2010 Toyota Prius Complaint Log

2010 PRIUS - BRAKES STOP WORKING IF THEY ARE BEING APPLIED WHEN CAR GOES OVER BUMP OR UNEVEN ROAD SERVICE. *JB

BRAKES FAIL ENTIRELY WHEN THE CAR GOES OVER A SMALL BUMP OR CREASE IN THE ROAD. ITS OBVIOUS (NOW) THAT THE DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THIS AND TRIED TO COVER IT UP, AS THEIR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS THAT IT WAS NORMAL AND WAS JUST THE ABS GRIPPING (THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO WRITE MY COMPLAINT ON MY SERVICE REPORT), DESPITE MY REPEATED ASSERTIONS THAT I AM WELL AWARE OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ABS GRIPPING AND NO BRAKES. BRAKES FAILED ON 3 OCCASIONS BEFORE THE VEHICLE EVEN HAD 4,000 MILES. *TR

MAKING A LEFT TURN AT SLOW RATE OF SPEED AFTER ENCOUNTERING MINOR POTHOLE. A FEELING OF LOSS OF CONTROL OF CAR OR BRAKING. BRAKING DID NOT ALLOW PROPER TRAJECTORY OF CAR IN TURN, CAUSING CAR TO HIT AND ROLL OVER CURB AND SHORT SHRUBBERY WITH RIGHT FRONT TIRE. TIRE WAS FLATTENED, AND APPROXIMATELY $7000 DAMAGE WAS DONE TO CAR FRAME. NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED. LEGACY TOYOTA IN TALLAHASSEE, FL COMPLETED BODY REPAIRS. *TR

WE PURCHASED A 2010 PRIUS IN JUNE AND TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICING IN DECEMBER. AT THAT TIME WE REPORTED EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM THAT IS NOW IN THE NEWS -- WHEN BRAKING AT LOW SPEED THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY LURCHES FORWARD FOR AN INSTANT BEFORE SLOWING DOWN. AT THE TIME WE REPORTED IT, THE DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS JUST THE TRANSITION FROM ELECTRIC TO GAS AT THE MOMENT WE APPLIED THE BRAKES. IT NOW APPEARS TO BE A MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM SO I AM WRITING TO ADD OUR EXPERIENCE TO YOUR FILES. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT IT IS UNSETTLING WHEN IT DOES SINCE THE DRIVER DOES NOT EXPECT THE CAR TO ACCELERATE, EVEN MOMENTARILY, DURING BRAKING. IN A TIGHT SITUATION OR HEAVY TRAFFIC, THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. SO FAR WHEN IT HAS HAPPENED, THERE HAVE BEEN NO CONSEQUENCES, BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE WORRY ABOUT. THE DATE BELOW IS THE DATE WE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO OUR TOYOTA DEALER. *TR

I HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT I BOUGHT IN DECEMBER, 2009. SIX OR SEVEN TIMES, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD (LIKE SOMEONE IS FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL) EVERY TIME I HIT A POT HOLE. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE JUST ME, BUT I SAW IN THE PAPER TODAY THAT OTHERS HAVE NOTICED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR PRIUS. *TR

MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS WAS DELIVERED ON DECEMBER 15. I HAVE OBSERVED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPS ABRUPTLY AT TIMES WHILE SLOWING. I AM NOT SURE YET IF IT IS AFTER HITTING A BUMP OR JUST THE TRANSITION OF SPEEDS. IT IS VERY SUDDEN. IT MIGHT RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL IF ONE IS NOT AWARE OF THIS. *CN

