2010 Toyota Prius Complaint Log

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH BRAKE PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES THAT A SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKING OCCURS AFTER DRIVING OVER SMALL POTHOLES, LOOSE GRAVEL, OR DOWN A SLIGHT HILL. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED IT FELT AS THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING FOR 1-3 SECONDS. *JB

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING RE BRAKING PROBLEMS EXPERIENCE BY AN OWNER OF A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED INCONSISTENT BRAKING WHILE DRIVING ON WET, BUMPY ROADS WHICH REQUIRED EXTRA VIGILANCE AS THE FEEL OF THE BRAKES WOULD OFTEN CHANGE. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE PROBLEM WAS ALSO EVIDENT WHILE IN REVERSE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP WHILE IN REVERSE AND HIT ANOTHER CAR. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE OTHER VEHICLE WERE DAMAGED. THE CONSUMER STATED HIS VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP RECEIVING THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE TO SUPPOSEDLY ADDRESS THE BRAKING PROBLEM. *JB

I HAVE A 2010 PRIUS. MY CAR WAS SURGING BEFORE BRAKING ON BUMPY TERRAIN. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR TO THE DEALER, AS PER THE RECALL. THE PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. I STILL FEEL A SURGE WHILE BRAKING OVER BUMPS. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND SUGGESTED I CALL TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS IN CALIFORNIA. I HAVE ATTEMPTED THREE TIMES TO REPORT MY COMPLAINT AND ON EACH OCCASION WAITED ON THE PHONE OVER A HALF HOUR WITH NO ANSWER. *TR

ON FEB 1, 2010, I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT INTERSECTION AT ABOUT 7 MPH. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IT WAS LIKE STEPPING ON A SOLID STEEL POLE OR ICE SKATES. THE PEDAL WOULD NOT DEPRESS AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. I RELEASED BRAKE PRESSURE AND AGAIN PRESSED THE PEDAL AND THEN THE BRAKES OPERATED SATISFACTORILY. THE STREET WAS SMOOTH ASPHALT, DRY AND IN GOOD CONDITION WITHOUT BUMPS. ON FEB 28, 2010 THE DEALER (LAKE CITY TOYOTA) ACCEPTED THE VEHICLE AND PERFORMED THE "SERVICE CAMPAIGN AOB ABS ACTUATOR ECU UPDATE". *TR

TOYOTA PRIUS 2010, MY PROBLEM IS SOMETIMES THE GAS PEDAL DOES NOT RELEASE WHEN TRYING TO STOP, I HAVE FOUND THAT BY RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE THROTTLE RELEASES, THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS UNDER THE SPEED OF 40 MPH. THIS PROBLEM IS ALWAYS RANDOM, AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN, IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 30 TIMES SO FAR, THIS STARTED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. IS THIS PROBLEM PART OF THE RECALL. *TR

THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT A RECURRING EVENT THAT HAS SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS IN THE WRONG SITUATIONS. FOR FIVE TIMES NOW, SINCE DRIVING OUR NEW CAR, OUR BRAKES HAVE RELEASED AFTER GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS BUMP CAN BE AS SMALL AS A CRACK CAUSED BY A NEARBY TREE'S ROOTS, OR LARGER LIKE A POTHOLE. IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING OVER SLICK SEWER COVERS. IT TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHEN BRAKING, THEN HITTING THE BUMP, THEN BRAKES RELEASE, AND THE CAR IS NO LONGER BREAKING. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN HILLY CITIES LIKE SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE IF THIS HAPPENS GOING DOWNHILL, THE ACCELERATION ACCOMPANIED BY THE LACK OF BRAKING GOING DOWNHILL CAN RESULT IN CRASHING INTO THE NEXT CAR, OR WORSE, HITTING A CROSSING PEDESTRIAN AT A CROSS WALK. *TR

