10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
44 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
20 / 0
Average Mileage:
66,754 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 #525

Mar 012024

Prius

  • miles
My 2010 Toyota Prius hatchback suddenly had 4 or 5 warning lights appear on the dashboard and my brakes failed to function properly. It felt like the power brakes was turned off ! Although I did get the vehicle stopped, it surely was a dangerous situation. I understand that Toyota knows about this problem, and have read that it was warranted if this happened before 150,000 miles. My Prius has approx 167,000 miles right now and to replace the Brake Actuator, the cost will be $ 3 - 5 thousand dollars-??absurd amount in my opinion. Since this critical feature (brakes) has a long known history of being faulty on Toyota vehicles it should be warranted for at least 25 years and at least 300k ! My Prius is -??unsafe to drive-?? and is nothing more than a paperweight-??I repeat, Toyota knows, and has known about this defective brake actuator problem for years and years!!! Please lean on Toyota to up the warranty of this faulty brake problem for the MANY, MANY Toyota owners who have purchased the Toyota product and and NOT screwing the public like they are doing now !

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #524

Mar 012024

Prius

  • miles
A warranty extension went out a few years back that said one might receive a "CHECK PCS SYSTEM" warning on the dash. This has happened to us, along with 7 other lights on the dash. Between the brakes being much less responsive, and all of the pre-crash warning / adaptive cruise / radar features being disabled, this could have caused an accident. The dealer checked out the car and states that the brake actuator has a leak and that it will be a costly repair - no less than $3000. This suspiciously all happened *just* outside of the warranty window (we are within the allowed number of miles but just out of time), and also suspiciously after Toyota released an upgraded version of the actuator, and *also* after a bunch of people are experiencing the same failure. Our best assessment at this time is that the brake actuators have a factory defect and that a recall should be done.

- Altoona, FL, USA

problem #523

Feb 232024

Prius

  • miles
The brake accumulator has failed on my prius which then deactivates regenerative braking, traction control, abs, and stability control. The lights for traction control, ABS, and stability control and parking brake are shown on the dash. The result for the driver is that the brake pedal has the same pressure, but does nothing until about 25% of pedal travel. At this point, the mechanical brakes will engage and provide a very sudden and jerky application to the brakes. In other words, a very non-linear brake control is present and is incredibly difficult to predict. If this vehicle is operated on the motorway, the safety of the vehicle's occupants as well as others on the road is greatly reduced. Street Toyota has confirmed this issue and its effects. They want to charge $3600 to fix this issue even though the car is only worth $5k. This problem has been investigated in the past buy Toyota and the NHTSA. Toyota has applied an extended warranty for this part meaning that they will only replace it once it goes out. They also failed to notify their consumers about this matter. It is a serious issue that has put many lives at risk and has caused multiple injuries. It is a matter that should not be ignored by either the NHTSA or Toyota.

- Canyon, TX, USA

problem #522

Feb 132024

Prius

  • miles
I noticed that the ratcheting parking brake pedal has stopped ratcheting correctly, and I planned to have it inspected on the next scheduled maintenance. Recently, the brake system illuminated the traction control, ALB and "BRAKE" lights simultaneously, and the braking power diminished by more than half, with no braking until the pedal was halfway down. I depressed the parking brake pedal a few times, which cleared the "BRAKE" symbol and the problem stopped and normal braking returned. This has now happened three times with the same fix. It appears that when the "BRAKE" symbol is no longer illuminated, the problem goes away. This appears to be a software problem that triggers a braking problem to engage the traction control and ABS icons when the "BRAKE" icon associated with the parking brake is illuminated. This web site has other instances reported with the same symptoms, and Toyota had a service bulletin, which has expired, which leads to a $2000-$3000 repair bill to replace a brake booster. It appears to be software related to me, not mechanical. It poses a safety risk because braking performance is severely compromised with no warning. NHTSB needs to look into this, as rear end accidents can easily happen if strong braking in heavy traffic is required to avoid a collision. I recommend that a recall be established to fix this. An alternative cause may be a misaligned micro switch in the parking brake mechanism, which has been experiencing problems. This could lead to the "BRAKE" light being illuminated, and sending a bad signal to the computer.

