Service Brakes Problems of Toyota Prius - part 2

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.

See all problems of the 2010 Toyota Prius 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2015 Toyota Prius 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2014 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.

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.

While driving my 2013 Toyota Prius, the red brake warning light, traction control, and abs warning light suddenly illuminated on the dashboard. The brake pedal became spongy and required significantly more effort to stop the vehicle, indicating reduced braking power. The vehicle was diagnosed with code c1391 — abnormal leak in the brake booster accumulator assembly — a known manufacturing defect acknowledged by Toyota via customer support program bulletin zg1 for 2010–2015 Prius vehicles. The brake accumulator was replaced by a repair shop (arc auto repair, pasadena, CA), but the issue has recurred. The symptom is pressure-dependent: brake performance degrades in eco drive mode as accumulator pressure bleeds down, and partially restores in power mode when the system is forced to repressurize. Toyota dealership (hamer Toyota, mission hills, CA) and Toyota customer experience (1-800-331-4331) both declined to assist, citing expired warranty. This is a known safety-critical defect in the braking system that Toyota has previously acknowledged. No crash or injury occurred, but the reduced braking capability presents a significant safety risk to the driver and public.

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.

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, with an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with brake booster failure. The contact was informed that the brake booster pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that an undisclosed extended warranty program had expired. In addition, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.