I was driving at about 35 mph and all of a sudden my brakes stopped working. the brake , abs and traction lights came on all at once. i somehow made it home but i could have easily crashed. i had my 9 year old in the back seat and he also got very scared. now i cannot drive my car and the brakes feel as they as stuck and very hard. i took my car to a reputable mechanic and he told me it is giving him code c1391. this is the same problem that the 2010 prius had under the recall. my prius is 2011 and not under the recall. i feel that the 2011 should be under recall because many thousands of lives are in danger now.
The vehicle takes long stopping distance while braking and , also l had many times when the car slipped while braking
Brake actuator
I was at an automatic car wash yesterday and after the wash finished i pulled out of stall with hardly any brakes.i was not able to pump them and had to take my car into a mechanic the brake actuator was out and the car is undrivable.the price for the part alone is over 2500.00 i was informed by the dealership that is was a recalled item but not for the yr of my car. if this would have happened in traffic or at a high rate of speed i know i would have been in a serious accident and i could have killed someone.
When i go over a bump or pothole and put on the brakes the car accelerates. toyota claims it is just how the abs brakes feel, but the car actually speeds up when i brake. happened multiple times since i bought the car. so far no accidents.
Abs brake light and traction lights are on. c1391 internal failure in brake actuator assembly.
While in motion when i pressed the brakes the pedal went to the floor. brakes failed. rapid beeping with brake light on. i pushed on the brakes and there was nothing. i did some research and this vehicles are having a problem with the brake booster assy. there is a recall for the same parts for the 2010 prius, not 2011 - 2015
Three weeks ago the brakes failed at a stop light on a city street and the abs and brake lights came on in the dash. the brake fluid appeared to be low so we opened a new bottle of fluid and filled the reservoir which seemed to temporarily remedy problem and nothing could be diagnosed because no lights were on in dash. the exact same thing happened again with the brakes failing and the dash lights coming on while at a red light on a city street. we had to have vehicle towed and were told it was the master cylinder assembly, booster pump etc. and wasn't covered under warranty at $6400. the car has 82,925 miles and has been maintained.
I've had my prius from 4-14 to the present 2016. i keep having issues with the dealership i take it to for repairs. [xxx] in la crescenta ca. after mentioning and describing issues, the staff there says that unless the dash lights up with a message and gives a code, they cant fix it. so in order for them to look into it any further than me telling them dash light is nec. i've told them about the ac noise from the first say i took the car in to get services at 33k. they say they don't hear or see anything. my ac compressor sounds like its going to explode when ac is on. brakes have been extremely diff. to explain because of terminology. they seem to lose their power when being pressed and abs seems to malfunction?? so they drive it and tell me its nothing i need to worry about and will be fixed when changed. change brakes and the prob persists. not only abs but firestone says my hardware has issues as well. i bring it to the attention of the staff and nothing seems to get done about it... my odo. speedom is/was off +2 mph. my weather seals have been stripped and ripped off the vehicle which now causes water leaks from every crevice.. and the biggest two of all my complaints are 1- hybrid batt. fan never worked and i wasn't told...hyb batt has never worked properly (drains way too fast when stopped at a light or in traff) along with the heat created by the batt and the engine that fill up the cabin and will have the temp raised upwards of 90+ on a 75 deg day. 2- the ecu's ipm's (or something like that) has not been calib. or updated. even received coverage stickers from toy headquarters stating full coverage if a.b.c. (listing of problems or malfunctions) i describe the exact same symptoms to them and get the same response"no code, no fix" help and ps i just checked the vin online 4my veh & it says a diff package w/a bunch of extras that i never got upon purchase???_hmmm?? information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr
Hard knocking when turning on engine until i compress and decompress my break. has happened 3 times, only during the cold months
When i'm braking and slowing down gradually, as when approaching a red light, the brakes momentarily stop working and the car feels like it surges forward if it hits a low-traction surface like a pothole or manhole cover or wet spot. i saw there was a recall for this in 2010, but 2011 model consistently does it and has caused me and my friend to nearly rear-end other cars when driving my car. apparently, it pertains to the regenerative braking system being turned off when the abs engages, leaving only friction brakes. this happens several times a week on the wet roads where i live (near seattle, washington). this has happened since i bought the car new in 2011 but i'm complaining now because my friend borrowed it and almost rear-ended someone and pushed me to report it. *tr
Car was in motion about 20mph. when brakes was applied, the car failed to slow down but instead quickly accelerated. continuously applying the brakes did nothing. car came to a stop apply running into another car.
