Brake Antilock Control Unit/module Problems of Toyota Prius - part 2

Sudden temporary loss of brakes in a 2010 Prius.

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Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6) I am a retired colonel, usaf, but continue to work for the af as a civilian attorney. I purchased a 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid, [xxx] , on 9 Nov 09. Since that time, as recent as last evening when I pulled the vehicle into our garage, between my wife and I we have experienced on approximately six occasions the problem you have received other reports about concerning the vehicle's brakes. The "release" as I call it, occurred primarily when we hit irregular patches of roadway, such as potholes, washboard-type surfaces and the like. Last evening, as I mentioned, it actually occurred as I was entering the garage. I approached a little faster than usual and was braking as the front tires encountered the elevated cement beyond the base of the garage door. The braking action was lost just for a moment after the impact with the cement. It's not that the engine speeds up when it happens, it's the forward momentum of the vehicle that increases with loss of the braking action. That has been the case each time it has happened. In fairness to the dealership, I have not notified it yet because I read not too long after the first time this occurred that other owners were beginning to report this problem and that Toyota was developing a software fix for it. I assumed shortly there would be something in the nature of a recall and owners would be notified to bring their vehicles in for the modification. I do intend to notify the dealership tomorrow, but thought it necessary to report this to you now given the spotlight put on it today.

When the 2010 Toyota Prius goes over a pothole or over an ice patch is looses braking ability for one or two seconds. This has happened numerous times, the last time on the morning of February 3, 2010.

2010 Prius surges forward when I hit a bump with the brake pedal depressed. I have had a few near misses but no accidents to this point. Last occurred yesterday.

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated as he was stopping his vehicle, he hit a bump in the road while depressing the brake the vehicle lurched forward and accelerated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and contact was told this was normal and it is the electrical engine switching to the gas engine. The contact stated that this is a continuous problem while stopping the vehicle. The failure mileage was 8,800.

Brakes on my 2006 Prius do not work immediately when applying the brakes when the anti-skid feature is activated. I noticed this shortly after purchasing the car in September 2006. When I read in the newspaper today that the 2010 Prius was exhibiting this same behavior I decided to make sure NHTSA knew this was also a problem with my 2006 Prius since it was brand new. It has happened repeatedly and consistently whenever the anti-skid feature is activated and I apply the brakes. I just thought it was something I had to get used to but now I know it may be a defect. The incident date I provided below is just the most recent incident of the situation.

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The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving up and down a hill at 3 to 5 mph in the snow the vehicle begins to fish-tail and the vsc (vehicle speed control) light would flash and the brakes would lock-up. The contact stated this almost caused 5 crashes while the contact was driving home. The contact had to have the vehicle towed home because the contact felt the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The contact has not taken the vehicle to a dealer at this time but saw the news story televised and felt this was a safety issue. The failure mileage was 130,000.

I own a 2010 Toyota Prius which was purchased in September 2009. My brakes fail to immediately stop my car when applied going over bumpy sections in the road, hitting a pothole, or when on slippery sections of the road. When hitting a bump it actually feels like the car lurches forward. The car will eventually stop after pushing the brake to the floor with force. It is very disconcerting and the potential for hitting the car in front of you or a person is very high.

I was braking my 2010 Prius iii when I went over some railroad tracks. The vehicle suddenly accelerated and I had to step off the brake pedal and re-apply the brakes to get the vehicle to begin braking again. The acceleration lasted for more than 1 second and the vehicle didn't start braking again, until I had reapplied the brakes.

I have a 2007 Prius the following has occurred any time driving over rough patches of road or over rr tracks: the car loses traction and power for a sort time until smooth pavement returns. The vsc lamp on the dash shows up when this happens. I shudder to think what would occur on a rough mountain road or in wet weather. This type of event sounds very much like what's being reported by the drivers of the 2010 Prius. In 47 years of driving I've never had a car react in this way. I've compensated by driving cautiously and wait for traction to return but it doesn't feel quite right when it happens.

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The brakes in my 2010 Toyota Prius do not operate properly. I have had the car 3 months with 1847 miles. Over this time I must increasingly press the brake pedal closer to the floor to stop the car. Today in dry weather, I nearly hit the car almost 50 yards in front of me when it stopped and although I pressed the pedal firmly it took a very long time for the brakes to grab.

