2009 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

I HAVE THE BRAKE PROBLEM BEING REPORTED FOR THE PRIUS, BUT MINE IS A 2009 MODEL. WHEN BRAKING ON ROUGH SURFACES, THE BRAKES QUIT FOR A MOMENT. SINCE I DON'T TAILGATE, I'VE NEVER FELT IN DANGER. BUT IT IS A SLIGHTLY OUT OF CONTROL FEELING. I'VE FILLED IN THE DATE BELOW AS MAY 2009, WHEN I PURCHASED (LEASED) THE CAR. BUT THE SITUATION HAS BEEN CONTINUOUS. *TW

I OWN A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS AND WHEN THE VEHICLE ENCOUNTERS A POT HOLE OR ANY ROUGH ROAD SERVICE, IT JUMPS AHEAD AND THERE IS A DELAY WHEN I ATTEMPT TO BRAKE. ON THE DASHBOARD THE ICY ROADWAY INDICATAOR APPEARS AT THESE TIMES. THIS SIITUATION HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN APRIL 2009 *CN

I OWN A 2009 PRIUS AND I HAVE NOTICED NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN I AM DRIVING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED AND I HIT A BUMP, I LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR FOR A SPLIT SECOND. IT SEEMS THE BRAKES LOSE TRACTION. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I NOTICE A ORANGE LIGHT ON THE DASH LIGHTS UP FOR A SECOND. *CN

BRAKE FAILURE WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT OR POTHOLE IN BOTH 2005 AND 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WE HAVE OWNED TWO PRIUS, A 2005 AND NOW A 2009, AND BOTH HAVE EXHIBITED THE BRAKING ANOMOLY THAT IS BEING DESCRIBED IN THE PRESS AS ONLY OCCURING WITH THE 2010 PRIUS. I EXPERIENCE THIS FAILURE FREQUENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURS ONLY BRIEFLY -ABOUT ONE OR TWO SECONDS AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. HOWEVER, IT IS DISCONCERTING AND IF THIS IS A MALFUNCTION, IT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF FOR ALL PRIUS, NOT JUST 2010. *CN

1. BRAKES FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY 2. OCCURS AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE WEEKLY; CONSEQUENCES -- EMOTIONAL DURESS AND CONCERN; NO ACCIDENTS YET, THANK GOD. 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS YET. I WENT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER, TOYOTA CAVENDER IN SAN ANTONIO, TX 48 HRS AGO TO GET USUAL OIL CHANGE AND TO GET THE BRAKES CHECKED FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPT. THAT THEY WERE CLOSING IN AN HOUR AND THE TOYOTA PRIUS TECHNICIAN WAS NOT THERE. I HAD TO CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIM -- EVEN THOUGH MY BRAKES HAD NEARLY FAILED TO STOP WHEN I PULLED INTO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE AREA. *CN

I HAVE A 2009 PRIUS. I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY, SINCE I GOT IT ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, ABOUT ITS INSTABILITY WHEN I GO OVER SMALL BUMPS AND RUTS IN THE ROAD. THE CAR SEEMS TO SURGE AHEAD, SWERVE A BIT, AND LOSE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE OTHER MAJOR PROBLEM IS THE CAR'S HORRIBLE TRACTION ON WET HIGHWAYS. IF I'M TRAVELING OVER 45 M.P.H., MY CAR BEGINS TO HYDROPLANE. THE EXPERIENCE IS UNNERVING. I'VE NEVER DRIVEN A CAR THAT FEELS SO UNSAFE AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL SUCH A LACK OF CONFIDENCE, AND I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR 35 YEARS. PLUS, DURING THE LAST SNOWSTORM, WHEN I PUT MY PRIUS IN PARK ON A SLIGHT INCLINE ON THE ROAD IN FRONT OF MY HOME, THE CAR SLID ABOUT 20 FEET, IN PARK. I HAD TO PUT ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. IT SLIDES ALL OVER THE ROAD, IN SNOW. I HATE THIS CAR AND WISH I'D NEVER BOUGHT IT. I BELIEVE THAT ITS MERITS WERE MISREPRESENTED. DESPITE THE CHOSEN DATE THAT YOU'VE REQUIRED ME TO ENTER, UNFORTUNATELY THESE PROBLEMS ARE ONGOING. *TR

