2012 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

2012 Prius has a fault from the the manufactor where the electronic brake abs actuator and pump, which are two seperate parts working together, are faulty. Various lights on dashboard illuminate brake, tire pressure, abs, and traction control. When this occurs the car becomes very unsafe to drive as the brakes become almost non existant because the braking system on the car is electronic and controlled by both the pump and actuator. This makes the car dangerous to drive, even in short trip conditions as the brakes could fail to engage at any time. The dealer confirmed that it is a known issue on this model Prius and did not cover the cost to fix it even though the car is not safe to drive. This is dangerous and should have a recall so the car can be safe to drive on roads and potenially save lives if the brake system fails to engage,

Code C1391 shows in which the accumulator and the brake booster assembly need to be changed. This is a known defect and was covered through an ‘extended warranty’ due to a lawsuit. Since it results in less than optimal braking, and can result in crashes since function disappears suddenly, it should have warranted a recall. This issue is also known to happen in multiple Toyota hybrid vehicles.

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle started shaking abnormally with a rattling sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket and that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

Brake failure resulting in code C1391. Petition for Defect Investigation dated 09/09/23 summitted to NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via Certified Mail. Received by Office of Defects Investigation on 10/10/23.

I bought my first used car, 2012 Toyota Prius, from Fowler Toyota back at the end of October 2023, but I was not able to pick it up until September 21, 2023 due to extra time for re-conditioning. I did not haggle about the price nor complained about the 3 week delay. In the last 3 weeks of owning my car, the TPMS sensor light and check engine light infrequently turned on. February 28, 2024 all the fault sensor lights on my instrument panel are on, along with the loss of proper braking function. I was not worried about the other sensor faults, but brake malfunction is a matter of life and death to myself and others on the road. I have had the car for a little over 4 months and less than 10k miles. I brought the car in to diagnose all the error codes. The dealer said it will cost over $2600 to fix the brake malfunction. I chose this particular car because carfax had well documented service records and Fowler Toyota advertised that every used vehicle for sale has surpassed rigorous inspection. I voiced my complaint to the used car director and he offered numerous default excuses for unforeseen problems inherent in buying a used car. I said I did my due diligence by selectively purchasing a used Toyota Prius, from a reputable Toyota dealership that uses a Toyota certified service center to inspect and recondition vehicles for sale. All the cliche nightmare stories of buying a used car from the side of the road car lots came true in my experience at Fowler Toyota. The worst used car story happened to me, despite performing my due diligence: to buy a used Toyota from a Toyota dealership that uses a Toyota certified service center for re-conditioning vehicles. I even paid more to finance my Prius through Toyota Financial services, which did not offer extended warranty. For God sake, I was buying a Toyota with 121k miles. I only bought a prius because I work too hard to throw away all my hard earned money on gasoline. The only recourse the dealership offered

I was driving less than 55mph on freeway on February 5, 2024 when my vehicle went into an out of control spin, Brakes did not seem to work and unable to control vehicle until hit center divider on freeway, Spun 180 degrees and kept going back with no braking until hit center divider.

Brake master control system failure with constant issues over 80k miles. Forward running lights control housing has not held a light fixture since day one and dealership wants to charge for light replacement. It’s a faulty part and burnt through the housing. Olathe Toyota refused to repair under warranty saying it was a customer issue but is clearly a safety problem. Irresponsible dealer management.

I was driving on the internet doing 60mph and there was a very loud bang and then a shaking of the parts under the hood. I was right next to an exit and coasted off the exit to a hotel parking lot. I had car towed to my mechanic. He said that the piston went thru the engine and the engine is done and needs replaced. I am having a hard time trusting Toyota again to purchase another Prius. I have had Prius for over 10 years and never had anything like this occur. I had no warning signs and no dashboard lights lit up until after all of this occurred and scared the life out of me then the engine light came on.

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the ABS warning light illuminated and the vehicle skidded while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the hazard lights independently activated and caused the battery to drain, and the vehicle would stall. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was informed that there was a Customer Satisfaction Program for the failure, but the Customer Satisfaction Program had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The hybrid system was shut down while driving. The symptoms are like the description in this recall (NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V684000). However, my VIN is not on the recall list.