I OWN A 2010 PRIUS, WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS EVEN WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I FIND THIS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF I WERE TO APPLY THE BRAKES SUDDENLY, MY FOOT COULD POSSIBLY HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT! I COMPLAINED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THE BRAKE PEDAL IS LOWER ON THE PRIUS THEN CONVENTIONAL VEHICLES.I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL SHOULD NEVER BE AT THE SAME HEIGHT OR BELOW THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FOR SAFETY REASONS. TOYOTA APPEARS TO IGNORE THIS SAFETY ISSUE. HAVEN'T AUTO MFG. LEARNED ANYTHING WITH GM IGNITION PROBLEM? WHEN IS THE GOVERNMENT GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE AUTO DESIGN DEFECTS? ARE THEY ALWAYS GOING TO WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO GET INTO ACCIDENTS AND POSSIBLY GET KILLED BEFORE THEY ACT? *JS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE TRAVERSED A PORTION OF THE ROADWAY THAT HAD SOME POTHOLES ON IT AND THE BRAKES RELEASED FOR WHAT SEEMED A SECOND. THE CONSUMER WAS DOING ABOUT 30 MPH AND PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL MORE FIRMLY. IT SEEMED AS THE VEHICLE WAS ATTEMPTING TO USE ABS IN A CONDITION THAT IT DEEMED WAS AN UNEVEN ROADWAY/ICY ROAD CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, THE CONDITION AT THE TIME WAS BARE AND DRY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD OPERATE AS EXPECTED IN DRY SMOOTH ROADWAY CONDITIONS, BUT WHEN THE ROAD SURFACE WAS BUMPY OR SLICK, THE ABS SYSTEM WOULD ACT AS IF THE VEHICLE WERE GOING TO SLIDE. THE DEALER PERFORMED THE SOFTWARE UPDATE TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500. *UPDATED 03/01/10 *BF UPDATED 05/10/10*JB

I HAVE OWNED A 2010 PRIUS SINCE AUGUST 2009. SINCE THE PURCHASE I HAVE PUT 10,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. TO DATE I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE BRAKING PROBLEM ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. MY HUSBAND HAD ONE EXPERIENCE. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN THE FRONT TIRES HIT AN UNEVEN OR DIFFERENT SURFACE THE BRAKES WILL DISENGAGE VERY BRIEFLY AND THEN CATCH WHEN THE TIRES HIT EVEN GROUND. *TR

SOMETHING WEIRD HAPPENS WHEN I AM BRAKING. AS I AM SLOWING AND BRAKING EVENLY, THERE IS A VERY BRIEF SURGE LIKE I HIT THE ACCELERATOR, BUT MY FOOT IS NO WHERE NEAR THE ACCELERATOR. IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING AT ALL FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN I HIT A BUMP, BUT IT CAN ALSO HAPPEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES NOW AND IT SEEMS TO BE INCREASING IN FREQUENCY. IT ALSO HAPPENED ONCE WHEN MY BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING IT. *TR

I AM WRITING IN RESPONSE TO AN ARTICLE I READ ON MSNBC.COM WHERE PEOPLE MENTION A PROBLEM OF WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. I HAVE OWNED A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS FOR 2 MONTHS/5,000 MILES. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, I CAN FEEL THE BRAKES SLIP. TO BE MORE EXACT, IT FEELS AS THOUGH, WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD AND THEN BEGINS BRAKING. THERE IS A SPECIFIC SITUATION NEAR MY HOUSE WHERE THIS CONSISTENTLY HAPPENS. IT IS WHEN I AM COMING DOWN A STEEP HILL, AND I APPLY THE BRAKES TO PREPARE FOR A RIGHT TURN, THE CAR PERFORMS AS I MENTIONED BEFORE. IT LURCHES, AND THEN BEGINS BRAKING. *TR

1. EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE: MODERATE BRAKING (~0.2 - 0.4 G) AT MODERATE SPEED (~20 MPH) WHILE DRIVING OVER CHOPPY PAVEMENT SUCH AS MIGHT EXIST WHERE ROAD WORK IS BEING DONE. 2. FAILURE: AS THE CAR PASSES OVER THE CHOPPY PAVEMENT, BRAKING FORCE DECLINES SHARPLY WITHOUT A CHANGE IN BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS IS THAT THE CAR STOPS FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD THAN EXPECTED DESPITE REFLEXIVE INCREASED BRAKE PRESSURE ON MY PART. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN 7500 MILES OF VERY MODERATE DRIVING. SO FAR I HAVE NOT HAD A COLLISION OR OTHER ACCIDENT FROM THIS UNEXPECTED BEHAVIOR. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS BEHAVIOR IN ANY OTHER CAR INCLUDING DOZENS OF RENTAL CARS. 3. WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. NOTHING. TW*

BRAKING POWER SUDDENLY GAVE OUT MOMENTARILY. THIS OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED. HOWEVER, I WAS APPROACHING A CROSSWALK WITH A PEDESTRIAN IN IT. IF FELT LIKE THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. I READ THE ARTICLE IN THE NYT THIS MORNING WHICH NOTED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE PRIUS AND THIS DEFINITELY FITS MY SITUATION. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN FREQUENTLY (3 OR 4 TIMES AT MOST), BUT IT IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE. I PURCHASED MY 2010 PRIUS NEW ON NOV. 3, 2009 FROM TOYOTA OF SEATTLE. I CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE A FEW DAYS AGO, BUT HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. *TR

DRIVING 35MPH ON STRAIGHT ROAD AND RAN OVER SOME UNSEEN POTHOLES. APPLIED BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT FUNCTION AS EXPECTED. MUCH LESS BRAKING POWER THAN NORMAL. *TR

SUDDEN ACCELERATION LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPY ROAD AT SLOW SPEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. NO ACCIDENT RESULTED. HAVING READ REPORTS OF THIS IN THE NEWS, I WANTED TO REPORT IT AS WELL. *TR

OFTEN WHEN I DRIVE MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS OVER A MANHOLE, METAL GRATE, OR OTHER SLIPPERY SURFACE IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY STOP WORKING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *TR

I'VE BEEN MONITORING THE TOYOTA RECALL NEWS BECAUSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR BRAKING ISSUES WITH MY NEW 2010 PRIUS. THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE IT IS AS IF THE BRAKING SYSTEM "HICCUPS" WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED WHILE TRAVELING OVER AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. AS THIS WAS A NEW VEHICLE TYPE THAT I HAD NEVER DRIVEN BEFORE I THOUGHT IT WAS INHERENT. *TR

TOYOTA PRIUS 2010: DRIVING OVER SEWER GRATE WHILE BRAKING AND CAR LOSES MOMENTARY GRIP AND SLIDES OVER SURFACE WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN, EVEN THOUGH BRAKING. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE SAME LOCATION / SEWER GRATE. *TR

WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKE IN MY 2010 PRIUS IF I HIT A POTHOLE OR SPEEDBUMP THE BRAKES RELEASE AND THE CAR TAKES OFF. *TR

I HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS PURCHASED 2 NOVEMBER 2009 THAT IS HAVING THE BRAKING PROBLEM ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. SOMETIMES WHEN BRAKING, THE CAR WILL "LURCH" FORWARD WHEN IT SHOULD BE COMING TO A STOP. IT HAPPENS JUST BEFORE I EXPECT IT TO STOP, AND HAVE COMPENSATED BY BRAKING MORE SLOWLY IN ANTICIPATION OF STOPS. I WORRY ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN A SUDDEN, EMERGENCY STOP, HOWEVER. THANK YOU. (THE DATE BELOW IS JUST TO COMPLETE THE FORM; YOU SHOULD HAVE A CATEGORY FOR INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS THAT AREN'T TIED TO A PARTICULAR DATE.) *TR

THERE HAVE BEEN 3 INSTANCES WHERE THE BRAKES OF MY VEHICLE BRIEFLY STOPPED WORKING EFFECTIVELY. THESE INSTANCES ALWAYS OCCURRED WHEN I WAS ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT OR POTHOLES. IT HAS NOT RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT FOR ME YET, BUT HAVING JUST READ THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR THE 2010 PRIUS, I THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT TO REPORT THAT I TOO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM IN MY 2010 PRIUS. *TR

