Problems with 2010 Toyota Prius SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. the contact stated that the brakes were ultra-sensitive and when she lightly depressed the pedal, the vehicle would jerk as if she made an abrupt stop. other times, she had to push the brake pedal extremely hard to stop the vehicle. she called the dealership and was told that it was not a problem. she had not contacted the manufacturer to-date. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was 1,218. the failure mileage was approximately 1,200.

Toyota prius 2010 failed to stop at stop sign. i got a brand new toyota prius 2010 in late october 2009. most of the time the brakes have been very good however i noticed several times that when i press the brakes the car kept going for a good few seconds before it stops. yesterday i was in a small local road with speed around 28 mile/hr. when approching the intersection, i pressed the brake but the car was not slow down, i kept pressing the brake very hard and it finally stopped but the car was into the intersection already. thank god, there was nobody crossing the street. i googled prius 2010 brake problem and found there were many same complaints out there and since dealers could not reproduce the defect, they can not offer a fix. *tr

Brakes on prius 2010 periodically have a "lag" or delay time before they engage. i apply the brakes, and no grabbing or slowing down occurs for 2-3 seconds. this began to happen during january (car purchased in november). i have 7000 miles on the car. 1st time- went over rough part of road and applied brakes, delayed time until brakes acted. felt as if i was floating- loss of traction feeling. brought car into toyota westport ct dealer on jan 14, 2010 and was told no problem found. it has continued to occur: 2nd time - cold morning and 3x no braking traction as driving about 10-20 mph and trying to slow down for a stop sign and when a car entered from a side street 3rd time (feb 2, 2010) - on highway around 2 pm. cruise control was on and applied brakes - no slowing down for about 3 seconds. very scary feeling as it happens. *tr

The brakes in my 2010 toyota prius do not operate properly. i have had the car 3 months with 1847 miles. over this time i must increasingly press the brake pedal closer to the floor to stop the car. today in dry weather, i nearly hit the car almost 50 yards in front of me when it stopped and although i pressed the pedal firmly it took a very long time for the brakes to grab. *jb

2010 prius. car lurches everyday when braking at stop signs. car drifts forward and does not immediately respond to brake pedal being pushed down. often happens in the middle of the stop. brakes will start working but then "slip" in the middle at very low speeds. doubt the anti-lock brake system could be the problem as speed are very low. has been occurring since the car was purchase in the summer of 2009. *tr

2010 toyota prius with brake problem. consumer states that a sudden loss of braking occurs after driving over small potholes, loose gravel, or down a slight hill. *kb the consumer stated it felt as though the vehicle was accelerating for 1-3 seconds. *jb

I had trouble braking my 2010 prius--when i hit the brakes and went over a bump at the same time the car sped up instead of stopping. *tr

While braking if i hit potholes the car speeds up from loss of braking action even thou i am still pushing on the brake pedal. i have to quickly let up and apply brakes again to stop vehicle. has happened three times now, twice in the last two days. first time thought it was my imagination, but now i know that i was pushing on the pedal and the car just took off until i reapplied the brakes. *tr

My 2010 toyota prius seems to loose braking on or over bumps. it seems to not want to stop for a few seconds after hitting a bump in the road. i have to remove my foot from the brakes and re apply inorder to regain breaking. this happens almost every time when simultaneously applying the brakes and going over a bump/pothole in the road. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. she stated while braking at speeds of less than 15 mph and going over a pothole and railroad tracks the brakes would intermittently hesitate to function properly. within moments, the brakes would respond normally. on a separate occasion, while traveling in snowy conditions at speeds of under 30 mph, she attempted to depress the brake pedal and it would not engage. the vehicle did not slide; however, the brakes did not engage and she proceeded to crash into a curb causing moderate damage to the front passenger's side tire and rim. there was also a loud grinding noise coming from the vehicle after the crash occurred. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where she was awaiting repairs. there were no recalls. the failure and current mileages were 1200.

I am experiencing a loss of braking power, during slower speed stops or attempts to slow down. the problem occurs at generally less than 20 mph. i apply the brakes and the car begins to slow, however, if i hit a bump or pothole, the car feels like it is accelerating and/or losing braking power, despite my foot remaining on the brake pedal. i am able to regain braking by further pressing the brake pedal. the acceleration/loss of braking feels like it's coming from the rear wheels of the car and at least in my experience feels like the problem only occurs when the rear wheels go over the bump or into the pothole. a similar loss of braking has not occurred when the front wheels go over bumps or potholes at lower speeds. the braking lapse causes my stopping distance to be lengthened. this loss of braking power has occurred several times since i bought my car in july 2009. i first noticed the problem in the fall of 2009 and it most recently happened this past monday (2/1/2010). the problem does not appear to occur at higher speeds, such as on a highway or main road. i was not carrying any cargo or additional weight in the vehicle during any of the incidents. *tr

