2009 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

I OWN A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS AND NOTICE A DELAY IN BRAKING SPECIALLY OVER BUMPY ROADS OR ICE, ALSO AT HIGHER SPEEDS. WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKE THE VSC LIGHT COMES ON IN THE DASHBOARD AND THE CAR TRAVELS FREELY FOR A COUPLE OF METERS SOMETIMES EVEN ACCELERATING A BIT BEFORE THE BRAKES ACTUALLY ENGAGE. THIS IS OBSERVED VERY OFTEN. *TR

PRIUS BRAKING FAILURE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INSTANCES (FOUR OR FIVE) OF A BRAKING FAILURE ON MY 2009, SECOND GENERATION TOYOTA PRIUS. IT HAS OCCURRED DURING RELATIVELY SLOW SPEED BRAKING, SUCH AS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, COINCIDENT WITH HITTING A SEVERE BUMP, SUCH AS A POT HOLE OR CROSSING ROUGH RAILROAD TRACKS. THERE APPEARS TO BE A SURGE WHERE THE BRAKES ARE INEFFECTIVE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME---LESS THAN A SECOND. I DESCRIBE IT AS A SURGE BUT IT MAY WELL BE JUST A TOTAL RELEASE OF THE BRAKES. IT SEEMS TO BE MOST SEVERE THE GREATER THE BUMP. I HAVE ONLY EXPERIENCED THIS AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 30 MPH OR SO. THERE HAS BEEN NO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NORMAL BRAKING RETURNS IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE NOVEMBER, 2008. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO MY DEALER WHO SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS NORMAL ANTI-LOCK BRAKING ACTION AND EXPRESSED LITTLE INTEREST IN TRYING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 50 YEARS AND AT LEAST 10 YEARS WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND HAVE NEVER FELT THIS TYPE OF ACTION FROM ANY OTHER VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH HE HAD TO BRAKE HARD AND FAST. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN BUT CRASHED INTO A TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. UPDATED 04/28/10.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED HE NEVER FELT THE ABS ACTIVATE. UPDATED 02/24/10.*JB UPDATED 3/8/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED HE DID NOT HEAR THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM SOUND OR FEEL THE USUAL BRAKE PEDAL VIBRATION. THE VEHICLE SLOWED INITIALLY, THEN DECELERATION BEGAN WITH NO LOCK UP OF TIRES AND NO APPARENT ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM ENGAGEMENT. THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO THE VEHICLES FAILURE TO STOP AS EXPECTED. UPDATED 05/11/10. *JB

MY 2009 MODEL TOYOTA PRIUS IS HAVING SIMILAR BRAKING PROBLEMS BEING REPORTED ON 2010 MODEL PRIUS. CAR LOSES BRAKING POWER WHEN DRIVING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN SLIPPERY WEATHER, WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, HE DID NOT NOTICE AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. IT SEEMED TO "LAG" SO HE WOULD CONTINUE PRESSING DOWN UNTIL IT KICKED IN. HE NOTICED THE ISSUE EVERYTIME IT WAS RAINING OR THERE WAS SLIPPERY WEATHER. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THE DEALER COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. HE HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,248. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50.

I PURCHASED A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS IN APRIL 2009. ON AT LEAST FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS I HAVE HAD ISSUES OF MY VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD OR BEING HARD TO STOP AFTER DRIVING OVER A POTHOLEAND WHEN DRIVING ON A WASHBOARD ROADS (1 TIME ON THE POT HOLE THE OTHER TIMES WERE WHILE ON THE DIRT ROAD). I JUST FIGURED THE VEHICLE DIDN'T HANDLE WELL DIRT ROADS AND POT HOLES SO I AM JUST EXTRA CAREFUL IN THOSE CONDITIONS WHICH IS WHY I DID NOT THINK TO REPORT THIS UNTIL NOW WHEN I HEARD THE REPORT ON BRAKE ISSUES WITH THE PRIUS. I DO NOT KNOW IF MY PROBLEM IS SIGNIFICANT OF NOT, I THOUGHT I WOULD REPORT IT JUST IN CASE. I DO NOT HAVE APPROXIMATE DATES, JUST BETWEEN APRIL AND SEPTEMBER 2009. *TR

ANY TIME THE "SLIPPERY CONDITION" LIGHT COMES ON (FOR INSTANCE, WHEN GOING OVER A POTHOLE OR A PATCH OF WATER ON THE ROAD), MY 2009 PRIUS JUMPS FORWARD. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS IN THE FALL AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS WORKING PROPERLY. NOW, IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WITH 2010 PRIUSES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT MINE IS A 2009. I HAVE A YOUNG DAUGHTER AND I WON'T PUT HER IN THIS CAR ANYMORE BECAUSE IT'S WINTER NOW AND IT HAPPENS ON SLIPPERY ROADS NEARLY EVERY TIME I DRIVE. *TR

