Service Brakes Problems of Toyota Prius - part 1

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.

See all problems of the 2015 Toyota Prius 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2014 Toyota Prius 🔎.

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

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.

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.

See all problems of the 2010 Toyota Prius 🔎.

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.

2008 Toyota Prius gen2 with 139k miles. Abs, brake, parking brake, and traction control lights all illuminated while driving the other day. Potential is losing all electronically assisted braking function in the car. Problem has been confirmed by local independent service center. Independent service center pulled codes: c1256 accumulator low pressure c1378 capacitor communication malfunction c1391 abnormal leak of acc pressure all consistent with abs accumulator failure. Recommending abs modulator assembly replacement at $2742. 66 Toyota had a warranty enhancement program that covered this component: warranty enhancement program – zg1 2006-2007 model year highlander hybrid & 2004-2009 model year Prius vehicles extension of warranty coverage for brake actuator assembly this warranty enhancement program provides enhanced coverage to the vehicle’s “new vehicle limited warranty” as it applies to the brake actuator assembly. The specific condition covered by this program are repairs related to an internal malfunction of the brake actuator assembly. If the condition is verified, the vehicle will be repaired with a new brake actuator assembly at no charge under the terms of this warranty enhancement program. • the primary coverage offers warranty enhancement until December 31, 2017, regardless of mileage. • after the primary coverage end, the secondary coverage is applicable for 10 years from the date of first use, or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

See all problems of the 2008 Toyota Prius 🔎.

In 2019 Toyota repaired my 2010 Prius(120,189 miles) braking system under the zjb program. The brake cylinder assembly and brake booster pump assembly were replaced as they had a known defect that caused the braking system to fail. As of February 27, 2026 the replaced components are failing again. The auto has approximately 224,000 miles. So the replacement components failed in less miles and time then the original equipment failed which was determined to be faulty. Toyota has declined any assistance in the matter.

I am looking to receive a little bit more assistance regarding my daughter's first car that she worked very hard for. It is a 2006 Toyota Prius. It was garage-kept and owned by an older couple who only put 85,000 miles on it. It is really a gem of a car. Soon after we registered the car, my daughter was out driving with her father. While going through a 4-way stop, she found that the brakes had failed and she was unable to stop at the intersection. Luckily, she was with her father, and he was able to give her verbal instruction to guide the both of them to safety. Upon further investigation, we learned that there was a recall on the brake actuator assembly in 2016. Which is the part that has failed and almost caused my 16 year old daughter to crash the car she worked hard for. I contacted the Toyota brand engagement center. It was stated to me that the recall has expired, however, I feel that the fact that a recall was issued means that it was recognized by Toyota that the vehicle was sold with a faulty brake system. This, in and of itself, is a hazard and could be fatal. This should be addressed and the brake system should be replaced as it is no fault to any owner regardless of the recall expiry date. We look forward to your timely response on how we can remedy this very serious safety issue. My daughter was super excited as she worked very hard to save up for her first Toyota and get it registered only to find that the brake system fails.

See all problems of the 2006 Toyota Prius 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2013 Toyota Prius 🔎.

My brake booster/actuator failed on me while on the freeway with out any warnings. It made it really hard to stop the car. I didn't find out what it was untill I took it into a repair shop and they told me it was the brake booster/actuator.

See all problems of the 2012 Toyota Prius 🔎.

On Feb. 19, 2026, I went to an auto repair store to change oil. I was told that I need to have rear brake pad and rotor replacement service because my car does not have it. The mechanic showed me and said that I only have the front brake work and it can cause safety issue.

The vehicle is experiencing a suspected brake actuator / brake booster failure. Multiple warning lights appeared simultaneously, including abs, brake, traction control, and master warning lights. The vehicle produces a frequent buzzing noise from the brake system, especially at low speeds or when stopped. The noise occurs repeatedly when pressing the brake pedal, indicating the system is struggling to maintain hydraulic pressure. This condition raises serious safety concerns because it may reduce braking performance and increase stopping distance. Brake system failures present a significant risk to vehicle occupants and others on the road. After researching the issue, I learned this appears to be a common failure in Toyota Prius vehicles of similar model years, and Toyota previously issued extended warranty coverage for the brake booster/actuator assemblies. However, many vehicles now exceed the coverage limits despite the safety nature of the defect. I am submitting this complaint because a failing brake system is a critical safety hazard, and this issue appears widespread.

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.

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.

Spontaneous failure of brake actuator system.

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.

Brake booster is not working.

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.

Inferior brake system on 2015 Prius master brake cylinder and vacuum booster. Extended warranty issues identified by Toyota for 10 years or 150, 000 miles. I bought my Prius used in 2021 with 92,000 miles at age [xxx] old intending it to last as long as I did. I am now [xxx] old and essentially totally independent. The above mentioned parts were identified as not functioning properly on 2/3/2026 (mileage 139, 106). On 2/6/26, I took it to goettle Toyota, ocala FL (mileage. 139,160) knowing there was an extended warranty program available that was admitting the parts were defective but not worthy of recall. I was advised the warranty for my vehicle expired 10/26/2025 (3 months and 8 days prior) and was now invalid. Brake replacement cost is $3675. 00 + tax??. I was provided warranty information and instructed to call Toyota. I called, spoke with brook and was advised the warranty was invalid due to date even though the car has less than the 150, 000 mile covered and nothing could be done. I was never notified of this issue so I could monitor for problems before the expiration. Average life for these items on a Prius is 250,000 miles, not 139, 000. I am on limited, fixed income and cannot afford this unnecessary repair. I am already gladly driving a 10 year old car to be independent. Loss of transportation changes my entire lifestyle. I cannot afford another car (if I could, I would be fixing this one). I would be reliant for the rest of my life, on others for all needs outside of my home. I live in a very rural area. I feel since I was never notified of any issues and the car is low mileage and there should be another 100,000 miles on this car (I have driven it less than 50,000 miles in 5 years) that Toyota should honor the extended warranty based on the proximity of the malfunction to the ending of the warranty period and the low mileage of the vehicle. This amount of money is nothing to Toyota but it is life changing to this, up until now, independent woma information redacted pursuant to the freedom of infor.

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.

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.

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 🔎.