I've been hearing in the news about the potential of a braking issue with the 2010 toyota prius. just wanted to let you know that i definitely noticed this issue in my new prius. approximately once a month, when i'm braking over an uneven or slippery surface, especially if it is only one side of the car going over the slippery surface, while i'm braking, there is a moment lasting less than a second where it feels like the brakes disengage. (causes your heart to skip a beat when it happens.) i also noticed a separate quirk the other day that i want to pass on to you. i'm not sure if this was done deliberately by toyota or whether this is a defect, however, i believe my speedometer is calibrated so that it reads a speed that is 2 mph faster than my actual speed. i noticed this when i went on a trip and used my wife's tom tom, which uses its gps signal to measure the speed of the car. the tom tom is usually spot on in my wife's acura. in the prius, it was indicating that my true speed was 2 mph less than what my speedometer indicated. i'm wondering if this wasn't somehow intentionally done by toyota to get better perceived gas mileage by the driver. having the car get over the 50 mpg threshold is a big marketing advantage for them. getting over this threshold would be easier if the actual speed of the car was less than the perceived speed. *tw

When slowing down, such as to make a turn or to change to reverse, when the brake was applied, there was some acceleration also occurring. this has happened 4-5 times in past few months, the last time was about 7 or ten days ago. the car did brake with no further problem and no harm occurred and there was no damage. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. the contact stated her vehicle surges when she goes over a pothole and hit her brakes. this has been happening since she purchase her vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the technician test drove the vehicle with her but the failure did not occur again. the failure mileage was 4,000.

Prius braking problem when going slow speeds over a bump or pothole. *jb

1. 2010 prius, brakes release and car surges forward if one tire hits a bump, pothole or uneven surface 2. this brake failure and surging occurs daily in both directions on my commute. in two locations the uneven road surface fall directly before an intersection and i have a difficult time stopping for a red light or nearly hitting car in front of me. this has been the case since i bought the vehicle. 3. although it constantly scares me and seems odd, i have just turned 5000 miles on the 2010 prius and have not yet had it for service at the dealer. no parts have been altered or replaced. i have often complained about it at home or to friends, but it didn't occur to me to report it. i have not yet had an accident as a result of the problem. *tr

From the first days with this vehicle we have had an intermittent issue with the brakes. so far, this issue only occurs at very slow speeds, such as when backing out of the garage or when backing out of parking spaces. on occasion, we have experienced this problem in the forward direction when stopping in the slow conditions of a parking lot. following is a description of the braking action: 1. i start the car (power button with foot on the brake). 2. i place the shift lever in reverse or drive with foot on the brake. 3. i release the brake pedal. 4. the car eases backward (or forward, as the case may be). 5. i apply the brake , either to shift into drive or to check for traffic before continuing. 6. several times per week the brakes lock the instant my foot touches the brake pedal. 7. when this problem occurs, the locking action will repeat each time i release the brake, ease backward or forward, and brake again. 8. the brake locking is so instantaneous that passengers' heads jerk and they look surprised. 9. the braking action is more like that of flipping an electrical switch than of pressing a brake pedal. 10. from the beginning, i have tried to determine if a certain sequence of actions triggers the locking. i cannot come up with anything. so far, the only constant is that this locking happens with the first stops after starting the car. i have not experienced it with subsequent stops. however, heaven help us if this were to occur at higher speeds! at the 5000 mile service, i asked about this issue. the service rep said that some prius owners had mentioned that their brakes "grabbed" once in a while. the rep said that it could be a "wet brake" issue. *tr

Slowing down while approaching a left turn lane, hit a pothole and lost braking power for about 0.5s. *tr

My 2010 toyota prius brakes fail briefly (1-2 seconds) when braking at low speeds and driving over a pothole, speed bump, or manhole, especially on wet roads. brakes resume appropriately when brake pedal is pressed again or pressed in harder. i first noticed this during the first month i owned the car (august 2009). this happens to me about once every two weeks. nothing so far has been done to correct the problem.

