10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
16 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
8 / 0
Average Mileage:
108,261 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Toyota Prius brakes problems

brakes problem

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2008 Toyota Prius Owner Comments (Page 2 of 7)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #106

Apr 062020

Prius

  • 173,600 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced brake failure and was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 173,600.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #105

Jul 312020

Prius

  • 212,888 miles
My 2008 Toyota Prius brake system is very dangarous, on the hi way speed of 55 I push the brake softly, out of sadden car started acting like a wild horse slipping to the left and right and I am an experienced driver on ice, I lived in M ichigan for a long time, so I survived, and all drivers around me stopped and there was no accident, I am afraid driving that car, I have called Toyota dealer, seems like use to be a recall but they have some hesitions to accept the faulty, dangarous brake system, I am going to complain to the CEO of the company.god help me, I was lucky my family and I survived, my message to the Toyota Prius owners is please double check your VIN number and recalls, and insist to fix this common defect on Toyota Prius, by the dealer with no charges.very very unsfe brake system. And my instrument lights are on and off I can not see the speed and the odometer and the gas indicator, I heard it was a recall but the dealership did not accept it. If I want to fix these faulty defective parts would cost me over 4000 dollars, Toyota is responsible, I beleive should and must fix it for free valuntarly,

- Costa Mesa, CA, USA

problem #104

Jun 122020

Prius 4-cyl

  • 200,000 miles
I was having trouble with my brakes, lost control of my car going 30-35 mph on a city street, hit telephone pole, airbag deployed, injured. Mva 06/12/20

- Honolulu, HI, USA

problem #103

Jul 022020

Prius 4-cyl

  • 66,600 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Brakes went out. Hydrauli control assembly antilock brakes modulator valve. Toyota wants $3,806 to repair it. There was a warranty extension program that ended December 2017. This should be on recall, tons of problems. I am the second owner of the vehicle, purchased April 2017, but was not notified by Toyota of the warranty extension, or that it was ending. I was driving the vehicle, all brake lights came on, Toyota says not to drive due to risk of complete loss of braking system. Case number 10664 has been filed with Toyota.

- Honolulu, HI, USA

problem #102

Jun 022020

Prius 4-cyl

  • 191,500 miles
I bought a used 2008 Prius for my daughter at a dealership in may, 2020. Soon after the ABS, brake and traction control lights on the dash came on. I took it to the Toyota dealer and was told it's the ABS actuator that is leaking. The leaking can cause your brakes to lock up and not stop the car when pushing them. After further research, there are many complaints about this issue for the 2008 Prius. This seems like a very serious safety issue and is documented on many owner forums as a common problem for the Prius. After further research, Toyota did offer a limited warranty on this issue, however, many people are now getting this issue after the warranty has already expired. Toyota has bulletin GZ1 with over 171 complaints and there are hundreds of complaints about this throughout the internet. I could understand a warranty being issued for a problem that is common but not deadly, however, the failure of the ABS actuator has already caused deaths and should be an issued recall and not a temporary warranty..

- Raymore, MO, USA

problem #101

Mar 102020

Prius 4-cyl

  • 220,000 miles
My brake, ABS, vsc, and (!) lights are on. The brakes work at roughly 10% stopping power. Makes an awful buzzing noise when the brakes are applied and the warning chime is on constantly the high pitch ring is unbearable. I called my local Toyota service dealer and was told the champagne ended Nov 30th 2017.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #100

Mar 102020

Prius

  • 185,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When turning the car on, while in park, the car lunges forward with the brake pedal fully depressed. The ABS actuator/modulator is constantly whirring. Several dash lights are illuminated simultaneously (ABS vsc, E-brake, !). my dealer says that this is a common Prius problem that can result in complete failure of braking capability and that the repair is $3,500. According to my service advisor, another customer of central Florida Toyota was scheduled for this repair when his brakes failed and his car was totaled. This seems like a very serious safety issue, and is documented on owner forums as a common problem for Prius'. my car has been doing this for a couple weeks now, and realizing how serious is it has prompted me to schedule the repair at my local dealership. I am a nursing home administrator and I rely on this car for my 100 mile commutes.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #99

