2008 Toyota Prius SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

I OWN A 2008 PRIUS. I HAVE COMPLAINED TWICE TO MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT AT TIMES, WHEN BRAKING ON A BUMPY ROAD IT FEELS AS IF MY BRAKES MOMENTARILY RELEASE. SOME TIMES IT WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. I WILL NOT ALLOW MY DAUGHTERS TO DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE OF THE UNCOMFORTABLE SENSATION. I KNOW THE CAR WILL STOP (IT ALWAYS HAS) BUT FOR A SPLIT SECOND IT IS FRIGHTENING. BOTH TIMES I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY TOYOTA DEALER THAT IT IS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FEATURE KICKING IN. ONCE THEY TEST DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I DRIVE IT DAILY AND I MAY ONLY EXPERIENCE IT TWICE A WEEK. 15 MINUTES WILL NOT TELL THEM ANYTHING. *TR

WHENEVER I BRAKE WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR A POTHOLE, MY BRAKES GIVE OUT MOMENTARILY. AT THAT SAME TIME A SYMBOL FLASHES ON MY DASHBOARD. MY MANUAL IDENTIFIES THIS SYMBOL AS "THE VSC (VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL) HAS BEEN ENGAGED." THIS FORM REQUIRES A SPECIFIC MONTH, DAY, YEAR. THE APPROXIMATELY INCIDENT DATES ARE EVERY DAY, EVERY WEEK, EVERY MONTH, EVERY YEAR. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN I DRIVE OVER BUMPY SURFACES SUCH AS ROAD COVERS OR POT HOLES WHILE BREAKING, I CAN FEEL MY CAR ACCELERATING MID-BRAKE AND THEN HAVE TO PRESS DOUBLY HARD ON MY BRAKES TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT DRIVING BECAUSE DRIVING OVER SOME BUMPY RAILROAD TRACK CROSSINGS, I HAD TO BREAK BECAUSE THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY. I FLOORED THE BRAKES AND MY CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL RIGHT INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAVE ALSO CONSIDERED THAT PERHAPS THERE WAS ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE WITH MY BRAKES CAUSED BY THE RAILROAD CROSSING. *CN

THE BRAKES ON MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS DISENGAGED FOR A SECOND OR TWO WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP ON A ROAD THAT WAS BUMPY *CN

BRAKING FAILS WHEN GOING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS OR ROUGH ROAD SURFACE. 2 ACCIDENTS IN THIS CAR BOTH ON CITY STREETS WITH SOMEWHAT POOR SURFACE. BOTH A SPEEDS LESS THAN 30 MPH BUT WHOLE SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN UTILL BUMPS STOP ONLY ACCIDENTS I HAVE HAD IN 40 YEARS OF DRIVING. I WORK IN 3 STATES AVG 60K /YR I ASKED DEALER TO DISABLE THE ANTI SKID FEATURE AS MANUAL SAID COULD BE DONE DEALER SAID THEY HAD TROUBLE DISABLING FEATURE IT KEPT RESETING ITSELF TO ON *CN

I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN BRAKING AND HITTING A POTHOLE (RIGHT FRONT TIRE) I HAVE EXPERIENCED A MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING. IT KIND OF FELT LIKE THE CAR WAS FLOATING ABOVE THE GROUND BEFORE BRAKING WAS REENGAGED. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON UNTIL I HEARD ABOUT THE 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS BRAKE PROBLEMS AND INSTANTLY RECOGNIZED THE SYMPTOMS. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES AS THE BRAKES REENGAGED AND ALLOWED ME TO CONTROL THE CAR AFTER A SECOND. *CN

SUMMARY: BRAKES HESITATE IF I HAVE THE BRAKES ON BEFORE DRIVING OVER BUMPY ROAD TRANSITION: DRIVING ~25 TO 30MPH GOING UP HILL, ON BRIDGE THAT IS A FREEWAY OVERPASS, WHERE I TURN INTO THE LEFT TURN LANE THAT HAS A STOPLIGHT THAT LEADS TO THE FREEWAY ON RAMP. IF THE LIGHT IS RED OR I NEED TO SLOWDOWN FOR THE TURN, WHEN MY WHEELS GO OVER THE METAL TRANSITION PLATE BETWEEN THE ASPHALT ROAD AND THE CONCRETE BRIDGE, IF I HAVE MY BRAKES ON PRIOR TO THE TRANSITION, THE OUT OF CONTROL LIGHT FLASHES , ABS ENGAGES AND AFTER THE TRANSITION, I LOSE BRAKES FOR A SECOND OR TWO OR MAYBE THREE. IF THE LIGHT IS RED IT CAN BE A LITTLE TRICKY AS I NEED TO STOP FOR THE LIGHT SHORTLY AFTER THE TRANSITION. THERE ARE TWO LANES THAT TURN ONTO THE FREEWAY AND IF SOMEONE SHIFTS FROM ONE LANE TO THE OTHER FOR A BETTER LIGHT POSITION, IT GETS EVEN TRICKIER TO STOP ON TIME. FOR THOSE IN SAN DIEGO, THIS IS THE LIGHT AT LA COSTA IN CARLSBAD, GOING WEST ON LA COSTA AND ENTERING THE I-5 SOUTH ON RAMP.

WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMPY ROAD TODAY, I APPLIED BRAKES TO MY PRIUS (2008). THE VEHICLE JUMPED INTO ANTI-LOCK POSITION AND WOULD NOT STOP EVEN AFTER APPLYING MORE PRESSURE. FINALLY, JUST BEFORE REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS ABLE TO STOP. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA ABOUT THIS TODAY ON THEIR WEB SITE. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD DO? *TW

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON MAY 21, 2010, WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE MINOR DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE BUT THE CONTACT SUFFERED A LEG INJURY AND WAS HE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO LATER SENT HIM A LETTER STATING THAT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD WHICH TURNS INTO A PAVED ROAD. STARTED SLIDING AS SOON AS I HIT THE PAVED ROAD. PUMPED ON THE BRAKES, THE ABS DIDNT WORK. THE CAR KEPT SLIDING OFF THE ROAD INTO A FENCE. $4000.00 IN DAMAGE. *CN

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS - BRAKING SYSTEM. BRAKING ON A ROUGH OR BUMPY ROAD, THE BRAKES WILL DISENGAGE AND CAUSE YOUR BRAKING TIME TO INCREASE BY 5-10 FT WITHOUT NOTICE. WHEN THIS DISENGAGEMENT HAPPENS, YOU FEEL FOR A FEW SECONDS AS IF YOU HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND THE SKID LIGHT COMES ON AS WELL. *TR

IN MY 2008 PRIUS, WHEN I AM BRAKING AND GO OVER A BUMP, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM KICKS IN. HOWEVER, WHEN IT DOES, IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES DISENGAGE FOR A SECOND AND THE CAR SPEEDS UP. I FEEL LIKE I AM LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR FOR A FEW SECONDS. *TR

WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKES, AND THE ROAD IS BUMPY, THE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE NOT WORKING FOR A SECOND, AND THEN THEY GRAB. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I AM BRAKING AND THERE IS A BUMP IN THE ROAD. *TR

I OWN A 2008 PRIUS. WHEN BRAKING ON AN UNEVEN SURFACE, THE BRAKES SEEM TO MOMENTARILY FAIL AND THE ABS LIGHT BLINKS ON THE DASHBOARD. IT MAKES ME FEEL AS THOUGH THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY. INCIDENT DATE IS ACTUALLY DATE OF PURCHASE OF THE CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN BRAKING FROM SPEEDS OF 6 MPH, THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN BRAKE STOPPING TIME. THE CONTACT STATED SHE APPLIED EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES BEFORE THEY ENGAGED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 7/26/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE WOULD START TO ENGAGE AND THEN SUDDENLY LET GO. UPDATED 08/03/10*JB

DURING A HARD BRAKING EVENT, THE ANTI-LOCK-BRAKES TAKE OVER BUT FOR A MOMENT BEFORE THEY DO, IT FEELS LIKE I HAVE NO BRAKES AND THE CAR SEEMS TO GO FASTER. IT IS A SCARY FEELING. *TR

IN MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS, WHEN I AM BRAKING (USING THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM) AND HIT A ROUGH PATCH OF PAVEMENT THAT REQUIRES THE ABS, THERE IS A SHORT TIME WHEN NO BRAKE IS ENGAGED AND THE CAR SEEMS TO SPEED UP TEMPORARILY (JUST A SPLIT SECOND). PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, NOT JUST THE DATE REQUESTED BELOW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHENEVER THE CONTACT APPLIES THE BRAKES WHILE TRAVELING OVER A ROUGH SURFACE THE ABS WILL ACTIVATE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 65000.