I HAVE A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID . OCCASIONALLY WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKE THE CAR DOES NOT STOP IMMEDIATELY EVEN AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN BRAKING. I NOW HIT THE BRAKES ABOUT 10 FEET BEFORE A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT, SO I WONT GO INTO THE ONCOMING LANE. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT IN TO GET LOOKED AT YET. *TR

WAITING FOR MY HUSBAND AT HIS MOTHER'S ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCE, I PUT MY 2009 PRIUS IN PARK MODE. DECIDING TO RETURN TO THE BLDG ENTRANCE, I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE (OUT OF PARKING MODE) AND LET IT GO AT ITS OWN SPEED. MY FOOT NEVER TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR. I WAS ABOUT TO TURN THE WHEEL TO REENTER THE ENTRANCE AREA, WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE. I QUICKLY PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK. I THEN SAW A WOMAN IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, ABOUT A FOOT FROM ME STANDING ON THE CURB IN FRONT OF THE BLDG'S GLASS FAADE. I TURNED THE WHEEL JUST MISSING HER AS WELL AS THE BLDG. FRANTICALLY PRESSING THE BRAKES WHILE THE CAR CONTINUED ACCELERATING MORE, I ALMOST WENT ON TO A BUSY ST. ACROSS FROM A MALL. SOMEHOW I SAVED MYSELF & OTHERS BY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RT, REENTERING THE PROPERTY VIA A CURB CUT FOR WHEELCHAIRS, ETC. I MISSED HITTING A POLE BUT RAN OVER 2 TREES, WHICH THE CAR SEVERED & WHICH ABRUPTLY STOPPED THE CAR, JUST BEFORE HITTING A BRICK WALL. THIS ALL HAPPENED AT NIGHT, IN THE DARK, IN REVERSE.THE POLICEMAN & THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR WERE INCREDULOUS HOW THE CAR GOT INTO THAT SPACE. IT WAS TOWED TO A NEARBY TOYOTA DEALER, WHERE THE BRAKES WERE PRONOUNCED "PERFECT". SO MY HUSBAND INSISTED I BE CHECKED OUT. WHILE RELATING THE INCIDENT TO THE DOCTOR, THE DR. GOOGLED "PRIUS BRAKE/ACCELERATION PROBLEMS" & FOUND MANY & PRINTED 1 OF A 2009 PRIUS WHERE THE DRIVER ENCOUNTERED 3 SUCH OCCURRENCES "DUE TO A COMBINATION OF MYSTERIOUS ACCELERATION AND LOSS OF BRAKES". THE DR. WAS CERTAIN I WAS THE 'VICTIM", BUT SUGGESTED I HAVE AN MRI "TO BE SURE"--WHICH I DID & I'M FINE. THAT I WAS IN CONTROL IN A TOTALLY UNCONTROLLABLE SITUATION AT NIGHT WITH A CAR IN REVERSE, WHERE I ALMOST KILLED SOMEONE & POSSIBLY KILLED OR HURT OTHERS, INCLUDING MYSELF, AND DONE CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE ALONG THE WAY IS A MIRACLE AND THE CULPRIT, I'M CONVINCED, IS/WAS A "GLITCH" IN THE CAR'S COMPUTER. *TR

MY COMPANY PROVIDES FOR ME A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS AND IT HAS BEEN MY PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR THE PAST 36,000 MILES. I'VE NOTICED BRAKING ISSUES EVER SINCE I GOT IT BRAND NEW AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE BRAKES NORMALLY WORK EXCEPTIONALLY WELL. THIS CAR STOPS EXTREMELY WELL UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, IF WHILE BRAKING, I HIT ANY TYPE OF BUMP OR HOLE OR ANY RUMBLE STRIPS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THE CAR FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES JUST GO AWAY. SOMETIMES IT EVEN FEELS LIKE THE CAR BEGINS TO ACCELERATE FOR A BRIEF MOMENT! AGAIN, THIS ONLY HAPPENS IF I HIT A POTHOLE, BUMP, ETC. IT HAPPENS ENOUGH THAT I'VE THOUGHT OF SETTING UP AN EXPERIMENT OF RUNNING OVER A WHOLE ROW OF RUMBLE STRIPS JUST TO SEE IF THE CAR WOULD STOP AT ALL. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE CAR WON'T BEGIN TO STOP UNTIL IT'S ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT AGAIN AFTER THE BUMPY PART. IT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS THE PRIUS HAS EXCELLENT STOPPING POWER, IN MY OPINION. ANYWAY, THAT'S ABOUT IT. I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT MUCH BETTER THAN THAT. *TR