type iv that my wife drives. several times now she has experienced problems with the braking system; when she applied the brakes the car lunged forward and then she had to apply the brakes really hard in order to get it to stop. this occurred several time upon hitting a bump, but it has also occurred on a smooth surface road. we obtained this new car in september 2009; so the frequency of this problem is pretty high. we understand that others are experiencing this same problem... we would like to confirm and complain that we too are experiencing these same problem with our prius. we have called the local car dealer where we purchased the vehicle, they are unaware of this problem and offered to do noting about it. we also tried to call the toyota experience center but the 800 number was over run with calls and stated that they could not process our call due to high call volume. at this point i am very concerned for the safety of those in the car and those who may be struck should we experience this problem at a critical moment in stopping the vehicle. *tr

On feb. 3, 2010 the brakes in my 2010 prius failed on sudden application and the pedal went all the way to the floor. i swerved right to an open lane, reapplied the brakes and this second application was successful and slowed the car. event took place going 47 mph on crest of hill when car in front braked suddenly, and i went from acceleration to sudden braking. prior to this experience i had made two complaints to my local dealer because the brakes occasionally grabbed violently when i was backing out of a parking space. the dealer could not replicate this action, so i just put up with it. the dealer now has my car and has provided a rental car at my request. *tr

2010 prius surges forward when i hit a bump with the brake pedal depressed. i have had a few near misses but no accidents to this point. last occurred yesterday. *jb

I own a 2010 toyota prius..purchased in august 2009...currently going for 15k miles on the odometer. i want to report issues with sudden acceleration even when i am stepping on the brake. i noticed every time i pass thru uneven road, for example potholes, icy roads, snow. the most common issue i have is as i am going down the road and car hits a pothole or manhole (those with metal covers) the car will suddenly accelerate, although i am stepping on the brake. sometimes i am afraid i will hit the car in front of me, especially when im in traffic. even going at 5-15 mph, the car will accelerate when it hits uneven road like pot holes or icy roads. this has happen quite a few times since i purchased the vehicle. just yesterday, we had about 1-2 inches of snow. i was driving slow and when making a left turn, the car hit some uneven road and snow and accelerated when i was stepping on the brake to make the turn. the car went up the sidewalk and the bumper cracked as it hit the concrete edge that separates the road and the sidewalk. no one was hurt and no property damage was done. the car is working fine, but this sudden acceleration issue is a major concern, especially now that i read and hear in the news that 2010 toyota prius are being reported with complaints of sudden acceleration. i thought my issue was an isolated case. please take this complaint into account. i will be going to the dealership this weekend for the 15k scheduled maintenance and will report the issue to them. *tr

2010 toyota prius - odd braking behavior. on a number of occasions, when the vehicle is completely stopped and the wheels are not turning, when i press on the brake pedal, the orange "skid warning" indicator on the instrument cluster turns on. something is wrong when i get such a warning, as the vehicle is not moving, and certainly not skidding. *tr

I thought that it was just me but when i heard others complaining about the brakes on the new 2010 prius i confirmed what i have been experiencing. whenever i begin to brake and either (a) hit a bump or (b) begin a turn, the car jumps or lurches as if losing traction for an overly excessive amount of time leading to a short but significant loss of control. *tr

My 2010 toyota prius does experience momentary brake failure when hitting bumps or potholes. the problem never lasts more than a moment and has not caused any accidents or near accidents. i have not brought the car for repair. *tr

When applying brakes on 2010 prius (purchased in sept 2009), the car lurches forward when it hits a bump in the road. this is a reproducible behavior and has been observed since shortly after purchase. *tr

When the 2010 toyota prius goes over a pothole or over an ice patch is looses braking ability for one or two seconds. this has happened numerous times, the last time on the morning of february 3, 2010. *jb

