general problems of the 2013 Toyota Prius - part 1

Brake pedal is going all the way to the floor the car barely stops. The abs and brake lights show up on the dashboard and won't go away; when I used a diagnostic scanner to find the problem, three malfunction codes involving the brake system showed up. This has been going on for five days now, and I am going to take it to the manufacturer for further inspection.

Actuator needs replacing, currently at 127k miles and displaying traction control, brake and abs warning lights. The repair will be a few thousand dollars, the cars market value is only around $6k. This is a known Toyota defect for this generation of Prius but Toyota hasn’t recalled these vehicles. I think Toyota should have to pay. The vehicle is out of warranty at 127k miles and it’s a 2013.

My 2013 Toyota Prius with only 99,000 miles is experiencing a brake system failure. The brake warning light, abs light, and traction control light all illuminate. The brake actuator pump runs every 10 seconds, indicating loss of hydraulic pressure. Safety concern: this issue affects braking performance and disables abs and traction control, creating a safety hazard, especially in emergency braking situations. This appears to be a known issue with Toyota Prius brake actuator assemblies. Toyota previously issued a warranty extension, but my vehicle is now outside the time window despite low mileage. This failure occurred prematurely and without warning. What happened: the warning lights temporarily went off after adding brake fluid but returned shortly after. The pump continues to cycle frequently, indicating system failure.

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius v. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking space at approximately 15 mph and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal felt spongy, but the vehicle responded as intended. The brake, the abs, the traction control warning lights, and an unknown warning light were illuminated. The contact scanned the vehicle with a code reader and retrieved diagnostic trouble codes for the brake booster and brake accumulator systems failure. The contact related the failure to the Toyota customer satisfaction program: 20te07 (certain 2012 - 2014 model year Prius v coverage for brake booster and brake booster pump assemblies). The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer covered because the 10-year limit was exceeded. The contact was referred to the dealer, who provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The abs brake system is now making a noise that is directly related to the failure of the brake pump booster and associated parts. I only know about this as I was able to look up other people that have heard a noise coming from it and I was able to directly compare my sound to video recordings of other Priuses that make that noise just before the system fully fails. Mine has not yet completely failed and there are no warning lights yet, nor are there any "recalls" out for my VIN number. My car is also outside of the 10 year "extension" that Toyota issued for he part, but is well under the 150,000 mile marker that Toyota chose. It's at around 113,000 miles currently. I listed the date of the incident as the first date that I began hearing this noise. Please help.

Suddenly cars brakes failed with vehicle almost lunged forward. I had to slam the brakes heavily for it to stop; took the vehicle to Toyota service and clearly its a quality issue Toyota acknowledged as a know problem with error code c1391. They even had customer support program 20te07 acknowledging it as their issue; I almost got killed for this. The repair costs are abnormally high at 4900$'s putting me a financial burden also and currently unsafe car; Toyota - they literally know this issue and still put me at risk. They are refusing any kind of assistance to help too.

Brake booster failed. We were driving on the freeway and almost got into a pile up. Brakes completely stopped working and pedal became very stiff. The more I look it is this is an extremely common issue.

Year/make/model: 2013 Toyota Prius • component: brake booster assembly with master cylinder (part #47070-47060) description of the defect: after approximately 30–40 minutes of driving, my dashboard illuminates with the brake, abs, and vsc warning lights simultaneously. The brake pedal becomes inconsistent and requires significantly more effort to stop the vehicle. This is a known internal fluid leak within the brake booster assembly that causes the accumulator pump to run continuously and ultimately reduces braking performance — a direct safety hazard. Why this requires federal attention: this is not an isolated incident. Hundreds of 2013 Prius owners have reported identical symptoms, with associated diagnostic trouble codes c1391, c1252, c1256, and c1253. Toyota acknowledged this defect by issuing technical service bulletin TSB-0089-20 and a customer support program (zjb) providing limited extended warranty coverage. However, that program was not well publicized . I was never informed as a vehicle owner . And it has now expired, leaving thousands of owners with a dangerous defect and repair bills costing thousands . A safety defect of this magnitude — one that can result in sudden, significant loss of braking ability — should not have an expiration date on its remedy. Toyota has not issued a mandatory recall, and owners continue to unknowingly drive vehicles with compromised brake systems. Requested action: I respectfully urge NHTSA 1. Open a formal investigation into this defect across all affected 2013–2015 Toyota Prius model years 2. Require Toyota to issue a mandatory safety recall 3. Compel Toyota to cover repair costs for all affected owners regardless of mileage or age of vehicle.

