2010 Prius Brake Issues?

Does the 3rd Generation Toyota Prius have a braking issue? In my opinion, yes it does. I’ve owned my 2010 Toyota Prius for 7 months now and I have driven it nearly 12,000 miles. That is a lot of starts and stops and too many perfect braking experiences to count. Unfortunately, only one really sticks in my mind.

When it happened, I was lucky as there were no cars in front of me and none in the intersection. I was traveling a few miles under the speed limit (posted at 25 mph) in a residential area near my home and came to a four-way “stop sign controlled” intersection. It had been snowing earlier that day so I was taking it slow, knowing I could hit a patch of icy road at any time. As I put on the brakes to slow down, nothing happened.

At first I thought it had to be ice (we’ve all experience that before) but as I continued past the stop sign and through the intersection, my speed did not really change. I was sure I had anti-lock brakes and remembered that I wasn’t really supposed to pump them, but since I wasn’t slowing down I tried that too. Again, nothing happened at first – until I took my foot completely off the brake pedal and slammed it to the floor. By this time, I was probably 4-5 car lengths past the intersection. I remember thinking to myself, “that was NOT ice”. In my estimation, the brakes simply did nothing.

Others who have reported similar issues on forums and in the press noted that they hit a pothole or rough area to trigger this braking issue. I don’t recall anything like that when it happened to me. I just pressed on the brake pedal and nothing happened. When I got home I went online and searched to find out what my car had for a brake system. You can see from my 2010 Prius window sticker  it has anti-lock brakes with EBD and Brake Assist, and it also has enhanced vehicle stability control w/ TRAC. I’m not a brake expert, but I assumed both of those were good things.

I couldn’t find anyone else who reported the same type of issue on Prius websites and forums, so I came to the conclusion that I simply hadn’t pressed hard enough on the brakes. I know the brakes are different from other cars (regenerative braking to recharge the battery) and they sometimes feel a bit squishy, so I convinced myself that it was an isolated incident and that I’d need to be more firm in future braking.

This incident occurred about 6 weeks ago and thankfully it has never happened again, but now I see others coming forward with similar stories. I guess I just didn’t want it to be true, since I am a big fan of the 3rd generation Prius. Now I have to decide what to do. In my opinion, we will be seeing a recall on this problem soon.

From the Toyota Pressroom:

Statement Regarding 2010 Model Year
Toyota Prius Inconsistent Brake Feeling

In certain 2010 model year Prius vehicles, Toyota has received reports that some customers have experienced inconsistent brake feel when the vehicle is driven over potholes, bumps or slippery road surfaces.
 
Toyota is currently in the process of confirming these reports and investigating the vehicle driving conditions under which the reported phenomenon occurs. It would be premature to comment until the investigation has been completed. 

Worries Over Prius Brakes from MSNBC.com
New York Times article regarding Japanese government ordering investigation of braking issues.
CNN article covering complaints with malfunctioning brakes and unexpected acceleration