Toyota Prius Complaints (2010)
2,829 consumer complaints on file.
- #10307580February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
1. EVENT: NORMAL CITY DRIVING (I.E., CAR IN DRIVE AND CRUISE CONTROL OFF) 2. THE FAILURE: PRESS ON BRAKE AND FEEL SOFTNESS INSTEAD OF FIRMNESS; MUST PRESS MUCH HARDER ON BRAKE THAN TYPICALLY REQUIRED TO BRING CAR TO STOP IN SAME DISTANCE. FAILURE OCCURS SPORADICALLY DURING COURSE OF REGULAR DRIVING. HAVE NOT ASSOCIATED FAILURE WITH TRAVELING OVER ROUGH SURFACES. 3. CONTACTED TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE LETTER IN MAIL INSTRUCTING US ON WHAT TO DO, BECAUSE NO CORRECTION HAS BEEN DEVELOPED YET FOR THIS PROBLEM IN EXISTING CARS. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307581February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
ENTIRE SYSTEM SHUT DOWN TOW SERVICE FROM DEALER CAME AND CHARGED BATTERY TO NO AVAIL SYSTEM CAME BACK ONLINE AS VEHICLE WAS BEING RAISED ON FLATBED TOW TRUCK CAR WAS THEN DRIVEN AWAY UNDER ITS OWN POWER DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM PROBLEM HAS NOT REOCCURRED BRAKE DELAY PROBLEM WHICH OCCURRED PRIOR TO SYSTEM SHUTDOWN HAS RECOCCURRED BRAKE DELAY OR TEMPORARY LOSS OF BRAKING WHEN PEDDLE DEPRESSED HAS OCCURRED BRAKE SQUEEK ALSO REPORTED TO DELALER WHO ADVISES THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH BRAKES *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307574February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A 2010 PRIUS III THAT WAS PURCHASED ON DEC 23, 2009. I EXPERIENCED A MOMENTARY LOSS (APPROX 0.5-1 SEC) OF BRAKING POWER WHEN I WAS DRIVING OVER A ROAD WITH SOME BUMPS. ESSENTIALLY, THE BRAKES COMPLETELY CUT OUT, BUT CAME BACK WHILE I WAS HOLDING BACK THE BRAKE PEDAL. MY MILEAGE AT THE TIME WAS APPROX 4000 MILES. SO FAR, THIS HAS NOT REPEATED. ANOTHER ISSUE IS INCONSISTENT BRAKING. HOLDING THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN WITH CONSTANT FORCE (MY JUDGMENT) WILL CAUSE THE CAR TO SLOW ABRUPTLY WHILE AT LOW SPEEDS(<10 MPH). THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT FEELING FROM THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING PORTION (FEELS LIKE LITTLE/NO BRAKING AT ALL) AND BRAKING AT HIGHER SPEEDS (>10 MPH). *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307569February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
WHEN I BRAKE WHILE GOING OVER A SPEED BUMP, THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD. PLEASE NOTE: I REALLY AM NOT SURE OF THE DATE. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN JULY OF 2009. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME A FEW TIMES AND IT WAS SUCH A BIZARRE COMBINATION (ACCELERATING WHILE BRAKING) THAT I REALLY DIDN'T CLUE IN TO IT AS A CAR ISSUE RIGHT AWAY. WHEN I SAW PRESS ON IT AND DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS AN ACTUAL ISSUE AND NOT A "FLUKE" I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE DEALER WHERE I GOT THE CAR (NORTH HOLLYWOOD TOYOTA). THEY BASICALLY REFUSED TO EVEN DISCUSS IT, SAYING THEY'D ONLY FOLLOW THE ORDERS OF TOYOTA CORPORATE. THEY GAVE ME A NUMBER TO CALL, AND OF COURSE, IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT ISSUES, THEY ARE SWAMPED. THE RECORDING INDICATED THEY WERE NOT ACCEPTING CALLS. SO NOW I HAVE A CAR THAT ACTUALLY HAS AN ISSUE AND CANNOT GET IT FIXED. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307575February 8, 2010ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
