2010 Toyota Prius Complaint Log

MY 2010 PRIUS HAS HAD 4 INSTANCES WHEN BRAKES DIDN'T WORK. ALL INVOLVED SLIGHTLY WET SURFACES ON A SEM- POTHOLED ROAD IN HOUSTON TX. I AM TAKING CAR INTO FRED HAAS TOYOTA ,, BUT I AM NOT SURE ANYONE KNOWS HOW TO FIX IT YET. AFTER TRYING TO BRAKE, THERE IS A LURCH FORWARD BEFORE IT COMES TO A STOP. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS GOING LESS THAN 40 MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED, AND HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT. *TR

PRESSING BRAKES WHILE TURNING AND HITTING A POTHOLE CAUSES CAR TO SURGE FORWARD. *TR

BETWEEN AUGUST AND OCTOBER 2009 I EXPERIENCED THREE INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION BY THE VEHICLE IN LOW SPEED CITY DRIVING, 25 -30 MPH. THESE EVENTS WERE ALWAYS PRECEDED BY BUMP OR IRREGULAR SURFACE ON DRY ASPHALT OR CONCRETE SURFACES. IN EACH EVENT I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO COUNTER THE SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FURTHER INCIDENTS WITH THE ADVENT OF COLDER WEATHER AND WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS. CURRENT MILEAGE IS 7,707. *TR

LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY ON ROUGH SURFACE OR BUMPS. *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2010 PRIUS ON AUGUST 4TH, 2009 AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY NOTICED ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES. I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER DRIVING IN THE CAR ON THIS DATE WITH MY WIFE AS WE WERE ON OUR WAY BACK FROM HER ULTRASOUND. I JUST GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND THERE WAS A RED LIGHT AHEAD WITH SEVERAL CARS STOPPED AT IT. I APPLIED THE BRAKES SLOWLY AND STEADILY, AS I NORMALLY DO, BRAKING WITH PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP. AS I APPROACHED THE LAST CAR AT THE STOP LIGHT I ENCOUNTERED A POT HOLE AND THE BRAKES DISENGAGED. I COULD FEEL THE CAR WAS NO LONGER DECELERATING. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES AND BARELY AVOIDED SLAMMING IN TO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME, STOPPING WITH LITERALLY AN INCH BETWEEN OUR BUMPERS. SINCE THAT DATE I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS EXACT SAME SCENARIO SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH AND HAVE COME CLOSE TO AN ACCIDENT 2 TO 3 TIMES. *TR

