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.
I have a 2010 Toyota Prius model V with the advanced technology option including pcs (pre-collision system) system. Twice in the last 6 weeks the pcs system has triggered while I have been driving. At this time I did not have the radar controlled cruise control on or engaged. Both times, the seatbelts rapidly retracted the car started braking rapidly and beeping aggressively. Both times after what seemed like 3-5 seconds the car returned to normal driving. Both times I was driving at night at speeds between 35 and 55 mph. Both times due to the rapid seatbelt/shoulder belt retraction my left arm and chest was hurt. The pain lasts about a week, so there was a serious bruise which would have been ok if there was really a crash situation. Both times there was no one in front of me. Once there was someone behind me who almost crashed into me because of the rapid braking.
Prius, when brake was depressed it sped up when driving slow and hitting a pot hole this happened twice before Toyota came out with the information about the brakes and once since the information has been in the news. I bought the car in August had the first incident in Sept. One around christmas and one this month. Didn't really know what was happening until now.
The contact has a 2010 Toyota Prius. A crash occurred when the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that he applied pressure to the brake pedal to no avail. The vehicle was traveling 15 mph at the time of the failure. The weather conditions were a factor and the road was covered with snow and ice at the time. The current and failure mileage was 8,000. Updated 06/28/10
25 January 2010, corner of rufus allen and hwy. 50 South lake Tahoe, California, 96150, at approximately 1630 local. Road conditions mostly dry 65% / 35% thin patchy ice, smooth surface no potholes. Applied brakes car lurched forward, momentary loss of brakes until more firm brake application was applied until braking system responded and car stopped short of intersection, no traffic violation, incident of damage.
Two failures. First while traveling at high speed from Canada to nyc on December 26, the left side of my electronic display went out, specifically the speedometer and gas mileage component of the display blanked out. It took Toyota about a week to figure out how to fix it. Secondly, I brought my 2010 Prius into my local dealer because of the braking acceleration issue. It had happened about 10 times since I bought the car on June 30, 2009. As the car was braking to a stop, there seemed to be an acceleration associated with the braking. When I brought it to star Toyota of bayside, they had the technician drive the car for about 3 miles and stated that they found no trouble.
- Nyc, NY, USA
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This is an update to an earlier complaint (#10304111). We had an accident with our 2010 Toyota Prius which we firmly believe was caused by brake failure. My wife was driving the car on a slippery road, it was lightly snowing, at about 10-15 mph and came to a stop sign. She applied the brakes and said nothing happened. As a car was at the stop sign she turned to avoid the car and hit a raised and sharp curb, which pierced the tire and bent the tie-rod. Our car was towed to a body shop. After about 10 days, state farm inspected the car, but by this time the recall for the Prius had been announced. The body shop then refused to fix the car and we had to take it to a Toyota dealer. State farm has since decided not pursue this incident as they feel the snow caused the accident and that the temporary loss of brakes is not what the recall is about. From our reading of numerous articles (NY times) and the recall information itself, plus what happened, we are strongly stating that there was in fact a temporary or momentary loss of the brakes which directly caused this accident. From our reading of the recall and other complaints, slippery conditions are one of the factors which cause this problem. In our case, this problem was exacerbated as not only was there slippery conditions, but the car was on a hill as well. We have also experienced prior to this accident a skipping or momentary brake problem when going over bumpy roads. When asking about this we were always told it had to do with the ABS system and that it was normal. Well the recall proves this was not normal and now we've experienced the problem on slick roads as well -- which has now cost us money.
2010 Toyota Prius software defect in the engine control system. Consumer states while reversing before the start up operation is complete the brakes grab. The consumer parked facing an upslope at the dealer to get his license plate installed. To leave, the consumer put his foot on the brake and pressed the power button. As the dashboard started to light up, he shifted into reverse, released the parking brake and the foot brake and started to ease down the ramp. As the consumer applied the foot brake, the brakes grabbed badly. The consumer released and re-applied them, and again they grabbed. The grabbing was severe enough that the vehicle was not safe to drive and the consumer just stopped. The consumer believed the behavior indicated a defect in the software that controlled the start-up sequence. The control computer should not allow the vehicle to be shifted into drive or reverse until the power-on operations have been fully completed.
2010 Toyota Prius with brake problem. Consumer states that a sudden loss of braking occurs after driving over small potholes, loose gravel, or down a slight hill. The consumer stated it felt as though the vehicle was accelerating for 1-3 seconds.
I have had several problems with my 2010 Toyota Prius. I have found the brakes to be undependable in situations of uneven pavement or anything but perfect road conditions. After applying the brakes, the car continues to move forward as if the brakes were never applied. This continues for several seconds causing a dangerous delay in performance of the brakes. This has occurred several times this winter, and is unfortunately not predictable. One instance led to my car slamming into an snow and ice bank damaging the lower front part of the car. Any other car I have driven would have stopped long before having contact with the bank, as the pavement was dry yet uneven. Another issue I have had is unreliable acceleration, again a hesitation of several seconds after the accelerator pedal is pushed that is dangerous as well making performance unpredictable. Both these situations leaves me uncertain of what kind of performance I can expect form both the brakes and accelerator at any given time. Since I drive my daughter to school each day, I am nervous every time I get into the car and concerned about the safety of my daughter and the other students. I also regularly wake up in the middle of the night fearful about driving my Prius to school and work the following day. So far I have done nothing to correct the situation as Toyota dealerships are so swamped by other recall appointments that it is nearly impossible to get an appointment for anything but a recall. So far Toyota has not contacted me about the brake recall solutions or recall process, so I am at a loss about where to turn.
