NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Service Brakes complaints
124 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Aug 6, 2023
Service Brakes
In July of 2021 the Toyota dealership replaced the inverter on my 2012 Prius V. At the time, it also was exhibiting signs of the brake booster and pump failure as outlined in CSP 20TE07 (see https://www.toyoheadquarters.com/threads/2012-2014-toyota-prius-v-2015-toyota-prius-v-coverage-for-brake-booster-and-brake-booster-pump-ass…
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In July of 2021 the Toyota dealership replaced the inverter on my 2012 Prius V. At the time, it also was exhibiting signs of the brake booster and pump failure as outlined in CSP 20TE07 (see https://www.toyoheadquarters.com/threads/2012-2014-toyota-prius-v-2015-toyota-prius-v-coverage-for-brake-booster-and-brake-booster-pump-assemblies-csp-20te07.2116/). It was inside the extended warranty period, but they would not fix it at the time, because it was not throwing diagnostic codes. Subsequently, the braking system malfunctioned, nearly causing a high-speed accident on the freeway. With diagnostic lights now showing, and code C1391 stored in the OBD system, I took the car back to the dealer, but now they said it was past the 10 year limit and still would do nothing about it. This is not acceptable! They knew the brake system was failing and a safety hazard, but would not address it, just because it hadn't actually failed yet. Toyota needs to further extend the warranty and take care of this brake failure past 10 years and 150,000 miles. Just because I took good care of my car and the brakes didn't fail as early as other owners, I should not have been subjected to the risk of brake failure or the high cost of repairing the brake system when Toyota took care of this problem for so many other hybrid owners. Please help.
NHTSA ODI #11536723
Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2023
Service Brakes
As I was driving, all of the brake lights turned on on the dashboard. The moment the lights turned on the brake power felt low on heavier pedal depression. I took the car in to the dealership for assessment and said they found internal failure of both brake actuator and booster and recommended replacement of both actuator pump a…
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As I was driving, all of the brake lights turned on on the dashboard. The moment the lights turned on the brake power felt low on heavier pedal depression. I took the car in to the dealership for assessment and said they found internal failure of both brake actuator and booster and recommended replacement of both actuator pump and booster. I have had both the parts replaced and after now the second replacement of the master cylinder, there is still an error code for the pressure cylinder and all the brake lights are on.
NHTSA ODI #11525483
138,278 miles · May 12, 2023
Service Brakes
Failure of hydraulic power brake booster and brake booster pump caused loss of brake fluid resulting in brakes not working properly. Cycling noise from brake booster. Vehicle regenerative brake system also failed to operate. Independent dealer repaired vehicle at my expense after Toyota denied warranty repair
NHTSA ODI #11521693
Mileage unknown · May 10, 2023
Service Brakes
Brake light, Trac light, and ABS light came on after brake pedal became squeshy. Took to nearby repair shop and advised that car was not safe to drive. Scanned for codes. Code C1391 (Abnormal leak of ACC pressure) indicated. Recommended that brake booster assembly with the master cylinder be replaced, and replace the Brake Boost…
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Brake light, Trac light, and ABS light came on after brake pedal became squeshy. Took to nearby repair shop and advised that car was not safe to drive. Scanned for codes. Code C1391 (Abnormal leak of ACC pressure) indicated. Recommended that brake booster assembly with the master cylinder be replaced, and replace the Brake Booster Assembly. Total cost of repair was $4,188.02.
NHTSA ODI #11521299
Mileage unknown · Mar 22, 2023
Service Brakes
The brake had an issue while driving. It was hard to stop the car. It is probably due to the brake booster. I had this issue and I took my car to the dealership and they could not find the problem. I had the same issue again while driving. Luckily, when both problems happened, I drove slowly on the local roads. Toyota had reca…
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The brake had an issue while driving. It was hard to stop the car. It is probably due to the brake booster. I had this issue and I took my car to the dealership and they could not find the problem. I had the same issue again while driving. Luckily, when both problems happened, I drove slowly on the local roads. Toyota had recalled those specific models but the length of the warranty is not long enough to solve the problem. For instance, they gave a second warranty, either 10 years or 150K miles, which hits first. I got this brake problem 6 months later after the warranty expired. But my mileage is low ~118K. For drivers' safety, they should extend the length of the warranty. The two parts are expensive (~4-5K in total) and apparently, that's the problem with the design of the auto parts. Customers should not pay for them and risk their own life.