WHENEVER I HIT A BUMP WHILE APPLYING BRAKES ON MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS, THE BRAKES STOP WORKING FOR A SHORT INTERVAL (ABOUT A SECOND). I FIRST NOTICED THIS ISSUE ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO WHILE DRIVING TO A DOCTOR APPOINTMENT. THERE WAS A SMALL, UNAVOIDABLE POTHOLE ABOUT 200 FEET BEFORE A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE LIGHT HAD TURNED RED, AND I WAS BRAKING AS I HIT THE POTHOLE. TO MY SURPRISE, MY PRIUS LURCHED FORWARDED NEARLY HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. FORTUNATELY, THE BRAKES RE-ENGAGED AS I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE HARDER. I HAVE HAD TO TRAVEL THAT SAME ROAD 3X A WEEK FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS, AND THE PROBLEM IS CONSISTENT AND OCCURS EVERY TIME I HIT THAT BUMP WHEN BRAKING. I HAVE SINCE NOTICED IT AT OTHER TIMES, ALWAYS WHEN I HIT A BUMP AND AM BRAKING. THE BRAKING LAG IS SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH TO HAVE ALMOST CAUSED ME TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE BUMPS THAT HAVE TRIGGERED IT HAVE NOT BEEN ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF WHAT IS VERY COMMON TO DRIVING. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS NO REPAIR OFFERED AT THIS TIME (BUT CLAIM THAT THEY EXPECT ONE IN A FEW WEEKS). THEY HAVE OFFERED ME A RENTAL CAR FOR A FEW WEEKS. *TR

IN TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED A SITUATION SIMILAR TO THOSE PROBLEMS REPORTED WITH THE 2010 PRIUS BRAKES. WHEN TRAVELING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION OVER TRAIN TRACKS, I FELT THE ENGINE REV OR ACCELERATE. MY BRAKES WERE ALREADY ENGAGED, SO I JUST PRESSED ON THEM HARDER. *TR

MY 2010 PRIUS IS EXPERIENCING THE BRAKE PROBLEM AS EXPLAINED BY OTHERS, I.E., HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD WHILE APPLYING BRAKES AND AN UNEXPECTED BUT MOMENTARY INCREASE IN SPEED. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SO FAR AND I HAVE OWNED THE PRIUS FOR 6 MONTHS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 35-40 MPH AND ENCOUNTERED A BUMP IN THE ROADWAY. THERE WAS PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, FOLLOWED BY NO POWER RESPONSE FOR A FEW SECONDS. THE VEHICLE RESUMED TO NORMAL OPERATION. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVE KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE DURING THE START UP WHICH OCCURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

BRAKE ON PRIUS 2010 WOULD NOT BE CLEAN AND CONSISTENT WHILE GOING AT A VERY SLOW SPEED.... *TR

ON TWO OCCASIONS MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS 3 BRAKES HAVE FAILED AS DESCRIBED IN RECENT NY TIMES ARTICLE. I WAS DRIVING ON ROUGH ROAD WITH POT HOLES AND MAN HOLE COVERS, SLIGHTLY WET PAVEMENT AND THERE WAS A MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING (SORT OF LIKE THE CAR WAS HYDROPLANING). I PURCHASED MY PRIUS IN NOVEMBER 2009. *TR