My 2013 Prius brake booster aassembly with aster cylinder had to be replaced for the sum $3996. 75. Milage on the vehicle was 109,541. The car 's brake light went on and the engine area a buzzing occured. The car was very difficult to stop and I was concerned enough to drive the vehicle home and have it towed to the [xxx] Toyota dealer. I was informed that I needed a brake booster assembly and master cylinder the quote was about four thousand dollars. Attached is my paid bill for $3996. 75. The VIN number of the car is [xxx] . Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

This vehicle qualifies for a repair under t-sb-0024-19. However, this TSB expired in 2023 but the defect and responsibility shouldn't. The car didn't qualify for the repair before the TSB expired, but does now. Because the bulletin was issued and Toyota as acknowledged the repair is needed I have asked them to cover the repair as if it was prior to expiration date. Without the pricey repair, the car is unsafe to drive at no fault of the purchaser. The TSB covers the brake booster and brake booster pump and fail. Do lives have to be put at risk for Toyota to honor and repair the very thing they know is faulty? the car has under 115,000 miles and the issue just started in February. The dealership refuses to provide an itemized repair receipt. The ticket just outlines warranty information of the repair and the second are the techs notes provided via text.

While driving my 2013 Toyota Prius (110,691 miles), multiple warning lights suddenly illuminated on the dashboard, including the abs, brake, and stability control lights. I initially took the vehicle to an independent specialist (DC line), but the mechanic there suggested I take it directly to Toyota because his staff recognized this as a known manufacturing defect that should be covered by the manufacturer. A Toyota dealership confirmed diagnostic code c1391, which indicates an internal high-pressure leak in the brake actuator and booster assembly. This is a critical safety defect that causes the brake pedal to become soft and unpredictable, significantly increasing stopping distances and disabling the abs system. This poses a direct threat to my safety and others on the road. Toyota is fully aware of this defect through customer support program zjb, but they are refusing to cover the repair because of an arbitrary expiration date they set for 2023. I am currently 40,000 miles under the 150,000-mile limit Toyota established for this exact part failure, yet they are using the 2023 calendar date to deny coverage. Furthermore, I was never properly informed of this defect. Toyota claims they sent a single notification card in 2018, which I never received. I am now being forced to pay $3,000 out of pocket for a manufacturing flaw that even independent mechanics recognize as Toyota’s responsibility. It is unacceptable that a manufacturer can avoid responsibility for a dangerous braking failure by relying on a single postcard and an arbitrary 2023 deadline on a vehicle well under the mileage limit. This should be a mandatory safety recall, as the safety of a vehicle's braking system should not depend on a postcard or a calendar date.

This is the 3rd time I have had to address this issue. The abs system fails, resulting in increased braking distances. The dealership refuses to warranty or recall this dangerous defect, replacing the parts which fail again. Symptoms include increased braking distance, extremely hard pedal, lack of abs function, lack of traction control, lack of hybrid regen. The entire dash lights up with indicators for all these functions.

Spontaneous failure of brake actuator system.

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while coming to a stop, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle unexpectedly lunged forward. The abs warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.

Brake master cylinder failure.

The brake actuator and compressor is having repeated problems and causing the brakes to lock up completely while driving both in city and on the highway. Abs/parking/normal brakes the lights on the dash all start flashing and beeping. Abs / emergency brake / exclamation warning / sliding / lights all on it also caused the speedometer to stop working and most of the lights of the computer part of my dash to not display information problem code 1391 confirmed by mechanic this is a danger to me and other drivers and Toyota needs to take responsibility for these repairs because it can cost us our lives.

Abs warning light illuminated and the system failed while driving, causing longer braking distance and reduced steering control during braking. I am concerned this abs malfunction increased the risk of a crash for me and other road users.

While driving my 2013 Toyota Prius, the red brake warning light, traction control, and abs warning light suddenly illuminated on the dashboard. The brake pedal became spongy and required significantly more effort to stop the vehicle, indicating reduced braking power. The vehicle was diagnosed with code c1391 — abnormal leak in the brake booster accumulator assembly — a known manufacturing defect acknowledged by Toyota via customer support program bulletin zg1 for 2010–2015 Prius vehicles. The brake accumulator was replaced by a repair shop (arc auto repair, pasadena, CA), but the issue has recurred. The symptom is pressure-dependent: brake performance degrades in eco drive mode as accumulator pressure bleeds down, and partially restores in power mode when the system is forced to repressurize. Toyota dealership (hamer Toyota, mission hills, CA) and Toyota customer experience (1-800-331-4331) both declined to assist, citing expired warranty. This is a known safety-critical defect in the braking system that Toyota has previously acknowledged. No crash or injury occurred, but the reduced braking capability presents a significant safety risk to the driver and public.