I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS AND MY PROBLEM IS WITH THE BRAKING AND THE ANTI SKID COMING ON EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT. I HAVE ALSO A NOISE THAT COMES FROM BRAKING WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED. WHEN YOU PRESS ON THE BRAKE IT MAKES A CLICKING AND GRINDING NOISE EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS NOT GOING. I HAVE HAD IT IN ABOUT 4-5 TIMES FOR THESE 2 PROBLEMS AND 3 TIMES THEY BLED THE BRAKES AND 2 TIMES THEY CHANGED THE ACTUATOR. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 3-4 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED MY 2008 PRIUS. *TR

TOYOTA PRIUS 2008. I BOUGHT THE CAR AS USED FLEET CAR IN AUGUST 2009. THE FIRST TIME I DROVE OVER UNEVEN ROADS, SPECIFICALLY MANHOLE COVERS ON A SLIGHT DOWN GRADE, THE SLIP LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR FELT AS IF IT WERE SLIDING WITHOUT GRIPPING THE ROAD OVER THE COVER. I CONTINUED TO HAVE THAT SAME FEELING WHEN TRYING TO STOP ON UNEVEN ROAD CONDITIONS, SPECIFICALLY METAL MANHOLE COVERS. I MENTIONED THIS TO THE DEALER OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. AS LONG AS THE ROAD IS DRY, THIS IS A MOMENTARY FEELING. HOWEVER, ONE DAY THE ROADS WERE RECENTLY WET FROM A RAIN. I WENT TO STOP AND THE CAR SLID AT LEAST SEVERAL FEET BEFORE THE CAR STOPPED. I WAS DECELERATING FROM 35 MILES AN HOUR TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THIS REACTION PERSISTS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN TO BE INSPECTED AND TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ANTI-LOCKING MECHANISM. HOWEVER, I CONTINUE TO HAVE NO GRIPPING ACTION ON WET PAVEMENTS (I SLID COMPLETELY OVER AN ICE PATCH THIS WEEK AT A STOP SIGN. THE PATCH OF ICE WAS AT LEAST 10 FEET ACROSS. I ANTICIPATED THIS PROBLEM SO APPROACHED THE SPOT SLOWLY AND STILL SLID CLEAR TO THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH PUT ME INTO THE CROSS STREET TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY, I WAS THE ONLY ONE ON THE STREET. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING OVER A ROUGH OR BUMPY SURFACE AND TRYING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL WOULD DEPRESS FURTHER THAN NORMAL AND THE BRAKES FAILED FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE ABS ACTIVATED. THE ISSUE WAS ONGOING AND OCCURRED WHENEVER HE DROVE OVER A PARTICULAR ROUGH SURFACE IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD. HE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE BEFORE HE DROVE OVER THE ROUGH SURFACE AND COAST TO AVOID THE FAILURE. HE HAS NOT SEEN OR SPOKEN TO THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10.

WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IT FELLS LIKE THE BRAKES STOP WORKING. IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. *TR

TOYOTA PRIUS 2008 SEEMS LIKE IT RELEASES BRAKE OR THE BRAKE DOESN'T WORK WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP, POTHOLE, OR WET ROADS., ALTHOUGH BRAKE IS APPLIED. FEELS LIKE CAR JUMPS OR SLIPS. A LIGHT INDICATOR COMES ON WHEN THIS OCCURS. IT IS A ORANGE LIGHT INDICATING CAR IS SLIPPING IT HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE YEAR. TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED, BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS MY DRIVING AND COULD NOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM UNLESS IT HAPPENED TO THEM AND IT NEVER DID. SOMETIMES IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS AND LIVE IN ST. PAUL, MN. IN LATE DECEMBER FOLLOWING A SNOW AND THEN ICE STORM I WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. AS I WAS COMING UP TO AN INTERSECTION WITH A STOP SIGN, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. I PRESSED HARDER AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT BY MAKING A SHARP RIGHT HAND TURN AND MISSING THE CAR WHICH I WAS ABOUT TO HIT BROADSIDE. I HAVE TAKEN NO ACTION YET REGARDING THIS MALFUNCTION. *TR

MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME BRAKING PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN RECENT MEDIA RELEASES. MY 2005 PRIUS ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT I'VE SINCE SOLD IT. WHEN DRIVING OVER A SLIPPERY SURFACE (ICE, A WET SEWER COVER OR PAINTED CROSSWALK LINE) AND NEEDING TO BRAKE - WHEN I FIRST APPLY THE BRAKE IT BEGINS TO STOP, THEN THE CAR SUDDENLY SPEEDS UP AGAIN BEFORE CONTINUING TO BRAKE. I'VE LEARNED TO KEEP MY DISTANCE SO I DON'T HIT ANYONE IN THE SPLIT SECOND THE CAR IS NO LONGER BRAKING. *TR