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) i am a retired colonel, usaf, but continue to work for the af as a civilian attorney. i purchased a 2010 toyota prius hybrid, [xxx] , on 9 nov 09. since that time, as recent as last evening when i pulled the vehicle into our garage, between my wife and i we have experienced on approximately six occasions the problem you have received other reports about concerning the vehicle's brakes. the "release" as i call it, occurred primarily when we hit irregular patches of roadway, such as potholes, washboard-type surfaces and the like. last evening, as i mentioned, it actually occurred as i was entering the garage. i approached a little faster than usual and was braking as the front tires encountered the elevated cement beyond the base of the garage door. the braking action was lost just for a moment after the impact with the cement. it's not that the engine speeds up when it happens, it's the forward momentum of the vehicle that increases with loss of the braking action. that has been the case each time it has happened. in fairness to the dealership, i have not notified it yet because i read not too long after the first time this occurred that other owners were beginning to report this problem and that toyota was developing a software fix for it. i assumed shortly there would be something in the nature of a recall and owners would be notified to bring their vehicles in for the modification. i do intend to notify the dealership tomorrow, but thought it necessary to report this to you now given the spotlight put on it today. *tr

2010 prius when driven over pothole while braking seems to surge forward until the wheels have passed the pothole. then brakes seems to catch and perform normally. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. the contact stated as he was stopping his vehicle, he hit a bump in the road while depressing the brake the vehicle lurched forward and accelerated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and contact was told this was normal and it is the electrical engine switching to the gas engine. the contact stated that this is a continuous problem while stopping the vehicle. the failure mileage was 8,800.

I have experienced brake issues about 6 times, and my wife has had it happen to her twice, since i bought my 2010 prius at the end of august 2009. the brake problem usually will happen when braking on an uneven surface such as a pothole or a bumpy road. the issue is that the brakes will momentarily stop working and you get a jerking/speeding up feeling. *tr

Sudden temporary loss of brakes in a 2010 prius. *jb

When my 2010 prius goes over bumps the brakes disengage for a second or two and the car lurches forward. this has happened several times. *jb

Whenever i am driving and hit a pothole or bump on the road, immediately after going over the pothole or bump i feel like my prius surges forward or speeds up. this happens whenever i am going at a constant speed or when i'm braking. it has happened since i bought the car (two months ago) but yesterday morning it scared me more because i was going over a really bad road with many bumps. as i approached a red light i began to brake early but as soon as i got close to the stop there was a bump before it and my car lunged forward causing me to stop past the white line of the stop sign. this happens all the time when i hit a pothole or bump on the road. *jb

I bought a 2010 prius on 7/25/09 and shortly thereafter noticed something a bit unusual with my brakes at sporadic times. i just now read the description someone gave in an article about trouble with 2010 prius brakes and it fits my experience to a t: "when braking, if a pothole or bump in the road is hit, the car seemingly jerks forward/accelerates for a split second." in addition, on sporadic occasions when backing up the brakes will grab sharply when relatively light pressure is applied. as for a date below i have listed today's date as it occurred today, but has done so intermittently since i have owned the car. *tr

Since buying a 2010 prius in june, i have experienced three "surging" events while braking as i decended hills. two involved situations involving hitting road depressions, which almost caused me to go through traffic lights, one involved a road covered with 1-2 inches of snow, which almost propelled me into oncoming traffic at a stop sign. all situations occurred as i was descending hills and slowing speed by braking. the first incident occurred in the summer, the last yesterday. i reported this to my dealer, who had no information on it from toyota, but advised me to file a complaint with toyota, which i did, case #1002106542. *tr

My 2010 prius iv purchased in june, 2010 has on several occasions when i brake at slow speeds and i cross over a bump in the road the car momentary surges forward. *tr

Sometimes when our 2010 prius hits a pothole, ice chunk or other bumpy road conditions we will very temporarily lose braking power. it seems to occur as the traction control or anti-lock kicks in. this has not been a one time incident, but also does not occur every time. *tr

I am writing about my 2010 toyota prius. i have noticed faulty brakes on the vehicle, mainly when i am attempting to brake on slippery or bumpy surfaces. i live in chicago where there are many bumpy roads and potholes, so when i'm coming up to a red light and need to stop over a bumpy surface, it feels like the brakes are locking and that i will slide into the car in front of me. by pumping the brakes, the car will stop, but it is a frightening feeling that i don't have control over my car. the same thing happens when it is rainy or the roads are slick. this has been a continual problem since i purchased the car in august 2009, in fact i took the car back to the dealer a few moths later to have it checked out. they claimed that since i have not driven a hybrid car in the past that i was unfamiliar with its braking system, and this was how a hybrid's brakes worked. i did not accept that answer, but what else can i do? i do not want them to realize there is a problem only after a crash has occurred. *tr