Brakes failing when applied hard or while driving over bumps.
The prius has a problem when braking over broken pavement or potholes. this happens when the brakes are applied to slow the vehicle and the car enters an area of the road where there is uneven ground. the brakes seem to not work for a second even if there is steady pressure applied to the brake pedal. this problem causes quite a startle to the car's driver. this is especially a concern to us when this happens at a crosswalk. this is an ongoing problem. toyota of america has been contacted twice, i have taken the vehicle in to my local dealership but no fix is available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota prius. while the vehicle was stationary, all of the warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake master assembly and the brake booster needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 81,000.
Brakes disengage momentarily when braking on a bumpy roadway. i have had this happen multiple times. it feels like the abs system releases the brakes and then reapplies braking. luckily, i have not had vehicles in front of me.
Every once in a while - it can be months between events - our prius momentarily slams on the brakes when driving at highway speeds while nothing else is going on. we know it's not operator error. it's happened to my wife several times and me once. when it happened to me i was driving straight ahead on a dry, lightly traveled divided highway during the day. everything on the dashboard lights up, alarms go off, the car decelerates like i suddenly stomped on the brake pedal though my foot never moved off of the gas, it lasts for maybe a second and then the car is back to normal. it's the same each time it's happened. luckily each time this has happened we haven't had anyone tailgating us. we've taken it to the dealer multiple times. the first couple of times they looked at us like we were loony. they checked it out and we got it back with a message that said the technician checked the computer and test drove it for 20 miles and the car was operating as designed. except it happened again. we finally convinced them that this was maybe a legitimate issue and they said they brought in a toyota field specialist who checked the car out and they said that the issue was the pcs wave radar sensor that was slightly out of alignment due to body damage (my wife had hit a small deer about a year prior to that - damage was minor and repaired at a local body shop). after they realigned the sensor, the car behaved itself for about five months. until yesterday when it happened again.
While driving and braking on a bumpy road surface, the brakes will initially work, quit working momentarily, then reengage. this happens regularly. i just took it to the toyota dealership, and they say the brakes are fine and there is no problem. there was a toyota recall for this issue on 2010 models. i'm afraid this issue will cause an accident. how can i get toyota to address the problem?
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota prius. while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated to decelerate without warning. the contact stated that the brake pedal traveled to the floorboard. the contact stated that the brakes needed to be pumped in order to stop the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake cylinder assembly needed to be repaired. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 59,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota prius. while attempting to park, the driver depressed the brake pedal and suddenly the vehicle accelerated forward and crashed into a pole. during the crash, the front end sustained significant damage. the air bags did not deploy. no injuries were reported and a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 21,000.
I was moving forward in a turn lane on a city street preparing to make a left turn. a vehicle cut in front of my car and it was necessary to make a quick stop to avoid an accident. immediately red warning lights lit up indicating a problem with the brakes. the repair statement from the dealer indicated that the brake booster with master cylinder assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. the repair required over two weeks to complete and i was informed that the procedure in the service manual for repairing the problem was incorrect.
