2014 Toyota Prius

ABS actuator failed in April of 2023 after more than a year of constant whirling, which my mechanic didn't diagnose until after my dashboard lit up with errors. The issue was diagnosed by AAA mechanics after the dashboard warning lights lit up, with a $4,000 cost to repair. Brakes are spongy, car is rarely driven at this time. We were told that the brakes would continue to work, but the ABS system would not. Now the vehicle beeps constantly when driving, which appears to mean the brakes could fully fail at any time. Based on subsequent research, Toyota was quietly fixing the ABS acuator issue until last year, but it was not offered when my vehicle was brought in last year during another recall. When it failed the car was under 10 years and 150K.

My car started exhibiting signs of a known brake booster/brake systems failure for Priuses in the 2010-2015 range. These include the ABS, brake system, and skid/traction lights coming on and a 3-5 cycling whirring noise. The brake sensitivity is also altered. This happened suddenly today. I checked the battery voltage (normal), so this is not causing the issue. After investigating online, I have discovered that many consumers have experienced the same issue and are being denied a recall/repair coverage by Toyota. Today, I am reaching out to Toyota to see if the replacement/repair, which should be in the range of $3-4k will be covered by Toyota. According to numerous other Prius owners online, this issue is being denied by Toyota for coverage, even though it is something they are fully aware of. This is unacceptable and dangerous on their part. My vehicle has 110k miles, was leased used last year, and has not had any issues otherwise. I am up to date with all routine maintenance, including getting my pads replaced and rotors maintained last year as well as new tires.

Brake warning lights illuminated and loud beeping for the first time. Took the car to local repair shop who advised me to take it to the dealership. Dealership indicates that R&R Brake Booster assembly with master cylinder and brake booster pump assembly need to be replaced at over $3100 and brakes are at risk of failure. I researched and found the NHTSA Customer Support Bulletin - [XXX] indicating this known issue. The support period expired in March and mileage has now exceeded the limit for support. Though I have had the car in the dealership for service many times, this was never brought to my attention. The dealership advised me to contact Toyota. Toyota then advised me to contact NHTSA about the problem. Further research indicates ongoing problems with this issue that have not been resolved - [XXX] should have issued a recall for this important safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Brake Booster Assembly in my 2014 Toyota Prius began cycling more often than usual in December 2023. By March 2024 it began cycling approximately every 30 seconds. Randomly while stopped or parked, there would be four warning lights illuminated on the dash - SLIP indicator, both Brake System Warning Lights - the word "Brake" and the "((!))", and ABS Warning Light. By June 2024, I would also randomly lose stopping power & a great distance was necessary to stop the vehicle. I took the Prius into my local Toyota Service Center where it was recommended both the Brake Booster Pump and Brake Booster Actuator be replaced. When I brought up Toyota's Customer Support Program for which my Prius is eligible in terms of age, mileage, and symptoms, I was told a DTC is required to verify the issue. According to this local Toyota dealership, the Master Tech confirming the issue and recommending replacement is not sufficient. Since the lights were illuminated, I asked why there was no stored DTC. They responded "Well, I'm not sure" and continued to reference the required DTC. This brake assembly is an issue that Toyota has acknowledged, but fails to accept full responsibility by issuing a recall. This gross negligence by a vehicle manufacturer.

Drove car to work one morning and it was VERY difficult to brake almost causing an accident. Brought it into the Toyota shop and they said this code came up: DTC code C1391: Abnormal leak of accumulator pressure ,recommending to replace brake booster and brake booster pump assembly internal malfunction of components.The necessity of its routine replacement is vital as an old or malfunctioning unit leads to decreased braking performance and ultimately brake failure. They told me that there was a program offered to customers where they would replace this known issue, but I'm 2 months outside of this so the issue is no longer covered under Toyota. The fact that this is a known issue that Toyota does not want to recall is ridiculous and now they want customers to pay for it.

Noticed a whirring/hydraulic sound that occurred every 5-10 seconds. Could only hear sound if no music was playing and not driving at highway speeds. Sound was noticeable upon parking or exiting vehicle. Only noticed sound because it occurred more frequently than usual. Spouse who is hard of hearing could not hear sound at all. My understanding of sound was that it was normal for vehicle, however, within the time span of approximately 2 weeks, sound became more frequent. Researched noise, and found it was the brake booster assembly pressurizing. Took vehicle to dealership to have it confirmed. Per dealership "Accumulator inside brake booster has internal leak causing accumulator to constantly run." Brakes did not show signs of loss of function and there was no indicator lights on dash to warn me of problem with vehicle. When I inquired with dealership of how much longer they would last, they informed me they could not say, and that it was likely they could go out at any time. Called Toyota Customer support to see if they could provide any assistance. They stated a support program had been issued back in 2021, but is now expired. According to support program 21TE01, Toyota was willing to replace brake boosters that had already failed and could be confirmed with diagnostic code. However, as the part had not failed or showed signs of failure at that time, vehicle would not have qualified, and it was prior to current ownership. Owners should not have to wait for their brakes to fail in order to recognize they have an issue. If I had not heard the noise and brought it in BEFORE an accident occurred, it could have been very dangerous indeed. Now I am left to pay $2500 out of pocket for repair of a faulty/failing brake booster assembly.

We were on the interstate when suddenly our cruise control stopped working. We then noticed several lights on the dashboard lit up, related to traction control, brakes, and ABS system. We could still use the car brakes, but it took more pressure than usual to engage the brakes. We pulled over to an auto parts store, but they stated there were no ODB codes logged. After researching online, I suspected a brake booster failure as described in Toyota's Customer Support Bulletin ZJB. At my earliest convenience, I brought the car in to a Toyota dealership, who confirmed that the brake booster and master cylinder were failing and needed to be replaced. Thankfully, the brakes did not fail outright, but the situation could have ended much worse. I understand by reading online that this is not an isolated incident. I encourage this issue be more thoroughly investigated so that a proper recall can be issued if needed, to bring this to the attention of other drivers of affected vehicles.

Code C1391 - Abnormal Leak in Accumulator. Accumulator for the brake pump is not holding pressure so the pump has to keep turning on to refill. Brake pump and ABS unit have to be replaced. In emergency situations, a malfunctioning ABS module leads to increased stopping distances and loss of steering control during hard braking. Lastly, tires can be worn more easily, which could lead to tire blowouts. This puts myself and others at risk for deadly consequences due to an increased chance for collision if I am unable to control or stop my car. This problem has been confirmed by Toyota and multiple years of Toyota vehicles have had their brake actuator assembly warranty enhanced. The warranty enhancement program has secondary coverage, which is applicable for 10 years from the first date of use, or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Currently I meet the 10 year requirement but have 162,000 miles on my prius, which is completely frustrating. Many have posted with the same problem of being just outside the warranty. The vehicle has been inspected at a Toyota dealership. A symptom was noticeable starting from over 1 ½ years ago when I was under 150,000 miles. The car produced clicking sounds when the brake pedal was held down at traffic lights. Once released, the clicking sound would stop. I spoke with a Toyota mechanic and he told me it was an issue with the brake pump and ABS unit, but Toyota would not repair it until it completely failed. He also mentioned that there was coverage available for the ABS unit once it failed as it was a common issue for the Toyota Prius. If Toyota warranty allowed for the brake pump and ABS unit to be replaced when the symptoms appear instead of when it completely fails, I would have qualified with my mileage. Not only is the repair costly, but for those who cannot afford it and need to continue to use their car despite the brake pump and ABS unit failure, risk their own and others safety when continuing to operate their vehicle.