Braking problem on 2010 toyota prius. vehicle surges while applying the brakes on a bumpy road. i have experienced this on several occasions since purchasing the vehicle new this year. the vehicle has not been taken back to the dealership at this point in time. *tr

I was stopped at a traffic light. the street was uphill. my 2010 prius began to roll back, although i was stepping on the brake. this continued for several seconds, while i tried to press hard on the brakes (they were not responsive). luckily, there was no car behind me, otherwise, a crash would have ensued. road conditions were wet and somewhat slippery at that time. this was my first experience with this brake failure, which lasted for a few seconds. i have not had a chance to contact the dealer yet. *tr

While driving northwest on national bl, just past venice blvd, in my 2010 prius, i applied the brakes and, rather than slowing, the car accelerated forward. i released the brake and pressed it again, very firmly, and the brakes finally caught. *tr

We have a 2010 toyota prius ii, and have experienced multiple instances of the brakes not working - especially while driving through our apartment complex and going over speed bumps. this has also occurred while on the interstate, slowing down for traffic. the date listed below is for the most recent occurrence. *tr

Toyota prius 4th generation purchased one month ago. surges forward with brake depressed when going over potholes. *tr

I'm an owner of a 2010 prius. ten days or so after i purchased the car(in jan 2010), i experienced a loss in braking which resulted in damage to the bumper. numerous!!!! almost daily!!!! times since, even after the recall fix (done on my vehicle on 3/10/10), i have experienced, not only a loss of braking (usually while going over some little bump) but the car actually lurching forward. quite dramatic and scary, especially if there is a stop sign, intersection, a car or a person in front of you. last thurs (11/10/11), the road surface was wet, and i braked and had no, none , nada brakes and i rear ended the person in front of me. i paid for her damage out of my own pocket. i have not fixed the damage done to my car. brand new all season tires on the car, by the way. today (11/14/11), again the road surface was wet, i was behind a car in the right lane when a car inappropriately began merging from a ramp on the right, causing the car in front of me to suddenly slow down. i braked, and again, nothing!!! i quickly looked in my side view mirror and saw i had clearance to go in the left lane, and managed to avoid contact. 10 days after i purchased the 2010 prius, i said i wanted to return it and i sent in all this documentation certified mail, but toyota rejected everything. there is a defect in this car and it is unsafe. *tr

I have been driving my 2010 prius for 4 months and everyday i drive over this road near my work that's not a total flat surface with a bump, my prius just jerks and slides forward and accelerates for a split second. this happens every single day i drive to work over this bumpy road. it worries me if a pedestrian is walking in front of me i am not sure if i can pull to a complete stop in time. *tr

When braking and going over rough road or potholes, the car feels like it is accelerating. it is necessary to exert additional pressure on the brake pedal, but sometimes does not feel like this is helping. *tr

I bought a toyota prius v 2010. i have complained to toyota about the braking system. i am also filling a formal complaint with nhtsa. also the back auto dimming mirror doesnt work properly. they cant find a fix. lane keep assist works really poorly. i would say i doesnt work! also bluetooth systems doesnt work properly. there is a delay in answering the call. *tr

I own a 2010 toyota prius and have encountered the same issues with the brakes that many others have reported. when braking (which i do over a longer than usual distance and timeframe because of the car's ability to regenerate power while braking), the brake pedal drops and the car suddenly accelerates whenever the vehicle hits a bump or pothole. this has happened multiple times since i took possession of the vehicle in june 2009. no accidents or injuries have resulted, but i must be particularly cautious of road conditions when braking because this happens frequently and i am concerned about the possibility of future accidents or pedestrian incidents. *tr

I was braking my 2010 prius iii when i went over some railroad tracks. the vehicle suddenly accelerated and i had to step off the brake pedal and re-apply the brakes to get the vehicle to begin braking again. the acceleration lasted for more than 1 second and the vehicle didn't start braking again, until i had reapplied the brakes. *jb

