Service Brakes Problems of Toyota Prius - part 1

The brake booster suddenly fails at 54k mile. Brake responds slower and need to push the brake pedal all the way it seems a lot of 2010-2015 Prius are facing this problem abs light, skid light, and brake light was on when it happened, first appeared on Feb 6, 2026 have to replace brake boost for ~$1500.

See all problems of the 2015 Toyota Prius 🔎.

Vehicle check engine code c1391 (antilock brake system - abnormal leak in accumulator) came up on 2/5/2026. Recommended repair is to replace the brake booster pump and assembly, brake booster - over $1000 in parts alone. This was covered by an extended warranty by Toyota (10 years / 150k miles). I only have 120k miles at this time but am past the 10 year mark. However, it seems that this part will fail in every Prius given time and encourage NHTSA to monitor these failures and hold Toyota accountable to address post the 10 year / 150k mile mark.

See all problems of the 2012 Toyota Prius 🔎.

The slip notification, abs, and brake lights turned on while driving on the highway. The brakes then became very stiff and the vehicle did not brake as fast or as well as it normally does without the lights.

See all problems of the 2014 Toyota Prius 🔎.

The brake booster/accumulator failed on my vehicle. This part was a common failure during the 2010-2015 production run so much so that Toyota extended coverage to replace. Mine failed recently beyond the warranty extension of 10 years/150k miles. My vehicle has only 108k miles and is 15 months beyond warranty. Toyota corporate will not replace this vital part, despite the fact it was a defective design. I can’t drive it any longer since I don’t have the $4000 to make repair. Toyota corporate has shown little concern despite this critical safety defect.

While driving, the brake, abs, traction light and other light lit up. The car lurched in an odd way. I can hear the oil pressure pump turn on every 5 seconds. Toyota shops told me the master cylinder and booster pump are failing and that the brakes will stop working while driving, causing an accident.

See all problems of the 2011 Toyota Prius 🔎.

Brake pedal became hard and vehicle was difficult to stop. Abs warning light appeared on dashboard. This is a problem that Toyota has addressed previously by extending the warranty period to 10 years/150,000 miles. My vehicle has 122,000 miles on it but the 10 year extended warranty has expired. I took the vehicle to a local repair shop and they confirmed that there was a problem with the brake actuator assembly. Now, Toyota says it would cost over $3000 to remove and replace their already defective part.

See all problems of the 2008 Toyota Prius 🔎.

2014 Prius hb with 135k miles , onboard system warning lights for brakes, abs system, tpms and traction ctrl all came one suddenly. Brake losing pressure while vehicle making strange noise under front driver side.

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.

See all problems of the 2013 Toyota Prius 🔎.

Vehicle: 2012 Toyota Prius mileage: approximately 217,000 miles while driving normally in traffic, the vehicle experienced a sudden and unexpected brake system failure. Multiple warning lights illuminated simultaneously, including the red brake warning light, abs warning light, traction control light, and warning symbol (!). Shortly after, the vehicle began emitting an audible warning/beeping, and there was a sudden loss of power brake assist. The brake pedal behavior changed abruptly: the pedal became very soft initially, then became suddenly hard halfway through travel, this failure occurred while approaching another vehicle in traffic, and I narrowly avoided rear-ending the vehicle in front of me. The unexpected loss of brake assist created an immediate and dangerous situation, as the vehicle did not decelerate as expected when the brake pedal was applied. Due to the seriousness of the brake failure and safety risk, the vehicle was removed from service and towed. This incident represents a critical safety defect, as sudden loss of braking assist while driving poses a significant risk to vehicle occupants and other road users. I am reporting this incident to document the hazard and request investigation into the reliability and safety of the brake system design. I am requesting you to please issue a recall and reimburse me , as these parts are very expensive , it affected my financial situation, thanks.

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.

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).

While driving 65 mph on the expressway on January 12th, 2026 under cruise control, I tapped my brakes to slow down. My brake warning light came on, along with the abs warning light, and the anti-swerve warning light. Cruise control no longer worked, and my brakes were noticeably hard to apply. I immediately had the vehicle computer checked and the issue is a leaking brake booster component, a faulty part known by Toyota to fail prematurely with this and other Prius models. No recall was issued however. The car is now unsafe to drive until a ~$4000 repair is done, according to my service representative.

Abs actuator failed and had little to no braking action while merging on the freeway. Had to swerve to avoid collision on interstate.

See all problems of the 2005 Toyota Prius 🔎.

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!.

The brake booster system (electric brake booster pump) in my 2014 Toyota Prius has been making frequent, audible cycling noises inside the cabin, particularly during cold weather. I have also noticed a faint odor outside the vehicle that seems related to electrical movement. No abs or brake warning lights have illuminated, but the cycling pump may indicate increased stress on the brake system. The issue has not yet been diagnosed or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The problem has not caused a loss of braking ability to date, but the unusual noises and electrical odor suggest potential risk if the booster were to fail completely. No recall or customer support program currently covers this issue. The component is part of the vehicle’s brake system and would be available for inspection by a dealer or manufacturer upon request. Toyota has offered no help or possibility of goodwill assistance inspection for this issue.

Defected brake booster hard brake suddenly car less than 100 000 miles many vehicles with the problem.

On Jan 5, 2026 I was driving locally at about 40-45 mph. All of a sudden 3 indicator lights came on abs, brake, and brake system warning light. There were no noises, but the brakes felt different. They did stop when needed. I left space between myself and others just in case, did not want an accident. Called my regular mechanic. They advised to not drive the car, but to bring it into the shop at 8am the following day. On Jan 6th, the mechanic stated it was beyond their expertise. It was towed to the local Toyota dealer for repairs. It ended up being the brake booster and pump. Upon investigation online, we saw this was a recall, but we were not notified by Toyota.