WHEN THE CAR IS MODERATELY BRAKING (SO CALLED REGENERATIVE BRAKING) AND EITHER (OR BOTH) OF THE REAR WHEELS HITS ROUGH PAVEMENT (POT HOLES, METAL PLATES COVERING ROAD, ROUGH RAIL-ROAD CROSSINGS) THE CAR CEASES TO BREAK AND THE CAR ACTUALLY ACCELERATES (THE ACTUAL TIME IS ABOUT 1 SECOND OF NO BREAKS AND ACCELERATION). I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN 10 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN OCT OF 09. IN THE FIRST MONTH THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS. TWO MONTHS AGO (DEC)A MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE ELECTRIC ENGINE KICKS IN (WHEN REGENATIVE BREAKING) WHICH DRIVES THE FRONT WHEELS FOR A SMOOTHER BREAKING, SO HE SURMISED THAT IF THE BREAKING WHEELS ARE NOT MAKING CONTACT THE CAR WOULD SPEED UP. ON 1/13/2010 I MET WITH THE HEAD OF SERVICE FOR THE DEALERSHIP. HE TOLD ME THAT THE DEALERSHIP TESTED A PRIUS HOOKING IT UP TO A COMPUTER AND REPRODUCED THE ENVIRONMENT OF THIS COMPLAINT. ALTHOUGH HE ADMITTED THERE WAS A MOMENTARY LACK OF BREAKING WITH THE LOSS OF BACK WHEEL CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT HE CLAIMED THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION NOTED. HE ALSO ADMITTED THE TEST WAS DONE AT APPROX. 25MPH. I SUGGESTED HE SHOULD REPEAT THE TEST AT 40-50MPH AS THIS IS WHERE IT IS MOST NOTABLE. TOYOTA'S ONLY SUGGESTION IS TO DRIVE CAREFULLY. THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM BUT THIS IS THERE SOLUTION. I HAVE BEEN CAREFUL BUT ON 1/31/10 I WAS DRIVING AT 45MPH BEGINNING TO DECELERATE AS THE LIGHT AHEAD HAD TURNED RED, AND THE TRUCK INFRONT OF ME HAD TO PANIC STOP AS A CAR CUT INFRONT OF HIM, AT THAT MOMENT MY REAR LEFT WHEEL HIT A POTHOLE SO I WAS NOT ABLE TO BRAKE AND ACTUALLY ACCELERATED TOWARD THE BACK OF THIS TRUCK. WHEN THE BRAKES REENGAGED I ACTUALLY STOPPED 12 INCHES FROM HIS BUMPER. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS ARE AN OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD WHEN YOU NEED TO STOP UNEXPECTEDLY, YOU MIGHT WELL BE ENDANGERING OTHER DRIVERS AND/OR PEDESTRIANS. *TR

THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY RELEASE/SKIP WHEN BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP WHILE PASSING OVER A BUMP OR POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON A REGULAR BASIS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN JULY 2009. *TR

I DRIVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS AND WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THAT WHEN BRAKING, IF I HIT A POT HOLE OR BUMP, THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD OR ACCELERATES FOR A SPLIT SECOND. I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR JUST UNDER 60 DAYS BUT HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES. IT HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, BUT LEAVES ME FEELING AS IF THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT I DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OF MY CAR. IT'S LIKE IT HAS A MIND OF IT'S OWN! *TR

I AM DRIVING A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS SINCE AUGUST 2009. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS THE BRAKES SEEM TO MALFUNCTION. I CAN REPLICATE THIS ISSUE ON A CERTAIN ROAD WHEN I AM COMING DOWN A SLOPE APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE (DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE) HITS A POTHOLE AS I AM BRAKING. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO GO FORWARD MOMENTARILY INSTEAD OF THE BRAKES WORKING AS THEY SHOULD. THE DATE MENTIONED BELOW IS THE MOST RECENT TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE. ALL TOGETHER THIS HAS OCCURRED APPROX. 10 TIMES SINF AUGUST. *TR

