Traction Control System Problems of Toyota Prius - part 1

The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the abs and the traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the brake master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic and was diagnosed, and it was determined that the brake booster had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, one day later, both warning lights returned. The vehicle was returned to the mechanic and air was blown into the hydraulic valves and the other valves were cleaned; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

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The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius c. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 mph and pulling out of the driveway, while attempting to depress the brake pedal, excessive amount of force was needed to depress the brake pedal. The contact stated that the braking distance was extended, and the vehicle was jerking while stopping. The contact stated that the abs, brakes, and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the hydraulic brake booster pump actuator and accumulator had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer confirmed related the failure to customer satisfaction program under NHTSA id number: 10181735 (equipment adaptive/mobility, equipment, service brakes) however the vehicle was no longer covered for the repair. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the customer service program. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report. The failure mileage was 133,000.

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The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brake pedal was very stiff. The contact stated that the abs, brake lights, and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the brake power booster and brake power gasket. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius plug-in-hybrid. The contact stated that upon coming to a complete stop, the abs warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. After the failure, the contact became aware that the brake pedal needed an excessive amount of force to be depressed while bringing the vehicle to a complete stop. The brake and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 140,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving 50 mph on the highway, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact depressed the brake pedal harder and the vehicle almost came to a complete stop. The abs warning light, the brake warning light, and the traction control warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she exited the highway and was able to continue to drive by slightly depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was an internal malfunction of the brake booster and the brake booster assembly pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact contacted the manufacturer and inquired about assistance with repairing the vehicle under an unknown customer satisfaction program. The manufacturer informed the contact that the failure was not a safety issue and they could not assist as the customer satisfaction program had already expired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

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The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving 60 mph, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the brakes while the brake pedal was depressed. The brakes, the traction control, and the abs warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with brake booster and master cylinder assembly failure. The vehicle was not repaired for the most recent failure. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,019.

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The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. While driving 65 mph, the brake, air bag, and traction control warning indicators illuminated continuously. The contact mentioned that the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard. When the contact depressed the brake pedal slowly, the vehicle engaged. The contact called roadside assistance and was informed that there was no failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact about a recall for the brakes. The contact called al hendrickson Toyota at 954-972-1100 and they stated that there was no recall for the brakes. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13v235000 (service brakes). The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

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The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. When the brake pedal was depressed at 35 mph, the vehicle skipped, jerked, and hesitated to respond. Also, the abs and traction warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the brake booster pump assembly accumulator was leaking and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13v235000 (service brakes). The failure mileage was 141,000.

The contact owned a 2007 Toyota Prius. While driving up a mountain at 20 mph, the contact stated that the tires lost traction and the vehicle slid off a mountain curve and crashed into a ditch. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the head and some deep tissue bruising. Medical attention was required. A police report was not filed. Due to the force of the crash, the seat belt remained buckled, but failed to restrain the contact. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The failure mileage was approximately 52,800.

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The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. While driving approximately 5 mph, the brake pedal had to be depressed to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. The traction control, abs, and brake warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake pressure accumulator needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13v235000 (service brakes). The approximate failure mileage was 75,000. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the vehicle did not have a traction control switch. Due to the switch not being in the vehicle, the vehicle stalled while driving up an incline during inclement weather. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the failure was inherent to the model. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started to hesitate. The abs and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that there was brake message displayed. During the failure the brake pedal had to be depressed twice before the vehicle responded. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who diagnosed that power brake booster and master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle did not qualify for the extended warranty related to the failure. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 135,000.

2010 Toyota Prius. Consumer states when one of the front tires travels over uneven payment specifically an indentation in the road the braking action fails momentarily the consumer stated the vehicle lunged forward a few feet, before the brakes engaged again. The dealer informed the consumer the issue had to do with the abs/trac system.

Traction control disables car when slippery. . . Engine totally shuts off. Can happen passing through an intersection when icy/snowy, etc. Also makes ascending hills nearly impossible.

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Accident 12/22/10 turned left as I pulled into parking space nearest to handicapped spot. It was very sunny and there was a patch of what looked like ice. As the car went over that spot it started to accelerate. I applied the brake, only to find myself hitting the curb. After hitting the curb the car lurched over the curb and I continued applying the brake. In a fraction of a second my car was on the side walk, just before impact with the wall I took my foot off the brake because the car did not seem to be responding. I didn't know what else to do. It was over in seconds. Bricks dented in the building, smashed glass. I put the car in reverse and into the parking spot. Head spinning as to how this happened. I walked into the store and apologized. There was glass dust still hanging in the air. The woman inside said call the police. I thought that was a good idea. I was eager to demonstrated that I wasn't drunk nor using illegal drugs. I offered to take a breathilizer, but they thought that wasn't necessary.