Upon a hard (but not emergency) brake, my abs and brake warning lights came on and my car began whirring once every few seconds. I immediately took the car to the Toyota dealership, who informed me that my master brake cylinder and booster had to be replaced, and that issues with the booster were something they had seen frequently in this generation of Priuses. I paid $5095 for repairs and inspection, but I had no other choice, as my brakes could have gone out at any moment whilst I was on the road and caused a very serious accident.

I was driving and notice abs light and other light came on, then noticed that when I tried to brake it felt weak, had to pump brake, then later noticed a leak on brake fluid. I took car to Toyota and they checked it and said brake booster and booster pump needed replacing and they wanted to charge me 3,000 dollars. I could not do the job so I checked around and the auto one in my area informed me that many Toyota Prius’s had a recall on that issue. I made an appointment with parks Toyota in deland, florida to fix problem but when he got there they told me that my car was not on recall for that but was for battery ev fuse but couldn’t do because my engine light was off. I am having such a difficult time with this car. I cannot risk my life and that of others driving with this brake condition if I can’t have the manufacturer or who ever has to to take care of this issue. So far I was able to get a mechanic to do some adjustments so I can drive. I am being very careful and only use it as needed. I stopped looking for a part-time job because I need this fixed first. I am [xxx] , please tell me if I am able to get this recall show for me. Thanks information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The brake actuator/abs hydraulic system on my 2013 Toyota Prius failed. The component is available for inspection upon request, as it was replaced by a Toyota dealership. Prior to failure, the vehicle intermittently displayed abs, traction control, and vsc warning lights while driving, which would sometimes clear on their own but eventually became persistent. This condition reduced or disabled abs, traction control, and vehicle stability functions, increasing the risk of loss of control or reduced braking effectiveness, particularly in emergency braking or low-traction conditions. The problem was reproduced and confirmed by a Toyota dealer, who diagnosed the failure using diagnostic code c1391 indicating internal brake actuator malfunction. The vehicle was inspected by the manufacturer’s authorized dealer, who replaced the brake actuator assembly after three days of repair at a cost of approximately $3,000. Warning lamps were present for months prior to the final repair and gradually progressed from intermittent to constant, indicating a worsening failure of a known issue affecting this generation of Prius vehicles.

I was driving on Saturday January 10th, 2026, when out of nowhere all of my dash warning lights came on and the brakes felt spongy and unresponsive. I had to limp home with 20% of my brake capacity which was very scary. Did some research and it was my brake actuator that went out. Dealer quoted me $4,000 to fix! this is a very common issue with Priuses between 2005-2015 and it's a crime that the part has not been recalled. Please put out a recall for this part. Toyota has already had a class-action lawsuit so precedent has been set. I have no idea how I'm going to pay $4,000 to fix this, I'm recently unemployed. Please hold Toyota liable!.

Warning lamps for abs and others and the chiming dings came on while pulling away from the bank drive through and parking for a second. I shut the engine off and turned back on with no success. I was barely able to park in a spot because of difficulties braking. My car had been making an electric noise every 15 seconds or so previously, at different times when parked, but I thought it was the hybrid engine. Now I think it was the brake pump trying to build up pressure due to a faulty, leaking brake actuator.

Car suddenly needed a jump start and again after a day or two of non-use. On the third day brakes, abs and traction control warnings were lighted up and remains. Brakes are mostly ineffective. My own scan returns the code c1252 and c1256 that says brake booster system failing. Took it to the dealer who charged $290 again to scan and came up with failed brake booster and pump assembly. The dealers is quoting total $4000 to fix. Toyota customer support program bulletin dated 8/2018 and revised on 8/2019 extends the warranty on for this issue (for Toyota Prius c 2013) for 10 years or 150000 miles. I was never informed by Toyota or the seller (stevens creek Toyota, san jose CA) about this defect under warranty that I could have gotten repaired well before the dead line of 10 years. Now both Toyota or the dealer's service department refuse to bear the repair cost.

The abs brake actuator in my 2013 Prius v failed at just over 91,000 miles in December 2025, making the vehicle unsafe to drive. I understand that this is a known issue with this model of vehicle.

Red brake light came on, traction control light came on, abs light came on, Toyota says my brake pump needs replaced. That my brake will fail.

Upon acceleration, several brake related warning lights came on along with a consistent chime. When it came time to stop. The vehicle would not stop then with great pressure on the pedal, I was able to slow the vehicle narrowly avoiding a collision with another vehicle. The vehicle then drove normal after that and a few minutes later the lights went out. When I got home, I scanned for codes and got c1252 and c1256. This appears to be a common problem with these vehicles that Toyota does not want to address.