I WAS READING A STORY TODAY ABOUT SOME REPORTED BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2010 PRIUS. I BOUGHT MINE BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2009. I HAVE NOT NOTICED ANY BRAKE PROBLEMS DURING THE WINTER ON SLIPPERY SURFACES, BUT JUST IN THE LAST WEEK(JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 2010) I HAVE HAD TWO INSTANCES ON ROUGH ROADS(FROM MELTING ICE CREATING SOME SMALL POTHOLES) WHILE BRAKING WHERE IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR EITHER ACCELERATES FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OR THE WHEELS SLIP. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I LOOKED BACK TO SEE IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY ICE IN THAT SECTION OF THE ROAD AND THERE WAS NONE. THE OTHER TIME IT HAPPENED AS I WAS NEARLY STOPPED AND THE SENSATION WAS MORE LIKE I HAD BEEN BUMPED FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER CAR. I REMEMBER IMMEDIATELY LOOKING UP TO SEE IF A CAR HAD HIT ME AND THERE WAS NOT A CAR CLOSE AT ALL. *TR

FEBRUARY 4, 2010 I OWN A 2010 PRIUS PURCHASED 09/01/09 BRAND NEW FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2010 I WAS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD APPROACHING A "T" INTERSECTION AT A STOP SIGN. THE MAIN ROADS HAD BEEN CLEARED OF ICE BUT THERE WAS SOME ICE REMAINING ON OUR STREET. I WAS TRAVELING VERY SLOWLY, PUT ON MY BRAKES AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN I TRIED PUMPING THE BRAKES SINCE I GOT NO RESPONSE OTHERWISE. I SLID THROUGH THE STOP SIGN, TRIED TO TURN MY TIRES TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE CURB AND ENDED UP JUMPING THE CURB WITH BOTH FRONT TIRES. ON INSPECTION WHEN I GOT HOME (4 HOUSES DOWN FROM THE INCIDENT) I NOTICED THE RIM OF THE RIGHT TIRE HAD BEEN CRACKED AND THE TIRE HAD SOME DAMAGE. I HAD TO WORK ON MON & TUES AND DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR ON THOSE DAYS. YESTERDAY, 02/03/10 I TOOK THE CAR TO HIBDON TIRES (2 BLOCKS AWAY) SINCE THE DEALERSHIP IS OVER 30 MILES AWAY AND I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY. THEY PUT ON THE SPARE TIRE AND DETERMINED THAT THE PASSENGER RIM WAS NOT REPAIRABLE, THE DRIVER RIM WAS INTACT AND BOTH TIRES WERE INTACT AND REUSABLE. THEY INDICATED THE AXLE DID NOT APPEAR DAMAGED. I ORDERED ANOTHER TOYOTA RIM TO MATCH ($411.20) AND WITH AN ALIGNMENT ($65.00) I WAS QUOTED A TOTAL PRICE OF $512.26. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALER TODAY (02/05/10) AFTER READING THE MEDIA REPORTS ABOUT COMPLAINTS BY OTHER PRIUS OWNERS DESCRIBING THE VERY SITUATION THAT HAPPENED TO ME. I CANCELED MY ORDER WITH HIBDON AND HOPE TO HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I HAVE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (HENRY SIEGLER AT FOWLER TOYOTA IN NORMAN, OK; 321-1301) AND WILL BE TAKING MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE THIS MORNING. I WOULD LIKE TO LOG MY EXPERIENCE FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU. *TR

MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS LURCHES WHEN GOING OVER A ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD WHILE I'M USING THE BRAKES. THERE IS A PARTICULAR PATCH OF ROAD NEAR MY HOME WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITH HIS FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR A POTHOLE THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND ACCELERATED. THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND IT OCCURS MORE FREQUENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