AFTER PUSHING THE POWER BUTTON AND THEN SHIFTING OUT OF PARK TO EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE VEHICLE LUNGES AND I HAVE TO APPLY THE BRAKE, WHICH MAKES THE VEHICLE JERK. SOMETIMES THE GASOLINE ENGINE STARTS BEFORE I SHIFT INTO GEAR SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. THIS PROCESS IS REPEATED OVER SEVERAL TIMES FOR A MINUTE OR SO, THEN IT CORRECTS ITSELF. I AM JUST INCHING ALONG LUNGING, BRAKING, JERKING... THIS HAS OCCURRED ABOUT TEN TIMES OVER THE EIGHT WEEKS AND 2540 MILES SINCE PURCHASED AUGUST LL, 2009. TOOK TO DEALER, ON SEPT. 29, 2009; THEY KEPT IT FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, COULD NOT DUPLICATE AND SAID ALL SYSTEMS CHECKED OUT OK. AT THAT TIME THE PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED ABOUT SIX TIMES. SINCE THAT DATE, THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONLY WHEN IN MY OWN DRIVE OR IN PARKING LOTS. I AM FEARFUL THAT IT COULD HAPPEN ON THE ROAD AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND INJURY TO MYSELF AND/OR OTHERS. THE DEALER AND TOYOTA CASE MANAGER SAY THAT THEY MUST BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BEFORE ANYTHING CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT IT. SINCE IT HAPPENS ONLY ON OCCASION, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO DUPLICATE. *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) FEBRUARY 15, 2010 AT 3:29 PM I SPOKE TO [XXX] AT TOYOTA 1-800-331-4331 ABOUT PROBLEMS I'VE EXPERIENCED WITH MY 2010 PRIUS. I TOLD HER ABOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL DANGER, WHERE THE CAR HAD BEEN GOING ALONG NICELY ON CRUISE, BUT SUDDENLY RAPIDLY ACCELERATED WHEN, ON AUGUST 11, 2009, I WAS ON THE TRIP BETWEEN NEW JERSEY AND ILLINOIS COMING THROUGH THE TENNESSEE/KENTUCKY AREA. I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT ABOUT 65MPH ON CRUISE AND IT RAPIDLY ACCELERATED TO OVER 80MPH AND I PANICKED WHILE TRYING TO GET IT TO SLOW DOWN. I TRIED SLOWING IT DOWN USING THE CRUISE BUTTON, THEN DEPRESSED THE CRUISE OFF BUTTON. DIDN'T WORK. IT DID NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO THE BRAKE UNTIL I BRAKED REALLY HARD. THEREFORE, MY DRIVING IT WAS SEVERELY LIMITED TO DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS IN TOWN. OTHER UNINTENDED ACCELERATION HAS OCCURRED EVEN WHEN NOT USING THE CRUISE. THE CAR BOLTED FORWARD NUMEROUS TIMES ON A BUMPY SECTION OF ROAD ON MY ROUTE HOME FROM WORK; IT HAPPENED OFTEN ENOUGH THERE THAT I COMPENSATED BY TAKING A DIFFERENT ROUTE. EFFORTS TO STOP THE FORWARD LUNGE INCLUDED BRAKING WITH NO RESPONSE, USING THE KNOB TO SHIFT TO A DIFFERENT SETTING, AND SCRAMBLING TO FIND THE [XXX] BUTTON TO PRESS PARK. SOMETHING FINALLY STOPPED IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT. THE NEXT SCARE OCCURRED AFTER IT SNOWED. I DROVE SLOWLY ON THE PLOWED ROAD, BUT WHEN THE CAR ENCOUNTERED SNOWY LUMPS IT RAPIDLY ACCELERATED LUNGING FORWARD AGAIN. MY ATTEMPTS TO STOP CAUSED ME TO SKID DANGEROUSLY INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE. I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT AGAIN IN WELL OVER A MONTH DUE TO THE DANGER. IN FEBRUARY, MY CO-WORKER[XXX] URGED ME NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE SHE HAD HEARD ABOUT A RECALL AND WAS AFRAID FOR ME, BUT I HAD ALREADY PARKED IT BY THEN ' KNOWING SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. IT HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE PRIOR TO MY LEARNING THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES ' SOME HAVE DIED OR BEEN INJURED AS A RESULT.

ON MY PRIUS 2010 (THAT I BOUGHT IN JULY 2009) I NOTICED THAT WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE, AND HAD THE BRAKES PRESSED; THE CAR QUICKLY ACCELERATED FOR A SPLIT SECOND. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. *TR

BRAKING PROBLEM NOTED WITH PRIUS 2010. ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT WHILE STRONGLY BRAKING, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD FOR A MOMENT, PRIOR TO FINALLY BRAKING (FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS "SLIPPING" UNTIL IT CAUGHT THE PAVEMENT AGAIN). THIS HAS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 5 - 6 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE 07/31/09. CONTACTED SERVICE DEPT. IN 2009 BY PHONE, BUT THEY HAD NO OTHER COMPLAINTS. AT SOME LEVEL I WAS THINKING IT WAS JUST MY IMAGINATION OR SOME KIND OF HIGH TECH GLITCH THAT I HAD TO LIVE WITH. AT SERVICING IN JANUARY ALL SYSTEMS WERE ASSESSED WITHOUT ABNORMALITY, ALTHOUGH I DID NOT FORMALLY COMPLAIN ABOUT MY BRAKES AT THAT TIME. THE ISSUE REMAINS, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND THAT REAR-ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY DUE TO LACK OF CONTROL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STOP WHEN HE DROVE OVER SPEED BUMPS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD IT FELT AS IF HE LOST BRAKING ABILITY. THE CONTACT HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT A CRASH COULD OCCUR IF THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO LUNGE FORWARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500.

THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS WHICH HAS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS EXHIBITED THE MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING WHEN THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AND I HIT A BUMP. THIS HAS OCCURRED THREE SEPARATE TIMES SINCE JULY OF 2009 WHEN I PURCHASED A NEW PRIUS FROM SUNRISE TOYOTA IN OAKDALE NY. *TR

WE OWN A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS WHICH WE PURCHASED IN JUNE OF 2009. ON SIX DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED BRAKING PROBLEMS. ONE INCIDENT WAS ON ICE AND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED THE RESPONSE WAS AS IF THERE WERE NO BRAKES AT ALL AND THE VEHICLE SLID FREELY FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. THE OTHER FIVE INCIDENTS INVOLVED BRAKING ON A ROUGH SURFACE WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN (3 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS). IN THESE CASES, WHEN THE BRAKE WAS PRESSED THE CAR DID NOT BEGIN TO STOP IMMEDIATELY. IN FACT I GOT THE FEELING THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN "HIT FROM THE REAR" AND I JERKED BACK INTO MY SEAT A LITTLE AND FELT THAT THE CAR FLOATED AHEAD BEFORE IT BEGAN TO STOP. THIS ALL HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY. I TRIED TO REPLICATE THE SITUATION AND WAS SUCCESSFUL ONCE. IN ALL BUT ONE OF MY EXPERIENCES WITH THIS DILEMMA, THE ROAD WAS ON A SLIGHT DOWNWARD SLOPE APPROACHING THE STOP SIGNS. THERE SEEMS TO BE A CERTAIN SPEED THAT IS NEEDED FOR IT TO HAPPEN. TOYOTA EXAMINED THE BRAKES AND SAID THEY WERE OK. OBVIOUSLY, THEY ARE NOT. *TR

ON OCCASION, THE BRAKES ON OUR 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS, PURCHASED JUNE 2009, MOMENTARILY DO NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, AND THE VEHICLE APPEARS TO LUNGE FORWARD. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE TOYOTA SERVICING DEALER EACH TIME THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE, AND NO SOLUTION HAS BEEN OFFERED. THIS PROBLEM CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. *CN

I HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO PROBLEMS WITH MY 2010 PRIUS V THAT I PURCHASED LAST SUMMER. FIRST, ON APPROXIMATELY 6-8 OCCASIONS, MY CAR HAS NOT STOPPED IMMEDIATELY WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THIS OCCURRED 3-4 TIMES WHEN I APPROACHED A STOP SIGN ON A ROAD BETWEEN MY HOME AND CHURCH. THE SURFACE OF THE ROAD APPROACHING THE STOP SIGN HAD BEEN SCRAPED AND ROUGHENED TO GET READY FOR RE-PAVING. AS I APPROACHED AND APPLIED THE BRAKES, MY CAR SURGED FORWARD FOR ABOUT A SECOND, BUT I WAS ABLE TO STOP. THIS HAPPENED 3-4 TIMES IN OTHER LOCATIONS, AS WELL. IT IS AN INCREDIBLY STRANGE AND HELPLESS SENSATION. THIS PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY NOTED BETWEEN LATE AUGUST 2009 AND LAST OCCURRED ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO. EVEN THOUGH I WAS FORCED TO PUT AN EXACT DATE IN THE FIELD BELOW, I HAVE NO IDEA NOW WHEN THE EXACT DATES WERE IN WHICH THIS BRAKING ISSUE OCCURRED. WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR ITS FIRST OIL CHANGE, I DESCRIBED WHAT HAD HAPPENED BUT WAS TOLD THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE MEDIA AS TO OTHER CARS. THE PERSON AT THE SERVICE DESK JUST KIND OF IGNORED MY COMMENTS AND WAS NOT INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT THE BRAKING ISSUE FURTHER. THE SECOND PROBLEM I HAVE EXPERIENCED IS THAT WHEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATE FUNCTION THE CAR JUST CONTINUED ACCELERATING EVEN THOUGH I WAS NO LONGER TURNING THE CRUISE FUNCTION LEVER. THIS STOPPED WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES. IT DID CAUSE ME TO STOP USING THE CRUISE CONTROL DURING THAT TRIP THOUGH. THE CRUISE CONTROL ISSUE PROBABLY OCCURRED LAST AUGUST IN I-5. *TR

SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, MOMENTARILY LOSES BRAKING WHEN IT GOES OVER UNEVEN ROADS, POTHOLES ..ETC. OCCURS SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH OVER A SPEED BUMP OR POTHOLE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FOR A FEW SECONDS WHILE HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALTHOUGH THE SURGE LASTS FOR A FEW SECONDS AND OCCURRED CONSISTENTLY SHE DOESN'T HAVE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

I BOUGHT A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS IN AUGUST 2009. IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKING PROBLEM I DESCRIBE BELOW, I ALSO HAVE AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM. I QUESTIONED MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE FACT THAT WHEN I AM BRAKING OVER METAL (MANHOLE COVER, REPAIR LIDS, ETC.) THE CAR IS QUICKLY PUSHED FORWARD ABOUT 3 TO 4 FEET. SEVERAL OTHER NEW OWNERS SAID THEY HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. THE DEALER SAID THAT WHEN THEY CHECKED WITH TOYOTA, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE HYBRID BATTERY MOTOR USED A MAGNET AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO RECHARGE IT. AND THAT THE PUSH FORWARD WAS FROM THE REPELLING ACTION OF THE MAGNET. MY SISTERS OWN A 2008 CAMRY HYBRID AND 2008 PRIUS, AND THEY BOTH HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROPELLING MOTION WHEN ON METAL SURFACES ALSO. THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALERS ADVICE TO "NOT BRAKE ON METAL SURFACES" DOESN'T HELP IN SNOW OR WATER SITUATIONS. WILL THIS PROBLEM BE FIXED BY THE ABS BRAKES SOFTWARE CHANGE?? I ALSO HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD SUDDENLY GO TO THE FLOOR AND PRODUCE VERY LITTLE BRAKING POWER. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AND THE DEALER SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OTHER INSTANCES WHERE THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK WELL AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. SO I NOW DRIVE WITH A LOT OF DISTANCE BETWEEN ME AND OTHER CARS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. I SHOULD SAY THAT I'VE HAD OTHER CARS WITH ABS BRAKES AND THIS CAR DOES NOT FEEL LIKE I HAVE THEM. ON SLIPPERY SURFACES (SNOW, WATER) THE BRAKES DO NOT PUMP THEMSELVES LIKE OTHER ABS CARS THAT I HAVE DRIVEN. I HAVE DROPPED IT INTO LOW GEAR TO HELP BRAKE. THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED MANY TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN VERY CAREFUL AND NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET. *TR

I OWN A 2010 PRIUS PURCHASED IN JULY 2009. I HAVE ALSO (REGULARLY) FELT A SURGE FORWARD WHEN BRAKING AND HITTING A BUMP OR POTHOLE. BASED ON MY READINGS OF CHAT BOARDS I THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL, ALTHOUGH IT IS QUITE ALARMING WHEN IT HAPPENS. I'M NOT CONFIDENT THAT MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WOULD BE ENTIRELY HONEST; WHEN I WAS IN FOR SERVICE DURING THE FLOORMAT BRAKE RECALL I OVERHEARD A SERVICE MANAGER TELLING A CUSTOMER IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT; IT WAS ONLY WHEN PEOPLE PUT NON-MANUFACTURER'S FLOORMATS ON TOP OF THE TOYOTA ONES THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM (WHICH IS NOT MY UNDERSTANDING). I'D LIKE TO BE KEPT INFORMED OF THE STATUS OF THE INVESTIGATION IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. I'LL PUT IN EARLY AUGUST AS THE "INCIDENT DATE" BUT IT HAPPENS REGULARLY (AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK?) *TR

DRIVING OUR 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS OVER BUMPS AND POTHOLES THE CAR BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. IT DOESN'T STOP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BRAKES ARE PRESSED. WE HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND TOYOTA THEY SAY THE CAR IS FINE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE IT IS GRABBING AND JERKING. WHILE USING THE VEHICLE'S SPEED CONTROL UPON SETTING IT THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE, BUT WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHCILE WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE MONITORS THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER.THE FAILURE MILEAGE 6,200.

I HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN JULY 2009 IT HAS JOLTED FORWARD WHILE I AM APPLYING THE BRAKES WHEN I DRIVE OVER A POTHOLE OR BUMP IN THE ROAD. *TR

THE BRAKING SYSTEM TEMPORARILY DISENGAGES WHEN HITTING A BUMP, MANHOLE, GRAVEL, ETC. CAUSING CAR TO LUNGE FORWARD. TOYOTA OF NAPERVILEE TOLD ME THAT SOME LUNGING IS TO BE EXPECTED. IT IS SCARY WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OF THE BRAKES. I'M CONCERNED THAT IT MAY RESULT IN A FUTURE ACCIDENT. *TR

PRIUS 2010, PURCHASED JULY, 2009, DCH TOYOTA, MAMAROCECK, NY. BRAKING PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE: BRAKES DISENGAGE, CAR JUMPS, STEERING WHEEL NEEDS TO BE CONTROLLED - WHILE GOING OVER A BUMP, POTHOLE OR ICE. IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE TO THIS DEFECT I MUST DRIVE CAR CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY. THIS OCCURS REGULARLY ON ROUTINE DRIVES IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA. *TR

BRAKES SPORADICALLY GRAB AND MAKE SMOOTH BRAKING IMPOSSIBLE. THESE ARE UNEXPECTED AND INTERMITTENT. IT OCCURS MAYBE TEN PERCENT OF MY TRIPS. CONSEQUENCES ARE JOLTING STOP. NOTHING ALLEGEDLY CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURES. *TR

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS PURCHASED ON JULY 31, 2009. BETWEEN 10 AND 12 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE DATE, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH DRIVING OVER A BUMP OR ROUGH SECTION OF ROAD, THE CAR FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS ACCELERATING RATHER THAN BRAKING. THIS LASTED FOR ONE SECOND OR LESS BUT WAS FRIGHTENING. THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS MY IMAGINATION BUT IT OCCURRED ANOTHER 10 TIMES OR SO. IT ALWAYS OCCURS WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. AS FAR AS I CAN RECALL, THE PAVEMENT WAS ALWAYS DRY. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT IN ANY OF THESE OCCURRENCES. *TR

MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS ISSUES WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM AT DIFFERENT TIMES, PARTICULARLY WHEN TRAVELING OVER BUMPS, ETC. THERE IS A MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING CONTROL. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS BUT CERTAINLY SCARY TO DRIVE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THE FAILURE. I CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP AS THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY SAID ALL THEY COULD DO WAS TAKE MY NAME AND NUMBER DOWN. *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCED VERY STRONG GRABBING SENSATIONS FROM THE BRAKES A FEW TIMES WHEN BACKING UP. THE CAR REACTS AS THOUGH YOU ARE SLAMMING THE BRAKES EVEN THOUGH ONLY SLIGHT PRESSURE IS APPLIED. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2010 PRIUS IN JULY 2009. WHENEVER I GO OVER A BUMPY ROAD OR HIT A POTHOLE WHILE BRAKING THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD. I BROUGHT IT TO WALSER TOYOTA IN BLOOMINGTON, MN FOR THIS PROBLEM. THEY SAID MY BRAKES WORK FINE. I'M STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. IN FACT...I HAVE IT SO OFTEN WE HAVE NICKNAMED IT "PRIUS BRAKING." SO EACH TIME IT HAPPENS WE SAY "PRIUS BRAKING." WE KNOW TO NOT FOLLOW CLOSELY TO ANYONE AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT IN FEAR OF REAR-ENDING THEM WHEN THE "PRIUS BRAKING" HAPPENS. *TR

WHEN DRIVING, AND GOING OVER A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD (POT HOLE, CRACK, ETC.) THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS LURCHING FORWARD MOMENTARILY, AS IF THE BRAKES RELEASED. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE CAR GOES OVER A ROUGH PATCH IN THE ROAD. *TR