PRIUS 2010 BRAKING ISSUE - PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 5 TIMES; ON ROUGH SURFACE, DOWNHILL SURFACE OR WHEN WHEELS ENCOUNTER A MANHOLE OR STEEL PLATE ROAD COVER. PROBLEM IS RECURRING. CAR HAS 12,600 MILES ON IT. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307578February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I SUFFERED A TEMPORARY LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE APPROACHING A TOLL BOOTH ON THE NEW JERSEY GARDEN STATE PARKWAY. THE LOSS OCCURED IMMEDIATELY AFTER HITTING A LARGE BUMP AS I WAS SLOWING TO PAY THE TOLL. SOON AFTER BRAKING RETURNED AND I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE SLOWING AND DID NOT STRIKE ANYTHING. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307588February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
WHILE DRIVING EASTBOUND ON MOORPARK STREET, APPROACHING DIXIE CANYON AVENUE, I BRAKED IN PREPARATION TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, AND THE BRAKES RELEASED WHEN I HIT A SMALL POT HOLE. THE BRAKES RE-ENGAGED APPROXIMATELY 1-2 SECONDS LATER. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307591February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
MY 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS IS HAVING BRAKING PROBLEMS WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES WHILE/AFTER HITTING A BUMP OR POTHOLE. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I APPROACH A STOP SIGN AND APPLY THE BRAKES WHILE HITTING A BUMP, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD BRIEFLY (1-2 SECONDS) BEFORE THE BRAKES KICK IN. THE BRAKES WORK FINE WHEN NO BUMP IS ENCOUNTERED DURING BRAKING. I CAN REPEAT THIS FAILURE CONSISTENTLY WITH A BUMP IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. NO FIX YET. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307587February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I HAVE PURCHASED A 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS, AND NEVER NOTICED ANY PROBLEM WITH MY BRAKING, UNTIL 1/22/10. I WAS DRIVING OVER A SECTION OF ROAD, THAT WAS UNEVEN WHERE A BRIDGE MEETS THE ROAD. I WAS BRAKING FOR THE STOPLIGHT AHEAD THAT WAS RED AND CARS WERE WAITING IN THE LINE. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES AT ABOUT 10 MPH, AND HIT THE UNEVEN ROAD SECTION, THE CAR SEEMED LIKE IT LOST BRAKING, FOR AN INSTANT. I HAD TO PUSH HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO ASSURE A STOP. I HAVE SINCE DRIVEN THAT SAME SECTION OF ROAD TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND IT HAD REPEATED ITSELF, BUT NOT ON EVERY OCCASION. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS SOME ISSUE WITH THE HYBRID BRAKE SYSTEM...BETWEEN REGENERATION AND FRICTION BUT NOT SURE WHAT THE ISSUE IS. I ONLY HAVE 3800 MILES ON THE CAR SO HAVE NOT CALLED THE DEALER FOR SERVICE YET. WILL PLAN TO DO THAT IF IT CAN WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST 5,000 MILE SERVICE. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307610February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
OUR 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS IS EXPERIENCING PERIODIC, TEMPORARY BRAKE FAILURE/UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. MY WIFE IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER AND STATES THAT ON 4-5 OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST 9 MONTHS, WHEN BRAKING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES AT SPEEDS OF 10-30 MPH, THERE CAN BE A TEMPORARY PERIOD OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION LASTING 1-2 SECONDS. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307616February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHILE DRIVING OUR 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS ON A SNOWY AND BUMPY ROAD, MY WIFE PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT TOOK A SECOND OR TWO FOR THE BRAKES TO WORK. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. SHE THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO LACK OF TRACTION IN THE SNOW, BUT BASED ON ALL OF THE OTHER BRAKING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PRIUS, SHE FELT IT WAS NOT DUE TO SNOW, BUT RATHER A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307609February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TOYOTA PRIUS 2010 - IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME, MULTIPLE TIMES THIS WINTER, DURING ICY ROADS THAT WHEN I TRY TO BRAKE THE CAR ACCELERATES AS IF SOMEONE HIT THE CAR FROM BEHIND. THEN, THE CAR EVENTUALLY STOPS. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 6 MONTHS AND I LIVE IN THE MIDWEST AND IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED THIS WINTER WHEN ROADS ARE ICY OR SLUSHY. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307615February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
WHILE SLOWLY DECELERATING USING THE REGENERATIVE BRAKES, THE REGENERATIVE BRAKES TURN OFF OCCASIONALLY AT LOW SPEEDS (5-10 MPH). THERE IS A VERY SHORT (<1 SECOND) BURST OF FORWARD MOVEMENT BEFORE THE ACTUAL BRAKES ACTIVATE. DURING THIS WHOLE TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL IS CONSISTENTLY DEPRESSED. THIS BURST FORWARD DOES WHIP THE DRIVER BACK INTO THE SEAT A BIT DUE TO THE UNEXPECTED NATURE OF THIS EVENT. THIS HAS PROBABLY OCCURRED ABOUT 5 TIMES IN THE PAST 2.5 MONTHS SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307628February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR 1 MONTH, I HAVE NOTICED THAT ON OCCASION, WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKES, THE CAR WILL AUTOMATICALLY ACCELERATE FOR A SECOND BEFORE BREAKING. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN A FEW TIMES DAY. I HAVE NO WAY OF FIGURING OUT WHAT COULD BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS SINCE IT JUST HAPPENS WHEN I AM BRAKING JUST BEFORE IT COMPLETELY STOPS, NO MATTER WHAT SPEED I AM DRIVING. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307624February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AS I WAS GOING OVER A SPEED BUMP. I FELT LIKE MY BRAKES HAD FAILED. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307651February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
WHEN BRAKING WHILE GOING OVER BUMPS, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD AND DOESN'T SEEM TO GRAB UNTIL AFTER THE BUMP. IT IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN EXITING A HIGH SPEED ROAD ONTO A DECELRATION LANE. IT HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS IN OPERATING THE VEHICLE TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF OCCURENCES, BUT CANNOT ALWAYS FORESEE THE BUMPS OR RIDGES IN ROAD SURFACES THAT PRECIPITATE THE INCIDENT. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307666February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE BRAKES ON OUR 2010 PRIUS HAVE REPEATEDLY HAD PROBLEMS. MOST HAVE OCCURED WITH MY WIFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. SHE HAD TOLD ME SEVERAL MONTHS AGO ABOUT THE CAR FEELING LIKE IT WAS "SLIDING" OR THE BRAKES NOT BEING VERY EFFECTIVE FOR A SHORT TIME. I PASSED THIS OFF AS THE THE CAR BEING DIFFERENT THAN OTHER CARS SINCE IT WAS A HYBRID. THEN ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO I HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME. WHILE TURNING AND GOING OVER A SMALL HUMP IN A DRIVEWAY ABOUT 15 MPH, THE BRAKES JUST SEEMED TO RELEASE FOR ABOUT A HALF SECOND AND I ALMOST RAN INTO AN IRON GATE. I CANNOT DESCRIBE THE OTHER EVENTS THAT MY WIFE HAS HAD IN DETAIL BECAUSE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND SHE DOES NOT REMEMBER THE SPECIFIC DETAILS BESIDES THAT THEY HAPPENED OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307654February 8, 2010ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
