10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
44 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
20 / 0
Average Mileage:
67,230 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2010 Toyota Prius:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #81

Sep 012010

Prius

  • 100 miles
Since we have had the 2010 Prius, when we drive it over a bump or rough road, usually at a low speed, and apply the brake simultaneously, the car seems to accelerate briefly. I told my Toyota dealer about it the first time we brought it in for service, but they said they'd never heard of something like this. I try to avoid braking when I go over bumps, but I worry that one day I will his something of someone on the other side. The weird acceleration can be felt by the passenger too.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #80

May 172011

Prius 4-cyl

  • 10,000 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph on a bumpy road, he depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle lunged forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection but they could not determine the cause of failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 10,000....updated 02-03-15

- Merrillville, IN, USA

problem #79

Feb 242014

Prius 4-cyl

  • 58,706 miles
On Monday February 24th 2014 my 2010 Toyota Prius, hybrid inverter failed while I was driving and my car suddenly stopped on the road. I looked on the instrument panel and the check hybrid system was illuminated. The car would not start. I decided to call a toll truck company to take me to the nearest Toyota dealer. Once I arrived the service advisor informed me, the 2010 Toyota Prius has two active safety recalls. I was never notified. The two safety recalls are the hybrid inverter & brake booster pump assembly. Today is Thursday February 27th 2014 and the Toyota dealer has failed to repair and return my car. The Toyota dealer stated this is a safety recall, they need permission from Toyota headquarters to approve parts. I pleaded with the Toyota dealer to provide me with a vehicle, while I wait, they refused.

- New York, NY, USA

problem #78

Feb 072014

Prius 4-cyl

  • 49,000 miles
When my husband was driving out of the parking lot in charlotte on Friday 02/07, all 3 lights - brake, ABS, skid control lights all went up. When he stepped on the brake, he didn't feel anything. Luckily he was just getting out of the parking lot, so he was driving slowly. When he stepped all the way down on the brake, it had this loud metal rattling noise, and he was able to stop. We towed the car to town and country Toyota on Saturday, the assistant service manager said he's never seen it before, and the error code shown during diagnosis is a code they've never seen. The message asked them to contact Toyota technical service. On Monday 02/10, the dealer called and told us that it will cost over $4500 to fix it. We bought the car in Feb 2011 as brand new car, so it's just 3 years old. I then contacted Toyota customer service, and requested that Toyota covers the repair. I was told that there is no recall program related to this problem, and that if I run into the same situation again, or other people run into the same issue, then Toyota might consider a recall, and would refund me for the repair. This is a very dangerous situation that I hope I'll never run into it again ever! it just seems Toyota is very cold and indifferent to people's safety.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #77

Feb 122014

Prius 4-cyl

  • 86,400 miles
The ABS/brake/stability lights are "on" Prius dash. The brake lost pressure and mushy. The brake must be pumped a few times to get pressure and to stop the car. Either this is ABS accumulator(just found out there is a recall while getting dealer appointment) failure or brake master cylinder failure. There is no fluid leak visible outside or indicator light but the fluid is almost empty in the reservoir. I don't have dealer diagnosis at this point yet. I'm not sure if the accident I have on 1/27/2014 that I've rear-ended another vehicle while traveling about 30-35mph and tried to stop but the car did not stop and bumped into the car in front. Fortunately, there is injury or major damages. At that time I didn't think of it that the brake may have issue or not but thinking back the brake didn't have enough bite to stop even though the car is traveling slow enough and there is ample distance. As far as I remember I do not feel the ABS kicking in either. Hopefully, I'll find out more from dealer service. Thanks.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

problem #76

Oct 102013

Prius 4-cyl

  • 61,000 miles
On October 10th, 2013 at 7 pm, I noticed several brake lights, ABS, and sliding sign light came on when I started my car. I thought it was some kind of electrical glitch so I turned my car off and turned it back on. The lights stayed same. My husband who sat on the passenger side looked into the manual book and told me those lights were indicated for brake system. We decided to go home to figure out what we needed to do. As soon as I started to drive, I noticed brake pedal was much lower than it usually is and also noticed brake was not working. My car kept moving even when I pressed the brake all the way. At that moment, I knew I had to take my car to dealer right away. There were no warning signs or noise for a driver to notice before the whole brake system was completely fail to perform. In January 2013, Toyota recalled many Prius in same model and same yr as mine for total break system failure. Even though my VIN number was not under their recall list, my car's brake system broke down completely to function due to same reasons Toyota recalled many Prius 2010 this year. Toyota refused to fix my car under their recall system warranty because my VIN number is not under their recall list. Toyota dealer charged me $4300 to replace the whole brake system for my car and it took 4 weeks to find the parts in North America to fix my car. It cost me another $1000 to rent a car while my Prius at Toyota dealer to find the parts to fix it. I was fortunate enough that my brake system didn't blow out on me when I was driving 75mph on freeway. I'm sure there are many other Prius 2010 have brake system failure like mine even though they were not under their recall list.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #75