The braking issues that I have experienced for the 2007 Prius within months of buying the vehicle are the same issues that are currently being reported for the 2010 Prius. I have a Prius with traction control. There are two things with the traction control that happen on a regular basis living in st. George, utah. One is when I come out of a parking lot that has the steep dip for water control the traction control system misfires on dry, clean surfaces and in many cases leaves me dead on the road for a few seconds in which the car will not move at all. This also happens when I drive on roads where there is a drainage lid in the middle of the road, and I am actually not attempting to brake. The second is when I brake. If there is any rough or uneven surfaces, bumps, or dirt roads, I have to anticipate that the braking system will fail and/or I will have to quickly pump the brakes and leave extra braking room. I have not taken the vehicle to Toyota because having had a 1999 tacoma whose brakes would fail on a regular basis to the point, for which they continually replaced sensors, I sold it after I had it less then one year, I don't expect Toyota to do anything about it. I just drive differently. The speeding out of control, for me, only occurs when I have cruise control on. Many times when I press on the brake the car actually speeds up with a jerk or I will look down at my speed and cruise control will have increased it by 10 or 15 mph.

Prius braking problem when going slow speeds over a bump or pothole.

My 2007 Prius has the brake problem identified on the 2010 models -- when I go over a pot-hole or bump the brakes "slip. " this probably happens once a month and has happened since I purchased the car in the fall of 2007. The brakes grab again as soon as I hit solid road.

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. She stated while braking at speeds of less than 15 mph and going over a pothole and railroad tracks the brakes would intermittently hesitate to function properly. Within moments, the brakes would respond normally. On a separate occasion, while traveling in snowy conditions at speeds of under 30 mph, she attempted to depress the brake pedal and it would not engage. The vehicle did not slide; however, the brakes did not engage and she proceeded to crash into a curb causing moderate damage to the front passenger's side tire and rim. There was also a loud grinding noise coming from the vehicle after the crash occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where she was awaiting repairs. There were no recalls. The failure and current mileages were 1200.

I own a 2006 Toyota Prius. I have experienced dramatic changes in braking deceleration with the brake pedal at constant pressure, but when driving over bumpy roads or potholes (such as those on my home street). The sudden decrease of deceleration is accompanied by an indicator on the dashboard telling me I'm going over bumpy terrain, the braking change lasts on the order of a second. This phenomenon has occurred repeatedly during my ownership of the car, always under similar circumstances. It occurs both at low speeds (e. G. On my street) and high speeds (e. G. On a potholed freeway). Your reporting system asks for a specific date, mileage, and speed at which the failure occurs. I have entered arbitrary values. I emphasize that (1) this phenomenon has occurred repeatedly since just after my purchase of the new car and continued to the present (the car has 50k miles at present), and (2) has occurred at various speeds.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I was driving my 2010 Toyota Prius down the road here in berkeley, CA, and applied the brakes as I was hitting a bump in the road. The brakes did not work. I thereafter lifted my foot off the brake and hit them again, at which point the brakes worked correctly.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Prius. Whenever the contact would attempt to apply the brakes while traveling over a bumpy or slippery surface the contact noticed that the brakes would not fully engage increasing stopping distance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the failure could not be reproduced. The contact has noticed the failure since the day the vehicle was purchased. The current and failure mileages were 109,000.

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The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. While driving 10 mph with the brake pedal engaged, the vehicle accelerated on its own . The contact was forced to apply pressure to the brake pedal in order to stop the vehicle. The contact has owned the vehicle for 5 months and the failure has occurred twice. The dealer was called and stated that they have not received any recalls for his vehicle; however, to bring it into to the dealership for a diagnostic test. No repairs have been made to the vehicle. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 3227. Updated 03/12/10. Updated 08/30/jb.

My Toyota pruis 2010 which I purchased on Nov. 30 2009 had unexpectedly lurched forward when I was slowing down and applying the brake. I was taken by surprise and fortunately it stopped after I stepped on the brake very hard. This has happened several times already.

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. While driving approximately 20 mph over a rough surface she noticed that the brakes would momentarily disengage. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. There were no prior warnings. The current and failure mileages were 2500.

My 2010 Toyota Prius has the same problem that are listed on this site with brakes. When trying to stop immediately after a bump or pothole and during minor slick condition the brakes don't react immediately. A couple of weeks ago I slid into an intersection with my brakes fully engaged before the brakes kicked in. Thank god no car was in front of me. The car behind me saw what was happening and slowed down. This brake problem occurs weekly since my purchase of the vehicle in September 2009.

2010 Prius loses brake force when regenerative braking is used over potholes or other uneven surfaces. It appears that when wheel slip occurs when braking in such instances, the regenerative system is disengaged causing loss of braking until the friction brakes are engaged by depressing the brake pedal farther. This has occurred on multiple occasions and can be replicated.

I was driving my 2010 Toyota Prius (which I'd taken delivery on about January 6), and I noticed what seemed to be a power surge or a momentary brake failure when I went over a pothole while I was slowing down after exiting a highway. The car seemed to lurch forward, so that I had to take my foot off the brake and re-apply it. This happened first on January 20, but has occurred three times since then. I've been trying to figure out what it was; at first I thought it was a power surge. But when I saw the article in the new york times on February 3, I knew that was exactly what had happened to me. Every time it's happened as I was braking over a speed bump or pothole. I have made an appointment with my Toyota dealer but have not gone yet.

I bought a 2010 Prius in October. I live in maine where winter driving conditions are not great. I have had three incidents now of driving at a low speed on plowed but snowy roads where the brakes did not catch when I applied them. Once was going around a downhill curve which was scary. Each time they eventually catch but not until I have skidded for about 3-6 ft. Fortunately, I have not hit anyone yet. I called my dealer yesterday and was told there had not been a recall and there was nothing to be done about it yet.

During turns at times my 2007 pruis will bog down and have no power. I have reported the problem to the dealer and they believe it my be a sensor problem where the abs senses to much spin and cuts power to the transmission. It takes about 5 to 10 seconds to get the power back to the transmission. During this time the car cannot move.

When applying the brakes to come to a stop at a red light, my 2010 Toyota Prius iv hit some rough road and began to surge/accelerate even with my foot on the brake. I pressed harder until the brakes were re-engaged. This has happened under similar circumstances (rough road) three times since taking ownership of the car sept 15, 2009.

When driving I sometimes momentarily feel a pause in the braking system of my new Prius. This occurs every time I drive on a certain street at a fairly high speed. While I am braking my right front tire goes through a pothole while my front left tire remains on flat tarmac. As my front tire comes out of the pothole I feel as if the brakes stop working for half a second and then they start working again. I estimate that I am driving through the pothole around 20-30 miles an hour. I drive this way every day from my work to house and I am always braking on this stretch of road as I turn a corner right after the pothole. There is a traffic light right after the pothole so whenever the light is green as I approach the pothole this happens to me. This has happened to me around 50 times - ever since I bought my new Prius in September 2009.

I am describing a repeating issue with my 2007 Toyota Prius. This failure occurs when I drive over bumpy surfaces, a large pothole, or an area with a dip in the road. Often, when faced with these conditions, the car stutters and lurches and the vehicle stability assist light flashes. At times, the car's slip and stutter seems to last several seconds after hitting the rough patch in the road. While it seems to exacerbate the problem if I am turning or braking, I should point out that I sometimes experience this lurching and stalling sometimes when I am simply driving along at 35 mph and hit a pothole. It often seems to occur in a situation where braking or turning is involved, but it seems more related to the vsa process. I am reporting this failure because I have seen news reports of an investigation of the 2010 Prius model. The description of the brake failure reported in the media are basically the same as mine.

2010 Prius brake applied in zero temperature weather approaching a red light on slight down sloping road covered in ice/snow. The brake pedal was pushed as would normally be applied (maybe approx 1/3 - 1/2 brake pedal travel) and there was no applied braking. The car kept rolling forward to where I had to make a decision to continue rolling with a right turn into the intersection and continue travel. Luckily the oncoming traffic was far enough away to not crash into me. I would estimate that the brake was applied for about 1-2 seconds, enough travel time to force me to make a decision that I needed to continue through the intersection before the oncoming traffic. This same type of scenario occurred on an exit off of an interstate ramp down another down slope with ice/snow that again when the brakes where applied, the regenerative engine brake applied, but when the abs went to engage due to the slippery surface, there was a 1-2 second duration of sensation of no brakes. Pushing pedal further (or just waiting the 1-2 second delay) seemed to eventually apply brakes. I am a systems/test engineer that performs numerous work on commercial and military aircraft and I now know how to anticipate this situation for myself (I. E. , I am more careful on braking earlier especially on slippery surfaces more than normal distance from my other Honda vehicles on same type of surfaces to account for this possible 1-2 delay time in braking); however, this is unacceptable for my wife who does not have the same experience as I do or same technical feeling of what this vehicle is doing. Again, if the traffic on that one intersection was closer to me than it was, there would have been a side impact collision. I have yet to experience this issue on solid roads over bumpy surfaces. With today's Toyota revelation that the Jan 2010 Prius has a fix for this, I demand to have this same fix applied to my three month old 2010 Prius.

My 2010 Prius accelerates over bumpy road conditions irrespective of whether or not my foot is on the brake or not on anything at all.