I HAVE A NEW 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS, PURCHASED 15 JAN. 2010. I HAVE SINCE PUT 3,292 MILES ON THE VEHICLE ON A TRIP FROM WASHINGTON TO CALIFORNIA AND BACK, DURING WHICH CONDITIONS FROM MOUNTAINS, SNOW AND ICE, AND DRY FREEWAY CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED. THE RANDOM PROBLEM OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN USING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DISCONNECT THE CRUISE CONTROL TO SLOW DOWN. THE PROBLEM IS MOST PRONOUNCED WHEN THE POWER APPLIED TO THE VEHICLE IS INCREASING TO MAINTAIN SELECTED CRUISE CONTROL SPEED. WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED IN THESE SITUATIONS, THE VEHICLE TRIES TO ACCELERATE FOR A SECOND OR SO, GIVING THE DRIVER THE FEELING OF NOT BEING IN CONTROL. THE PROBLEM IS MOST PRONOUNCED WHEN CLIMBING A STEEP (6% TO 8%) GRADE. IN THOSE CASES (2 TO 3 TIMES) THE POWER SURGE WAS PRONOUNCED AND SEEMED TO LAST FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS WITH THE SMELL OF BURNING BRAKES AFTER THE ACCELERATION ENDED. ON THE FREEWAY, WHILE THE PROBLEM IS LESS SEVERE, THE DRIVER IS LEFT WITH AN UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION IF COMING UP ON A SLOWER MOVING VEHICLE AS YOUR VEHICLE CONTINUES TO GAIN ON THE VEHICLE AHEAD EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN. THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD OF THREE WEEKS, SO THE DATE BELOW IS NOT ACCURATE. *TR

WE HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS PURCHASED IN JULY 2009. FROM THE START, WE NOTICED AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES SEEMING TO SKIP AS YOU APPLIED PRESSURE AT LOWER SPEEDS. TWO CALLS TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS WERE MET WITH THE PHONE EQUIVALENT OF "BLANK STARES" AND WE GOT NOWHERE. WITH THE RECENT NEWS REPORTS DESCRIBING THE ISSUE WE FOUND, I CALLED TWO TOYOTA DEALERS YESTERDAY IN MY AREA ABOUT GETTING IT FIXED AND THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY NO HELP AT ALL. ONE SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AND HAD RECEIVED NO INFORMATION FROM THE COMPANY AND THE OTHER SEEMED NOT TO BE EVEN AWARE OF THE BRAKE ISSUE, THE SERVICE SUPERVISOR KEPT SPEAKING ABOUT THE ACCELERATOR ISSUE WHICH IS DIFFERENT. WE HAVE BEEN LIMITING HOW MUCH WE DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE WE ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE BRAKES. *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUES AS REPORTED FOR MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS: THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD OR TEMPORARILY LOST BRAKING(IN A SPLIT SECOND) AFTER DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE OR OTHER UNEVEN SURFACE. *TR

2010 PRIUS SEEMS TO LURCH FORWARD WHEN DRIVING OVER POTHOLES AND OTHER BUMPS WHILE BRAKING. THIS HAS HAPPENED NEAR INTERSECTIONS AND WHEN TURNING INTO PARKING LOTS. THE CAR SEEMS TO SPEED UP BRIEFLY, ENOUGH TO SCARE THE DRIVER. I'VE ALMOST ROLLED THROUGH STOP SIGNS AND NEARLY RUN OVER A FEW CARS WHEN TURNING INTO PARKING LOTS. *TR

MY 2010 PRIUS HAS TWICE HAD A BRIEF MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING IN SLOW SPEED. BOTH TIMES THIS OCCURRED WHEN TRYING TO STOP FOR A STOP SIGN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA WITH LOW SPEED AND ON ICY/SNOWY SURFACE. THE VEHICLE STOPPED 5 FEET OR SO PAST THE ORIGINALLY INTENDED POINT OF STOPPING. *TR

WHEN BRAKING OVER A SMOOTH SURFACE SUCH AS A MANHOLE COVER, THE VEHICLE TENDS TO LURCH FORWARD. *TR

THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE 5 MONTHS THAT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID. I WOULD GO OVER A POT HOLE OR LARGER BUMP AND INSTEAD OF MY BRAKES INITIATING WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKES THERE IS A QUICK ACCELERATION AND THE CAR LITERALLY LURCHES FORWARD INSTEAD OF SLOWING DOWN. ALSO, THERE IS A LONG LAG TIME BETWEEN PRESSING THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES ACTUALLY INTIATING WHICH IS CONSISTENT AND OCCURS ALL THE TIME. *TR

