292 problems related to service brakes have been reported for the 2013 Toyota Prius. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2013 Toyota Prius based on all problems reported for the 2013 Prius.
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.
Last night, the brakes stopped responding, warning lights came on (abs warning light, brake system warning light, and the slip indicator light). This morning, a local auto repair shop diagnosed the problem as a failed brake booster assembly. This is a safety issue and we have been told we have no option but to pay to replace the entire assembly. The repair shop has contacted the local Toyota dealership, from which we have to purchase the replacement brake booster assembly.
Returning from a trip, several brake and skid related dashboard light illuminated. I pulled over and was able to stop the car and took it directly to the Toyota dealership after calling them. Brakes felt very spongy and stopping distance was increased. The dealer informed me that this was a known problem with my model but that I was not eligible for recall or extended warranty. I have also seen a number of complaints of this issue on the internet. The cost to repair the issue was over $4800.
I had my car serviced oct 21 and when I picked it up the vehicle brakes made a whooshing noise and felt spongy. I thought it must be ok as they had just serviced it but when it became apparent this could be a problem I took it back Nov 1 and was told the hydraulic brake booster pump needing replacing at the cost of $3400. I was shocked as they told me it could break completely at any time but the brakes would still work. I decided to drive it home as that is an enormous car repair bill and I would have to get financing or get a different car. I didn't want to make rash decisions. I investigated the issue and found out this was a recall for these vehicles for 2010 through 2019 models. This same dealer did not mention this to me at the time of sale, that they had been subject to a recall, and since I did not have them inspect the car immediately after service (I had to miss work and my son drove me after he was off work and I feared they would close before I arrived so I had them park the car outside and the sales desk had the key). I thought I would drive it but after reflection I do not want to endanger other people if my brakes fail. This is a clear violation of the public trust that these cars are yet on the road.
While driving the 2013 Prius hybrid , the abs , brake light, and traction control lights came on. The brake was rock hard and the car would not stop at the light, causing me to swerve away from the cars in front of me and pull into a nearby parking lot. The brake would not work. There is a constant beeping noise in the car , which is a brake warning. I looked up the problem and just like many other Prius owners, there is a brake booster and brake accumulator issue and Toyota is not owning up to this problem. Many Toyota Prius owners are complaining of this loss of brakes issue. How long until NHTSA forces Toyota to do a proper recall about this very dangerous loss of brakes issue ??? they recalled a few vehicles, but the recall does not seem to cover many Prius vehicle owners that are complaining. Mine has 140 000 miles now, but this part is failing even on cars with 40 000 miles. Toyota knows very well that they have a big serious issue costing upwards of $4000 to fix. They are just refusing to recall this issue. Nhtsa has to address this issue please. They are many complaints about this loss of brakes issue.
Abs, brake and stability lights came on, I have to press all the way down the brake pedal for car to stop.
Abs and brake lights suddenly turned on and brake pedal effectiveness changed dramatically. When pressing brake pedal the brakes barely work now. Just got quoted $5161 for abs accumulator repair, $2336 for major suspension concern, and total $8386 estimate for repairs from Toyota service department. I see many similar complaints from Toyota owners online, this seems to be a common issue with Prius vehicles. The kelly blue book value is only $5450 for trade-in and $7318 for sale to private owner, so the repair doesn’t even seem worthwhile given a replacement would be cheaper, and the abs failure happens so frequently in this vehicle, and could happen again.
2013 Toyota Prius v. 64,000 miles and abs light is on also vsc warning light and brake light. There has been many issues with this type of vehicle as I researched on internet. I didnt know there has been a recall on this vehicle. And I did not make it time. 10 yrs or 150,000 k whichever comes first. Many other vehicles this year have this problem its common. . I cannot brake in time because now its using my back brakes. Dealership said brake booster pump and brake master cylinder.
Full brake actuator assembly failed. Brakes started responding differently and we became uncomfortable with driving the car. Problem was confirmed by isc. The part has not been inspected, but I will ask them to save the part for me. No, it all happened at once while driving at speed on the freeway.
The Toyota brake booster system failed and is no longer safe to be on the road. The car will no longer brake properly and is a danger to anyone else on the road. It was inspected by Toyota prior. The entire dashboard warning lights for the brake system lit up 2 years ago and has fully failed now.
The brake pedals felt very soft with no resistance and barely had braking power. Was taken to dealership and they said it’s the brake booster which was a common thing on these cars, but there’s no recall to fix it and they won’t replace it.