There are 3 issues i am having with this prius. the brakes are the first problem. as others have stated, i too have the same lurching forward when braking over bumby or rough roads. this has been ongoing over the last few years. second, the suspension is creaking and crunching when making turns at low speeds under 20mph. this happens when the wheels are turned all the way right and all the way left. this crunching noise happens when backing out of the driveway, making u-turns, coming to a stop on an incline, and braking over speed bumps. i've had the dealer look at this for the last year when i come in for service and one tech says they can't figure it out, another tech says he hears it but can't find the root of the problem, the service mgr. also went on a drive with me and reproduces the noise concern but the techs couldn't find it. most were suggesting new front suspension components-struts, towers, links, etc. i replaced the two front struts and all of the extra components-the noise concern is still there. i am very upset about this. third issue is the ice-motor. when stopped at a red light and the engine shuts off, the car lurches forward and makes a creaking sound. it's appears that something is not right. the engine seems like it is loose. the engine also makes rattling sound when cruising lightly at 15-25 mph with the accelerator pressed slightly. the sound is coming from the passenger side, under the dashboard-glove compartment area. this is a rattle sound coming from the engine. i've had this looked at as well and the dealer states they cannot duplicate it. i have recorded all sounds related to these concerns and am taking it back to the dealer this month.
Traction control and abs warning lights came on. cruise control stopped working. took it to toyota who said codes indicated failure of master cylinder. cost of repair $3,400. i think they have a defective part problem.
My wife was driving our 2011 prius during stop and go traffic. she said the car just took off on her on it's own she tried to brake but it wouldn't stop. it crashed into the motorhome that i was driving. the air bags never deployed. the car was totaled due to the extensive damage.
On at least six occasions, i have lost control for a second or two while braking. while applying the brakes, and simultaneously crossing any sort of uneven terrain, the vehicle suddenly darted forward as i slowed. after reading a large number of similar incidents via a web search, i decided i needed to report this possibly dangerous issue.
We have been experiencing braking abnormalities for 1-2 months, and when our brake malfunction light came on we had it checked out. initially, about 1 month ago, the toyota dealer's service dept. could not detect an issue, so simply reset the computer. but, again, the malfunction light returned and again, we returned the car to the service dept. on this occasion, they told us that nitrogen gas has leaked from the accumulator into the braking system. research indicates that this is a similar problem experienced by 2010 prius owners. we would love for toyota to fix this issue rather than us cover the $5000 for brake system replacement.
The abs braking system in this car is overly sensitive. this does not happen often, but it has happened enough over the past three years that i can clearly predict when it will happen again. if you are slowing down moderately say for a traffic light, on a dry road, but one that is in need of repaving (no pot holes, but just a rough surface), and if you are on a road that is going slightly downhill, the abs braking system kicks in without a need. this causes your foot to sink briefly to the floor (on the brake pedal) and give the feeling of a loss of braking for a few seconds. the brake pads are fine (even with such high mileage, i still have over 70% of the original brake pads left). i have brought this to the attention of my toyota dealer, who says everything is fine. the scenario described above might only happen once every few weeks, but both my wife and i have had this happen numerous times. i believe it is a software issue, perhaps related to overly sensitive sensors, perhaps in the rear of the car. *tr
The prius failed to stop when brakes were applied; instead the car did a lurch when the brakes were applied and then accelerated forward causing a 4 car collision; luckily no one was injured. made toyota aware of the problem, when they investigated they of course found nothing wrong with the vehicle's brake system. *tr
When i applied the brakes while going over a pothole or curb, the vehicle lurched forward. this has happened twice so far and i've only owned the car for a few months. *tr
Numerous times when trying to stop, the vehicle would loss control of the braking when going over even the smallest of bumps. a few times even the traction control light would luminate when this happened. it also appeared that the vehicle would accelerate just slightly during this braking rather than slowing down. the best way to describe how the vehicle felt, is as if it was "hydroplaning", there was not control over the steering or braking. this happens every time the vehicle goes over any type of bumps, or potholes. i have children and this is definitely a concern. i have been told this is "normal", however i fear it is definitely a safety concern. *tr
The prius brakes do not work well under certain conditions. when i slow down the vehicle and am over uneven pavement or a pothole, the car feels like it lurches forward for a split second. my reaction is one of panic and to press harder on the brakes. my wife and i have experienced this four times since we have owned the vehicle. we feel very unsure of the brakes and worry for bicyclists or pedestrians. *tr