2010 PRIUS FEELS LIKE BRAKES NOT WORKING BUMPY OR ROUGH ROAD, ALSO BRAKES GRAB REAL BAD WHEN BACKING UP SOME TIMES. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX IT. *TR

MY 2010 PRIUS ACCELERATES WHEN IT HITS A POT HOLE WHILE SLOWING DOWN. THIS HAPPENS MORE WHEN THERE IS SNOW OR ICE ON THE ROAD. IN ICY CONDITIONS I AM SLOWING DOWN AND NOT PRESSING ON THE BRAKE, BUT IF IT HITS A POT HOLE -- A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL IS EXPERIENCE. IT SEEMS LIKE THE ELECTRIC BRAKE SWITCHES OFF AND HYDRAULIC BRAKES KICKS IN BECAUSE IT BRAKES HARDER ONCE BACK. *TR

I HAVE HAD THE 2010 PRIUS FOR 2 MONTHS NOW. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE BRAKE FAILURE WHEN GOING OVER POTHOLES (WHICH THERE ARE MANY OF IN LOS ANGELES) ABOUT 8 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 MOS. OVER A POTHOLE, I STEP ON THE BRAKE AND INSTEAD OF BRAKING MY CAR ACTUALLY ACCELERATES A LITTLE, AS IF THE POTHOLE IS PUSHING ME FORWARD. IT'S A LOSS OF CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE FOR THOSE 1-3 SECONDS, AND IF ANOTHER CAR WERE IN FRONT OF ME NO DOUBT I'D HIT IT AS THE BRAKES FAIL. I THOUGHT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH JUST MY CAR UNTIL I READ THE NEWS TODAY. *TR

ON MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS II (PURCHASED 9/30/2009, I HAVE NOTICED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THAT WHILE I AM BRAKING, IF I HIT A POTHOLE, BUMP OR ROUGH PAVEMENT OF SOME TYPE, THE BRAKING SUDDENLY RELEASES FOR HALF-A-SECOND OR A SECOND. I AM MAINTAINING PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT WITH A BUMP, IT STOPS BRAKING MOMENTARILY. BECAUSE I TEND TO GIVE MYSELF A LOT OF ROOM TO BRAKE, NONE OF THESE INCIDENTS HAS LED TO AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT IS VERY DISCONCERTING. *TR

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED ON AT LEAST 3 OCCASIONS, A SURGE WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP OR POTHOLE. I SPOKE TO MY LAW PARTNER ABOUT IT YESTERDAY. TODAY HE SHOWED ME THE INVESTIGATION YOU HAVE OPENED INTO THIS ISSUE. *TR

I HAVE A 2010 PRIUS. IF BRAKING WHILE GOING OVER A POTHOLE OR BUMP, THE BRAKES SEEM TO RELEASE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE MOMENTARILY. CONSISTENTLY HAPPENS IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. *TR

I HAVE A 2010 PRIUS, 3D GEN, BASIC PKG. FIVE DAYS AGO, I REAR-ENDED A CAR STOPPED ON AN ENTRANCE RAMP TO RT. 15 IN NJ. I HIT THE BRAKES -- AND THE CAR SHUDDERED FORWARD AS IF ITS WHEELS HAD SEIZED UP. THIS PRIUS HAS HAD INTERMITTENT BRAKING PROBS SINCE I BOUGHT IT LAST AUGUST. USUALLY, THIS HAPPENS ON A ROUGH ROAD OR DURING A SUDDEN DECELERATION. THE BRAKES FEEL AS THO THEY'VE LOCKED, AND THE CAR ALMOST BOUNCES TO A STOP, RATHER THAN BRAKING QUICKLY AND SMOOTHLY. I TOLD THE DEALER -- AND THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG (INFERRING IT WAS MY PROBLEM -- THAT I'M A LOUSY DRIVER.) I REPORTED THE BRAKE PROBLEM AGAIN AFTER THIS ACCIDENT, AND WAS TOLD AGAIN THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. NEWS REPORTS NOW SUGGEST - THERE IS A PROBLEM. (BTW - MY CAR HAS ALSO DONE SOME BRIEF SPURTS OF ACCELERATION, WHICH IS ODD IN ANY HYBRID. THEY USUALLY HAVE NO REAL PICK-UP.) I HAD NEVER BEFORE DRIVEN A PRIUS, SO I FIGURED THAT WAS HOW THE CAR RAN. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS? THE DEALER SAYS THEY'LL CHECK THE BRAKES - BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR. ALSO - MY CAR INSURANCE RATES WILL GO UP BECAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT, AND IT COST ME THE $500 DEDUCTIBLE. I'M DISGUSTED, TO SAY THE LEAST. I THOUGHT I'D BOUGHT THE HOLY GRAIL OF DESIGN EXCELLENCE & FUEL ECONOMY -- NEW AND IMPROVED 3D-GENERATION. I BOUGHT AN EXPENSIVE HEADACHE. *TR