On [xxx], we were driving from coalinga, CA to phoenix, az for thanksgiving. As we began to descend into los angeles on [xxx], three warning indicators suddenly went the abs warning light, the traction control light and the brake warning light. The brakes still worked but the brake assist was weakened. We pulled over as soon as possible at the nearest autozone. The employee performed a standard handheld obd-ii scan of the vehicle and did not detect any issues. We continued on our way through los angeles and to san bernadino where we were spending the night. At one point the indicator lights went off for a few minutes but then came back on. We spent the night in san bernadino, and the next day (11/26/2025), we took the car into the san bernadino Toyota dealership as we felt it was unsafe to keep driving. The dealer conducted a thorough full brake and hybrid system diagnostic and confirmed that the failure was inside the brake booster system. The repair estimate states: "brake booster assembly with master cylinder and brake booster pump assembly have an internal leak. " thus, Toyota's own technician identified an internal hydraulic leak within the booster system, affecting the booster assembly, master cylinder, and booster pump assembly. The total repair estimate is $3,959. 99. This is a major safety defect affecting sealed hydraulic components that are not part of routine wear-and-tear. There were 4 people in the car. Fortunately, the brake failure did not result in an accident, but it could have if we had kept driving on to our destination. We contacted the Toyota brand engagement center to ask for goodwill assistance, but they were unable to help us. In addition to the repair costs, we have incurred rental car costs. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Brake actuator failure requires actuator and master cylinder replacement. All dash lights came on while driving. The vehicle was diagnosed at brian easler Toyota in hendersonville north carolina. The brakes are still operational temporarily but spongy and expected to fail so the car is not drivable. I expect to have the actuator and master cylinder replaced in then next few weeks at a cost of $5600. I see there were previous recalls on the braking system that have now expired.

Brakes had no stopping power. Normally when braking it was smooth. All the lights went on. Toyota dealer confirmed that the brake booster pump assembly and brake master assembly needs to be replaced.

My daughter was driving the 2013 Toyota Prius on the interstate in chattanooga, TN. The brakes did not feel right and the car was very difficult to stop. (it did not brake at a normal distance) my daughter was able to get someone safely, and she had the car towed to the dealer. My daughter's life was endangered by this brake booster failure, but there is no recall listed on the vehicle. Also, when I googled the issue, I found that it is a well-known and common problem in this year Prius. The brake booster failure is due to a Toyota design flaw, and Toyota is apparently being sued for it. Why is this issue not listed as a recall? I would not have allowed my daughter to drive around in a car for which the brakes are known to fail. How many accidents and deaths will be caused by this problem before Toyota stands behind their product and recalls affected vehicles? I had to pay $3200 for this brake repair, even though it is caused by Toyota's design flaw and endangered my family's life. My family owns four Toyotas, and I do think they make the most reliable vehicles on the road. I cannot understand why there is not a recall, and they are not standing behind their product.

Brake actuator went out on 2013 Toyota Prius gen 5. The part is very expensive and in my opinion is a part that should not have to be replaced. The care has 120,000 miles. It is driven very softly, meaning not fast and hard but commuting to work and grocery store as needed. A nice commuter. It is not fast but gets you there. The actuator put me at risk as stepping on the brake was hard and the car did not want to stop and I was close to hitting the car in front of me. All the lights came on at the dashboard and I was very scared to continue to drive and had to get a tow truck.

My 2013 Prius plug-in hybrid with 131k miles on it showed the abs, brake, and traction control lights while driving last week. Diagnostics from auto shop showed dtc code c1391. System is available for inspection upon request. Safety is definitely at risk, since I am needing to drive it around to assess the issue, and brakes could fail at any time. Vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. After speaking to Toyota, I was informed that--although under 150k miles--my car is not covered by the extended warranty because it is 2 years past the 10 year requirement. I drove my car very little between 2020-2022 because of the global pandemic. This is a very common issue with 2012-2015 models caused by a defective part, and it's likely that the problem does not commonly present itself until after the warranty expires.

The brakes suddenly failed in our 2013 Prius v while she was driving with our two young children. It was extremely scary, and very dangerous. Toyota has known about the braking system issues for years but refused to offer a recall to avoid costs. This needs to be immediately addressed.

The brake booster fail and I'm at like 140k. It was very scary when it happen to me today. I press on the brake think it would brake like normal but no. It kept sliding. I felt like I was going to crash. I don't have any paper report on it yet but they are certain it's the brake booster.