I purchased a vehicle a year ago whenever my vehicle was still under the tenure and the 10 year and it’s still under 150,000 mile range. The vehicle was purchased strictly from the Toyota dealership in lakeland, florida, and shortly thereafter my brakes completely went out and the booster actuator assembly looking it up by further realize that is a very common issue and that there is so much that there’s class action lawsuits and also instead of it having a recall, it has a customer support to replace parts. My car is very dangerous and doesn’t have any brakes and it’s still very new from the dealership. What it’s very interesting is that it’s not throwing any codes at all, though it beeps the entire time that I’m in the vehicle with the abs light on and I know that it’s that problem why is it not showing any codes I think that for sure, the dealership would’ve had to done something to prevent that in order to sell the car unsafely.

Brakes went soft with little braking power. Traced the fault code to a faulty braking actuator; Toyota says this is past the coverage date for the recall.

While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden brake system malfunction without prior warning or gradual degradation. The vehicle was being operated under normal driving, road, and weather conditions. No recent brake service, repairs, or aftermarket modifications had been performed prior to the failure. Multiple warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, including the abs warning light, brake warning light, and traction control warning light. Shortly after the warning lights appeared, the vehicle began emitting continuous warning beeps. Audible buzzing or pumping noises were also present from the brake system during the malfunction. During this event, brake performance was reduced and braking felt inconsistent. The brake pedal became hard at times and spongy at other times, requiring increased effort to slow the vehicle and resulting in unpredictable braking response. This created a safety concern while the vehicle was in motion. The driver was forced to alter driving behavior and exercise extreme caution due to reduced braking confidence and unpredictable pedal feel. The malfunction has occurred intermittently during normal driving. The condition temporarily resolves on its own and later reoccurs without corrective action. The suspected failed component is the brake actuator / abs actuator assembly. A diagnostic scan retrieved fault codes c1252 (brake booster pump motor on time abnormally long), c1253 (pump motor relay malfunction), and c1256 (accumulator low pressure), which are consistent with brake actuator malfunction. The failure occurred at approximately 154,000 miles. This vehicle model and generation have a documented history of premature brake actuator failures with similar safety-related symptoms reported by other owners. The condition places the driver and others at risk due to unpredictable braking behavior, reduced braking effectiveness, and repeated warning alarms while driving. Warning lamps and audible alerts continue intermittently.

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.

The abs failed while driving on the highway. There was no accident, but it was substantially harder to brake when needed.

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.

Abs, slip indicator and brake warning lights have appeared on the cars dashboard. Dtc fault code c1391 has appeared indicating a failure of the brake booster and brake booster pump assemblies per Toyota customer support bulletin (zjb) no. : pol18-03. Loss of regenerative braking, putting the safety off occupants at risk.

While driving, my brakes became mushy and ineffective. Brake warning lights came on, also. It was very scary driving in rush hour traffic with little to no brakes. There was no reliability. Just keeping as much as possible space between cars, using hazard lights &prayer.

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.

The vehicle has 95k miles on it and both brake actuator assembly and booster pump have gone bad. This is a defective issue, I called Toyota and was told too bad since the program that fixed this ended 02/25. The car met the mileage requirement, but being 10 months out of the date gives Toyota the right to wash their hands on a defective part. The part is over $1500 just in parts to replace! this is wrong on their part. Not one option offered.

This vehicle has 95k miles, now the vehicle has a brake problem which can cause deadly problems. The parts that have gone bad on this car are defective parts that Toyota knows about. The warranty they extended for this ended in 02/2015. They had 150k miles or 10 years limit on that warranty. We are well under the mileage and 10 months over according to Toyota. Can’t believe they will dismiss something this delicate and dangerous. The parts are not cheap and it’s something we can’t afford to fix right now. I can’t believe Toyota will just wash their hands on something this important in a vehicle. This is a know defective part! they should have some sort of responsibility and resolution. I called and was told they cant do anything. Even a part offer so we can fix nothing. Please review this and hopefully you can help.

The brake system malfunctioned suddenly. While driving and while stopped, the brake pedal became very hard and braking behavior became unpredictable. The vehicle sometimes brakes aggressively and other times requires excessive pedal force to stop. The abs and brake warning lights illuminated. The vehicle no longer provides normal braking assistance. This issue is related to a failure of the brake actuator / brake booster, which is a known issue affecting Toyota Prius models from 2010 to 2015. This defect creates a serious safety risk, as braking performance is inconsistent and may increase stopping distance or cause loss of control during emergency braking situations. The vehicle has not been repaired yet because the cost is very high and the manufacturer has declined assistance despite this being a known safety-related defect.

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.

I was driving on the freeway, and a few lights(including abs, brake lights) all came on and a beeping noise started, as I immediately lost complete control of my brakes! that god it was late, and no cars were in front of me. The car slowed down as I removed my foot of the gas right away. I tried to pull over as soon as I heard the lights, and that’s when I realized my brakes were completely gone! I was able to stop after about two miles; car stop on its own as it slowed down. Apparently, this was a major known issue and had warranty up to 150k miles. At the time of the incident, my car had about 165k miles. I had the car for years, and no one at the dealer ever mentioned anything about this or even tried to make me aware of it! I called the Toyota dealer and corporate number several times and they declined providing me with any help at all! this caused me fear and traume because I never thought this was possible! it could’ve ended my life and the life of people around me if there were any cars in sight! the problem has been confirmed by a reputable mechanic! he did the repairs! he also called the Toyota dealer and corporate and attempted collecting anything since he found out about the warranty and common issue. They also denied help. No lights were on at all before this incident happened! it all came at once! I even have all records of monthly/ bimonthly complete inspections at the dealer with everything normal on the results!.