I OWN A DRIVING SCHOOL IN LIVINGSTON NJ, I PURCHASED A 2010 PRIUS IN JULY 2009. I ALSO NOTICE A DELAY IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL ONE DAY. THIS OCCURRED WHILE I APPLIED THE BRAKES. I WENT OVER A BUMP OR POTHOLE. IT SEEMED LIKE THE CAR ACTUALLY ACCELERATED MOMENTARILY AND I HAD TO KEEP APPLYING THE BRAKES TO THE FLOOR AND HOPED THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH DISTANCE TO STOP. I REMEMBER GOING DOWN A HILL, APPLYING THE BRAKES AND THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN, THEN I WENT OVER THE BUMP OR POTHOLE IN THE ROAD AND THE CAR TOOK OFF LIKE I WAS ACCELERATING. I FELT LIKE I HAD LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST 2 SECONDS OR 20FEET BUT FORTUNATELY NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE NEAR BY. I NOW MAKE SURE THAT I BRAKE SOONER, AND ALLOW MORE FOLLOWING DISTANCE. ESPECIALLY IN BAD WEATHER. ANTI-LOCK BRAKES SEEM TO HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE PROBLEMS IN THAT THE WHEELS DON'T LOCK BUT THOSE ON THE PRIUS SEEM A BIT MORE NOTICEABLE BECAUSE THEY ARE ELECTRIC AND THE PADS DON'T SLOW THE CAR LIKE NORMAL BRAKES. (AT LEAST THAT WHAT MY SALESMAN TOLD ME.) HE SAID THAT THE PADS WILL LAST OVER 200,000 MILES. HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO DRIVE IT THAT LONG WITHOUT AN INCIDENT. BUT THE PROBLEM NOW IIS THAT PARENTS MAY NOT WANT THEIR KIDS TO LEARN WITH MY DRIVING SCHOOL, EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NO REAL PROBLEMS WITH TRAINING TEENAGERS YET. *TR

WE OWN A 2010 PRIUS PURCHASED OCT 2009 AND ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE PRESS FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE PROBLEM CAR JUMPS, OR BRAKES SLIGHTLY UNRESPONSIVE, TEMPORARILY LOSS OF BRAKE POWER. PROBLEM HAPPENS AT SLOW SPEEDS BUT SEEMS INTERMITTENT. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN, TOYOTA NOT YET CONTACTED. *TR

MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING WHEN ABS ACTIVATES CAUSES CAR TO TRAVEL AN UNEXPECTED 12 FEET. HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES SINCE DEC 2009. HAPPENS WHEN SLOWING DOWN FOR STOP SIGN, OR MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURN IN TRAFFIC, WHEN THERE IS A SLIPPERY PATCH CAUSING ABS TO TRIGGER. *TR

BRAKE "GRABBING"/SEIZING WHILE REVERSING TOYOTA 2010 PRIUS II. *TR

THE BRAKES ON MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS DO NOT APPEAR TO WORK PROPERLY. THEY ARE NOT CONSISTENT IN STOPPING THE VEHICLE. ON OCCASION, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY DO NOT APPEAR TO SLOW THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY. EVEN AFTER APPLYING MORE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ROLL. EVENTUALLY AFTER PRESSING VERY HARD ON THE PEDAL THE VEHICLE SLOWS. THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. IT PRESENTS A PROBLEM WHEN IT UNEXPECTEDLY HAPPENS. *TR

COMING OUT OF A PARKING LOT DOWNHILL ... HIT A BUMP ... BRAKES FAILED AND ALMOST SIDESWIPED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HIT THE BRAKES A SECOND TIME AND CAR STOPPED JUST IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME WE HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN ... BRAKES HAVE WORKED OK REST OF TIME. NOTHING DONE YET TO CORRECT THE "BUMP" DEFECT AT SLOW SPEEDS. *CN

MY TOYOTA PRIUS HAS THE PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE NEWS. THE VEHICLE HAS BRAKE/STABILITY CONTROL ISSUES AS SOON AS ONE OF THE WHEELS LEAVE THE SUFACE OF THE ROAD. THE ANTI-LOCK "SYSTEM" SEEMS TO BE TOO AGGRESSIVE AND THEREBY IS DANGEROUS. THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE DRIVER CAN DO TO AVOID THIS. IT IS A TRACTION-CONTROL/BRAKE ISSUE. ALSO, REAR VISION IS ABOUT AS BAD AS LOOKING OUT THE REAR OF THE OSCAR MAYER WEINER MOBILE. THE SIDE MIRRORS NEED MORE REAR VISION. *CN