THIS IS NOT THE SAME 2010 PRIUS BRAKE PROBLEM BEING REPORTED REGARDING TRANSIENT BRAKE FAILURE. WHILE WAITING IN GEAR AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL SLOWLY SINKS ALL THE WAY TO THE MECHANICAL STOP. HOWEVER, THE CAR DOES REMAIN STOPPED EVEN WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS BRIEFLY TAPPED. THE BEHAVIOR IS REPEATABLE AND CONSISTENT. PERSONALLY VERIFIED THAT THERE ARE NO EXTERNAL HYDRAULIC LEAKS. OBSERVED THE FLUID SURFACE IN THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WHILE AN ASSISTANT SANK THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE SURFACE REMAINED UNDISTURBED, INDICATING THAT THE MASTER HYDRAULIC PISTON IS NOT LEAKY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THE SALES & SERVICE MANAGERS OBSERVED BUT RELUCTANTLY ADMITTED THE BEHAVIOR, TESTED IT ON THEIR COMPUTER AND DECLARED IT ACCEPTABLE. I TESTED A SECOND 2010 PRIUS ON THEIR LOT AND THE BEHAVIOR WAS IDENTICAL. CONSEQUENCES: HAVING DEALT WITH DEALERS BEFORE, WE ARE UNWILLING TO ACCEPT THE DEALER'S REASSURANCE FOR THIS SEEMINGLY UNSAFE BEHAVIOR, AND ARE NOW COMPELLED TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE AT EVERY WAITING STOP. *CN

MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING DURING A TURN OR COMING UPON A SPEED BUMP. HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. 6/6/09 *CN

EXPERIENCED BRAKE "SLIPPAGE" ON 2010 PRIUS. "SLIPPAGE" OR QUICK TEMPORARY FEELING THAT BRAKE GAVE WAY OCCURRED WHILE DESCENDING A SMALL HILL WITH BUMPY PAVEMENT. OCCURRED ABOUT 6 TIMES WITHOUT INCIDENT. OCCURRED ALSO MORE RECENTLY ONCE ON ICY PAVEMENT. *TW

WHEN BRAKING WHILE GOING OVER BUMPS, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD AND DOESN'T SEEM TO GRAB UNTIL AFTER THE BUMP. IT IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN EXITING A HIGH SPEED ROAD ONTO A DECELRATION LANE. IT HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS IN OPERATING THE VEHICLE TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF OCCURENCES, BUT CANNOT ALWAYS FORESEE THE BUMPS OR RIDGES IN ROAD SURFACES THAT PRECIPITATE THE INCIDENT. *CN

THIS IS THE BREAKING PROBLEM IM HAVING WITH MY 2010 PRIUS: WHEN I AM STEPPING ON THE BREAK, AND ALSO GO OVER A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE CAR SEEMS TO ACCELERATE FOR A MOMENT AND THEN GOES BACK TO BREAKING AGAIN.

I OWN A TOYOTA 2010 PRIUS. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR IN JULY AT MY FIRST SERVICE/OIL CHANGE ABOUT A SUDDEN SURGE IN SPEED WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPY SURFACES. I PRESENTED THEM WITH INTERNET INFORMATION I HAD COPIED FROM CONSUMERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THEY WOULD NOT TAKE THEM FROM ME. THEY SERVICED THE CAR, DROVE IT AND RETURNED IT TO ME SAYING THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS AND THAT I WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAD EVER COMPLAINED ABOUT IT. THEY SAID THEY KNEW OF NO OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. I ASKED THEM TO PUT ON MY BILL THE FACT THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING TO MY CAR SO THAT IT WOULD BE DOCUMENTED FOR THE FUTURE. THEY DID NOT SEEM AT ALL CONCERNED AT THE TIME. IT REMAINS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WHEN I DRIVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SIX TIMES. THE DRIVER STATED THAT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED THEY WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE TOYOTA DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED FOR OVER 9 MONTHS. THE CONTACT HAS NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE DEALER BUT SHE IS AWARE OF AN EXISTING RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,500.