We have been experiencing, intermittently, the exact problem described in recent news accounts about the momentary failure of anti-lock brakes on the 2010 toyota prius. when braking on a rough or slick surface, such as thermoplastic lane or crosswalk markings, the car feels like it's surging forward. we believe it is not so much an actual surging as it is the momentary absence of loss of braking, but it feels like the car is a bit out of control, and potentially dangerous. we have experienced this momentary brake failure on perhaps a couple dozen occasions. fortunately, none of these incidents have resulted in a crash. we contacted the dealership to let them know that we had been experiencing the same issue described in news reports, and were told that they have not yet received instructions from toyota about a recall or potential fix. *tr

2010 brand new prius lurches forward occasionally when brakes are applied when turning sharp or going over a bump. *tr

2010 toyota prius ii stopping time longer than expected when in "b" gear and need to brake. note that i am not sure of the road surface when this occurred but i believe that it was flat. car seems to lurch forward. have come close to hitting car in front of me. dry road surface, close to 50 degrees f. *tr

This is the 3rd time i have had a total lockout of braking on my 2010 toyota prius. this seems to happen most times if the road is slightly rough and downhill. dealer denies any known problems but this last time i went completely through a stop sign. had there been other traffic i would have had an accident. *tr

When backing up the 2010 prius, the brakes grab. i release the brake pedal and reapply and each time the brakes grab. *tr

Brakes on my prius have momentarily failed on two occasions - both times happened after going over a pot hole/rough patch of road. *tr

I have a 2010 prius and am having braking problems when driving over pot holes, bumpy services, or down hills. the 2010 prius releases the brakes when driving over these surfaces and has becomes dangerous to me and my family. i also live on a rather steep hill and when traveling down the hill any debris on the surface of the road such as leaves causes the brakes to give way. "please help" "please help". *tr

I own a prius 2010 model. i've had the car since august 2009. when pushing the brake pedal while the car os going over a patch of snow/ice, the brakes engaged after about 2-3 second. luckily, in the few incident that this situation has happened, there was not obstacles in front of the car. *tr

The brakes on my 2010 toyota prius momentarily quit working while driving over rough surfaces such as potholes, railroad tracks or very uneven pavement. this causes the vehicle to surge forward unexpectedly under braking. *tr

I have a 2010 prius. my car was surging before braking on bumpy terrain. i brought the car in for repair to the dealer, as per the recall. the problem is still present. i still feel a surge while braking over bumps. i contacted the service department of toyota and was told there was nothing they could do to fix the problem and suggested i call toyota headquarters in california. i have attempted three times to report my complaint and on each occasion waited on the phone over a half hour with no answer. *tr

S10 appropriate handling re braking problems experience by an owner of a 2010 toyota prius. *kb the consumer stated he experienced inconsistent braking while driving on wet, bumpy roads which required extra vigilance as the feel of the brakes would often change. the consumer also stated the problem was also evident while in reverse. unfortunately, the vehicle did not stop while in reverse and hit another car. the consumer's vehicle as well as the other vehicle were damaged. the consumer stated his vehicle is currently at the dealership receiving the software upgrade to supposedly address the braking problem. *jb

1. i had a 2009 toyota corolla and just traded it in and bought a 2010 toyota prius this saturday 1/30/10. on monday i was driving to work and was still in my community when i approached an intersection and applied my brake. the car skidded through the intersection. thankfully there was no other vehicles. i read the article today about the incident with the prius brakes and wanted to submit my incident. 2. it was the first time this occurred. 3. also i contacted toyota service and one of the service rep told me that they can take a look at it but cant do anything until toyota issues a fix... what do i do with my car? does lemon law apply? what are my options? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. the contact stated that with his feet on the brake pedal while driving 20 mph over a bump in the road or a pothole the vehicle lunged forward and accelerated. the dealer has not diagnosed the failure and it occurs more frequently. the failure mileage was 200.

My 2010 toyota prius lurches when going over a rough patch of road while i'm using the brakes. there is a particular patch of road near my home where this has happened repeatedly. *tr

This is a complaint about a recurring event that has serious implications in the wrong situations. for five times now, since driving our new car, our brakes have released after going over a bump in the road. this bump can be as small as a crack caused by a nearby tree's roots, or larger like a pothole. it has also occurred when driving over slick sewer covers. it typically happens when braking, then hitting the bump, then brakes release, and the car is no longer breaking. this is especially dangerous in hilly cities like san francisco, where if this happens going downhill, the acceleration accompanied by the lack of braking going downhill can result in crashing into the next car, or worse, hitting a crossing pedestrian at a cross walk. *tr

I have had the 2010 prius for 2 months now. i have experienced the brake failure when going over potholes (which there are many of in los angeles) about 8 times in the last 2 mos. over a pothole, i step on the brake and instead of braking my car actually accelerates a little, as if the pothole is pushing me forward. it's a loss of control over the vehicle for those 1-3 seconds, and if another car were in front of me no doubt i'd hit it as the brakes fail. i thought it was a problem with just my car until i read the news today. *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 have a 2010 prius, 3d gen, basic pkg. five days ago, i rear-ended a car stopped on an entrance ramp to rt. 15 in nj. i hit the brakes -- and the car shuddered forward as if its wheels had seized up. this prius has had intermittent braking probs since i bought it last august. usually, this happens on a rough road or during a sudden deceleration. the brakes feel as tho they've locked, and the car almost bounces to a stop, rather than braking quickly and smoothly. i told the dealer -- and they told me nothing was wrong (inferring it was my problem -- that i'm a lousy driver.) i reported the brake problem again after this accident, and was told again there was no problem. news reports now suggest - there is a problem. (btw - my car has also done some brief spurts of acceleration, which is odd in any hybrid. they usually have no real pick-up.) i had never before driven a prius, so i figured that was how the car ran. please let me know how to deal with this? the dealer says they'll check the brakes - but they don't know what they're looking for. also - my car insurance rates will go up because of this accident, and it cost me the $500 deductible. i'm disgusted, to say the least. i thought i'd bought the holy grail of design excellence & fuel economy -- new and improved 3d-generation. i bought an expensive headache. *tr