In snowy weather i tried to stop on slippery payment at slow speeds at a four way stop. the brakes let go for a few seconds before reconnecting. this has happened several times before on bumpy or slippery pavement. it never lasts for long, but it does increase stopping distance. *tr

My prius is having brake issues. when i took it back to the dealer the service rep rode in the car with me and since it didn't slip during our 2 block drive he said he can't authorize a repair since its not part of the recall. i want to just return this thing before i get in an accident but they told me i will lose 100 points on my credit score. what can i do?! *tr

While driving our 2010 toyota prius on a snowy and bumpy road, my wife pressed on the brake pedal and it took a second or two for the brakes to work. this happened several times. she thought it was due to lack of traction in the snow, but based on all of the other braking complaints about the prius, she felt it was not due to snow, but rather a problem with the braking system *cn

I was driving my 2010 toyota prius over a rough spot in the road. when i tried to slow the car by applying my brakes, they did not respond. in fact, instead of slowing down, my car accelerated abruptly, shooting ahead several feet before i was able to regain control of the vehicle. this episode lasted only a few seconds, and then the breaking function returned. since i was traveling around twenty miles per hour at the time and no one was directly in front of me, the episode did not result in any accident or injury. while i have had only one occurrence of this brake failure/acceleration since owning my car, purchased at the end of september, 2009, the fact that this car has a history of performing in this uncontrolled way has me deeply concerned about driving it. *tr

I have a 2010 toyota prius and have experienced the same issue recently being reported. while braking, when going over a pothole, bump or wet surface, the car appears to lunge forward for a second. this has recurred at least 10 times since i purchased the car in august, 2009. *tr

While approaching a stop sign at a particular intersection with a bump and pothole just before the stop area at approx 30mph, car momentarily loses braking power when passing over bump and pothole. i can replicate this issue every time i approach this intersection, and it has happened several times since we bought the car in 8/09. problem was reported to dealer in september, and we were told there was no issue with the brakes on the vehicle. *tr

My toyota prius has a problem with sudden shaking when lightly applying the brakes. the problem is intermittent. the dealer does not know what to do until toyota gives clear direction. *tr

I have a 2010 prius iv and can certainly say that i have felt several times a bit of "brake-loss" on this vehicle. by that, i mean that at times i have to push down much harder on the brake pedal to come to a stop. this happens at random times and causes me a bit of nervousness as a few times i came close to hitting the car in front of me. this tends to happen as i am coming to a stop, not during high-speed braking. i would estimate that this has happened at least 10 times during 4,000 miles of driving. *tr

My 2010 prius lurches over bumps. the dealership said i was the only one with this problem and found nothing wrong on two visits. i read that i am not the only one with this problem, so i want to issue a complaint and ask what i should do now. *tr

I own a 2010 toyota prius which was purchased in september 2009. my brakes fail to immediately stop my car when applied going over bumpy sections in the road, hitting a pothole, or when on slippery sections of the road. when hitting a bump it actually feels like the car lurches forward. the car will eventually stop after pushing the brake to the floor with force. it is very disconcerting and the potential for hitting the car in front of you or a person is very high. *jb

Prius 2010 "skidded" at slow speed on cold roadway twice. just purchased the car in october. *tr

One occasion of failure of brakes for 1-2 seconds on 2010 prius (over rough road). *tr

I have a 2010 prius, i have also noticed loss of brakes. when coming to a stop or going around a corner and hitting a pot hole the brakes seem to slip. i called the dealer today in kansas city they told me they had no recalls on the brakes for the 2010 prius. can anything be done? on going problem! my dealer is molle toyota. *jb

I am the owner of a 2010 toyota prius purchased new on january 21, 2010. car has about 400 miles on the odometer. on february 2, 2010 while attempting to stop at a stop sign, traveling at a slow rate of the speed, the brakes failed to stop the car. after several attempts to apply the brakes, they finally stopped the car narrowly missing cross traffic. the pavement was smooth and speed was less than 25mph. *tr

Brake was not working when applied trying to slow down on a snow covered frozen road at about 25mph. it's not for a stop or sudden braking. *tr