Mar 192020

Prius

  • 146,000 miles
2008 Prius ABS and brake lights came on, front passenger tire locked up suddenly almost causing daughter to run off the highway. I drove the vehicle and could not duplicate the issue. 9 months later the ABS and brake lights came on again, Toyota cleared codes could not find anything wrong and released the vehicle back. Lights returned the next day. Toyota now states needs a new brake actuator for $2700. Toyota has bulletin GZ1 with over 171 complaints on your site with not counting all the vehicles repaired under this bulletin. They will not fix the vehicle without payment of almost half of the vehicle's worth. Contacted Toyota customer service and they were not willing to assist with a known issue. With the risk of accidents when brakes lock up or fail, why was this not a safety recall instead of a "silent recall" warranty extension

- Indian Land, SC, USA

problem #98

Nov 012018

Prius

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to immediately stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the braking distance was extended. An audible chime was heard while the ABS, vsc, brakes, and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the brake actuator and the ABS brake sensors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer (unknown) was notified of the failure. The manufacture was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 70,000.

- Homestead, FL, USA

problem #97

Jan 242020

Prius

  • 151,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at about 35 mph, the brake light illuminated and the braking power was reduced. The vehicle was taken to the Toyota of hollywood dealer, located at 6000 hollywood blvd, los angeles, ca 90028) and was told that the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the warranty expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.

- Valley Glen, CA, USA

problem #96

Jan 102020

Prius

  • 167,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake warning light illuminated and the braking power was reduced. The failure recurred and the brake ceased. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. The contact called the panama city Toyota dealer, located in panama city, Florida, and was told there was no recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.

- Panama City, FL, USA

problem #95

Jan 012020

Prius

  • miles
The break actuator is broken and now causing problems to the cars break system. This is a well documented issue and should be looked into. This happened while I was driving the car and needs to be replaced. Toyota did have a extended warrenty for the part but now it is over. I think they should have a recall on the part and have it fixed.

- Oakland, CA, USA

problem #94

Jan 072020

Prius

  • 172,316 miles
I had some brake work done on my car at meineke on January 6, and when they did the brake bleed they were unable to bleed the left rear brake. They did some investigating and said it was going to take several hours of labor to diagnose. I decided to take it to the dealership, which I did on Jan 7. they got error code C1253, and diagnosed the problem as an internal leak in the actuator. This is both a dangerous and expensive problem. Looking around online I saw that this was a known problem in priuses (both gen 2 and gen 3), and has been the subject of warranty enhancement program zg-1. unfortunately, that wep expired at the end of 2017. Given the dangerousness of the issue (I.e. this is not an optional repair if you want to keep driving your car safely) and the number of people who continue to experience this known problem, it seems like Toyota should issue a recall (ideal; would prevent people from discovering the problem by losing brake function while driving) or at least continue to cover the full cost of replacements. I'm just "lucky" I discovered the issue while having other brake work done.

- Poulsbo, WA, USA

problem #93

Jul 012019

Prius

  • 135,000 miles
Driving through the rocky mountains, my brake actuator failed causing the front caliper to seize. I was unable to brake safely. The vehicle swerved during braking and failed to respond in time to prevent collisions. Had I been in a high-traffic area, injury or fatality would have been likely. This is a known issue and Toyota extended the warranty on this part. Unfortunately, though I am still within the mileage limit, the warranty period expired weeks before the problem was diagnosed. I stress that this is a known issue which presents an imminent danger to drivers, passengers, and the public at large.

- Clarksville, TN, USA

problem #92

Nov 152019

Prius

  • 121,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. When the contact attempted to stop the vehicle, excessive pressure had to be applied to the brake pedal and a loud sound was heard from the rear of the vehicle. The noise sounded as if the brakes were releasing from the rear of the vehicle. In addition, the brake, ABS, vsc, and the explanation mark with a circle icon warning indicators illuminated. When using the brakes, the contact would need to activate the vehicle's B mode to assist with slowing down the vehicle. The contact also noticed that the vehicle's tires would seize without warning. The vehicle was not taken to a certified mechanic or dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 121,000.

- Perkins, OK, USA

problem #91

Jan 222017

Prius

  • 167,000 miles
The brake actuator is failing. It has a constant pumping sound that indicates this part is failing. This seems to be a known problem for many gen 2 Prius owners. Toyota had a campaign to replace this part but I was never notified of it. Had I been notified I would have taken my car in for service.