MY 2010 PRIUS HAS HAD THESE PROBLEMS, WHICH ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA. 1)GAS PEDAL STOPPED WORKING AT ALL ON TWO OCCASIONS GOING 20-30 MILES AN HOUR. HAD TO PULL OVER, TURN CAR OFF, RESTART IT. THEN IT WORKED. HASN'T HAPPENED AGAIN. 2)CRUISE CONTROL IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP WITH BRAKE. THIS IS CONSISTENT. I HAVE STOPPED USING THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAUSE IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *TR

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES REAR BRAKES RELEASED OR SLIPPED AND VEHICLE SPED UP. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF DRIVING, SHE DROVE OVER AN UNEVEN, PERHAPS POTHOLED AREA IN THE ROAD AND IT SEEMED AS IF THE VEHICLE'S REAR BRAKES RELEASED OR SLIPPED, AND THE VEHICLE SPED UP. THE VEHICLE THEN SEEMED TO CORRECT ITSELF AND DROVE SMOOTHLY AHEAD WITH PROPER BRAKING. *JB

MY BRAKES QUIT WORKING IF A BRAKE ON LOOSE GRAVEL OR WHEN I HIT A BUMP AT LOW SPEEDS. SEEMS LIKE THE ABS IS TRYING TO WORK BUT FAILS TO KICK ON. *TR

I HAVE HAD REPEATED OCCURRENCES OF THE 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS BRAKING SYSTEM ABNORMALITY RECENTLY REPORTED IN THE NEWS, SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN JULY 2009. I REPORTED THIS AT MY FIRST OIL CHANGE TO THE DEALERS SERVICE CENTER, BUT THEY DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE MATTER. *TR

MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS LURCHES FORWARD WHEN I BRAKE GOING OVER A BUMP, POTHOLE OR MANHOLE AND SOMETIMES SLIPPERY SURFACES. IT IS BRIEF. WE REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER AT AROUND 5000 MILES. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BUT I HAVE DRIVEN A CAR WITH ANI-LOCK BRAKES FOR OVER TEN YEARS AND THIS FEELS DIFFERENT. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN JUNE 2009. *TW

SOMETIMES AFTER STARTING THE CAR, BRAKES WILL ONLY RESPONSE TO HARD BRAKING. CANNOT BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY. BRAKES WILL NOT RESPOND AT ALL WHEN LIGHTLY PRESSING DOWN ON BRAKE PEDAL. ONLY AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 1 MILE WILL NORMAL BRAKING FUNCTIONALITY RETURN. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE EVER SINCE I FIRST BOUGHT MY CAR NEW.

TOYOTA 2010 PRIUS INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE WHEN BRAKING ON ROUGH PAVEMENT- I PURCHASED A NEW 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS ON JUNE 30, 2009 AND HAVE APPROXIMATELY 6400 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WE EXPERIENCE TWO ISSUES WHEN BRAKING ON ROUGH PAVEMENT. FIRST IS THAT THE BRAKES SEEM TO FAIL WHEN APPLIED IN NORMAL NON PANIC STOPPING IF THERE IS WET OR ROUGH PAVEMENT. SECOND WHEN THE FIRST SYMPTOM OCCURS IT IS ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY WHAT FEELS LIKE AN INCREASE IN TORQUE AT THE FRONT WHEELS SO THAT NOT ONLY DO THE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE FAILING THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD FROM THE ADDED THRUST. *TR

MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS BEEN HAVING BRAKING ISSUES. IT HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES THAT WHEN I AM STOPPING AND HIT A BUMP THE BRAKES SEEM TO NOT ENGAGE. *CN

TL*THE CONTACT TEST DROVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS FROM A AUTHORIZED DEALER. HE STATES THAT HE WAS WEARING POLARIZED SUNGLASSES. HE HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY READING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER AND SPEEDOMETER GAUGE WHICH EXHIBITED DIM LIGHTING. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. BL UPDATED 10/09/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS A DASHBOARD DISPLAY JUST BELOW THE WINDSHIELD THAT REPORTS THE SPEED, FUEL LEVEL AND OTHER OPERATING INFORMATION. THE DISPLAY IS A REFLECTED IMAGE OF A VACUUM-FLUORESCENT DISPLAY INSIDE THE DASH. UNFORTUNATELY, THE REFLECTION PATH POLARIZES THE DISPLAYED IMAGE SO THAT IT IS ALL BUT UNREADABLE THROUGH POLARIZED SUNGLASSES. UPDATED 10/16/09.

