2009 Toyota Prius Speed Control & Cruise Problems

When I am coming to a stop or need to put on my brakes my car will accelerate at a jump ahead pace As if to take off instead of slowing down and stopping. Regardless whether I’m turning a corner or I’m continuing straight when I have to Put on the brakes it speeds up instead.

I went to park in a parallel space when all of a sudden my ABS, (!), VSC light come on with the loss of brake power and a loud beeping noise. With this sudden loss of brakes in the middle of driving, I could have harmed myself and others in any cars around me because I also lost steering capability. This is a problem that there was an extended warranty for, but there should be a recall. My car is a 2009 and was only covered before the pandemic and now it is 2021 and I have no recourse, but to try and fork over $3500.00 for which I don't have. I am a second owner and this is a very common problem amongst Prius owners. I didn't have any other symptoms that I could point out prior to this situation. I have had my hybrid battery, engine, ecu and most recently a stolen catalytic converter replaced. This ABS actuator problem needs to be addressed for another 5 years with a free repair. I would hate to have hit some other car and had my car smash into a wall, another car, pedestrian, pole or any other object based on it's ability not to stop.

MY PRIUS NOW HAS ALL THOSE DASH LIGHTS ON: !, ABS, VCS. I WAS DRIVING YESTERDAY, ON A CITY STREET AND THE LIGHTS CAME ON, AND THE BRAKES SUDDENLY DID NOT WORK-HARD TO PUSH. FOR MONTHS, WHEN I WOULD DRIVE OVER ROUGH TERRAIN, I HAD THE LOSS OF BRAKING, ACCELERATING, AND THE SLICK ROAD ICON WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE IS EXACTLY THE SAME ABS MODULE PROBLEM AFFECTING 2010 PRIUS, ANDS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPAIRS COVERED.IF I DIDN'T STAY SO FAR BEHIND OTHER VEHICLES, I WOULD HAVE REAR-ENDED SOMEONE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT 2 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A GARBAGE TRUCK. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DROVE HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *TT

DRIVER WENT TO PARK AND THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND! IN FACT THE VEHICLE WENT FROM 2-5MPH TO APPROX 30+ & KEPT PICKING UP SPEED AND WENT INTO STOREFRONT. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO WRESTLE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE AND IT WENT EQUALLY FAST BACK INTO A PARKED CAR WHERE IT FINALLY CAME TO A STOP. HUGELY FRIGHTENING AND POTENTIALLY LETHAL.

DRIVER INTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED TO AVOID COLLISION, THEN PRIUS UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AFTER IMPACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE, CROSSING THE MEDIAN AND CROSSING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION STREET LANES THEN UP ON TO THE SIDEWALK AND HIT THE CONCRETE BRIDGE RAIL AND FINALLY STOPPED. HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA, THEY WANT UP TO A MONTH TO PULL THE CRASH DATA FROM THE CAR. I ASKED IF THEY COULD PULL THE DATA IN A WEEK, THEY SAID UP TO 30 DAYS THE CAR WILL HAVE TO SIT AT THE DEALERSHIP. A MONTH IS UNREASONABLE TO GO WITHOUT A CAR. THEY REFUSED TO SEND THE INVESTIGATOR TO PULL THE DATA AT THE BODY SHOP, SAID IT MUST BE DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP. I GAVE THEM THE NAME & ADDRESS OF THE BODY SHOP. *TR

A YEAR AGO, UPON TAKING OFF FROM A STOP MY CAR BEGAN TO STALL. I DRIVE TWO BLOCKS IT CONTINUES TO PUTT ALONG AND STALL, THEN AFTER LESS THAN A MILE IT STARTS TO RUN AS NORMAL. I TAKE MY CAR IN TO BE TOLD IT IS OUT OF GAS, WHICH IT DID NOT INDICATE LOW FUEL, IT HAD OVER A QUARTER OF A TANK. I INSIST THEY CONTINUE TO CHECK MY CAR OVER DAYS OF THEM DRIVING IT, AFTER A WEEK THEY EXPERIENCE SOMETHING SIMILAR AND REPLACE MY JUNCTION BOX. SINCE THEN I'VE REPLACE THE WATER PUMP, TAKEN MY CAR IN FOR A STEERING RECALL. ALSO, THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE MY CAR UPON TAKE OFF STALLS, BUT NOTHING SEVERE, JUST SOMETHING YOU FEEL WHEN ACCELERATING. RECENTLY, 6/5/14, I EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE, BUT THIS TIME I IMMEDIATELY PUT GAS INTO MY CAR EVEN THOUGH MY INDICATOR PANEL SHOWS I HAVE FUEL. ONLY THIS TIME I START MY CAR AND THE AIR CONDITIONER IS NOT WORKING AND IT CONTINUES TO STALL, AFTER TURNING MY CAR ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES AND DRIVING A FEW BLOCKS THE AC CUTS ON AND MY CAR BEGINS TO RUN FINE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT BC THERE IS NO INDICATOR LIGHT AND IT'S RUNNING FINE THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THERE WAS A RECENT RECALL IN FEBRUARY OF 2014 WITH SIMILAR ISSUES I AM EXPERIENCING BUT MY CAR WAS NOT APART OF THE RECALL. NOT SURE WHAT ELSE I CAN DO. NUMEROUS TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN OF NO HELP AND I FEAR THAT MY SAFETY IS AT RISK. *TR