Feb 032014

Prius

  • miles
The car in front of me stopped abruptly and I slammed on my brakes. I held them to the floor and the car continued at the same speed into the rear end of the car in front of me. I was at least 1 and 1/2 car lengths away when I slammed on the brakes. I have been told by state farm insurance that there was a recall on the 2010 Prius. I was told my my Toyota car dealer that my car was built in March 2010 and thus was not part of the recall. I purchased this car in 11/13. Is there a way to verify exactly which day my car was built?

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #74

Sep 172013

Prius

  • 58,000 miles
This happened more then once, all pretty much the same way. While driving approximately 30 mph, applying the brakes coming to a stop and traveling over a rough road the brakes feel like they release and the vehicle does not stop. After the vehicle passes the rough are I have to release the brakes and reapply pressure to the brake peddle for the vehicle brakes to reengage and stop the forward momentum. Last month when I took the vehicle to dealer in olympia wa, I asked them to check for any recalls and make a note of the issue. This issue has almost cause an accident.

- Dupont , WA, USA

problem #73

Nov 122013

Prius 4-cyl

  • 54,601 miles
I believe the NHTSA should investigate whether Toyota has understated the number of 2010 Prius cars with potentially faulty brake accumulator pumps. The company recalled thousands of the cars manufactured between June and October, 2009. My dealer recently told me that my 2010 Prius, manufactured in December, 2009 " just two months later ? has essentially the same problem. They informed me that this is a ?safety concern? and that the pump should be replaced ?as soon as possible, ? at a cost of over $4,000. But because my car was manufactured two months after the last cars covered in the recall, they have refused to pay for the replacement. I am very doubtful of the idea that problem affecting my car is different from the defect resulting in the recall. First, the key issue is essentially identical: Contaminated fluid that could result in a loss of braking power. Second, the car is the same model and year as those recalled, just manufactured a couple of months later. Third, this sort of repair ? the need to replace a single, very expensive component less than four years after purchase ? ought to be rare. If it"S not, this suggests a systematic difficulty.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #72

Oct 292013

Prius 4-cyl

  • 21,120 miles
Reversing into my driveway which is a slope driveway. Trying to go slow as possible. When try to stop the car with brakes the car did not stop. Causing a crashed through my garage door which was close at that time.

- Richmond Hill, NY, USA

problem #71

Oct 022013

Prius 4-cyl

  • 35,000 miles
Upon braking over a bump, pothole, wet leaves and/or any combination of the aforementioned circumstances, the Prius accelerates forward, thus creating a very unsafe driving condition. Since I originally purchased the vehicle, it has done this on numerous occasions. I do not feel safe driving this vehicle and am afraid that this braking issue may result in an accident that otherwise would have been a non-issue for any other vehicle. In my 19+ years of driving, I have never had a vehicle do this while braking. I, therefore, implore the ntsb to dutifully carry out its mission statement of protecting motorists by forcing Toyota to recall said vehicle in order to properly remedy this issue before preventable accidents occur and lives are potentially lost.

- Northport, NY, USA

problem #70

Aug 212013

Prius 4-cyl

  • 93,000 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in and repaired under NHTSA campaign id number: 13V235000 (service brakes). After the repair was performed, the contact was driving approximately 25 mph when the brake pedal was abnormally traveled to the floor board, and the brake and ABS light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where the technician stated that the brakes would have to be bled. The brakes were bled however, the failure persisted. The dealer also replaced the brake booster and master cylinder twice. The brake power stroke sensor was also replaced but none of the repairs were able to correct the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 93,000. Updated 12/24/13

- Pueblo West, CO, USA

problem #69

Sep 032013

Prius 4-cyl

  • miles
2010 Toyota Prius. Consumer writes in regards to unsatisfactory customer service at dealership. The consumer felt she was dealt with in a cavalier, disrespectful manner with no regard for her time, after making an appointment at the dealer for a recall issue. The vehicle was not ready at the time she was promised it would be.

- Mountain Home, ID, USA

problem #68

Sep 282012

Prius 4-cyl

  • 27,000 miles
Vehicle activates ABS while stopping and brake disengages, causing vehicle to not stop when brakes are applied unless brakes are reapplied, potentially leading to accidents due to braking failure. Dealership is not addressing the issue in a timely manner. Delaying this recall months might lead to accidents affecting all passengers, including children. Continued delay of this matter could lead to legal action due to an inability on behalf of the Toyota company and dealerships to promptly fix a severe and dangerous problem.