When i am coming to stop at an intersection on a bumpy or uneven or snow covered road and apply the brakes the car lurches forward instead of stopping. i am lucky i haven't hit a car in front of me or a person crossing at the intersection. i have been reading the other complaints and they describe exactly what is happening with my car. i haven't yet tried to get this fixed, but i am starting today. *tr
While pulling into a parking slot in a parking lot, which was on a slope, i applied the foot brake without any response whatsoever. the vehicle gained enough speed to jump the small stop-curb and hit a concrete wall next to it. the damage to the front of the car was just over $4000. i thought i had missed the pedal. on june 12th and 15th, i had two more incidents of the brake pedal going all the way to the floor while either at slow speed or stopped. my dealer says it was a problem on the 2010, but he has not seen it on a 2011. my wife now refuses to drive the car. *tr
On two separate occasions in december of 2013, with two different drivers, the brakes on our 2011 model year prius (purchased new in february 2012), failed to engage. the first time occurred when i was driving (with one of my teenagers in the car with me), and the second time occurred when my wife was driving the car alone. in both instance we pressed the brake pedal, but the brakes failed to respond at all. although it is winter, the roads were clear, and the car did not slow down at all when the brakes were pressed / applied. interestingly, after 30 - 60 seconds, the brake function restored itself. since december the car has been at the shop at the toyota dealership where we purchased the car. the shop has been unable to identify the source of the problem. additionally, the shop indicated they contacted toyota mechanics and service support staff to help identify and fix the problem, but toyota claimed they never heard of such a problem or anything like it. moreover, toyota refuses to make any repairs or change any parts (even though the car is still under warranty). yet, this past wednesday (february 12, 2014), toyota announced a recall on rav4's and other models for a software problem that causes the anti-brakes to intermittently turn off. this is particularly troubling, given toyota's claim that they never heard of anything like this and did not know what to fix. further, toyota announced a recall on the prius itself, for a software problem that might cause the car to turn off completely while driving. clearly, toyota has a problem with its software in a number of vehicles. at this point, all i have received is corporate double talk, and i urge the nhtsa to pursue this matter as vigorously as possible. *tr
My son was driving my prius 2011 - i was in the passenger seat. we were sitting at a red light and he had his foot on the brake. suddenly the car surged ahead although my son still had his foot on the brake. immediately lights came up on the dash - brake, abs? and picture of a car with skid marks. the brakes were then spongy, there sometimes and then not. i have it in the toyota shop now and the repairs have been estimated to be $4,440. i did not buy the extended warranty. we met with the dealer and they were no help. i called toyota and they offered me $1,500.00 after i pay the bill and told me it could take up to 8 weeks for me to receive payment. *tr
Love my prius until i started to become scared daily by the unsafe driving conditions due to the car's tendency to lurch forward while braking over bumpy ground or potholes when coming to a stop or slowing down to turn. it's rather startling and fortunately has not caused an accident yet for no other car has been around when this happens. a different story with the other more serious issue with the braking system when needing to come to an immediate stop due to sudden stopping of the car in front. about a month ago, i experienced the "no brake" issue when suddenly needing to press hard on the brake for a stopped car in front of me. i had plenty of distance for stopping but because of the "no brake" issue had to steer off to the side to miss the car. shocked and confused at what happened, thought maybe i did something wrong by not pumping the brake. then two days ago, i was sitting at a red light when it turned green, traffic started moving but then suddenly stopped for an emergency vehicle to go through the interception. i pressed on the brake hard and just kept moving right into the rear of the truck in front. i now have about $1,800 of damages for the truck (no damage caused to it) had an hitch which punctured my bumper and bent the air condenser. i have decided not to fix it for it could happen again. when i decide what's my next safe car to purchase, i will have it fixed and trade it in for it as soon as possible for i'm now scared to drive it. the dealership reply to my concern is the same as with everyone else's complaint and review i have read, this is how the brake system works and no error. they do not want to take responsibility of this faulty brake system which creates unsafe driving conditions. fortunately it was a truck in front of me this time. but what if it's a person walking across the road in front of me next time?? *tr
While pressing the brake pedal in a bumpy road ,i feel the car accelerates and try to jump and i usually press the brake hard to stop. i have been experiencing this several times but never report. to clarify more , it happens while pressing the brake.
