Toyota PRIUS brakes problems
5,125 complaint narratives mention brakes terms.
Key facts
12,493 owner complaints analyzed
35 distinct recall campaigns
45,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2000 to 2026 model years. Data snapshot: . 9,709 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Braking behavior evidence
5,125 of 12,493 complaints match this topic (41.0%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
Owner report 10361672 · 2010-10-22 (October 22, 2010)
2001 TOYOTA PRIUS - STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY VIBRATES AND PULLS HARD TO THE SIDE. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT BUT HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY. DEALER SAID IT WAS BRAKE DRUM AND PERFORMED $800 REPAIR BUT ONLINE SEARCH SUGGESTS IT IS ACTUALLY COMMON STEERING PROBLEM THAT CONTINUES EVEN AFTER PRIOR REPAIR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 57,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10361672 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10304253 · 2010-02-03 (February 3, 2010)
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS, PURCHASING THE CAR IN 2002. EVER SINCE I HAVE HAD IT, I HAVE NOTICED IT TEMPORARILY LOSES BRAKING AFTER DRIVING RELATIVELY SLOWLY -- 5 TO 20 MPH -- OVER A POTHOLE THAT HITS JUST ONE WHEEL. IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP IN 2002 AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE WAY THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WORKED. I NOW KNOW THAT IF THERE IS A POTHOLE NEAR WHERE I WANT TO COME TO A STOP, I MAY HAVE TO LIFT MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND THEN REAPPLY THE BRAKE WH…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10304253 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10304256 · 2010-02-03 (February 3, 2010)
I OWNED A 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS. IN AUGUST 2009 AT ABOUT 113,000 MILES IT LOST BRAKE. THERE WAS A VERY VERY LITTLE BIT BRAKE. IF YOU WANT TO STOP IN 50 FEET IT WOULD STOP IN ABOUT 200 FEET. SINCE IT WAS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE I TRADED IT IN AND BOUGHT ANOTHER CAR. I STRONGLY BELIEVE IT WAS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM NOT A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. WHEN THE PROBLEM STARTED THE ABS, BRAKE AND BIG CAUTION SIGN LIGHTS CAME ON, AND ALSO A CONTINUOUS SHARP AND ANNOYING BEEP STARTED. ON MY WAY HOME AFTER I MADE A DEAL TO TRADE IN THE PRIUS, THE BEEP WENT AWAY, BUT…
Owner-reported narrative. 113,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10304256 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10304278 · 2010-02-03 (February 3, 2010)
I SAW THAT THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT IS MAKING TOYOTA LOOK INTO THE FOLLOWING COMPLAINT IN NEWER MODEL PRIUSES. "THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD OR TEMPORARILY LOST BRAKING AFTER DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE OR OTHER UNEVEN SURFACE. THIS IS A REOCCURING PROBLEM." MY 2001 PRIUS HAS THIS PROBLEM ALL THE TIME. IN ADDITION THE CAR HAD THE HYBRID BATTERIES CATCH ON FIRE , THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAIL, THE ECU FOR THE BRAKES FAIL, THE POWER STEERING FAIL, THE BRAKE PUMP LEAK, THE COMPUTER FAIL (WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO IMPROPERLY SHIFT GEARS). THESE ISS…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10304278 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10304385 · 2010-02-03 (February 3, 2010)
WHILE DRIVING ALONG ON INTERSTATE, GOT WARNING TRIANGLE AND LOW MAIN BATTERY INFORMATION. IMMEDIATELY, CAR BEGAN TO SPEED-UP ON ITS OWN. I APPLIED VERY HARD BRAKING TO TRY AND SLOW DOWN WHILE TRYING TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT LANE WITH TRAFFIC ON MY RIGHT. CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN BUT I MANAGED TO AVOID TRAFFIC AND GET ONTO THE RIGHT LANE, WHERE THERE WAS AN EXIT FROM THE INTERSTATE. I MADE THE EXIT AND WAS ABLE TO GET CONTROL OF THE ACCELERATION. I THEN DROVE THE ROUGH RUNNING CAR TO THE MY DEALER OFF THAT EXIT. THEY REPLACED THE MAIN BATTERY, AND EVER…
Owner-reported narrative. 137,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10304385 at NHTSA ↗