EXPERIENCED LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE DECELERATING ON A DOWN HILL SLOPE WITH RAMP FROM I-55 NORTH TO BAYLESS IN ST. LOUIS WHEN HITTING A POT HOLE IN THE 2010 PRIUS HYBRID. THE POTHOLE HAS SINCE BEEN FIXED AND HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS SINCE. *TW *TR

WHEN ON A SLIPPERY ROAD AND YOU ARE APPLYING MODERATE BRAKE PRESSURE AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ARE ENGAGEING AND YOU HIT MULTIPLE BUMPS OR POTHOLES YOU HAVE A MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKE PRESSURE AND BRAKING ACTION UNTILL THE BUMPS STOP OR YOU PRESS THE BRAKE DOWN FURTHER AND BRAKING IS RESTORED. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND ONCE IN OUR PARKING LOT A VEHICLE WAS STRUCK REQUIREING $1200 IN REPAIRS.

TO THE NHTSA: I AM AN OWNER OF A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT I PURCHASED IN JUNE 2009. SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD ABOUT A HALF-DOZEN TO A DOZEN OCCURRENCES OF THE SAME PROBLEM. AT LOW SPEEDS, WHEN THE REAR WHEEL HITS A BUMP, FOR A SPLIT-SECOND THE CAR FEELS LIKE THERE IS A BURST OF ACCELERATION AND IS OUT OF CONTROL. THIS LASTS ONLY A SPLIT-SECOND. I SAW ANOTHER CONSUMER IN A NEWS ARTICLE ABOUT THE PRIUS BRAKE ISSUE DESCRIBE IT THE EXACT SAME WAY. I ACTUALLY MENTIONED THIS TO MY DEALER (BERNARDI TOYOTA, FRAMINGHAM, MA) WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THE 5,000 MILE SERVICE A MONTH OR SO AGO. THE SERVICE DEPT TOLD ME THAT THE BEHAVIOR IS NORMAL FOR THE HYBRID VEHICLES, AND KNOWN BY TOYOTA -- NO FIX OR ADJUSTMENT RECOMMENDED. THIS SEEMED LIKE AN ODD RESPONSE, BUT BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO SAFETY ISSUE, I LEFT IT AT THAT. I AM PROVIDING MY EXPERIENCE TO AID THE NHTSA APPLY PRESSURE ON TOYOTA TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IN THE PRIUS. *TR

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED ENGINE SURGES/LACK OF BRAKING WITH OUR 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS ON 5 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS DURING AUG 2009 - FEB 2010: -1: HIT POTHOLE WITH RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND EXPERIENCED SURGE. -2: HIT EXACT SAME POTHOLE ON ANOTHER DAY AND SAME RESULT (SURGE). -3: WHILE DRIVING ON PAVED ROAD HIT SOME ICE AND EXPERIENCED SURGE. -4: WHILE APPROACHING STOP LIGHT, APPLIED BRAKES, WHEN FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF CAR HIT GRAVEL, EXPERIENCED SURGE. -5: WHILE PREPARING FOR LEFT HAND TURN ON BUSY STREET, WHEN CAR WENT OVER A LARGE DRAINAGE GRATE IN THE TURN LANE, EXPERIENCED SURGE. *TR

2010 PRIUS "FREEWHEELS" IF YOU HIT A BUMP WHILE BRAKING. THIS OCCURS EVERY FEW WEEKS. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT. *TR