Was at a complete stop at a red light with my foot on the brake pedal. while at the red light, the brake pedal went completely to the floor. *js
My brakes consistently lock and the car lunges forward when i hit a pothole while braking. this caused a crash when the car was only a couple years old when the brakes failed to stop the vehicle and it lunged forward into the back of a car. this is extremely dangerous and i've seen this comment often with this vehicle. i don't understand why toyota has not addressed this issue.
Was exiting the highway and was braking on the off ramp when i lost brakes and had to drive up on the bank. upon releasing the brake pedal and re-engaging the brakes, i had brakes and came to a stop. *js
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota prius. the contact stated that while braking on an incline, an abnormal metal-on-metal noise was heard from the vehicle. the noise would become louder when there was only one occupant in the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer fives times however, they were unable to duplicate or diagnose the problem. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 25,456.
While driving at a slow speed, the traction control, brake and abs failure lights came on. when i attempted to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal went to the floor without actuating the abs system. i was unable to stop the vehicle using the service brakes. since i was traveling at a low speed, i was able to slow down and come to a full stop using the parking brake. now the vehicle is parked and undriveable. i contacted my local toyota dealer requesting service and was told that they did not have a brake master cylinder or hydraulic brake booster in stock. i checked a second dealer and they told me that you can only get the two units together and that they were on national back order with no eta. since purchase, i have experienced the issue that many people are reporting where the brakes release over rough road surfaces and the vehicle feels as if its accelerating. if you release and reapply the brakes it would stop. like others, i dismissed this as a peculiar dynamic of the vehicle, however i am now convinced that there is a serious design flaw in this braking system which requires a deeper investigation. i have been in the auto industry for over 30 years and i can attest that it is not normal to have a total loss of your braking system like this, especially in a well maintained vehicle that is relatively new and have low mileage. this vehicle is now parked and available for your inspection if needed. *tr
When the brakes are pressed, if you hit a bump or pothole, the brakes lock and the car hydroplanes forward. i hit the back of someone because of this defect.