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY REPORT TO YOUR OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS BRAKES. I PURCHASED MINE IN JULY AND SINCE THEN HAVE EXPERIENCED 4 (FOUR) INSTANCES OF THIS PROBLEM. IN EACH CASE, I WAS DECELERATING WITH THE BRAKES STEADILY APPLIED, AND ROLLED OVER A BUMP OR POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. AT THAT MOMENT, THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING, OR THE BRAKING POWER WAS SEVERELY REDUCED, AND THE CAR FELT AS IF IT LURCHED FORWARD. APPLYING MORE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES WHEN THIS OCCURS DOES CAUSE THE BRAKING TO RESUME, BUT THERE IS A DELAY OF PERHAPS 1/2 SECOND. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT SO FAR, BUT IF I WERE BEHIND ANOTHER CAR WHICH WAS ALSO BRAKING WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THERE IS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD THAT MY CAR WOULD SMASH INTO THE OTHER CAR'S REAR. *TR

JUST REINFORCING WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED ABOUT THE 2010 MODEL PRIUS. I HAVE A 2010 PRIUS THAT WAS PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2009, AND I HAVE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HAD ISSUES WHEN BRAKING AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND DRIVING OVER POTHOLES OR DIPS. THE BRAKES SEEM TO GIVE OUT FOR A MOMENT AND THE CAR ACCELERATES, RESULTING IN THE NEED TO SLAM DOWN THE BRAKE HARDER IMMEDIATELY. THE INCIDENT USUALLY ONLY LASTS FOR A SECOND OR TWO, AND I AM TRYING TO DRIVE EXTRA CAREFULLY TO COMPENSATE. BUT THE DELAY IN BRAKING COULD ABSOLUTELY RESULT IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT DUE TO THE INCREASED TIME TO DECELERATE. *TR

PRIUS 2010 OWNER. I WAS BRAKING TO ENTER A PARKING LOT FROM THE ROAD. AS I ENTERED THE LOT, THE CAR WENT OVER A BUMP IN THE PAVEMENT AND THE BRAKES FAILED FOR A VERY SHORT INSTANCE. IT DIDN'T PUT ME IN DANGER BUT IT WAS AN IMMEDIATE SCARE. (THIS HAPPENED JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE MEDIA REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE CAME OUT, SO I RELATED WITH THE REPOTS WHEN THEY CAME OUT.) *TR

1. EVENT: NORMAL CITY DRIVING (I.E., CAR IN DRIVE AND CRUISE CONTROL OFF) 2. THE FAILURE: PRESS ON BRAKE AND FEEL SOFTNESS INSTEAD OF FIRMNESS; MUST PRESS MUCH HARDER ON BRAKE THAN TYPICALLY REQUIRED TO BRING CAR TO STOP IN SAME DISTANCE. FAILURE OCCURS SPORADICALLY DURING COURSE OF REGULAR DRIVING. HAVE NOT ASSOCIATED FAILURE WITH TRAVELING OVER ROUGH SURFACES. 3. CONTACTED TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE LETTER IN MAIL INSTRUCTING US ON WHAT TO DO, BECAUSE NO CORRECTION HAS BEEN DEVELOPED YET FOR THIS PROBLEM IN EXISTING CARS. *CN