ISSUE WITH BRAKES OF PRIUS 2010. WE LOSE SOME CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OR IT VEERS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE PUSHED SOMETIMES. IT HAPPENS VERY RARELY BUT WHEN WE PUSH THE BRAKE, THE CAR WILL SOMETIMES SEEMS TO SLOW, THEN ACCELERATE A COUPLE OF FEET BEFORE STOPPING. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2010 PRIUS APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON AN ICY ROAD. BECAUSE IT WAS ICY, I STARTED BRAKING VERY EARLY BEFORE COMING TO A STOP SIGN. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE BRAKES AT ALL. I BLEW THROUGH THE STOP SIGN OUT ONTO A 40 MPH ROAD. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION BY STEERING AWAY FROM CARS. I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE ENTIRE TIME, WHICH WAS SEVERAL SECONDS AND THE BRAKES NEVER ENGAGED. THE NEXT TIME I USED THE BRAKES, THEY WORKED. INITIALLY I THOUGHT THAT THE REASON THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN WAS BECAUSE IT DID NOT HAVE ANY TRACTION DUE TO THE ICY CONDITIONS. BUT AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT, I DID HAVE TRACTION BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO STEER QUITE WELL AND SUDDENLY CHANGE DIRECTIONS WITHOUT ANY SLIPPING AT ALL. THIS DID NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME UNTIL I READ ABOUT THE BRAKING PROBLEMS. MY HUSBAND HAS EXPERIENCED THE CAR LURCHING FORWARD WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON A SLIPPERY OR UNEVEN SURFACE MANY TIMES. HE APPLIES THE BRAKE AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD BEFORE THE BRAKES ENGAGE. *CN

I PURCHASED A 2010 PRIUS ON JULY 23, 2009. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER DECEMBER 14, 2009 WITH THE FOLLOWING COMPLAINT: REAR BRAKES WILL LOCK UP AND SLIDE WHEN TURNING CORNERS, THEY WILL ALSO LOCK UP WHEN BACKING SLOWLY. THE FIRST TIME THEY DID THAT I THOUGHT I HAD HIT SOMETHING. THE DEALER KEPT THE CAR OVERNIGHT. THE TECHNICIAN SAID HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ACTION AND THE SHOP MGR. SPOKE WITH TOYOTA TECHNICIAN AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO KNOWN CONCERNS AT THAT TIME. SINCE THEN I HAVE CALLED SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT NO ONE WOULD TAKE ME SERIOUS. *TW

BRIEF BRAKING INTERRUPTION ON WET, UNEVEN PAVEMENT. 5 - 6 INCIDENTS FROM NOV THROUGH JAN - 2010 PRIUS BOUGHT AT THE END OF OCT 2009. *TR

ACCESS TO THE OIL DRAIN PLUG AND OIL FILTER IS THROUGH A PLASTIC DOORWAY OPENING UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DOORWAY IS A PARTIAL CUTOUT FROM A LARGER PLASTIC SHIELD WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE FRONT PORTION OF THE CAR. I PERFORMED MY 3RD OIL CHANGE AND DURING THIS PREPARATION I FOUND THAT THE DOOR PORTION OF THE SHIELD IS BROKEN AWAY FROM THE LARGER PIECE OF PLASTIC DUE TO BENDING/HINGING THE DOOR. ONLY AFTER 2 OIL CHANGES THIS PLASTIC DOOR HAS BROKEN OFF BECAUSE THE PLASTIC IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE REPEATEDLY BENT FROM OPEN TO CLOSE MORE THAN ONCE. UNLESS YOU CHANGE YOUR OWN OIL, YOU WILL NEVER SEE THIS DOOR BREAK OFF... AND AFTER 2 OIL CHANGES. *TR

CAR HIT BUMP OR POTHOLE ON THE FREEWAY, WHILE BRAKING, BRAKING POWER WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. *TR