I am an excellent driver. i purchased this prius in the summer of 2011. we (my wife and young daughter) were proceeding on juanita drive n.e. in kirkland, wa. my wife and i agree that our speed was approximately 30-33 mph and that there were approximately 3+ car lengths between us and the vehicle in front of us. the weather was dry and sunny. suddenly, a vehicle three vehicles ahead of us stopped to make a left turn, and the two vehicles behind it were able to stop. i immediately applied my brakes to the floor as soon as i observed the stopped vehicle ahead. i felt no response - no gripping of the brakes or gripping of the wheels to the road, no squealing, no skidding, no sense of the brakes slowing the vehicle in the three seconds i applied them. due to vehicles in the opposing lane, a narrow road and no shoulder (a ditch with telephone poles on the right), i was forced to design the least harmful impact - my front right corner to the rear left corner of the vehicle in front. the impact tore open the right front of the vehicle, shattering the windshield next to my wife and causing her legs to fly up and strike the dashboard, injuring her legs in several places. her airbag did not deploy. my 7-year-old was in her car seat in the back seat. the larger split back was behind her. the back became unhinged at impact and flipped forward, forcing my daughter's upper body forward. she sustained minor facial injuries. while it is possible that the airbag non-deployment was appropriate (i am not certain of this), there is no question that the braking was soft, squishy, non-existent, and the back seat should not have become unhinged. *tr
First incident: was traveling approx. 15 mph on side street. icy conditions. attempted to stop at stop sign and car lurched forward, carrying me through intersection. dealership could not replicate and thought mat might not have been fully seated. toyota case # [xxx] 2nd and third incidences one month later (both on 2/23/2013) in fine weather conditions. 25 mph. attempted to stop at stop sign and car lurched forward. toyota case # [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr.... updated 03/08/13 *bf
Car lurches forward when brakes are applied on bumpy or uneven surfaces, as well as slippery surfaces such as metal plates that you sometimes find covering city streets under construction. on ice, when applied forcefully, no braking action occurs whatsoever, even when pumped or release and reapplied. in jan 2013, car slid more than 150' on a lightly snowy road into a ditch. my sense is anti-lock brakes are defective, but it could be some other computer override that kicks in. when stopping for a traffic light on a bumpy road, or over one of those construction plates, it's scary, and i feel lucky i haven't hit anyone. *tr
I was traveling down a mountainous road and the road surface changed from gravel to asphalt. i was also braking at the same time when the brakes seem to become nonexistent and the car just lurched forward. this has happened 3 times before. *tr
Car was off and parked. when i entered the vehicle to turn the car on, i held the brake and pressed the power button in order to start the car. and with my foot still on the brake, i shifted the car into reverse to pull out of the parking spot. as soon as the car was shifted into reverse, the car moved backwards with my foot fully pressed on the brake. the car felt like the brakes were not engaged. i looked down to make sure i was pressing on the brake, and the brake was completely depressed. i could even feel the hill assist threshold but the brakes were not engaging. in a panic i pressed the "p" (park) button to try to stop the vehicle. the vehicle rocked back and forth as if the vehicle was in motion when the "p" button was pressed. i got out of the vehicle to see if i was on a pothole or hill, anything to explain the move, but nothing was there, completely flat road. this has happen quite a few times when at a park and i had to contact cdsp over electronic issues over this vehicle. i am no longer going to continue with this vehicle. *tr
We purchased a 10 month old toyota prius on march 16nd 2012 with only 1367 miles. the prior owner who was leasing this car returned the car due to mileage inconsistency..... on oct 5th 2012, i was driving on sunny dry day at 22mph the vehicle in front of me slowed down. i stepped on the brake to slowdown but the car did not stop. when i stepped on the brake it did not respond immediately, i applied complete pressure to the brake however the car still did not slow down enough and i hit the car in front of me. per the report from toyota the speed went down from 22mph to 5mph at the time of the impact. i do not agree with the toyota report that i only stepped on the brake for 2 seconds as it was much more... before the accident the brake was much harder and less forceful pressure made the car stop after the accident the brake feels softer and more pressure is needed to make the brake work. this is an almost brand new car with 7k miles on it however i do feel safe in this car anymore after this accident and i fear for my life and public safety. what will happen i drive on a highway at 60mph and the brake will not work?? toyota denies any technical error with the car and blames the accident on me. there are plenty of reports of similar accidents reported by consumers on this same issue here: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0db60b. *tr
I have experienced brake issues with my 2011 prius model since i leased the car in december 2011. when i am traveling at low speeds and i try to break going down hill and /or break over a bump in the road, the car accelerates prior to fully stopping. this has happened a total of 5 times since i leased the vehicle. it always seems to happen while i travel at lower speeds and the car lurches forward as i hit the breaks. i believe this is an issue that was experienced with 2010 models of the prius and appears to be another acceleration issue with toyota models in general. while there have been recalls on the 2011 prius for deficient airbags, this is an equally concerning fault in the car that should be reviewed. *tr