10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
42 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
19 / 0
Average Mileage:
70,306 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.

2010 Toyota Prius brakes problems

brakes problem

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2010 Toyota Prius Owner Comments (Page 3 of 27)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #493

Apr 012023

Prius

  • miles

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

The break booster started making a noise and my car should have fallen into the range of the previous recall for the exact part. I cant afford to change it so I continue to drive it and all of sudden the breaks are so hard to push and a constant buzz is going off! Autozone confirmed it was the break booster ans abs then a private shop did also

- Elberton, GA, USA

problem #492

Jun 192023

Prius

  • miles
ABS pump booster failed. Hard to stop the vehicle. Almost had an incident. Trouble code C1391.

- Ladson, SC, USA

problem #491

Jun 192023

Prius

  • miles
My ABS, break and anti-skid lights came on while my vehicle was parked. The ABS system shouldn't fail on a car. Many other 2010 Prius owners have reported the same problem. Toyota had break system recalls back in 2010 and 2013. I believe my car may should have been part of the recall, but was overlooked.

- Gainesville, FL, USA

problem #490

Jun 022023

Prius

  • miles

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

I took my vehicle to my mechanic at my independent service center because I experienced shaking/significant vibrating at 60 mph. I had also experienced a loud noise that only lasted about 2 miles. He found that the right rear brake unit, specifically the caliper, had seized. I contacted Toyota of America because there was no brake warning light to alert us of this situation. I received a call back from David from Sloane Toyota in Glenside, PA, who confirmed that the caliper seizing would not cause the brake warning light to appear. He also indicated that the caliper is not something that is routinely checked as part of state inspection, or the regular maintenance schedule. I am deeply concerned that this mechanical failure of the brake unit could have resulted in death(s). I request that Toyota vehicle owners and mechanics be alerted to this, specifically the fact that the brake warning light does not alert a driver of this brake part failure. Further, I request that an inspection of the calipers be included in the routine maintenance schedule and annual state inspection. Thank you for the work that you do to keep us safe!

- Fort Washington, PA, USA

problem #489

Feb 272023

Prius

  • 140,000 miles
ABS brake booster failure. Vehicle with approximately 140,000 miles. Previous safety notice expired that covered 10 years or 150,000 miles

- Woodstock, GA, USA

problem #488

Jun 072023

Prius

  • miles
The braking system developed a leak in the accumulator causing the whole braking system to fail and turn the abs light on in the car as it leaked brake fluid into the brake booster from the master cylinder

- Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA

problem #487

Jun 012023

Prius

  • miles

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

There was some kickback or resistance when engaging the brake to start the car. When the car turned on, the brake light, ABS light, and traction control light lit up. I took the car to Toyota service, they stated that the brake booster pump was defective and needs replacement. I see that there is not an open recall for this vehicle, however there was a recall #13V235000 that was sent out in 2013 with the exact same issue for 2010 Toyota Prius. We bought the car as a certified Pre Own in 2015, so we did not get this notification. I am trying to figure out why this car does not fall under the recall category? Thank you.

- Skokie, IL, USA

problem #486

May 212023

Prius

  • 116,000 miles
Almost caused a major accident. Brakes failed with no warning!

- Lafayette, LA, USA

problem #485

Apr 202023

Prius

  • miles
My Prius 2010 has thrown the ABS, Traction, and Brake HUD lights all together. I took it to an Autozone and scanned the code to get the C1391: Abnormal Leak of ACC PRESS error. Many Prius 2010 have this issue, I'm sure I'll need to replace the actuator and/or accumulator and I know that will cost a good bit, i hope Toyota could help us fix it.