2010 TOYOTA PRIUS - DRIVING ON ALABAMA STATE HIGHWAY CLOSER TO NASHVILLE, TN WE HIT A DEER. THIS WAS ON OCT 12, 2009 AROUND 8:30 AM IN THE MORNING. THE ROAD WAS VERY EMPTY AND CLEAR VISIBILITY. THE DEER CAME IN FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD FROM THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND JUMPED INTO OUR LANE. I HAD CLEAR VISIBILITY OF THE DEER AND APPLIED SUDDEN BRAKES...WE HIT THE DEER AND HAD EXTENSIVE DAMAGE ON THE CAR. WE NEVER THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR...BUT NOW WITH SO MUCH OF SCRUTINY GOING ON WITH THIS NEW PRIUS, WE DO WANT TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT FROM DAY 1 OF PURCHASING THE CAR THE BRAKES ARE REALLY FUNKY. WE HAD AN SUV BEFORE AND COMPARED TO THAT THIS CAR IS VERY VERY SENSITIVE ON THE BRAKES. IF WE ARE GOING IN AT HIGH SPEED AND BRAKE SUDDENLY IT DOES NOT COME TO AN ABRUPT HALT AND WE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IS WAY THESE CARS WERE. I NEVER HAD A NEW CAR AND NEVER COULD IMAGINE SOMETHING LIKE A BREAK ISSUE. SO COMING TO THE DEER HIT I FEEL NOW IN HIND SIGHT THAT WE HAD ENOUGH TIME AND DISTANCE TO AVOID HIITTING THE ANIMAL AND COULD NOT STOP ON TIME. THE CAR TOOK AN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND WE GOT IT REPAIRED AT A TOYOTA DEALER SHIP IN NASHVILLE AND TOOK A RENTAL CAR HOME. THE CAR LOOKS GREAT LIKE A NEW ONE BUT THE BRAKE IS STILL THE SAME. ON LOW SPEEDS IF I BREAK IT FEELS LIKE I HAVE PLACED REALLY HARD/SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND ON HIGH SPEED THE CAR DEFINETLY NEEDS LOT OF TIME TO STOP *CN
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307664February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
SHORTLY AFTER DATE OF PURCHASE OF MY PRIUS I HAVE REPORTED TO TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM FEELS FAULTY: THE BRAKES OFTEN LOCK OR DO NOT FUNCTION AT ALL WHEN THE CAR IS AT A SLIGHT INCLINE EITHER GOING UP OR DOWN A ROAD. THERE IS ALSO A CONSTANT HIGH PITCHED NOISE EMANATING FROM THE WHEELS. TOYOTA HAS CLAIMED THAT IT IS A "CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE" OF THE CAR AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THE ISSUE. TOYOTA HAS REVIEWED THIS ISSUE AT A MINIMUM OR 5 OR 6 TIMES AND HAVE NOT DONE ANY REPAIRS TO MY CAR AT ALL. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND IS ALWAYS TAKEN TO KEYES TOYOTA IN VAN NUYS, CA. I AM SUBMITTING A DATE BELOW WITH THIS FORM AS REQUESTED, BUT THE ISSUE HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR MANY MONTHS SINCE JUNE 2009. I SPECIFICALLY EXPRESSED MY CONCERN TO TOYOTA BECAUSE I OFTEN HAVE MY INFANT AND TODDLER NIECE AND NEPHEW IN THE CAR WITH ME. TOYOTA CLAIMED THERE IS NO REASON FOR CONCERN AND THAT THEY "COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR". *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10307673February 8, 2010SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
I HAVE BEEN HAVING BRAKING FAILURE SINCE THE FIRST WEEK I BROUGHT THE CAR HOME. I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TO TOYOTA ARDMORE, WHERE I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR, AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK IT OUT. SPECIFICALLY, I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO BRAKE ON WET SURFACES AFTER RAIN. BECAUSE I WAS BRINGING THE CAR IN THE FIRST WEEK I TOOK POSSESSION FOR ANOTHER ISSUE, I WAS TOLD THIS WOULD BE LOOKED INTO. AFTERWARD, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. BUT THE ISSUE OF FAULTY BRAKING CONTINUED. MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND HIT A POTHOLE AND FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. THIS PAST WEEK WITH MAJOR SNOWFALL IN THE PHILADELPHIA REGION, THE CAR HAS BECOME VIRTUALLY UNDRIVABLE. IT HITS ICY PATCHES AND SKIDS FORWARD WHEN WE TRY TO BRAKE. I HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL MESSAGES WITH TOYOTA ARDMORE ASKING THEM TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT YET HEARD BACK FROM THE, *CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0