1. Events leading to failure driving in 1 - 2 inches of snow, I attempted left turn, encountering a somewhat deeper (approximately 4-inch, and heavily tracked from previous vehicles) berm of snow at the entrance of the side street onto which I was turning. 2. The failure, how often it occurs, its consequences the traction control seized all motion of front (traction) tires, though snow was not deep enough otherwise to prevent movement. This left me in the path of oncoming traffic approaching downhill on slippery road. The traction control completely disabled car, leading to very dangerous situation. Also, continued application of accelerator pedal to get the car to move quickly created smell of hot transmission. There is no question that, even with the open differential, the car would have progressed through the snow but for the traction control. And, of course, there is no question that this problem is inherent to the traction control system and would occur whenever conditions occur that cross the threshold of slipperiness and resistance I encountered. 3. The defect remains uncorrected. The essential correction is redesign and replacement of the traction and/or adding a disabling switch.

On 2010 Prius, brakes seem to release, generally for a moment, at low speeds when going over a bump on passenger side of the car. Car seems to accelerate momentarily, until brakes are hit again. This has happened a number of times but is sometimes hard to recreate. Car has 3000 miles. Dealer says brakes operating as designed and recall adjustment has been made.

I own a 2008 Toyota Prius and have experienced braking problems since I purchased the vehicle. Any time I go over a bump/pothole, while turning, results in a floating sensation, surge forward, and momentary loss of steering. I almost had an accident 2 weeks ago at an intersection when this occurred. Serviced my vehicle yesterday and they claim the skid control system is working as it was designed. There is definitely a fatal flaw in this system and likely a chip issue. Toyota is not doing anything.

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Was driving Prius 2010 model ii with brake software applied by dealer about 1. 5 months ago. Today (7/27/2010) I exited highway and began gentle braking on offramp, as suggested by manual to maximize regeneration. About half-way down offramp, I realized car in front of me was completely stopped and that I had to stop much more quickly than I was planning to. I don't recall being particularly distracted, but I can't rule out I noticed the stopped vehicle later than I should have. In any event, I'm not sure how hard I pressed the brakes, but I recall distinctly thinking "OH, my god. Nothing is happening" and 1-2 secs later I plowed into the car in front of me. The collision was hard enough to cause temporary pain to the driver in front of me, but no air bags were deployed and the Prius appears to not have major frontal damage - hood is bent back and maybe slight frame distortion => the impact clearly was not at the ~40-50 mph I was going when just exiting the highway, so some braking clearly did occur -- but I have the distinct feeling that my previous car (Subaru outbook) would have easily stopped in time. After accident, I tested brakes by going 15-20 mph in parking lot and braking hard. Always stopped quickly, I'm guessing w/100% friction braking. So brakes are probably not "defective" in sense of lost hydraulic fluid, etc. . . But I have never before experienced the feeling "I'm not stopping" except once when losing traction on icy road with a non-hybrid. The fact had time to think this thought at all probably means maybe 0. 5-1. 5 sec passed while braking ineffective. Checked for tire/skid marks on road or evidence of strong tire wear and found none, while I have on other cars when I have had to brake hard => Prius not braking hard despite emergency. Seem to have been caught in transition between regen & friction mode? this is still discussed in Prius forums -- software fix not good enough!? this is potentially very dangerous. Btw,car was in "eco" mode.

My 2009 Toyota Prius, since I first purchased it April 2009, the anti-lock brakes seem to fail. When I brake and hit a bump in the road the anti-lock brakes engage and release the brakes. It feels as if I am sliding on ice. I discussed this with the Toyota dealer last month, who dismissed this as normal anti-lock brake activity. I feel these cars need to be recalled and repaired.

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On my 2008 Toyota Prius, when I hit a bump or pothole at relatively low speed, the car sometimes goes into "anti-skid" mode, leading to a brief (~1/2 second), disconcerting period of lurching/acceleration/loss of braking ability before the car returns to normal. This problem is usually accompanied by the lighting of the yellow skid icon indicator on the dash.

Whenever I brake when going over a bump, such as a manhole cover, pothole, or cobblestone road, the abs system engages and for a moment the brake does not seem to be working, the car is not slowing. I am worried it could lead to an accident if another car were close in front of me. When my husband mentioned the problem to the Toyota dealer, the brakes were checked and we were told there was nothing wrong. However, this continues to happen and the moment without braking is too long for comfort.

2008 Prius. Often when I go over a bump the anti-lock braking system kicks in and it feels as if I have lost control of the car. I don't think I could stop suddenly. I haven't had an accident but I am uncomfortable driving sometimes even in good weather. The service department was no help.

Frequently while driving on dry, clear and clean roads, my car braking system will seem to fail and feel like the car is going into a skid. The abs warning light comes on as well - although there is no reason for brake trouble. Seems to be happening more and more frequently lately.

