Toyota Prius Complaints (2010)

2,829 consumer complaints on file.

#10297804January 2, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
ONCE, WHEN TRANSITIONED FROM SMOOTH TO UNEVEN SURFACES DURING A PARKING OPERATION ON UNEVEN, DOWNHILL PAVEMENT, I EXPERIENCED A LACK OF BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE. I DO NOT RECALL ANY CHANGE OF ACCELERATION, SIMPLY THE LOSS OF BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE FOR A VERY BRIEF TIME, PERHAPS FOR A SECOND. IT SURPRISED AND SHOCKED ME TO A FAIR DEGREE AS I THOUGHT, AT THE TIME, THAT MY BRAKES HAD FAILED. BY PRESSING HARDER THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE RETURNED AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR NORMALLY. I NOW TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE PAVEMENT SURFACE CONDITION WHEN APPLYING MY BRAKES AS I FEEL THE CAR'S BRAKING SYSTEM IS PECULIARLY SENSITIVE TO UNEVEN PAVEMENT SURFACES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297840January 2, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
BRAKES DID NOT APPEAR TO HOLD CAR WHEN APPLIED AS CAR WENT OVER A BUMP IN THE PAVEMENT. SEEMED LIKE THE CAR BRIEFLY ACCELERATED BUT THEN BRAKING DID RETURN AND SLOWED CAR PROPERLY. MOMENTARY APPARENT LOSS OF BRAKING CONTROL WAS FRIGHTENING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297745January 1, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING BEHIND A CAR ON 17TH STREET IN MANHATTAN THE CAR IN FRONT BRAKED COMING TO A LIGHT I IN TURN HIT THE BRAKES AND HIT A POT HOLE AT THE SAME TIME, THE CAR'S BRAKES SEEMED TO JUMP OR RELEASE AND I HAD TO PUSH DOWN IN A PANIC TO TRY AND CONTROL THE CAR, I MISSED SLAMMING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT BY INCHES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297769January 1, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
WHEN I BRAKE IT SOMETIMES SEEMS THAT THE CAR JOLTS FORWARD FOR A SHORT WHILE, BEFORE I REAPPLY THE BRAKES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297633December 31, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
SOMETHING WEIRD HAPPENS WHEN I AM BRAKING. AS I AM SLOWING AND BRAKING EVENLY, THERE IS A VERY BRIEF SURGE LIKE I HIT THE ACCELERATOR, BUT MY FOOT IS NO WHERE NEAR THE ACCELERATOR. IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING AT ALL FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN I HIT A BUMP, BUT IT CAN ALSO HAPPEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES NOW AND IT SEEMS TO BE INCREASING IN FREQUENCY. IT ALSO HAPPENED ONCE WHEN MY BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297659December 31, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I HAVE A 2010 PRIUS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN I GO OVER UNEVEN GROUND (LIKE POTHOLES OR BUMPS) OR SLICK SURFACES (ESPECIALLY TRAIN TRACKS AND SEWER COVERS) MY BRAKES DON'T SEEM TO WORK. IT FEELS LIKE I AM NOT IN CONTROL OF MY CAR, AND FOR 2-3 SECONDS THE CAR IS NOT BRAKING EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT IS PRESSING ON THE BRAKE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297666December 31, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