When braking over a smooth surface such as a manhole cover, the vehicle tends to lurch forward. *tr

This has occurred several times in the 5 months that i have been driving my 2010 toyota prius hybrid. i would go over a pot hole or larger bump and instead of my brakes initiating when i press the brakes there is a quick acceleration and the car literally lurches forward instead of slowing down. also, there is a long lag time between pressing the brakes and the brakes actually intiating which is consistent and occurs all the time. *tr

My 2010 prius has twice had a brief momentary loss of braking in slow speed. both times this occurred when trying to stop for a stop sign in a residential area with low speed and on icy/snowy surface. the vehicle stopped 5 feet or so past the originally intended point of stopping. *tr

On my 2010 toyota prius ii (purchased 9/30/2009, i have noticed on multiple occasions that while i am braking, if i hit a pothole, bump or rough pavement of some type, the braking suddenly releases for half-a-second or a second. i am maintaining pressure on the brake pedal but with a bump, it stops braking momentarily. because i tend to give myself a lot of room to brake, none of these incidents has led to an accident, but it is very disconcerting. *tr

My 2010 prius accelerates when it hits a pot hole while slowing down. this happens more when there is snow or ice on the road. in icy conditions i am slowing down and not pressing on the brake, but if it hits a pot hole -- a momentary loss of control is experience. it seems like the electric brake switches off and hydraulic brakes kicks in because it brakes harder once back. *tr

Tl* the contact owns 2010 toyota prius. the contact stated when ever the vehicle goes over a bump in the road or pothole the braking system will not slow the vehicle down even though the brakes are being applied. also the contact stated that it takes to much pressure to apply the brakes for a new car. the contact took the vehicle to a dealer and the service tech. drove the vehicle and informed the contact that the brakes were fine and that is how the vehicle is designed and to apply more pressure. the contact does not feel safe driving this vehicle because the vehicle hit a bump and accelerated in to a intersection while the brakes were applied. failure mileage was 2.

When slowing down over bumpy surfaces, the car temporarily loses braking control (for a second or so). it is terrifying and needs to be looked into. there are hundreds of people online who have reported this exact same problem. *tr

While driving on a slick road. i tried to brake and turn into a parking lot. brake pedal felt non responsive and car hit curb, knocking off the wheel cover and scuffing the rim. *tr

Brakes suddenly lurch, especially when there is snow or uneven surface (pothole), first not catching and then causing brief more sudden braking. this is as if the abs is not working properly. this has happened about 3-4 times since purchase of car about 12/5/09. *tr

My 2010 toyata prius (purchased in sept. 2009) has had repeated problems while braking over a patch of road with small potholes. if the brakes are engaged while over the patch of uneven road, the car lurches or "jumps" over the spot on the road and the brakes don't begin to catch until the car gets over the patch. this has happened 5-10 time over the last four months at a stop light. *jb

Momentary loss of braking when passing over bump in road while braking for stop light. third time i have personally witnessed this momentary loss of braking. *tr

2010 toyota prius (package iv) suddenly accelerates while braking over a bump, like a manhole cover. it occurs several times per week. no serious consequences so far, but could be troublesome if it occurs near other cars at a light or stop-and-go traffic. i took it to the toyota agency where they drove my car with me and did notice it, but didn't know what to do about it or think it was a serious problem. we also drove another 2010 prius on their lot to determine that the same problem existed in it. i don't know if the braking is air, hydraulic, or electric, so i selected all three. *tr

I have experience a problem with my 2010 prius, while turning right on to another street traveling around 20 mph, i press on the brakes to down slightly when suddenly the car accelerated very fast, i pressed on brake harder and it stop this acceleration. later i had 2 problems at the same intersection, # 1: i turned right into the street to my right and i noticed my brakes hesitated for about 1 or 2 seconds, i then continued without a problem. # 2: i turned right at the same intersection with the brakes on to slow me down, when the car seemed to accelerate slightly without my foot on the gas pedal. there are many small pot holes at the intersection .