2010 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

It is a known problem that Priuses manufactured from 2004 to 2015 have issues with the brake master cylinder and brake booster accumulator. When the vehicle computer recognizes an internal leak (ABS C1391) or other issue in the accumulator pump, it completely disables the regenerative braking system, which significantly reduces braking power. In my case, the problem is intermittent, and the vehicle computer will occasionally clear the code and operate normally. A slight whirring sound can still be heard (indicative of an internal leak), leading me to conclude that the part is still damaged, even when the code clears itself. This continues to affect my and my passengers' safety because the problem comes back with no warning while driving. Many times at highway speeds, the regenerative braking system will shut off while decelerating. This has caused scares and near-accidents. Imagine you are approaching stopped traffic while traveling 65 miles per hour. You press the brake to start slowing down, and while decelerating, the dashboard lights up and the brake pedal goes spongey. Now, you must slam the brake all the way into the firewall to engage the disks and pads exclusively. Aside from the imminent terror of hitting the car in front of you, now you are skidding on the brakes, worried the car behind you will crush the rear. Sooner or later this will cause somebody to get into an accident when a split-second decision cannot to be made quickly enough. The issue is well-known, and a warranty recall was issued, but it does not cover any vehicles over a certain age and mileage. It has been reproduced by my local mechanic and inspected by a Prius specialist, who both quote about $3800 to fully replace and recalibrate the failing parts. There were no indicators of this issue before it happened to my wife and I the first time on the highway. While I am grateful that nobody was injured, the situation could be completely different had the problem occurred just seconds later.

Brakes have failed with a DTC C1391 indicating an accumulator leak. The brake booster pump constantly runs. When the DTC is triggered the brake feel becomes suddenly different as regen braking is lost. Appears to be a very common and expensive repair. Toyota has already had recalls and extended repair program for these parts but they are now expired and not covered.

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH downhill on a mountain and depressing the accelerator pedal, the pedal travelled down to the floorboard, but the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle several times, the vehicle responded as needed. The contact stated that the failure recurred after making a turn at 3-4 MPH downhill. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 194,000.

My 2010 Toyota Prius has had a charcoal fuel canister leak since day one. 2.9 million Prius cars were recalled and Toyota says my car is NOT included in the recall but has the same issue of the other Toyota Prius that were included? Check engine light has never gone off. Upon fueling a strong odor of gasoline is detected and I am very worried about the car catching fire. Toyota needs to be held accountable and forced to fix this safety related problem.

A few weeks ago, while waiting at a traffic light, the brake warning lights (ABS, Emergency brake, Traction control) lights on my 2013 Prius lit up and the brake pedal suddenly becomes much less responsive. I drove carefully back home, and researched online what the problem could be. To my surprise, this seems to be a known problem to Toyota, who had issued a campaign in the past to address this problem (ABS actuator, pump) and to replace the known faulty parts for free, but only for owners who were experiencing a failure at that time. Now the recall has expired, and owners like me who weren't having a problem at the time are stuck in a situation with cars that have a known, dangerous fault, while Toyota refuses to help with the problem anymore. The approximate cost for replace/repair is over $4000. All owners should have been included in the previous campaign, whether they were experiencing a failure or not, during that time period since Toyota knew that these parts are faulty.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Brake Actuator failed requiring replacement of booster assembly with master cylinder and booster pump assembly How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This greatly impacted braking and stopping distance Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, Toyota Dealership Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, Toyota Dealership Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No. These lights appeared after the failure - Brake, ABS, Traction Control

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the ABS, the traction control, and the check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced reduced braking power and the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that upon engaging the brake, the vehicle decelerated, and the contact pulled to the base of an inclined side street, where the vehicle was able to stop. The contact was able to safety park and inspected the vehicle. The contact was able to drive to the residence at slow speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brake booster and master cylinder had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Hybrid Malfunction" was displayed, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart after detaching and reconnecting the rear battery. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

While driving on the freeway the Traction control light, ABS light, Brake System Light and Brake light all came on. Fortunately I haven't had any issues but when I took it to the a dealership I was told that the Brake booster and pump need to be replaced as the master cylinder was leaking into the brake fluid and given an estimate of $3500 for the repair. People online have said that after having this issue the brakes can go out at any time. I am unable to pay for the repairs at the moment so I have to drive with the knowledge of having my brakes going out at any time.

Toyota issued a recall with a limited time for Prius brake booster/actuator failures. This issue is known to present brake failures and necessarily place drivers, passengers, and pedestrians at risk in the case of such brake failures. Toyota made no effort to proactively remedy this problem and further neglected customer safety by excluding Priuses with the same manufacturing issue from the recall, under its 10 year 150,000 mile requirement. Whether or not the Priuses have been driven 150,000 miles or 10 years the nature with which the malfunction presents represents a safety for any driver.