IN MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS, AS I'M BRAKING ON A ROUGH SURFACE, IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE CAR ACCELERATES FOR A SPLIT SECOND. IT HAPPENED MOST RECENTLY ON 12/22 AS I WAS COMING TO A STOPLIGHT ON A ROAD WITH PATCHES OF SNOW/ICE DEBRIS IN CAMBRIDGE, MA. IT HAS OCCURRED MAYBE 5 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN AUGUST, AND AT FIRST I THOUGHT I WAS JUST IMAGINING IT. WHEN IT HAPPENS, MY HEART RACES AND I PRESS THE BRAKE HARDER, WHICH SEEMS TO MAKE IT ENGAGE. THE END RESULT IS THAT THE STOPPING DISTANCE IS LONGER THAN IT SHOULD BE, AND IT'S DEFINITELY SCARY. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23RD TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. THE CAR WAS APPROVED AS FUNCTIONING AS NORMAL, WITH A WRITE-UP SAYING THE MASTER MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT, TOOK IT FOR A DRIVE ON A BUMPY SURFACE, AND CLEARED IT AS FINE. THE CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER EXPLAINED THAT I JUST NEEDED TO GET USED TO THE SENSATION WHEN THE ABS KICKS IN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297462December 30, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2010 TOYOTA PRIUS, 4500 MILES WHILE BRAKING, THE CAR HIT A SET OF FLUSH RAILROAD TRACKS. THE BUMP OF THE TRACKS CAUSED THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO FEEL LIKE IT STOPPED WORKING, AND I HAD TO RE-PUMP THE BRAKES TO GET BRAKING TO RE-ENGAGE. THE CAR HAS HAD A COUPLE MORE SIMILAR EPISODES OF THE BRAKES SEEMING TO DIS-ENGAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297467December 30, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE A NEW TOYOTA PRIUS 2010 AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF BRAKING COMBINED WITH A SIMULTANEOUS ACCELERATION ABOUT 4 TIMES NOW. IT IS INCREDIBLY SCARY. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN ON ANY OTHER CAR THAT I'VE DRIVEN. IT HAPPENS WHEN I HIT A BUMP IN THE REAR. I NOW SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THIS AS I SAW AN ARTICLE ON MSNBC.MSN.COM. I NOW SEE THAT OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS HAS TO BE INVESTIGATED. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS FACING A CLIFF AND HAD THE CAR NOT STOPPED, MY DAUGHTER AND I WOULD HAVE GONE OFF THE CLIFF AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PERISHED. THIS IS ASKING FOR ACCIDENTS TO HAPPEN AND SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY OF THESE CARS ON THE ROAD. I DO NOT HAVE THE WIN NUMBER ON HAND, BUT WILL ADD IT TOMORROW. THIS HAS OCCURRED APPROX 4 TIMES AND THE CAR ACCELERATES AT THE SAME TIME I LOSE BRAKING CAPABILITIES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297477December 30, 2009
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE ROADS WERE COVERED WITH SNOW AND WERE QUITE SLIPPERY. I WAS COMING DOWN A HILL TO A STOP SIGN AT ABOUT 10 MPH. I HIT THE BRAKES LIGHTLY, THE ABS ENGAGED (I COULD HEAR/FEEL THE BRAKES PULSE), BUT THE CAR DIDN'T SLOW DOWN MUCH. I JAMMED ON THE BRAKES, THE ABS WAS STILL ENGAGED AND THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION, AGAIN SLOWING DOWN VERY SLOWLY. IF IT HAD NOT BEEN A FOUR-WAY STOP, SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE HIT ME! I KEPT DRIVING AND THE SAME THING KEPT HAPPENING TO ME: I HIT THE BRAKES, THE ABS ENGAGED AND THE CAR STOPPED VERY SLOWLY. IN SOME CASES, IT FELT LIKE THE CAR EVEN ACCELERATED A LITTLE BIT BEFORE FINALLY (AND SLOWLY) COMING TO A STOP. I AM A MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND USED TO WORK FOR GENERAL MOTORS - I HAVE DRIVEN LOTS OF CARS - AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE HOME AND DROVE MY 2002 HONDA CIVIC (WHICH DOES NOT HAVE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES) DOWN THE SAME ROAD. WHILE THE CAR DID SLIDE IN THE SNOW, IT STOPPED IN ABOUT ONE-THIRD THE DISTANCE OF MY PRIUS. THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THE MATTER WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND/OR THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM WHEN THE ABS ENGAGES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297486December 30, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