This failure occurs whenever one wheel looses traction with the road. Instead of the antilock braking kicking in, the brakes on all wheels are backed off giving the feeling the car is accelerating. This happens when you go over a bump or snow. On snow you have to allow additional braking distant. This is the same problem as described for the 2010 Prius.

When I go over a bump or uneven surface or grate or slippery surface while braking in my 2006 Toyota Prius, the abs (antilock brake system) and/or vehicle stability control/traction control activates. The problem is that when these systems do so, it feels like I lose all braking power and it seems as though the car accelerates. It is most apparent when it is wet out, but I've had this happen even in dry conditions. Toyota dealership says that this is normal operation for the abs, but they seem to be correcting this same problem for 2010 Priuses through a software change--but not any other year models.

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For approximately the past six months the passenger side headlight in our car has gone out intermittently. This occurs when there is any vibration in the road from, for example, uneven road surfaces. Additionally, our car accelerates after hitting a bump or a pothole.

Braking momentarily fails after hitting a bump, pothole, or other road irregularity. This article describes the issue perfectly. . Read more...

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The traction control override repeatedly engages arbitrarily under various circumstances, including hitting bumps/potholes at 35 mph and accelerating from a stop on both wet and dry roads. I have seen reports online of people expressing their concern about this feature in snow, but our Prius does it frequently. Aside from the inconvenience, this is a clear safety hazard when attempting to pull out into traffic. We have been told by the dealer that this feature cannot be disabled, but it would seem to me that it needs to be to avoid potential collisions.

My 2008 Toyota Prius loses braking power every time I brake when going over a bumpy or uneven surface and it takes 1/2 to 1 second before they re-engage. Took car to Toyota dealer and had service technician go on a test drive with me. When the service technician experienced this loss in brakes, he explained that the traction control system was designed to release the brakes on the tire (during bumpy road surface) to prevent lock-up, but if I kept my foot on the pedal long enough the brakes would re-engage. My complaint is the length of time it takes for the brakes to re-engage was too long and might result in an accident. The technician stated that the time lapse was normal/standard for abs and Prius drivers needed to adjust their driving habits to allow for it.

The problem still exists. The car when going over uneven terrain and braking jumps forward. I can replicate the problem almost 100% of the time on my ride home from work. The problem also happens in random areas where the road is sub-par. Took the car to my Toyota dealer and they basically said we are going to see if any error codes come up but most likely we cannot help the problem. Very very very dissatisfied with this answer. They also could not guarantee my safety if the sudden/abrupt acceleration happens while driving on snow/ice/rain. Please advise.

I drive a 2008 Prius. When braking and driving over a pot-hole, bump, or other road work the anti-lock braking system engages, and the brakes release for an extended period of time (>1 second) causing the car to coast during this time. I drive on busy city streets and on highways with stop and go traffic, and this uncontrolled brake release represents a safety hazard. I have driven vehicles with anti-lock brakes before, and this kind of braking release is much longer and results in a much greater loss of vehicle control than in other vehicles I have driven. In a specific recent incident, I hit a car immediately in front of me. In the incident, I was driving over bumpy pavement and the car in front of me stopped abruptly. As I tried to brake sharply to avoid hitting the car in front, the braking released because the anti lock brakes engaged, and instead of stopping safely, I hit the car. Although there were no injuries and damage was minor, the incident (and the regularity with which the brakes release under normal driving conditions) seems to me to represent a significant safety problem for the vehicle.

2010 Prius engine accelerates when braking over bumps/gravel. Brought car back to Toyota dealer for recall modification and problem still exists, in fact, seems worse.

2006 Toyota Prius loses all traction when encountering conditions where only one wheel loses traction. This failure occurs on roads with sand on them. Most commonly it occurs when attempting to turn right at an intersection, from the right or turn lane. When to accelerator is pressed, the car starts to move, usually a little way into the intersection, and then stalls because the right front wheel starts to slip in the sand along the curb. This is especially dangerous when executing a "right on red" turn. The car has moved part way into the intersection and is stalled by the lack of any traction. Toyota calls this "traction control". I don't think this is an accurate description. It's really computer controlled traction loss. The occurrence reported is only the latest. It has been going on for almost 4 years. Complaints to Toyota have been fruitless, because they say the system is operating within design limits. I have been told that the system was designed to prevent over-revving of engine components and stressing them.

On Monday, April 12, 2010, in the morning, on a rainy day in sacramento, California, I was driving about 15 mph when the traffic in front of me slowed. I was driving over railroad tracks with steel plates between the tracks in my 2007 Toyota Prius. I braked but the car did not stop. I had time to actually look down at my feet to confirm that it was definitely the brakes that I was applying major pressure to. I also noticed that the light was on indicating that the car did not have traction. I hit the car in front of me. The first words out of my mouth were, "I had no brakes, I'm so sorry, but I had no brakes. " the initial estimate for my car is over $6,000, I have not heard what the estimate is for the other car. I did everything I could have done, the car failed me.