Prius 2010 - when I brake going over pothole, there is a sudden acceleration. This happened twice since I brought the car in to the Toyota dealership and they claimed they "fixed" the problem. It happened most recently today Monday February 22, 2010.
I have 2010 Prius. I am experiencing an energy surge from my back wheels when I step on my brakes while simultaneously going over a bumpy surface like rail road tracks, pot hole or rough ground. It occurs several times a week. The result is that my car suddenly speeds forward when I least want it to - I am braking. I have it thrust me into an intersection. I reported it to my service dept in Nov 09. They told me they had never heard of this problem before and had no other complaints. With a front wheel drive I didn't understand why the power seemed to be coming from the back wheels. Now I am assuming it is some kind of connection to the ABS system. This happens most notably at lower speeds, rounding a corner. But I think it may also be happening on the highway, but the surge is harder to detect at higher speed.
During braking, my 2010 Toyota Prius would "lunge" forward as though the brakes did not work for a few seconds when "hitting" small bumps in the road. This happened twice.
I was driving my 2010 Toyota Prius (which I purchased in July of 2009) around 6:30 pm Wednesday Jan. 27th 2010 in an area with many traffic lights. The temperature was below freezing. I was going between 25 - 30 mph and I was following two other vehicles at a safe distance. The vehicle in front of me came to a sudden stop in response to the vehicle in from of him stopping suddenly for a red light at a traffic light. I hit my brakes and it felt as if there was a momentary pause before the brakes engaged. I hit the vehicle in front of me at less than 5 mph. The accident caused damage to the hood and front end of my vehicle. The vehicle in front of me was a SUV so I caused only slight damage to his rear bumper (the front end of my car went under his bumper). I was folllowing at a safe distance and feel that the momentary pause from the time I hit my brake pedal to the brakes engaging caused me to bump into the vehicle in front of me.
2010 Prius purchased in August 2009. Surge when applying brakes. Occurred 4 times including 2/15/2010. Has occurred in same place 3 times. Each time there were potholes. When they were fixed, did not happen until they returned. Complained to Toyota dealer and was told this was normal when hydraulic and electronic brakes exchange. I suggested it was a dangerous normal. No damage or injury in any case. Was always able to push harder on brake to stop car. Stuns you when it happens because it is not normal. Since first instance, have tried to keep distance when slowing and braking.
We have experienced engine surges/lack of braking with our 2010 Toyota Prius on 5 different occasions during Aug 2009 - Feb 2010: -1: hit pothole with right front tire and experienced surge. -2: hit exact same pothole on another day and same result (surge). -3: while driving on paved road hit some ice and experienced surge. -4: while approaching stop light, applied brakes, when front right side of car hit gravel, experienced surge. -5: while preparing for left hand turn on busy street, when car went over a large drainage grate in the turn lane, experienced surge.
Temporary loss of braking on 2010 Toyota Prius on uneven pavement. One occurrence on 10/20/2009. An earlier occurrence also occurred on uneven pavement - probably in September 2009, but I do not have a record of the date. The dealership performed the recall maintenance today (02/16/2010). Please note that the car also exhibits extreme braking immediately after a cold start under wet conditions. This extreme braking is unlike any other cars previously owned over nearly 40 years. The extreme braking does subside after a short distance if the brakes are lightly applied while driving accelerator is depressed to maintain speed.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated under normal conditions as she was driving at 45mph and coming to a stop with her feet on the brakes the vehicle lunged forward before stopping. The contact call the dealer and inform them of this and was told there is no problems with the vehicle and they never heard of this failure. There had been no prior maintenance performed on the vehicle prior to the failure. The failure mileage was 1,500.
We have a very long steep driveway. I apply some braking when descending and then more as I reach the bottom before I enter the street. There is a water diverter bump about ten feet before the end of the driveway. It is about an inch or so tall and about six inches wide, crossing the full width of the driveway. Several times when I have rolled over the bump and I am applying more brakes, the brakes stop working for a second or so and then regain power. At first it felt like I was accelerating, until it happen a second time and I was more aware of what was going on. Applying heavier braking before the bump, seems to stop this sensation. The last time the brakes did this was when pulling to the side of the road to let faster traffic by, onto a rough gravel driveway entrance. Initially the brakes worked then for an instant they are gone, then back again. Before the recall we called the dealer who said we were just not used to anti lock brakes! we have had anti lock brakes for many many years in many different vehicles. We know when the anti-lock brakes are doing their job. This is not the same type of pulsing upon heavy breaking. This happens in the 2010 Prius when using normal braking pressure.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Lodi, NJ, USA