- Pullman, WA, USA

problem #484

Apr 112023

Prius

  • miles
I was driving and all of the sudden lights came on, on the dashboard and when I started to slow down I noticed the brakes were very "mushy" and barley worked. I then drove it directly to the dealership and on the way the lights went off, and brakes went back to normal. This is a very dangerous situation for anyone to be in and I don't know why NHTSA has not made this a mandatory recall for Toyota, I know why Toyota does not recall $$. They are now making $$ on parts and their dealers are making $$ on this service. I did not find a specific recall on the NHTSA website but I did find a recall # that I will be looking into in more depth. That recall number is 13V235000. The dealership said it would cost $3,000 to replace the Brake Booster Pump Assembly and Master Cylinder. If I were someone with very little funds to get this repaired then I would drive the car as my only source of transportation. This type of repair should be recalled and NHTSA should get this resolved with Toyota ASAP.

- Boston, VA, USA

problem #483

Mar 192023

Prius

  • 190,000 miles

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

I was driving in my neighboorhood and as I went up the wall bridge my acceleration stalled and my ABS light, Check engine light, and check hybrid system light came on simultaneously and started beeping. At the same time, I lost my braking ability completely. I had to swerve off to the grass in the hopes of not hitting turning traffic at the stop sign. Luckily, it stopped before doing any major damage to anything. Thankfully, I was close to home and was able to put it in my driveway safely. The check engine light then cut itself off, but my brakes remained completely nonfunctional. If this had happened on the highway or a busy road I'm sure it would-??ve been much worse.

- Coconut Creek, FL, USA

problem #482

Feb 202023

Prius

  • 186,000 miles
ABS system and traction control lost. ABS booster pump and master brake cylinder broke down. They should be life long parts. Brakes lost its function on highway and was pretty dangerous. ABS light, traction control light and brake light on. Dealer refused to change on their own.

- Costa Mesa, CA, USA

problem #481

Mar 022023

Prius

  • miles
ABS system displayed airbag symbol displayed brake symbol displayed seat belts light flashing airbag system showing off. Toyota dealership is aware of the problem with the ABS system along with the items mentioned. accident could have been avoided contact if the ABS system was working. Airbags did not deploy. Advise Toyota corporation on 27 February 2023 file number 230-227-00 2210 in regards to the ABS they were also advised of the airbag symbol displayed in the seat belt fasten flashing on driver side when an individual is seated in the car and buckled in. Vehicle has not been inspected yet however on Monday 6th of March it will be inspected by copart, by the direction of the USAA insurance company.

- Oxford, FL, USA

problem #480

Dec 062022

Prius

  • miles
I noticed that my brakes felt mushy when applied. The ABS light came on in my car. I took it to 2 different Toyota dealers and both said that my break boosters were failing and would need replacing. I had 125,000 miles on my car. The brakes were working adequately at that time, but I was aware that they could fail at any time and put me in danger. I was charged $3637 for diagnosis and repair on 12/6/22.

- Peoria, IL, USA

problem #479

Feb 142023

Prius 4-cyl

  • 192,000 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while his wife was driving 40 MPH, the traction control, ABS, brake warning light, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact's wife was able to drive to her residence. The contact stated that he was an independent mechanic and he had diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V235000 (Service Brakes) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 192,000.

- Palm Bay, FL, USA

problem #478

Jan 312023

Prius

  • miles
The ABS, VSC/traction control, and brake system warning lights all came on at the same time in my 2010 Toyota Prius. I almost lost control of my car's braking ability. Afterwards, the hybrid system does not perform its regenerative braking/recharging any longer. And the cruise control mode doesn't work also. The DTC from the OBD2 port is C1391 - abnormal leak in the brake fluid accumulator. I found out that this issue is widespread among Gen 3 Priuses, but Toyota has not made this officially a recall campaign, but classifies it as a "customer support bulletin." But the issue is dangerous enough that it should be a recall item. I moved homes in fall of 2018, and Toyota says it mailed out a letter about this brake issue and resulting campaign, but I never received the letter. I was totally unaware that this was a safety issue, that Toyota acknowledged it, and that this safety issue with an ongoing "recall" campaign with an expiration date. Toyota denies that this is a recall issue, and will not provide this service. I would like for NHTSA to reopen and investigate this issue, and make Toyota issue a general recall campaign to resolve this dangerous safety problem with the car.