WHEN I BRAKE MY PRIUS WHERE THE SURFACE IS VERY ROUGH OR BROKEN, THE BRAKES SEEM TO ENGAGE INITIALLY BUT THEN RELEASE. I HAVE TO PRESS DOWN AGAIN VERY HARD TO GET THEM TO ENGAGE TO THE POINT OF STOPPING THE VEHICLE. YESTERDAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE COMPLETING LONG SLOW BRAKING AT THE BOTTOM OF A STEEP HILL, I ENCOUNTERED SOME ROUGH PAVEMENT JUST BEFORE THE STOP SIGN AND SUDDENLY THE BRAKES SEEMED TO RELEASE. WHEN I FORCEFULLY PRESSED THEM AGAIN, THEY RE-ENGAGED AND STOPPED THE CAR, BUT NOT BEFORE IT HAD NOSED INTO THE INTERSECTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297499December 30, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE OWNED A 2010 PRIUS FOR ABOUT A MONTH, AND HAVE DRIVEN JUST OVER 1000 MILES ON IT. THERE HAVE BEEN THREE SEPARATE INCIDENTS NOW WHERE MY BRAKES HAVE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN FAILURE WHILE DECELERATING. EACH TIME OCCURRED RIGHT AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE OR A BUMP IN THE ROAD. PASSENGERS IN MY CAR HAVE REPORTED A FEELING OF THE BRAKES "CATCHING" OR "JERKING" WHILE DRIVING ON BUMPY ROADS. THE THREE INCIDENTS I HAVE MENTIONED WERE DURING WINTER AND DURING POSSIBLY ICY CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, I KNOW HOW TO OPERATE A VEHICLE ON ICE, AND I AM AWARE OF HOW ABS BRAKING FEELS. DURING EACH INCIDENT, I WOULD BE BRAKING SLOWLY, WITH PLENTY OF TIME, THEN HIT A BUMP, AND EXPERIENCE A FEELING OF SKIDDING WHILE THE BRAKES DISENGAGED FOR A FEW SECONDS. I ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN AT A TOLL BOOTH, A CONCRETE DIVIDER DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING, AND ANOTHER MOTORIST AT A SUDDEN STOP CONDITION ALONG ANOTHER HIGHWAY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THESE CARS. I CAN COMPENSATE MY DRIVING SKILLS TO ADJUST FOR ROAD CONDITIONS THAT I AM AWARE OF. IF ANY SUDDEN BRAKING IS REQUIRED, AND I HIT A POTHOLE AT THE RIGHT TIME, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297509December 30, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS. DURING BRAKE APPLICATION WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO A GRAVEL ROAD , THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. IDENTICAL FAILURES OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY REPORTS OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2800. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6000. UPDATED 01/29/10 *BF UPDATED 01/29/10.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297519December 30, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
MY NEW 2010 PRIUS HAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR ABOUT 2 MONTHS, AND HAVE PUT ABOUT 3000 MILES ON IT. ON THREE OCCASIONS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED A SITUATION WHERE THE BRAKES SUDDENLY RELEASED, AND I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. TWO OF THE SITUATIONS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS COMING TO A STOP NEAR AN INTERSECTION (I WAS MOVING INTO A LEFT TURN LANE, AND SUDDENLY THE BRAKES RELEASED). THE THIRD TIME WAS WHILE EXITING A FREEWAY, WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE, AND I FELT THE BRAKE RELEASE. AFTER THE THIRD EXPERIENCE, I RECALLED THAT, PERHAPS, THE CAR RAN OVER A SMALL BUMP WHEN I WAS MOVING INTO THE LEFT TURN LANE, AND THAT MAY HAVE HELPED TRIGGER THE RELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I SUBSEQUENTLY READ (VIA AN MSNBC NEWS STORY THAT CAME OUT ON DECEMBER 29, 2009, AND WHICH IS AVAILABLE AT THE LINK BELOW) THAT OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I EXPERIENCED. LINK TO THE NEWS STORY: HTTP://WWW.MSNBC.MSN.COM/ID/34611930/NS/BUSINESS-AUTOS/. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297541December 30, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS, WHEN I AM TRYING TO STOP AND HIT A POTHOLE, OR MANHOLE COVER OR THE STREETS ARE WET, THE CAR'S BRAKES WILL DISENGAGE TEMPORARILY. IT IS SCARY AND I'VE ALMOST HAD A FEW ACCIDENTS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297605December 30, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
ON NOV. 3, 2009, I PURCHASED A PRIUS IV 2010. ON NOV. 10 COMING TO RED LIGHT ON A DRY ROAD. BRAKES GENTLY APPLIED. RIGHT FRONT TIRE HIT A BUMP IN ROAD. CAR SLIGHTLY ACCELERATED BEFORE BRAKES KICKED IN. IT HAS HAPPENED A FEW MORE TIMES SINCE THEN. IN EACH CASE, THE ROAD WAS DRIVE. EVERY TIME WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND CAR THEN ROLLS OVER A BUMP OR HOLE IN PAVEMENT THIS ACCELERATION OCCURS. LAST TIME WAS ON DEC. 15. EAST HOUSTON IN NYC. COMING TO A LIGHT. BRAKES APPLIED. CAR WAS ALMOST AT A FULL STOP. TIRES TOUCHED ON GOOD SIZED FLAW IN THE PAVEMENT AND THE CAR SLIGHTLY SPED UP. I WAS REALLY FEARFUL THAT TIME THE PRIUS WAS GOING TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297613December 30, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS (PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 2009). I HAVE NOTICED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY DON'T WORK AFTER GOING OVER A BUMP. I FEEL A LOSE OF CONTROL OF THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297615December 30, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
1. APPLYING BRAKES NORMALLY, BUT DURING BRAKING HIT A BUMP, OR A SEAM IN THE ROAD, OR WET PAVEMENT, OR SMALL PATCH OF ICE. 2. ABS SYSTEM KICKS IN, HOWEVER APPEARS TO KICK IN TOO AGGRESSIVELY AND ALL BRAKING FORCE SEEMS TO DISAPPEAR WHILE CAR FEELS AS IF IT IS ACCELERATING. MAINTAINING BRAKE FORCE OR RE APPLYING BRAKE EVENTUALLY BRINGS CAR TO HALT. 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO REMEDY THIS. NO WARNING LAMPS ARE LIT, ETC. I WILL CALL TOYOTA TOMORROW. HAVE OWNED CAR SINCE NEW, ABOUT 6 MONTHS, AND THIS SCENARIO HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES NOW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297621December 30, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE DRIVEN MY 2010 PRIUS (WHICH I BOUGHT NEW FROM LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER) SINCE JULY, 2009. I HAVE NOTICED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT WHEN THE CAR DRIVES OVER A BREAK IN THE PAVEMENT (POTHOLE, OR ROADWORK WHERE THE PAVEMENT HEIGHT DROPS), IT SUDDENLY FEELS "AIRBORNE," AND WILL NOT BRAKE OR SLOW DOWN FOR SEVERAL YARDS, NO MATTER WHAT I DO. I HAVE WORRIED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP AND HITTING A CAR OR A PEDESTRIAN FRONT OF ME, BUT SO FAR EACH TIME MY CAR HAS HAD THIS AIRBORNE-LIKE PROBLEM, I HAVE BEEN FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM THE CAR OR PERSON IN FRONT OF ME TO STOP. OTHER PEOPLE DRIVING 2010 PRIUS CARS HAVE REPORTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. TOYOTA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SOLVE THIS BRAKING ISSUE, AND RECALL THE 2010 PRIUS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297624December 30, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
CAR HIT BUMP OR POTHOLE ON THE FREEWAY, WHILE BRAKING, BRAKING POWER WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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