NHTSA ODI #11513316
Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2023
Electrical SystemEngineService Brakes
In September 2022, my car, a 2012 Toyota Prius V with 79, 056 miles, began making noises in the engine area and the brakes became loose, meaning it took more pressure on the brake pedal to engage the brakes. In November 2022 the following warning lamps on the dashboard came on: Master Warning Light, Brake System Warning Light an…
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In September 2022, my car, a 2012 Toyota Prius V with 79, 056 miles, began making noises in the engine area and the brakes became loose, meaning it took more pressure on the brake pedal to engage the brakes. In November 2022 the following warning lamps on the dashboard came on: Master Warning Light, Brake System Warning Light and Warning Buzzer, Brake System Warning Light, ABS Warning Light and SLIP Indicator. I took it to the Toyota Dealership near me: Lipton Toyota in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and they diagnosed car with the trouble code of C1391-Abnormal Leak of Accumulator, Internal ABS Actuator Failure. To fix this problem, Lipton Toyota will charge $3124.29 for the repair. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. issued a customer support program notification that would cover this repair if the malfunctions happened before coverage ended. Primary Coverage was applicable until December 31, 2021 with no year/mileage limitation. Secondary Coverage was applicable for 10 years from the vehicle's date of first use or 150,000 whichever occurs first. Date of first use on my Prius V was 03/01/2012 and my mileage is 79K. So as you can see, I am just out of the coverage window. My private mechanic and myself have appealed our case to Toyota that this problem should be a recall with no limits on coverage. (Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. - case reference # 230206000678) I believe that if I had driven my car more, (which was not done because of the Pandemic 2020-2021) this issue would have come up before the cut off date for repair coverage. I also believe that this problem with the Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assemblies on certain 2012-2014 model year Prius V vehicles should be a recall.
NHTSA ODI #11505805
126,000 miles · Jan 21, 2023
Service Brakes
I was driving at night and several brake related dashboard lights suddenly lit up and I wasn’t able to use my brakes. I managed to coast safely to a stop, called a tow truck, and got my car home. Mechanic found a c1391 code and told me to go to Toyota. Toyota says the accumulator has a leak and it causes the brake up issue, b…
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I was driving at night and several brake related dashboard lights suddenly lit up and I wasn’t able to use my brakes. I managed to coast safely to a stop, called a tow truck, and got my car home. Mechanic found a c1391 code and told me to go to Toyota. Toyota says the accumulator has a leak and it causes the brake up issue, but the service plan free program to fix it expired. They want $5000 to fix it. I want Toyota to extend the plan because I didn’t drive as much during the pandemic and I would have had the issue earlier had I been driving at normal amounts,
NHTSA ODI #11502967
Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2023
Service Brakes
All the lights on my dash lit up. I took it immediately to Toyota of Dallas . I tried numerous times connecting with Dimatrius service manager. No call back. An inspection was done on the vehicle. He stated it would be a $5000 job and I was out of warranty. Their is too many people having this issue if you search many 2012-2014…
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All the lights on my dash lit up. I took it immediately to Toyota of Dallas . I tried numerous times connecting with Dimatrius service manager. No call back. An inspection was done on the vehicle. He stated it would be a $5000 job and I was out of warranty. Their is too many people having this issue if you search many 2012-2014 people are having this issue in a addition to to a google search search for a letter at Capistrano Toyota.
NHTSA ODI #11502018
100,000 miles · Oct 18, 2022
Service Brakes
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a stop, there was a rattling sound coming from the brakes while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The contact was informed that the brake booster needed to be replaced.…
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The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a stop, there was a rattling sound coming from the brakes while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The contact was informed that the brake booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because there were no fault codes retrieved. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was 100,000.
NHTSA ODI #11489860
Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2022
Service Brakes
The brake booster pump has started to run every 30 seconds while the car is operating. When pressing on the brakes, there is an unusual sound and has begun to feel different. There are no warning lights yet, but after consulting with the local Toyota dealership they informed me of the ZJB Customer Assistance Program which addr…
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The brake booster pump has started to run every 30 seconds while the car is operating. When pressing on the brakes, there is an unusual sound and has begun to feel different. There are no warning lights yet, but after consulting with the local Toyota dealership they informed me of the ZJB Customer Assistance Program which addresses this issue. Unfortunately the offer to repair has expired and the dealership has declined coverage. I contacted Corporate Toyota and they are declining to cover the repair. I don't have the $3500 to replace this brake booster pump at this time. This is a safety concern and I don't understand how this is not a RECALL due to the potential safety concern. PLEASE HOLD TOYOTA ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS SAFETY PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #11489170
Official recalls
3Oct 4, 2018
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0V. Note: The software updates in this recall are needed even if the vehicle had the software previously updated under recalls 14V-053 or 15V-449.
Jul 15, 2015
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Prius V vehicles manufactured August 22, 2011, to June 30, 2014. A component within the hybrid inverter assembly may overheat, causing the hybrid system to reduce output power allowing the vehicle to only drive a short distance. In some circumstances, the hybrid system may shut down causing the vehicle to stop while being driven.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unti (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Jan 16, 2013
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seats
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