TOYOTA PRIUS II BRAKE ISSUES. I HAVE A 2009 PRIUS THAT EXHIBIT SIMILAR BRAKING PROBLEMS AS THE RECALLED 2010 PRIUS. WHEN I'M COMING TO A STOP AND HIT A BUMPY PATCH, THE BRAKES WILL RELEASE MOMENTARILY. THE RELEASE IS FOR A SECOND RESULTING IN THE CAR TRAVELING 3 FEET BEFORE I HAVE TO APPLY ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. THIS COULD EASILY MEAN A FENDER BENDER IF I'M A BIT CLOSER TO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. IT IS ESPECIALLY AN ISSUE WHEN STOPPING DOWN HILL WHICH IS NOT UNCOMMON HERE IN SEATTLE. I BOUGHT MY CAR (BRAND NEW) IN SPRING OF 2009. I'VE ALWAYS NOTICED THE PROBLEM BUT THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE NATURE OF THE HYBRID DRIVE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS MAY WORSEN WITH THE AGE OF THE CAR. PLEASE ADVISE. I WOULD HATE TO SEE THIS ISSUE DISREGARDED. *TR

EVERY DAY I ENCOUNTER A LARGE POT HOLE ON MY WAY TO WORK. IT IS ABOUT 20 FEET FROM A STOP SIGN, SO AT THIS POINT I AM ALREADY DRIVING SLOW AND BRAKING. HOWEVER, WHEN THE ONE WHEEL DIPS INTO THE HOLE, THE YELLOW TRACTION SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON, AND I FEEL WHAT COULD BE A SLIGHT LOSS IN BRAKING, AS IF THE CAR IS COASTING FOR A SPLIT SECOND (VERSUS BRAKING/SLOWING) OR PERHAPS ACCELERATING FORWARD. THE CAR/SYSTEM RECOVERS AS SOON AS ALL WHEELS PASS THE POTHOLE. NOT HAVING HAD A TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM PRIOR TO THIS CAR, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS NORMAL SO I DIDN'T PURSUE IT, BUT I KNOW I DON'T LIKE HOW IT FEELS! THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVERY TIME I DRIVE OVER THAT POTHOLE SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. LUCKILY THEY JUST PAVED THE HOLE LAST MONTH FINALLY. OTHERWISE I TRY TO AVOID ROUGH ROADS AS A MATTER OF COURSE. PERHAPS A RELATED PROBLEM IS WHEN TRYING TO GO UP AN ICY/SLUSHY SLOPE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL SHUTS OFF THE WHEELS TO KEEP THEM FROM SLIPPING/SPINNING. SINCE I LIVE ON A HILL, THIS MAKES WINTER ESPECIALLY STRESSFUL AND MAKES ME FEARFUL OF DRIVING TO FROM WORK AND ENCOUNTERING EVEN A SLIGHT INCLINE THAT IS NOT PLOWED OR SALTED --WHAT IF THE CAR STOPPED AND I GOT HIT? TOYOTA SAYS THIS IS "NORMAL" TO KEEP THE ELECTRIC ENGINE FROM BEING OVER STRESSED OR SOME SUCH THING. *TR

SNOW COVERED ROAD, WAS BRAKING FOR STOP SIGN, WENT OVER MANHOLE COVER, ABS (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) KICKED IN, LOST BRAKING FOR ABOUT THREE FEET. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 MPH, THE DRIVER ENCOUNTERED A BUMP WHENEVER SHE DROVE OVER A BUMP OR A POTHOLE. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER ENCOUNTERING A BUMP OR POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE OCCURRENCE WAS NORMAL CONTRIBUTING TO THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. UPDATED 4/27/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE BRAKING, THERE WAS A MOMENTARY LAPSE IN THE BRAKES. UPDATED 05/17/10