MY NEW 2010 PRIUS HAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR ABOUT 2 MONTHS, AND HAVE PUT ABOUT 3000 MILES ON IT. ON THREE OCCASIONS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED A SITUATION WHERE THE BRAKES SUDDENLY RELEASED, AND I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. TWO OF THE SITUATIONS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS COMING TO A STOP NEAR AN INTERSECTION (I WAS MOVING INTO A LEFT TURN LANE, AND SUDDENLY THE BRAKES RELEASED). THE THIRD TIME WAS WHILE EXITING A FREEWAY, WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE, AND I FELT THE BRAKE RELEASE. AFTER THE THIRD EXPERIENCE, I RECALLED THAT, PERHAPS, THE CAR RAN OVER A SMALL BUMP WHEN I WAS MOVING INTO THE LEFT TURN LANE, AND THAT MAY HAVE HELPED TRIGGER THE RELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I SUBSEQUENTLY READ (VIA AN MSNBC NEWS STORY THAT CAME OUT ON DECEMBER 29, 2009, AND WHICH IS AVAILABLE AT THE LINK BELOW) THAT OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I EXPERIENCED. LINK TO THE NEWS STORY: HTTP://WWW.MSNBC.MSN.COM/ID/34611930/NS/BUSINESS-AUTOS/. *TR

I HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS IV. ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS, WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND HIT A POTHOLE, THE CAR'S BRAKES SEEMED TO HAVE STOPPED WORKING FOR 1-3 SECONDS. IT FELT AS IF I LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT I WAS PRESSING IT ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY DOWN. THIS INCREASED MY BRAKING DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO CAR OR PEDESTRIAN IN FRONT OF ME. IF THERE WAS ONE, I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY HIT THEM. *TR

SOMETIMES WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE THERE IS A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME (.5 SEC, OR SO) WHERE THE BRAKES STOP WORKING. IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE BRAKES ARE SLIPPING - LETTING UP JUST ENOUGH TO LET THE CAR CONTINUE ROLLING WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ROUGHLY 5 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JULY OF 2009. *TR

I PURCHASED A TOYOTA PRIUS 2010 IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR. I HAVE HAD ONE BRAKING FAILURE INCIDENT WHEN THE CAR FAILED TO BRAKE AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP STREET. THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AND THEN A FEW SECONDS LATER KICKED IN AND THE CAR CAME TO A SLOW STOP. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED ABOUT 6 INCIDENTS WHERE MY CAR ACCELERATED WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHEN I TRAVELED OVER A BUMP OR VARIANCE IN THE ROAD. I HAVE SCHEDULED A SERVICE SO THAT TOYOTA CAN REVIEW THE BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY CAR. *TR

ON DECEMBER 12, AT APPROXIMATELY 6:15 PM WHILE TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON I-30 NEAR DOWNTOWN DALLAS, I REAR ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 12 MPH AND THE ROADS WERE DRY. I WAS NOT TAIL GATING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS CUT OFF AND HE IMMEDIATELY HIT HIS BRAKES. I DID THE SAME. MY CAR BEGAN TO BUCK AND JUMP AND I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING OVER $10,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. MY CAR WAS TOWED AND REPAIRED BY TOYOTA OF DALLAS. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS TO STATE FARM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD ME OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES IN MY VEHICLE. THEY CLAIM I MUST HAVE BEEN TRAVELING TOO FAST OR TOO CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS NOT ISSUED A CITATION BY THE SHERIFF. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AS I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 12 MPH. I CONTINUED TO COMPLAIN TO TOYOTA ABOUT THE BRAKES AND THEY SENT AN ENGINEER TO EXAMINE MY VEHICLE ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2 WHO AGAIN TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH MY BRAKES. THE VERY NEXT DAY, THE NTSB BEGAN AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE BRAKES, AND THIS MORNING, FEBRUARY 4 (2 DAYS AFTER THE ENGINEER INSPECTED MY VEHICLE) TOYOTA ANNOUNCES THAT THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY VEHICLE. I CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUES WITH MY BRAKES. I AM AFRAID TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. *TR