- Irvine, CA, USA

problem #477

Feb 042023

Prius

  • miles
My 2010 Toyota Prius (JTDKN3DU3A1307523) had the ABS/brake warning/traction control (VSC) lights come on at the same time and I lost a significant portion of my braking ability, while driving. I was able to pull into a shop. The mechanic connected a code reader to the OBD II port and found the code DTC C1391. It is a failure with the ABS booster pump assembly and accumulator. I called Toyota corporate line and they said there was an expired Customer Support Bulletin, which I did not receive mail alert for, and that it is not a recall, and that the customer is on the hook for replacement of the failed component. They repeatedly told me it was not under recall, even though internet forums all mention it as a recall campaign. I called auto shops in my area (specializing in Toyota and Japanese makes) and they all did not want to perform the repair as they found it too complicated to do, and told me Toyota has a recall campaign and advised I call Toyota corporate to get serviced.

- Irvine, CA, USA

problem #476

Dec 092022

Prius

  • miles
The brake cylinder and brake pump assemblies broke down in the middle of the highway. The ABS, brake, VSC, and traction lights lit up unexpectedly after ~1 hour of driving. I was able to get the car to the dealership and the service advisor noted that he was surprised that we made it as far as we did without a complete failure of the brake system. He advised that it was not even safe to drive the car around the corner for a few blocks because of the brake system malfunction. They provided an error code of C1391. This is a full failure of the brake system that makes the vehicle unsafe for street operation. This complaint adds to an already well-documented problem with these issues that Toyota acknowledged through a wholly inadequate "voluntary customer support program" which expired after the earlier of 10 years and 150,000 miles [link: https://bit.ly/3CntosU], which for all 2010 Priuses expired in 2021. The issue also appears similar to the ones reported in Defect Petitions DP19-004 and, indirectly, PE10006. This was also the subject of a lawsuit in 2020 that was since withdrawn by the plaintiff (Turner v. Toyota, Case No. 5:20-CV-00320, CD Cal). There are dozens of written reports and videos of people resetting their brake warning lights with paperclips. This is a major safety hazard for those 2010 Priuses that are still on the road and should be remedied by a recall.

- Arcadia, CA, USA

problem #475

Nov 122022

Prius

  • miles
My 2010 is covered under a recall. I had total brake failure and the dash light up like a Christmas tree. Brought in before the recall was released and it was repaired under my extended warranty. Then got recall notice, so I guess there was an internal fund transfer.

- Houston , TX, USA

problem #474

Dec 122022

Prius

  • miles
My 2010 Toyota Prius seemed to have a faulty ABS actuator/ boaster pump for years but I did not know it until recently. For years the car would display the abs, traction controls, and brake light for 50 miles and then go away but the most recent time it did not go off. The actuator continuously runs and you can hear it consistently buzz every 5-10 seconds. The brake pedal require a lot more force in order for the car to slow down and the car jumps forward when depressing the brakes suddenly. In the past the brake would require much more force but after a few miles on the road the light would go off and the car would seem to function as normal, but most recently as of last week the light would not go off and the brakes require a lot of force still after doing almost 400 miles. I had 2 near misses once almost hitting another car during a rainy day and another missing a stop sign by almost half a car length. I took my car to the dealership and they stated that the error code is showing a faulty abs actuator but the rep told me it should still be fine to drive if I do not want to pay the out of pocket cost and get it fixed immediately. This is a major safety concern for me and my family and even though I been servicing my car for year at the Toyota dealership it was never brought to my attention. Only recently when I had the near misses and had my mechanic run test on it did I realize. I then took my car to Toyota for routine maintenance and it was confirmed that the abs actuator/boaster pump was faulty, yet they offer no remedy and they never even notified me of this faulty OEM issue until I brought it to their attention. The dealership said my VIN did not qualify for any recall or customer satisfaction proposal (CSP) and that if I wish to fix the brakes/actuator issue it would be an out of pocket cost of a few thousand dollars. This is unacceptable and action needs to be taken immediately to recall and rectify this before innocent lives are lost due to brake failure.

- Edison , NJ, USA

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