I PULLED MY TOYOTA PRIUS INTO MY DRIVEWAY, STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, OPENED THE GARAGE DOOR AND WAITED FOR MY HUSBAND TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. HE OPENED THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND STARTED TO MOVE HIS FOOT OUT THE DOOR BUT BEFORE HE EVEN GOT ONE FOOT OUT, THE CAR SURGED AHEAD AND RAN INTO THE GARAGE, PRETTY MUCH DESTROYING ALL THE STORAGE UNITS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE GARAGE. MY HUSBAND THINKS THE CAR WAS GOING BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH. SINCE MY ACCIDENT THERE HAVE BEEN TWO OTHER INCIDENTS OF TOYOTAS ACCELERATING INDEPENDENTLY IN PALO ALTO. ONE RAN INTO A HOUSE ON PARK AVENUE, DESTROYING THE FRONT WALL AND FRONT DOOR OF THE HOUSE. A FEW DAYS LATER, A TOYOTA RAN OVER A CURB, ACROSS A LAWN AND INTO A CORNER OF A HOUSE ON NORTH CALIFORNIA AVE. BOTH OF THESE INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED TO THE POLICE UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT GET THE NAME AND CONTACT OF THE OTHER TWO DRIVERS BECAUSE MY NAME IS NOT ON THE POLICE REPORTS. MY QUESTIONS ARE THESE: IS THERE ANY LEGAL WAY TO GET THE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE OTHER 2 DRIVERS? ALSO, SOMEONE TOLD ME THEY THOUGHT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT OUT AGAINST TOYOTA BECAUSE OF ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIND OUT ABOUT THAT? I AM AWARE THAT THIS IS PROBABLY JUST A PROBLEM I WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH BUT I ALWAYS TRY EVERYTHING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A POST OFFICE BUILDING AS A RESULT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, SHOULDER, NECK AND BACK. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 32,000.

I HAVE A 2009 PRIUS BASE WITH 42K MILES. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND WAITING IN THE VEHICLE, IT SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD ABOUT 1 OR 2 INCHES AND WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO SHATTER A LIGHT POST. THIS SEEMS A DANGEROUS FLAW. IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY; AFTER SPEAKING WITH A REPAIR SHOP, I WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL FOR A PRIUS AND IS PART OF THE RECHARGING DESIGN OF THE HYBRID SYSTEM. I WAS ADVISED TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE WHENEVER POSSIBLE. THIS SEEMS DANGEROUS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A WALL. THE CRASH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE NECK, KNEE, AND CHEST. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE CRASH AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WANTED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE AND DOES NOT WANT IT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

I WAS INVOLVED IN 2 IDENTICAL ACCIDENTS OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS WITH THE SAME CAR, A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. IN DECEMBER '09 I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT. I WAS COMPLETELY IN THE SPOT AND WENT TO COME TO A FULL STOP WHEN MY 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A CAR. THEN AGAIN ON JUNE 21, 2010, I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT AND THE SAME CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS I WENT TO COME TO A FULL STOP IN THE PARKING SPOT. THIS TIME THE CAR JUMPED THE CURB AND WENT THROUGH A CHAIN LINK FENCE. BOTH TIMES I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO THE SPOT, BOTH TIMES I WAS BRAKING AND BOTH TIMES THE CAR ACCELERATED AS I WENT TO COME TO A FULL STOP. THE DEC '09 ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE, THE JUNE'10 ACCIDENT WAS NOT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AT A RAPID RATE OF SPEED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL. THE CONTACT WAS UNINJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TRADED THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER. SHE STATED SHE HAD EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENTS PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,001 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,045.