- Hartford, CT, USA

problem #67

Jul 012009

Prius 4-cyl

  • 500 miles
The ABS system on my 2010 Prius seems to release the brake when applied on rough surfaces going downhill which gives a sense of acceleration and lack of vehicle control. The same effect occurs when driving on some level surfaces. I have recently read dozens of accounts about the Prius brakes acting this way as far back as 2006 models. I'm am now concerned about the brake system integrity when I drive and feel strongly that the NHTSA should initiate an in depth investigation into this situation.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #66

Sep 162013

Prius

  • 35,000 miles
Coming to a stop light, I applied the brakes. This has been an ongoing issue with my car that when applying the brakes and a bump in the road is detected, the car supposedly switches to ABS braking. The net effect of it is that the brakes temporarily disengage causing the car to accelerate for a brief period until you reapply the brakes and eventually come to a stop. So as a result, the from the moment you apply the brakes to the time you stop, there is a "lurching forward" of about 5 feet under which you have no control over the car. That is quite scary since if per chance a person were crossing the road while your car hit a bump in the road, your vehicle could theoretically hit the person before the brakes had a chance to kick in. I've checked the blogs and have noticed that people with priuses from various years have reported the same problem. I noticed this problem early on in my ownership of the car, and actually asked the dealer to fix the problem. They reported to me that everything was working properly. I then asked them to test drive it for a while to reproduce the problem. They had my car for a week and supposedly were unable to reproduce the problem. There was an ABS recall by Prius and they supposedly applied the fix to my car, but I have since noticed the same issue.

- Parsippany, NJ, USA

problem #65

Oct 102013

Prius 4-cyl

  • 20,400 miles
Car fails to stop on bumpy surfaces. Street under construction was covered with metal plates with bumpy surface (the ridges are arranged in squares and I think are less than an inch high; they are not the plates with a smooth surface). As the car went over the plates, braking failed. The plates ended a short distance before the traffic signal and regular pavement resumed. I was barely able to stop in time. I checked online and I see that other people have the same problem. Someone suggested the anti-lock braking system. This happened on S. leimert blvd. Approaching vernon, but these plates are all over this part of los angeles.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #64

Oct 012013

Prius 4-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
Bought this car certified used from Toyota dealer in mid-May 2013. First Prius I've owned, and not used to driving it, so the first couple times it 'lurched forward' with the brakes on, I was surprised, but figured it was just related to the 'hybrid'. it happened again last week at a stop sign with rough road - braking, hit bumps, and brakes disappear! took it into dealer this morning, and they're saying it's 'normal'. then I start researching and while car is not included in any recalls, it's the same problem investigated in ntsb 10V039000. Exactly! car is still at dealer, as I have asked to speak to service mgr. And just in news today, supreme court is allowing calif 2010 Prius owners to sue Toyota over a bogus fix for this problem. Not sure what to do, but not going to let up on this. Half dozen times in 4 months this has happened, and I like the feeling less every time. Anything I can do? (when you all get back to work).

- Columbia, MD, USA

problem #63

Sep 132013

Prius 4-cyl

  • 67,005 miles
Received safety recall notice from Toyota motor sales usa. Made appointment with libertyville Toyota (autonation Toyota libertyville in libertyville, Illinois), the dealer from whom I bought the car. On 9/13/13 libertyville Toyota inspected my vehicle and advised me that the serial number on the brake booster pump assembly was on the recall list that required replacement. I was told none were in stock but it should take 2 or 3 days for the order to come and that I would be phoned "around the middle of next week." No call came so I phoned libertyville Toyota on 9/24/13. The receptionist directed my call to the parts department. The parts person who took my call told me that the part was not in their stock and that there was no estimated time of arrival (eta) for the part. He said he had no idea whether or when the part would be available. I asked to speak to the manager so he transferred me to the service manager ([xxx]). [xxx] didn't pick up so I left a fairly detailed message and asked him to call me back. It's now 9/30/13 and I have not been called by [xxx] or anyone at libertyville Toyota. In the meantime I'm driving a vehicle that is subject to a safety recall, the severity of which I have no idea, and I'm planning a trip with the vehicle that will entail approximately 3,000 miles of driving. What am I to do? information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Buffalo Grove, IL, USA

problem #62

Aug 152013

Prius

  • 36,000 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius.the contact stated that while driving 25 mph over a road bump and the vehicle lunged forward abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection but they could not diagnose the cause of failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 36,000.

- Norwalk, CT, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »