Service Brakes Problems of Toyota Prius - part 1

Second time !!!! during ownership of car that brakes fail. Same problem as before brake actuator/booster failures: multiple reports indicate issues with the abs actuator or brake booster pump, leading to warning lights ("braking power low", "abs system malfunction").

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2011 Prius. 80k miles. Brake booster buzz coming on every 15 seconds now. Abs, traction and brake lights on. I’ve heard of many Prius owners with the same issue. I also have another Prius with the same issue at 120k miles. Brake booster accumulator codes popping up with 80k miles. It is a safety concern as the abs brakes don’t work. Almost every Prius is effected by this.

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Description of the problem vehicle: 2014 Toyota Prius v (mileage: 70,000) problem description: the vehicle is experiencing a critical failure of the electronically controlled braking (ecb) system, specifically the brake actuator and booster pump assembly. The dashboard currently displays multiple warning indicators: abs light, traction control light, and the brake system warning light (master warning "!"). Symptoms: mechanical failure: the internal high-pressure accumulator is failing to hold pressure. The electric brake booster pump is heard cycling (straining) every 10–20 seconds even when the vehicle is stationary and the brake pedal is not depressed. Loss of braking safety features: the system has disabled regenerative braking and anti-lock braking (abs), causing significantly increased stopping distances and a "wooden," unresponsive brake pedal feel. Predictability of failure: this failure matches the exact symptoms described in Toyota’s customer support program 20te07 (and previously zjb), which acknowledges an internal defect in the brake actuator. Safety risk: the sudden transition from power-assisted braking to manual hydraulic braking during a drive creates an immediate safety hazard. As the pump motor continues to cycle excessively to compensate for the internal leak, it is at risk of total thermal failure, which would lead to a near-total loss of braking assist while the vehicle is in motion. Additional notes: despite the vehicle having only 70,000 miles (well under the 150,000-mile limit acknowledged in Toyota’s support programs), Toyota has declined to provide assistance because the vehicle has surpassed the 10-year age mark. I am filing this report because a primary safety component (brakes) should not experience catastrophic internal failure at 70,000 miles, regardless of the vehicle's age.

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Abs braking system suddenly not working. Abs, brake, and traction control lights all turned on.

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I have 2014 Prius v 5 with 100,000 miles but I had issues with brake booster pump.

Toyota Prius has a known problem with the brake actuator and booster. A notice was sent out in 2019 under the customer support program expansion with repairs up to 10 years or 150k miles. This is a safety issue and should be covered under a recall with no time or mileage limits since these problems are not showing up until after 10 years if the car has low mileage, as in our case. We just passed the 10 year mark, but only has 114k miles. No mention of repairs needed were made during regular maintenance visits with Toyota. Additionally, preventative repairs were not offered if the vehicle did not seem to be experiencing problems at that time. The brakes are spongy and unresponsive. The abs light , traction warning lights, and parking brake lights are staying on.

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.

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I own 2 2009 Toyota Prius. Both cars less than 175,000 miles and both have failed abs modules. The abs module in this vehicle is also the power brake booster. This failure can cause braking issues such as loss of braking or sudden brake application. Only known fix is replacement of the abs brake module which requires the Toyota techstream service computer.

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I was driving my car and suddenly the traction , hand brake and abs sign started showing up. I usually apply only 10% of force on brake pedal but after this I have to apply almost 60% of force to even slow down the car. Almost 90% force to stop the car it has threatened safety of my family. When diagnosed at autozone they told cannot determine error code. When reading in internet this seems to be common problem in Prius. Please help is fixing the issue as it is not at my fault. This seems to be manufacturing defect.

2012 Prius with 174,344 miles in great condition, with regularly scheduled oil changes. Abs/break actuator failure on freeway with no warning other than a beep a few seconds before the breaks disappeared completely. Break pads changed 4 months ago and new wheels installed as well. This is a known problem with Toyota under the tsb002419 where break booster actuator was put on a customer service program to be fixed by the dealerships, but has since expired since 2022. The cars are still known to have their breaks go out due to this malfunction but it is now not covered by Toyota and cost $4k-$5k to fix which is more than the market value of the car today. This needs to be fixed and regulated.

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My 2010 Prius has experienced the following error codes: c12341 and c1391, prompting the dealer to recommend replacing the brake booster assembly and master cylinder for $3938. 89. This is a known issue with this vehicle and a customer support program (csp) was issued back in 2018, stating that if this vehicle displayed these codes, the repairs would be at no charge to the customer. Toyota extended this coverage to 10 years from date of first use or 150,000 miles (whichever came first). I never receied the notice. The details of the csp are below. (I found on the internet. ) "Toyota has received reports indicating various brake system related warning lamps illuminate due to internal malfunctions. The brake booster and brake booster pump are covered by Toyota’s new vehicle limited warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever occurs first). However, because we at Toyota care about each customer’s ownership experience, Toyota is now offering a voluntary customer support program that applies to various brake system related warning lamps of covered vehicles as a result of internal malfunctions, regardless of whether the vehicle is out of warranty. The timing of any repair under this voluntary customer support program is subject to parts availability. The customer support program will be offered for all vehicles until November 30, 2019, regardless of mileage. In addition, the customer support program will be available for 10 years from the date of first use, or 150,000 miles whichever occurs first. " my vehicle has about 132,000 miles and just displayed theses codes. Since it is 16 years old, the csp has expired. It being a known issue, and one related to such a safety concern, I emplore you to make this a formal recall rather than a mere suggestion of repair. Back in 2018, my vehicle was not displaying these codes so was ineligible for the repair. Upon further research I am finding hundreds of Prius owners with the same issue. Clearly this is a defect in manufacturing.

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I was involved in an auto accident on 4/20/2026 @ 6:23 pm. I was driving a 2006 Prius and the vehicle in front of me stopped to make a left turn. I applied my brakes, which grabbed slightly and then released. I then had to hit the brakes hard and they did the same thing again. I ended up rear-ending the vehicle in front of me and had to go to the hospital. I’ve been out of work since the accident, and I feel this was not my fault due to faulty braking system on this vehicle. My vehicle was declared a total loss, by the insurance company after doing my own research I have found many accidents with this type of vehicle that has had rear end accidents with injuries and some fatalities. It also shows not only this 2nd generation with this problem however the 3rd generation Prius as well. I have been out of work since the accident. I'm asking for a complete and thorough investigation into this and a satisfactory resolution to this so that it doesn't happen to anyone else. There were no warning indicators of any kind prior to the accident plus I had paid over 2000 dollars' worth of work and a set of 4 new tires put on this vehicle prior to this incident. Please advise and thank you.

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On 4/16/26, while driving my 2015 Toyota Prius (approximately 87,000 miles) on the freeway, I applied the brakes while transitioning from the [xxx] onto the [xxx] . As I veered right on the curved onramp, the brakes failed to engage properly, causing the vehicle to spin out of control and collide with the side railing. There were fortunately no nearby vehicles on the 2-lane onramp at the time. Under slightly different circumstances, this incident could easily have resulted in serious injury or death to myself and/or others. No airbags deployed. Although I was physically unharmed, I was extremely shaken by the incident. Immediately after the collision, the brake warning light, abs warning light, and another warning indicator illuminated on the dashboard. Prior to the incident, I had not experienced braking problems severe enough to suggest imminent failure. On 4/17/26, I brought the vehicle to Toyota of cerritos for diagnostic evaluation. I was informed that the brake booster was the issue and that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle was towed to a collision repair center affiliated with my insurance company. After repairing the external collision damage, the collision center informed me that the brake booster malfunction that caused the incident could not be repaired there and would require dealership service. External repair alone: $3706, in addition to increased automobile insurance premiums expected over the next 3 years. I also contacted Toyota motor corporation regarding customer support program coverage related to brake booster issues and was informed that the program expired in 2025 and no assistance would be provided. I am submitting this report because this brake booster malfunction created a serious and unexpected safety hazard resulting in loss of vehicle control on a freeway interchange. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

Brake booster went out right at 160000 miles. Abs, emergency parking light, tire pressure light, and others I'm not sure if went on. Brakes felt very mushy and scary to drive.

While driving, three warning lights suddenly appeared on the dashboard . Abs warning, traction light, and break warning light at the same time, the brake pedal became very hard to press, and the vehicle did not slow down as expected. This caused a significant increase in stopping distance, and I nearly rear-ended the vehicle in front of me. The issue appears to involve the braking system and created an immediate safety risk. No prior warning signs were noticed before this incident. The vehicle has not yet been inspected but is available for inspection upon request.

On April 5, 2026, while driving downhill around a corner in my 2014 Toyota Prius, the brake booster and brake booster pump assembly failed without any prior warning. When I pressed the brake pedal the car did not slow down and instead appeared to accelerate due to a complete loss of braking assist. I was unable to stop the vehicle normally and had to rely on gravity and coasting to slow down, creating a serious risk of collision. There were no warning signs prior to the failure. Immediately after the incident, three warning lights illuminated on the dashboard: the brake light, the abs light, and the vsc (vehicle stability control) light, which have remained on since. The vehicle was taken to darcars Toyota baltimore, 6007 eastern Ave, baltimore, MD 21224, where the failure was confirmed on April 15, 2026. Technician victor lawson diagnosed diagnostic trouble code c1391, which is the exact qualifying code listed under Toyota's customer support program zjb for brake booster and brake booster pump assembly failure (ro# xxx). The vehicle remains at the dealership and is available for inspection. Toyota corporate was contacted and opened case number xxx but declined to cover the repair despite this being a documented issue that Toyota has publicly acknowledged. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the abs warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the extended warranty had expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the extended warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.

Brake actuator is broken. Toyota knew about this problem and they had a warranty for 10 years or 150k miles. Mine only has 80k miles. The repair is half of what the car is worth. I thought a Toyota with such low miles would be dependable. Toyota knew that people have died from this problem with their car. I need this car to get to work and get my kids to school. It’s older than 10 years so I am just screwed on something they knew was broken. Of course the sales person at the Toyota dealership did not tell us about it when he sold us the car.

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.

My brake actuator and brake booster are failing. All of my dashboard lights have come on (brake, abs, traction control, brake system warning light). Unfortunately, I am over 10 years and Toyota is saying that I need to pay out of pocket for the repairs. This is a known problem and should be covered. I was unaware of the known issue and my car didn't start having problems until after the 10 year mark. I am under 150,000 miles.

The brake cylinder assembly and the brake booster pump assembly failed while driving, which made braking very difficult, caused the regenerative braking to stop working, and caused multiple warning lights to come on. No warning lights, messages, or other symptoms were present prior to the sudden failure. This sudden failure could have easily resulted in a crash and/or death(s). I brought the vehicle to a Toyota dealership, and they confirmed the above issue and replaced the parts. I was told by the dealership, and also read online, that this is a known issue of Toyota for my vehicle and that Toyota extended a warranty years ago; however, the extended warranty is no longer valid for this known defect.

Subject: brake booster/pump assembly failure – Toyota program zjb / 23te07 description of incident: I am reporting a failure of the brake booster and pump assembly on my 3rd generation Prius (82,000 miles). While the vehicle is 11. 3 years old, it is well under the 150,000-mile threshold of Toyota’s customer support program zjb. The brake pump began cycling every 13 seconds, indicating an internal pressure leak in the accumulator. This is a documented precursor to a total loss of power-assist braking. Despite the clear mechanical failure, no warning lamps or diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) were triggered, creating a safety hazard where the system could fail without prior electronic notification. Repair and cost details: because the vehicle was 1. 3 years past the arbitrary 10-year "secondary coverage" window, I was forced to pay $3,461. 18 out-of-pocket for a known manufacturing defect. I would like to highlight a discrepancy in labor billing: while Toyota’s own technical bulletins (zjb/23te07) state the repair should take approximately 5. 3 hours, the dealership charged 8. 9 hours of labor for the same procedure. Safety concern: by limiting coverage to 10 years, Toyota has left many low-mileage owners with a critical safety defect that degrades over time regardless of mileage. I request that the NHTSA transition this from a "customer support program" to a formal safety recall to ensure all affected vehicles are repaired and owners are reimbursed, regardless of the vehicle's age.

Brake actuator assembly known issue in Prius c, Toyota refuses to do anything about it. Part is not cheap.

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.

Toyota Prius abs brake pump actuator booster failing making hissing noises and warning icon at only 10 years 9 month, 85,000 miles. Toyota extended warranty is not covering.

The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to slow down as intended with the brake pedal depressed. The abs warning light was occasionally illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and restarted. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the brake master cylinder, brake booster, and brake lines needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an undisclosed recall; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

Brake booster and abs, brake master cylinder went out in car without any lights or warning while driving the vehicle at a moderate speed on freeway. I was able to avoid an accident and take the car to a repair shop in which at 119k miles and just at 10. 5 yrs old the entire brake system had to be replaced/repaired.

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).

While driving my 2010 Toyota Prius, the brake warning lights suddenly illuminated and the brake pedal became soft and unresponsive. Stopping distance increased significantly, and the vehicle required much more pressure to slow down. This created an unsafe situation in traffic and could have easily resulted in a collision. A Toyota dealership diagnosed the issue as a failure of the brake booster and brake booster pump assembly (dtc c1391). This is the same failure Toyota previously acknowledged in customer support program zjb for 2010–2015 Prius models. My vehicle is experiencing the exact symptoms described in that program, but the support period has expired even though the mileage is well within normal expectations for a hybrid of this age. The sudden loss of braking assist is a serious safety hazard. There was no warning before the failure, and the vehicle became difficult to stop immediately. This appears to be part of a widespread pattern of brake booster failures on this generation of Prius, and the defect poses a risk of crash or injury. I am filing this complaint because this is a safety?critical component that should not fail under normal use, and many other owners have reported the same issue. A review or investigation may be warranted given the frequency and severity of these failures.

Vehicle: 2014 Toyota Prius v hybrid mileage: 79,000 miles the vehicle experienced sudden failure of the brake booster / brake accumulator system. Multiple warning lights appeared including abs, traction control, and the red brake warning light. Diagnostic code c1391 was retrieved. The brake pedal became soft/spongy and the electric brake pump began cycling frequently. Braking performance felt reduced and inconsistent, creating a potential safety risk. This vehicle has very low mileage (79,000 miles) and has been well maintained. The failure appears to be related to a known defect in the Prius braking system. Toyota previously issued customer support program 20te07 addressing brake booster and pump failures on 2012–2014 Prius v vehicles. Despite this known issue, the repair is not being covered and the cost quoted is several thousand dollars. A failure of the brake booster/accumulator system significantly affects braking performance and should not occur at this mileage. This appears to be a widespread issue affecting Prius vehicles and represents a potential safety defect involving the braking system.

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.