2010 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

- Brake system failure - Safety risk due to longer stopping distance - Problem was reproduced and confirmed by two repair shops - Components were inspected by repair shop - Several brake warning lights were ON on dashboard AFTER failure occurred. Toyota recalled 2010 Prius vehicles for Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump assembly failures. Recall code D0H. Toyota claims that the replacement parts are fixed for the gasket leak issue. Toyota replaced these parts on my car in 2013 as part of the recall. The replaced parts labeling are verified to be the claimed fixed ones. But only about 62,000 miles after the D0H repairs (odometer at 81,400 miles) the parts failed again on March 20, 2015. I do not put many miles on my cars. Toyota has put a maximum repair date for this issue knowing failures keep re-occurring (No repairs supported after 2019). Toyota has not fixed this issue given the repeat failures. Repairs for this issue is extremely expensive at more than $4000 at independent shop (parts and labor)

I am writing to express my concern regarding an issue with the PCS System dash lights on my 2010 Toyota Prius. I recently became aware of problems related to the brake booster system, which I understand have been addressed through recalls or warranty extensions on certain models. I believe that the issue I am experiencing should be covered under warranty, and I kindly request your assistance in resolving this matter.

I drove the car to my destination without any issues. An hour later, when I restarted the vehicle to leave, the following dashboard lights were on (slip indicator, ABS warning light, and brake system warning light). When I drove the vehicle, the brakes had diminished stopping power. It took farther for the vehicle to come to a full stop when applying the brakes. When we had it checked by the Toyota dealer we were informed that there was an abnormal leak in the accumulator assembly (system diagnostic code C1391) and it would need brake booster/master cylinder assembly with accumulator pump replacement.

Brake booster, brake accuater went out even after the recall. Dealership said they could do nothing to help

While driving at a high speed in the left lane of a 2 lane interstate a car in the right lane merged into me. Luckily I was able to brake in time to avoid a collision, unfortunately the sudden braking at a high speed caused my car to loose all control. Upon braking my front tires lost all traction and shifted my car to the right, I remained horizontal sliding across the highway for an unrecognized distance (my guess is 10-20 meters), before shifting another 90 degrees to the right leaving me backwards. At this point I had shifted across both lanes and the emergency lane, I was backwards in a grass border on the right side of the interstate. If this had been any other sort of barrier I may not have Lived. This incident has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle had recently had its worn brake components replaced in response to a similar incident happening, which I first attributed to worn brakes— this theory was supported by the brake technician prior to service. I have had a tire pressure light on since I purchased the car, but this was explained to me as a malfunctioned TPS.

Dear NHTSA Team, I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2010 Toyota Prius (VIN: [XXX] ) due to ongoing brake system failures. My vehicle is affected by Safety Recall D0H (Brake Booster Pump Assembly – Accumulator), but Toyota refuses to replace all necessary components for a proper repair. Issue Summary: •My brakes have intermittently failed, requiring excessive pedal pressure and causing delayed stopping, putting me at serious risk. •I took my car to Toyota on Edens for the recall repair, where Service Advisor David confirmed that the brake booster and accumulator should be replaced together. •However, Toyota will only cover the accumulator under Recall D0H, despite the brake booster being critical for safety. •My vehicle has Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) C1391, indicating an internal leak in the braking system, but Toyota refuses to cover the booster replacement. Toyota’s Response: •I contacted Jessica from Toyota’s Customer Experience Center (Case Number: [XXX]). •Toyota refuses to replace the booster under the recall, leaving me responsible for the cost, even though the dealership confirmed it’s necessary. •This decision leaves my car in an unsafe condition even after the recall repair. Request for NHTSA Action: 1.Investigate the safety risks related to this recall and the necessity of replacing both the booster and accumulator together. 2.Ensure Toyota properly covers all necessary brake repairs for affected vehicles. 3.Expand or modify Recall D0H to include the brake booster, as it directly affects braking performance. I urge NHTSA to take action before this defect leads to accidents or injuries. I am available to provide additional information as needed. Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent matter. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I own a 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid 4 door sedan. I am the second owner of the vehicle. I purchased it in 2018 from a used car dealer. The vehicle ran well up until 2022 where a “check hybrid warning would appear on the dashboard along with a yellow triangle and service engine light would come on and the vehicle accelerator would not respond and the car would have to glide to the side of the parkway. This problem would happen when the car speed is between 60-70mph. It is very dangerous to lose power on the highway because many times there is no where to pull over. In 2024 I changed the water pump because the fault code on the cars built in diagnostic code read error “P216B” which is the cars electrical water pump signal. I researched it on google and a lot of 2010 Prius owners are complaining of the same thing. Also the changed water pump from April 2024 died again in January 2025. It is very scary that the cars accelerator pedal goes unresponsive and all the fault lights come on. My vehicle has 155,000 miles runs great and my family loves the 40mpg it gets. However, this stalling problem is being ignored by Toyota and could lead to a fatal car accident if not recalled by the manufacturer. To conclude, I would like for your office to possibly conduct an investigation with the 2010 toyota Prius hybrid for this ongoing problem that the company is ignoring. This is a serious issue and can possibly lead to a fatal accident. THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY COMPLAINT AGAINST TOYOTA.

Break booster fail. Will cause the breaks to fail. There was a voluntary recall on these but I never recieveed the letter in the mail. Thr break booster failed after the voluntary recall was up. Toyota said they cannot help with this. Other prius owners i talked to have the same issue with their 2010 prius break boosters and also did not get the letter in the mail.

Abs lights on, traction light on .Actuator running cicle constantly . Breaks felt spongy

My car, a 2010 Toyota Prius, Level V has about 161,000 miles on it, and I have driven about 140K of those miles over the last 13 years. I have traveled around the DC/Maryland area and also taken the car on long trips. The car has been reliable, safe, and predictable... EXCEPT in one place/instance. I have probably driven a dozen times or more to the BWI airport from my home in Chevy Chase. On the return drive on [XXX], as I drive towards an overpass that is just before the [XXX] exit, my Prius goes into "Emergency Approaching Collision" mode. The brakes automatically forcibly apply, the seatbelt/lap harness grab me, and there is an emergency beeping from the system. The first time this happened... probably 10 years ago, it was very startling. My car was traveling about 60-65 mph. Luckily, there were no cars behind me... and I remained calm enough not to overreact. I was so startled that I needed to pull over to regain my composure. In one of the numerous other cases on this happening, my wife was in the car and she basically wanted me to sell the car because she felt it was unsafe. Because I am aware of the situation with my car, I always am cautious when I am driving towards the [XXX] exit. I drive slower, watch carefully for surrounding vehicles beside or behind me. But even yesterday, I was driving very slowly (approximately 35 mph). While I did not feel the system take aggressive avoidance/safety actions, still the warning beeps did take place... a little unnerving, but I had come to expect a problem at that site. In any event, I did want to bring the matter to your agency. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)