2014 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

Description of the Problem Vehicle: 2014 Toyota Prius v (Mileage: 70,000) Problem Description: The vehicle is experiencing a critical failure of the Electronically Controlled Braking (ECB) system, specifically the Brake Actuator and Booster Pump assembly. The dashboard currently displays multiple warning indicators: ABS light, Traction Control light, and the Brake System Warning light (Master Warning "!"). Symptoms: Mechanical Failure: The internal high-pressure accumulator is failing to hold pressure. The electric brake booster pump is heard cycling (straining) every 10–20 seconds even when the vehicle is stationary and the brake pedal is not depressed. Loss of Braking Safety Features: The system has disabled regenerative braking and Anti-lock Braking (ABS), causing significantly increased stopping distances and a "wooden," unresponsive brake pedal feel. Predictability of Failure: This failure matches the exact symptoms described in Toyota’s Customer Support Program 20TE07 (and previously ZJB), which acknowledges an internal defect in the brake actuator. Safety Risk: The sudden transition from power-assisted braking to manual hydraulic braking during a drive creates an immediate safety hazard. As the pump motor continues to cycle excessively to compensate for the internal leak, it is at risk of total thermal failure, which would lead to a near-total loss of braking assist while the vehicle is in motion. Additional Notes: Despite the vehicle having only 70,000 miles (well under the 150,000-mile limit acknowledged in Toyota’s support programs), Toyota has declined to provide assistance because the vehicle has surpassed the 10-year age mark. I am filing this report because a primary safety component (brakes) should not experience catastrophic internal failure at 70,000 miles, regardless of the vehicle's age.

I have 2014 Prius v 5 with 100,000 miles but I had issues with brake booster pump

8/2025 Car stalled on freeway. Went to dealer. They said nothing wrong. Then on a trip north, car stalled again on freeway. Went to the nearest dealer. They too said nothing wrong. This time same thing. There is a recall for the exact symptoms of the exact car yet they say the repair was done. Why does my vin not qualify for the exact symptoms that generated a recall? This was super dangerous at freeway speed. Toyota knows there is a problem with the inverter and it's computer. Now I'm paying again for a diagnosis. That makes $750 just diagnosing and now if they actually decide it is the inverter, I have to pay upwards of $3000 even though there is a recall? What the heck?

On April 5, 2026, while driving downhill around a corner in my 2014 Toyota Prius, the brake booster and brake booster pump assembly failed without any prior warning. When I pressed the brake pedal the car did not slow down and instead appeared to accelerate due to a complete loss of braking assist. I was unable to stop the vehicle normally and had to rely on gravity and coasting to slow down, creating a serious risk of collision. There were no warning signs prior to the failure. Immediately after the incident, three warning lights illuminated on the dashboard: the BRAKE light, the ABS light, and the VSC (vehicle stability control) light, which have remained on since. The vehicle was taken to DARCARS Toyota Baltimore, 6007 Eastern Ave, Baltimore, MD 21224, where the failure was confirmed on April 15, 2026. Technician Victor Lawson diagnosed diagnostic trouble code C1391, which is the exact qualifying code listed under Toyota's Customer Support Program ZJB for brake booster and brake booster pump assembly failure (RO# XXX). The vehicle remains at the dealership and is available for inspection. Toyota corporate was contacted and opened case number XXX but declined to cover the repair despite this being a documented issue that Toyota has publicly acknowledged. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving, three warning lights suddenly appeared on the dashboard . Abs warning, traction light, and break warning light At the same time, the brake pedal became very hard to press, and the vehicle did not slow down as expected. This caused a significant increase in stopping distance, and I nearly rear-ended the vehicle in front of me. The issue appears to involve the braking system and created an immediate safety risk. No prior warning signs were noticed before this incident. The vehicle has not yet been inspected but is available for inspection upon request.

The brake booster has failed and seems to be a common issue with this model vehicle for Toyota issued an extended warranty, but I am passed the date and they are unwilling to do anything. Due to the malfunctioning brake booster. The car is unsafe to drive the too expensive to repair.

Subject: Brake Booster/Pump Assembly Failure – Toyota Program ZJB / 23TE07 Description of Incident: I am reporting a failure of the brake booster and pump assembly on my 3rd Generation Prius (82,000 miles). While the vehicle is 11.3 years old, it is well under the 150,000-mile threshold of Toyota’s Customer Support Program ZJB. The brake pump began cycling every 13 seconds, indicating an internal pressure leak in the accumulator. This is a documented precursor to a total loss of power-assist braking. Despite the clear mechanical failure, no warning lamps or Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) were triggered, creating a safety hazard where the system could fail without prior electronic notification. Repair and Cost Details: Because the vehicle was 1.3 years past the arbitrary 10-year "Secondary Coverage" window, I was forced to pay $3,461.18 out-of-pocket for a known manufacturing defect. I would like to highlight a discrepancy in labor billing: while Toyota’s own technical bulletins (ZJB/23TE07) state the repair should take approximately 5.3 hours, the dealership charged 8.9 hours of labor for the same procedure. Safety Concern: By limiting coverage to 10 years, Toyota has left many low-mileage owners with a critical safety defect that degrades over time regardless of mileage. I request that the NHTSA transition this from a "Customer Support Program" to a formal Safety Recall to ensure all affected vehicles are repaired and owners are reimbursed, regardless of the vehicle's age.

Brake actuator assembly known issue in Prius C, Toyota refuses to do anything about it. Part is not cheap.

the cylinder head gasket blew because of the poor design of the intake manifold and the EGR system. There are updated parts to fix this issue, but there was no recall. This poor design led to the vehicle having "the Death Knock." It started doing this knock on my trip driving my daughter to college. The engine could have seized in traffic on the way to [XXX] from [XXX] . No warning lights came on telling me there was an issue. The vehicle is being taken apart now to see if my connecting rods were bent from the coolant entering the combustion chamber. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to slow down as intended with the brake pedal depressed. The ABS warning light was occasionally illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and restarted. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the brake master cylinder, brake booster, and brake lines needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an undisclosed recall; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.