I OWN A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT SEEM TO LOOSE BRAKING POWER WHEN I HAVE THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSED DOWN AND THEN HIT A POTHOLE OR MANHOLE COVER. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. WHEN I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER A FEW MONTHS AGO THEY DIDN'T FIND A PROBLEM, BUT IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN, IT LUNGED FORWARD. THE WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE RISK COULD CAUSE A CRASH TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

DEAR, NHTSA I WAS DRIVING MY PRIUS IN NOVEMBER OF 2010 AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS NOT BRAKING WELL. I RECENTLY WAS INVOLVED ON JAN 29, 2010 IN AN INCIDENT DRIVING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT FROM WORK WERE THE BRAKES FAILED ON THE VEHICLE WHEN I WENT TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND THE CAR SKIDDED AND STRUCK SOME ICE/SNOW (ONE THE EDGE OF THE PARKING LOT) CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BUMPER. I AM NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DAMAGE AS I AM ABOUT MY OVERALL SAFETY IN THE VEHICLE. I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO TOYOTA AND THEY HAVE RESPONDED AND I HAVE TOLD THEM THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKING. I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO FORMALIZE MY COMPLAINT. I AM NOT CHECKING CRASH AND PROPERTY DAMAGE DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT WELL DEFINED ON THIS PAGE ALTHOUGH I HAD PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE CAR ITSELF AND I CRASHED INTO SNOW/ICE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TR

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS (PACKAGE IV) SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WHILE BRAKING OVER A BUMP, LIKE A MANHOLE COVER. IT OCCURS SEVERAL TIMES PER WEEK. NO SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES SO FAR, BUT COULD BE TROUBLESOME IF IT OCCURS NEAR OTHER CARS AT A LIGHT OR STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA AGENCY WHERE THEY DROVE MY CAR WITH ME AND DID NOTICE IT, BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT OR THINK IT WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. WE ALSO DROVE ANOTHER 2010 PRIUS ON THEIR LOT TO DETERMINE THAT THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTED IN IT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE BRAKING IS AIR, HYDRAULIC, OR ELECTRIC, SO I SELECTED ALL THREE. *TR

WHEN BRAKING AT LOW SPEEDS, IF THE CAR HITS A MANHOLE COVER OR UNEVEN, BUMPY ROAD, THERE IS A SPLIT-SECOND LOSS IN BRAKING (WHICH FEELS LIKE ACCELERATION SINCE THE DRIVER EXPECTS TO BE DECELERATING AT THE TIME). OTHER PRIUSCHAT SITE USERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 2010 PRIUS - SOME USERS CLAIMED THIS WAS "NORMAL" WHEN THE REGENERATIVE BRAKES SWITCH OVER TO HYDRAULIC BRAKES AND THAT THERE WAS REALLY NO LOSS IN BRAKING. IT MAY BE "NORMAL" BUT IT'S SCARY AS HECK WHEN IT HAPPENS AND IF A PEDESTRIAN CROSSES IN FRONT OF THE CAR OR A CAR IN FRONT OF A 2010 PRIUS STOPS QUICKLY UNDER JUST THE WRONG CIRCUMSTANCES, I SUSPECT AN ACCIDENT WOULD RESULT. *TR

MY 2010 TOYATA PRIUS (PURCHASED IN SEPT. 2009) HAS HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WHILE BRAKING OVER A PATCH OF ROAD WITH SMALL POTHOLES. IF THE BRAKES ARE ENGAGED WHILE OVER THE PATCH OF UNEVEN ROAD, THE CAR LURCHES OR "JUMPS" OVER THE SPOT ON THE ROAD AND THE BRAKES DON'T BEGIN TO CATCH UNTIL THE CAR GETS OVER THE PATCH. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5-10 TIME OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS AT A STOP LIGHT. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN EVER THE VEHICLE GOES OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR POTHOLE THE BRAKING SYSTEM WILL NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED. ALSO THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TAKES TO MUCH PRESSURE TO APPLY THE BRAKES FOR A NEW CAR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THE SERVICE TECH. DROVE THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKES WERE FINE AND THAT IS HOW THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED AND TO APPLY MORE PRESSURE. THE CONTACT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HIT A BUMP AND ACCELERATED IN TO A INTERSECTION WHILE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2.