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS - UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. ON THIS VEHICLE, UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION CAN BE REPRODUCED AT WILL. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY ARE TREATING IT AS YET ANOTHER CRANK CALL, SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED TO REMOVE FLOOR MAT AND BRING IN LATER IN WEEK. I WOULD HATE TO SEE IT SWEPT UNDER THE CARPET LIKE OTHER RECENT COMPLAINTS. *TR

EVENT: INCOMPLETE BRAKE FEEL, DURING SLOW AND STEADY APPLICATION OF BRAKES ON SLICK OR ROUGH ROAD SURFACES, WHEN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) IS ACTIVATED IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN TIRE TRACTION. THE SYSTEM ENGAGES AND DISENGAGES RAPIDLY (MANY TIMES PER SECOND) AS THE CONTROL SYSTEM SENSES AND REACTS TO THE TIRE SLIPPAGE. IF THE SAME BRAKE FORCE IS APPLIED UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, IN THE WORST CASE, THIS MAY LEAD TO AN INCREASE OF VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE AND THUS RAISE THE POSSIBILITY OF A CRASH. TOYOTA SAYS THAT THE OLDER PRIUSES, LIKE MINE, USE A DIFFERENT ABS SYSTEM, AND SO ARE NOT SUBJECT TO RECALL. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A SIMILAR ISSUE. FAILURE: WHENEVER THERE IS A SLICK, WET ROAD. CORRECTION: I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER, ALL SYSTEMS WERE CHECKED SAFE, TIRES' PSI WERE ADJUSTED, IT WAS FELT THAT THERE WAS SOME TIRE NOISE. INCIDENT CONTINUES INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY NEWLY PURCHASED 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS (VIN# [XXX]) ON RT 66 IN ARLINGTON VIRGINIA ON MARCH 31, 2010. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50-60 MILES PER HOUR AND ACCELERATING. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO SLOW THE CAR AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE, BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW, AND IN FACT I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE 'GUNNING' AND IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I PRESSED THE BRAKE DOWN AS FAR AS IT WOULD GO AND WHILE THE CAR SLOWED ITS ACCELERATION, IT DID NOT SLOW OR STOP THE CAR. AS SOON AS I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AGAIN AND I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE RACING. I PRESSED THE BRAKE AGAIN, AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED ' THE CAR SLOWED ITS ACCELERATION, BUT DID NOT SLOW ITS OVERALL SPEED. AS SOON AS I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED. I DID THIS THREE TIMES, BECOMING INCREASINGLY AFRAID. I THEN JAMMED MY FOOT HARD ON THE BRAKE AND PULLED OFF ONTO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND IT FINALLY STOPPED. I SAT THERE FOR A FEW MOMENTS, THEN TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND GOT BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY. AS SOON AS I GOT UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN ' THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND THE BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR. I PULLED OVER A SECOND TIME AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AS THE ONLY WAS I COULD FIND TO STOP IT. I TURNED THE CAR ON AGAIN, AND THIS TIME WAS ABLE TO REACH MY DESTINATION WITH NO MORE INCIDENTS. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE CARMAX DEALER FROM WHOM IT WAS PURCHASED AND HAVE BEEN ON HOLD TO REPORT THIS DIRECTLY TO TOYOTA FOR OVER 30 MINUTES, BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET THROUGH. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 60 MPH AFTER HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT OVERNIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,224.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE.THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES THREE TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL TO DISENGAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH HIS TOYOTA VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 6,200.

THIS IS EXTREMELY URGENT! I OWN A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH NO FLOOR MATS IN IT AT ALL AND THE GAS PEDAL STUCK ONCE A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE DRIVER IN CALIFORNIA(2008 PRIUS)WAS STUCK SPEEDING ON HIGHWAY AND STOPPED BY POLICE. AFTER SEEING THAT STORY, I WAS COMPELLED TO SHARE MY STORY. TOYOTA REFUSED TO HELP ME SAYING MY YEAR WASN'T IN RECALL LIST. IT HAPPEN THE SAME WAY IT HAPPEN TO HIM IN CALIF. I WAS ACCELERATING ON HIGHWAY TO PASS DRIVER AND IT STUCK FOR 20 SECONDS THEN UNSTUCK. I SLAMMED ON BRAKES WHICH DIDN'T HELP MUCH. I STARTED GOING UPWARDS TO 70 MPHS WITH BRAKED TO THE FLOOR. THERE WERE NO FLOOR MATS IN CAR AT THE TIME. I'M AFRAID I WILL BE THE NEXT PRIUS THAT MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT OR EVEN KILL SOMEONE. PLEASE HELP! TOYOTA REFUSES TO SEE MY CAR! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO...MAYBE I SHOULD GO TO THE NEWS. I'M SCARED! *TR

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AS SHE MADE A U-TURN TO PARK, SHE MOVED THE GEAR SHIFTER FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK AND THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD DESPITE THE FACT SHE WAS PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP UNTIL SHE ENDED UP IN A DITCH. *JB UPDATED 05/05/10.*JB