- Cary, NC, USA

problem #90

Sep 272019

Prius

  • miles
My car has been having this issue with braking and dashboard lights with 'brakes, ABS, vsc. Have taken it to the dealer and have spent thousands of dollars already. Replaced the brake system (pads, drums, etc..), catalytic converter, hybrid battery. Every time I drive out out of the dealer 'all is good' as codes were cleared but a few months after, the lights are on again. These issues have cause are causing my car to be acting up while driving and trying to break at stop signs and crossing lights by delaying to stop on time. This is a safety issue and needs to be addressed by Toyota in assisting us with repairs. Unless they'll wait for a tragedy before doing something about it. Have called the dealer and they always say 'it could this' or 'it could be that'. so far the repairs they have done is supposed to fix the current issue with breaks, lights on the dashboard but now ABS can be related to the actuator and that will cost me around $3,000! which I cannot afford anymore. My car is paid for and I've spent almost $7,000 in 'repairs' and of course all vehicle's warrantees had expired when I took it in. In reviewing multiple complaints, this seems to be an issue with these ABS and vsc problems and there should be some type of recall to fix them, otherwise as customers we're losing faith in Toyota and/or their dealers. I love Toyota cars but going through these experiences with costly repairs may change my mind in going with another brand.

- Palmdale, CA, USA

problem #89

Sep 202019

Prius

  • 179,000 miles
Was parked in line to pick up child from school. Turned car on and put it on drive, moved slowly when parking brake light, ABS warning light, traction control light all came on and then my brakes went limp. Had to push all the way to the floor and stopping was still hard to do. Almost hit the car in front of me when suddenly all lights went off and brakes jerked to a sudden stop. I'm terrified to drive my car at faster speed knowing my brakes basically went out. Pretty sure it's failing brake actuator and Toyota knows about this probably but didn't do a recall only extended warranties... I didn't own the car when those warranties we're going on in 2016. Headlights also will randomly turn off and I have to turn them off and back on constantly driving at night.

- Tunnel Hill, GA, USA

problem #88

Jun 302019

Prius

  • 130,000 miles
The brake actuator failed. The brakes started stopping abruptly while driving and would also be on slowing the car down while I was driving. Ifound out that Toyota was making this repair at no cost up until January 2018. My issue is that the vehicle has been registered to me since 2013. My complaint is that Toyota knew the brake actuator was an issue on this model but failed to notify me to correct it even though they had my contact information during the time that it was being fixed for free.

- Glenwood Springs, CO, USA

problem #87

May 242019

Prius

  • 204,710 miles
Second generation Toyota Prius (model years 04-09, an estimated 669,700 vehicles, Toyota highlander 06 ~66,200 vehicles (and Lexus models~196,000 vehicles) have a known defective brake power booster known as brake actuator assembly. Toyota published tsb 0032-16. The brakes fail. Toyota denied to remove the known faulty part in 2016 because the part had not established symptoms yet and vehicle was over 175,000 miles. 5/24/2019 while in motion on interstate 77, the yellow anti-lock brake system ABS, the electronic variable speed control vsc (traction), the electronic controlled brake alert lamps illuminate. The hybrid propulsion system fails because the power brakes do not regenerate electricity to charge the hybrid battery fuel cells. Turning the hybrid vehicle into a plain gas powered vehicle with faulty brakes. The power brake system creates a thumping vibration sound due to the pressure inside the actuator is not retaining/holding pressure. I asked local O'reily's to scan vehicle, reading codes brake actuator failure. Reported to Toyota dealership 5/30/2019 with yellow warning lamps engaged and with knowledge of codes. Charged $150.09 to verify codes that I retrieved in 3 minutes and estimate $2938.47 to replace known faulty part. I contacted Toyota national -1906030924.Toyota needs to own this recall. Recall the faulty part known to fail in 2016. Toyota aware of part failure, to such extent, Toyota discontinued this brake actuator and redesigned for generation 3 2010-. Toyota has updated the replacement part with new part #S. how many vehicles are currently on highways with this known faulty system, endangering all vehicles in proximity? this is a national issue. A safety issue. Needs immediate attention, please. I purchased new updated part, drove to tampa, Florida to have installed by professional installer.

- Blythewood, SC, USA

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