WHILE DRIVING ON A SLICK ROAD. I TRIED TO BRAKE AND TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. BRAKE PEDAL FELT NON RESPONSIVE AND CAR HIT CURB, KNOCKING OFF THE WHEEL COVER AND SCUFFING THE RIM. *TR

MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING WHEN PASSING OVER BUMP IN ROAD WHILE BRAKING FOR STOP LIGHT. THIRD TIME I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED THIS MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING. *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM THAT IS BEING DESCRIBED WITH THE BRAKES ON MY 2010 PRIUS. WHEN BRAKING, IF A POTHOLE OR BUMP IN THE ROAD IS HIT, THE CAR SEEMINGLY JERKS FORWARD/ACCELERATES FOR A SPLIT SECOND. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A "NORMAL" ODDITY THAT WAS OCCURRING AS A RESULT OF THE ABS, BUT NOW REALIZE THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR

BRAKES SUDDENLY LURCH, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS SNOW OR UNEVEN SURFACE (POTHOLE), FIRST NOT CATCHING AND THEN CAUSING BRIEF MORE SUDDEN BRAKING. THIS IS AS IF THE ABS IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 3-4 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE OF CAR ABOUT 12/5/09. *TR

WHEN SLOWING DOWN OVER BUMPY SURFACES, THE CAR TEMPORARILY LOSES BRAKING CONTROL (FOR A SECOND OR SO). IT IS TERRIFYING AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ONLINE WHO HAVE REPORTED THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. *TR

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS LURCHED AHEAD AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE, AS DESCRIBED IN THE FEB. 4 NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE. NO CONTACT OR PROPERTY DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED. *TR

I OWN A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS, PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER, 2009. TWICE, I HAVE BEEN GOING OVER A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE CAR HAS ACCELERATED SUDDENLY INSTEAD OF BRAKING. THIS HAPPENED BOTH IN JANUARY AT THE SAME INTERSECTION -- AT THE INTERSECTION OF HAMPDEN AND MONACO IN DENVER, COLORADO. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH OVER ROUGH, BUMPY SURFACE OR A POTHOLE AND TRYING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO SEIZE AND GLIDED INSTEAD OF SLOWING DOWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON ONE OCCASION. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT THE FAILURE. HE HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100.

MY 2010 PRIUS HAS SPED UP AT LEAST THREE TIMES WHEN I EITHER DRIVE THROUGH A POTHOLE OR CROSS RAILROAD TRACKS, FORCING ME TO HIT THE BRAKES HARD. THE BRAKES WORKED AS THEY SHOULD AND NO ACCIDENT RESULTED. *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM WITH MY 2010 PRIUS, WHILE TURNING RIGHT ON TO ANOTHER STREET TRAVELING AROUND 20 MPH, I PRESS ON THE BRAKES TO DOWN SLIGHTLY WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR ACCELERATED VERY FAST, I PRESSED ON BRAKE HARDER AND IT STOP THIS ACCELERATION. LATER I HAD 2 PROBLEMS AT THE SAME INTERSECTION, # 1: I TURNED RIGHT INTO THE STREET TO MY RIGHT AND I NOTICED MY BRAKES HESITATED FOR ABOUT 1 OR 2 SECONDS, I THEN CONTINUED WITHOUT A PROBLEM. # 2: I TURNED RIGHT AT THE SAME INTERSECTION WITH THE BRAKES ON TO SLOW ME DOWN, WHEN THE CAR SEEMED TO ACCELERATE SLIGHTLY WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. THERE ARE MANY SMALL POT HOLES AT THE INTERSECTION .

1. TRAFFIC CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP SO I HIT THE BRAKES. 2. VEHICLE HIT A POTHOLE WHILE I WAS TRYING TO STOP AND THE BRAKES FELT LIKE THEY RELEASED. I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES AGAIN IN ORDER TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. 3. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. *TR