I have a 2013 Toyota Prius with 164,000 miles. A mechanic confirmed that the master cylinder and brake booster are failing and are not covered since warranty expired 14,000 miles ago. I have heard this is a common issue with this vehicle. Traction light, brake light and abs light are all on. The earring lights go on and off.
When test driving the vehicle I asked about this buzzing/ whirring noise while sitting in the running but parked car. I was told these cars are hybrids, the electrical components make all sorts of whirring and humming noises and not to be concerned. Over the years I heard this noise, increasingly more and more, but I never knew it was something to pay attention to. Fast forward to July 2025. I noticed the car is inching forward while I’ve been stopped for a while at a red light almost like the brakes don’t want to hold. This has been happening so often that I have began to put the car in park while waiting for lights to turn green because it gets painful having to push the brake so far down. I take my car to a mechanic, explain all of the noises and the sensations and two mechanics drive it but say it feels fine and there are no recalls. They say my front brake pads are low and that must be what I’m feeling. After replacing the brake pads nothing had changed. Now there is also a squeak while moving at a slow speed in stop and go traffic. 1 week later I bring it up while getting an oil change and ask if they know what it could be. They said brakes seemed fine. A couple weeks go by and yesterday while I was driving down the highway in heavy school traffic out of nowhere my car makes a clunk noise and all of these lights pop up on the dash. I roll the windows down and scream for my children to hold on because something was wrong. Luckily we were able to get to safety but I definitely had reduced breaking capabilities. I immediately take the car in and and find out my brake booster and accumulator has failed. Service tech brings up the consumer program but my car is a 2013 and it is not eligible to be repaired bc it’s 10+ yrs. Even though Toyota admits to internal malfunctions of the brake booster assembly, and my car is only at 76,000 mi it’s not being fixed. This is negligence on Toyotas part. Not fixing these faulty parts is endangering lives.
I was driving normally, about 30 mph in a residential area and the brakes all of sudden became soft. It was very scary and I didn’t know if it was safe to drive the vehicle. The brake, abs, and traction control sign all came on at the same time. I scanned the car and it was a c1391 error code. The Toyota dealership said it is not covered under any recalls. I called Toyota and asked about the zjb program that covered the repair but they said it expires. Toyota has a repair program for the defective part but no longer covers it. This issue is a known manufacturing issue and it’s dangerous. Toyota should cover it free of charge.
Failed brake booster, pump, fluid, and actuator on my Toyota Prius 2013 with 143,972 miles on it.
Brake booster, abs controller, and brake booster pump have failed for a second time. Parts replaced with new, in box from aftermarket dealer. Dealer/manufacturer refuses to accept that there are design flaws and will not recall.
When I’ve hit a pothole or hit the breaks to hard by abs, and traction control lights would come on and then turn off. The other day they all turned on and stayed on with the break light on as well. Breaks all seemed to work fine, just a little spongy. I brought it in to a shop and they estimated 3k to repair remove, replace, calibrate, and bleed abs accumulator assembly and brake master cylinder assembly. Test drive-new oem Toyota parts. These parts were recalled but only up to 10 years or 150k miles. I’m at 164k so ineligible for the recall but if this part completely failed while I was driving I could have been killed or caused someone serious harm.
The hybrid braking systems on Toyota Prius' manufactured from 2010-2015 had a serious failure of the hybrid braking system that had additional long term warranties to repair, but never recalled in order to save the money from a total recall. The sloan Toyota dealership in glenside knew before I purchased the 2013 Toyota Prius I purchased that a serious brake system failure was very probable with my car but failed to tell me. If they did, I would not have purchased the car. I had the 5000 mile oil change in early August and three days later after the service and a clear 25 point inspection, and the system failed. I want full reimbursement or just pay for the repair.
While driving on the highway, all the brake-related warning lights appeared on the dashboard. This was accompanied by a frequent electric buzzing noise (every 15-20 seconds, lasting two seconds each time). The brakes became difficult to press, almost spongy, and required more pressure to function. Upon taking it to the dealer, I was told that the vehicle (a 2013 Prius v with 181k miles) needed a new abs pump and brake actuator, totaling roughly $4100.
I am experiencing the issue described in the brake booster and brake booster pump assemblies recall issued by Toyota for the Prius, which for me ended in 2023. The vehicle is unsafe to drive without performing this $4000 repair (dealer cost), which is almost more than my car is worth. Toyota should issue another extension for the repair coverage since they are known to be faulty. The previous recall and extension of the recall can be found here: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
The abs system and the brake actuator began to fail, which triggered multiple warning lights. The Toyota dealership service department confirmed that the anti-lock brake system and the actuator needed to be replaced, a $3800 value.
There has always been this ringing sound when releasing the brakes. I had it looked at and was told there was no issue. Then while driving it felt like the brakes locked and all of the sensors came on the dashboard. I had those scanned and was told they were sensor issues but car started driving/braking ok. Few days later everything locked up. I can’t push the brake at all. I was told the brake booster pump assembly with accumulator was shot. So I began research and saw hundreds of complaints for the exact thing in my make and model and year. This could have killed someone had it happened on a highway. This should be a recall, major issue that numerous are experiencing.
For last 4 years I have been noticing a hissing sound when brake pedal is pressed. At first it was unclear to me where it could be coming from, and no indicator light has triggered. I have brought this to the attention of Toyota dealership when I first noticed it and the individual couldn't really make out what it was. The sound has now gotten worse, and upon further studies I am learning that there was indeed a recall pertaining to the brake booster and actuator, but my car for some reason is not included. This is a major safety issue and I expect Toyota to help resolve. Please help.
The brake booster and brake booster pump assembly have failed. They have caused the following warning lights to go abs, brake system waring light, slip indicator light, and the electric power steering light.
The brake accumulator has failed on our 2013 Prius at 170k miles. The brakes are unresponsive and all brake-related indicator lights are on. The vehicle is unsafe. This is a known issue for this model and year Prius, yet Toyota did not issue a recall. Warranties were extended to 150k miles, but this issue is a serious safety risk - danger to us and others on the road. This issue should have resulted in a safety recall, not a "courtesy" warranty extension. Toyota needs to resolve this for all affected vehicles.
Recently the dash board lights started intermittently coming on. When they are on, the brakes do not work until pressed all the way to the floor and even then the car takes a long time to stop. The lights will randomly turn off and suddenly the car brakes work normally again. It is happening intermittently with no rhyme or reason as to when it will happen. It's scary to drive because I dont know if the brakes will work or not and I almost ran into another car when trying to stop at a stop light. I took the car to be inspected at the Toyota service center for $190 and after inspection they said the brake booster and master cylinder assembly need to be replaced and it will cost $2300.
2013 Toyota Prius v has 3 recalls for the same issues but my VIN # says there isn't any recalls associated with it. I need help. It stalled on me on my way home from work luckily not on the high way now it's throwing code c1310 c1259 c1241 it won't crank all it does is click. I replaced 12v batterychecked all connectors.
Break booster issue. Car only has 63,465 miles. Toyota has received reports about certain internal malfunctions of the brake booster. Problem is, not many have had luck getting the part covered because it's likely that the problem does not commonly present itself until after the warranty expires.
The abs system has failed, and I have to pony up $3000 + for repair, since the warranty extension from Toyota has expired - 10 years since first use (even though I have only had it for 5 years). I have less than 150,000 miles on this car, which is the the other parameter for service coverage for this problem. Toyota knows these parts fail, and they extended the warranty, but there is no recourse if your car is over the 10 year limit, even if under the mileage limit. It is a safety issue and should be addressed no matter the age of the car. I can't afford the cost of repair and so will gamble on not needing to use the antilock brakes.
Prior to issue, noticed a buzzing sound from engine compartment, later known to be the abs accumulator pump, occurring more frequently - first multiple times when braking, then later continuously while driving. Dashboard eventually lit all brake-related warning lights ("brake", tsc, abs) and brake pedal behavior changed markedly. This occurred after parking in my driveway while engaging the parking brake. Brake behavior during and after this period was wildly inconsistent and impossible to predict. At times the brakes would perform normally, but most often the first portion of brake pedal travel would have no braking effect, and actual required force on the pedal to brake was greatly increased. The need to press further and with more force created a dangerous situation as it delayed how quickly I could slow or stop. The inconsistency in performance created a dangerous situation as the vehicle may (and did) sometimes stop more suddenly than expected. Additionally, the failure resulted in loss of traction control and abs resulting in greatly increased risk in wet road conditions and terrible danger in sudden-stop situations. Self scanner & Toyota service center confirmed presence of c1392 code and recommended replacing brake actuator and brake pump assemblies, quoting over $4,500. Service was declined and replacement parts bought from Toyota and self-installed to resolve issue. Both Toyota service center and Toyota customer support line confirmed that this issue was described in an existing customer support bulletin but that coverage was denied due to age of the vehicle. Vehicle was approximately 15,000 miles below listed mileage cap but approximately 12 years old, with Toyota denying service for vehicles over 10 years old.
Require replacement of brake booster pump, decreased braking ability.