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS SOFTWARE DEFECT IN THE ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM. CONSUMER STATES WHILE REVERSING BEFORE THE START UP OPERATION IS COMPLETE THE BRAKES GRAB. *KB THE CONSUMER PARKED FACING AN UPSLOPE AT THE DEALER TO GET HIS LICENSE PLATE INSTALLED. TO LEAVE, THE CONSUMER PUT HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PRESSED THE POWER BUTTON. AS THE DASHBOARD STARTED TO LIGHT UP, HE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE FOOT BRAKE AND STARTED TO EASE DOWN THE RAMP. AS THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE FOOT BRAKE, THE BRAKES GRABBED BADLY. THE CONSUMER RELEASED AND RE-APPLIED THEM, AND AGAIN THEY GRABBED. THE GRABBING WAS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND THE CONSUMER JUST STOPPED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE BEHAVIOR INDICATED A DEFECT IN THE SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLLED THE START-UP SEQUENCE. THE CONTROL COMPUTER SHOULD NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE SHIFTED INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE UNTIL THE POWER-ON OPERATIONS HAVE BEEN FULLY COMPLETED. *JB

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. CAR SEEMS TO SURGE FORWARD WHEN BRAKING ON ROUGH PAVEMENT SUCH AS POTHOLES. ALSO HAPPENED ONCE ON A WET DAY WHEN A FRONT WHEEL SLIPPED ON THE PAINTED STOP LINE BEFORE AN INTERSECTION. WE TOOK DELIVERY OF THE CAR IN JUNE 2009 AND THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS IN JULY 2009. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND ENGAGING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE BRIEFLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED 10 TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT WAS A SAFETY FEATURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4826.

MUSTY SMELL COMING FROM AIR CONDITION FROM MY TOYOTA PRIUS 2010. *TR

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN OR TO COME TO A STOP, IF THE CAR HITS A BUMP, POTHOLE OR THE LIKE, THE BRAKES RELEASE MOMENTARILY, CAUSING THE CAR?S MOMENTUM TO CONTINUE FORWARD LONGER/FURTHER THAN YOU WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT OR WANT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT A NEW YORK CITY PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK OR TRYING TO SLOW DOWN WITH A CAR CLOSE IN FRONT OF YOU. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT EVALUATED BY TOYOTA'S FIELD TECHNICAL SPECIALIST WHO REPORTED THE FOLLOWING, ""WHEN [THE CAR] SENSES IMPENDING WHEEL SLIP, IT WILL FIRST DISABLE THE REGENERATIVE BRAKES. WHEN IT DOES THAT IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR SORT OF ACCELERATES BECAUSE YOU LOST THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING AND YOU'RE USING THE BRAKE ASSIST THAT YOU HAVE FROM YOUR FOOT. SO THAT IS 'NORMAL OPERATION' ON THE SYSTEM. IT IS WORKING AS DESIGNED." DESPITE THE EXPLANATIONS FOR WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS ?NORMAL OPERATION?, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IF THE CAR IS NOT STOPPING WHEN IT SHOULD, THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS AND PEDESTRIANS IS IN JEOPARDY. I CALLED AND WROTE TWO CERTIFIED LETTERS TO TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE DEPARTMENT AND TO AKIO TOYOTA, AND RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM AN EXECUTIVE ANALYST FROM THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE. NO TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE WOULD DO ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO THE PROBLEM--THEY MAINTAIN THAT THE BRAKING OPERATION IS NORMAL. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE AND ON PRIUS OWNERS BLOGS THAT CONTRADICT TOYOTA'S ASSERTION AND SUPPORT THE CLAIM THAT THE BRAKES ARE INDEED A SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED.*TR