- Upper Arlington, OH, USA

problem #521

Feb 062024

Prius

  • miles
Video recording

- Ranson, WV, USA

problem #520

Feb 012024

Prius

  • miles
I was in my 2010 Toyota Prius with my two children when I suddenly lost my brakes, with luck I was able to let off my gas and coast to a stop. Now I am left with a 3,000 dollar repair. I now know what the price of my children and my life is worth to Toyota! To find that this has already been a problem with no notification is ludicrous!

- Reedville, VA, USA

problem #519

Dec 012023

Prius

  • 139,999 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 50-55 MPH, the ABS, traction control, and brake warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the brake booster assembly needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 139,999.

- Hicksville, NY, USA

problem #518

Dec 212023

Prius

  • miles
All the lights on my dash board came on suddenly, and the brake emergency, traction control and ABS lights stayed illuminated. Upon exiting the interstate I could not come to a complete stop at the end of the exit, which was very scary. Fortunately the cars driving on the road the exit merges into did, so we avoided a terrible accident. The brakes were spongy and not operating properly after that. The next day with all the lights still on, I slowly drove (20 mph) to the local Toyota Dealer, who claimed that error code (C1391) was being displayed and according to Toyota, that means the Booster is or will be leaking. Therefore the Pump and Booster needs to be replaced (estimated at $3K). No lights or errors were given before the incident, the brakes just suddenly malfunctioned. However Toyota apparently is aware that the booster and pumps fail without warning, because I discovered with an on-line search that code had a "customer extension" warranty (by googling the code C1391), I called customer service but they refuse to help. They claimed I was mailed a letter in October 2018 (they didn't offer to supply a copy.) However, I never received a letter or any notice from Toyota or the Toyota dealer that I have repeatedly used since I bought the car in 2010 (I have had brakes replaced there when it was under 150k and no one said anything!) Now they are stating that the extension has expired as it was only good up to 150,000 miles or 10 years which ever came first. I can't understand why they have a known brake issue and not replace the part when the vehicle is already at the dealer (It's there for every oil change 3 x a year!) Brakes are an important part of a vehicle, a failure like this should have been recalled, and Toyota should have been made to replace the faulty parts!

- Newport, KY, USA

problem #517

Dec 202016

Prius

  • 296,842 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact depressed the brake pedal and noticed an abnormal humming sound. The contact stated that the failure had been intermittent since 2016. The contact stated that the failure had become persistent. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 296,842. The VIN was unavailable.

- Ranson, WV, USA

problem #516

Dec 082023

Prius

  • miles
Recently, I had ABS failure in my vehicle and warning lights came up on my dash with code C1391 which indicates a problem with brake booster assembly and pump. Now I am afraid to drive it because the brakes seem that they could fail at any time and I cannot break quickly when needed. Toyota is aware there is a problem with the brake booster assembly and pump based on prior Customer Support Programs (my vehicle was not included since warning lights were not present at the time), class action lawsuits, and petitions to NHTS about this issue. I believe the problem is prevalent enough and brakes are significant for driver safety that there should be a safety recall. My vehicle has less than 150,000 miles. I called Toyota to complain about the problem as I know it is very common among Prius owners, but they have said there is nothing they can do.

- Kapaa, HI, USA

problem #515

Sep 012023

Prius

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS and brake warning lights remained illuminated, and the brake pedal was firm while depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to immediately stop while depressing the brake pedal, causing the stopping distance to be extended. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

- La Palma, CA, USA

problem #514

Oct 202023

Prius

  • miles
While operating the vehicle at normal highway speeds, the car suddenly had the ABS, Traction Control, and Brake lights all come on. The vehicle did not operate or sound any differently at the moment all the lights came on. However, over the next week there developed a mild humming coming from somewhere in the engine bay approximately behind the dashboard. My mechanic identified the problem as the brake booster and pump assembly failing and informed me that the vehicle may drive normally for sometime but the brakes will fail suddenly once the brake booster and pump fully fail. Thus, making operating the vehicle extremely dangerous. I am currently waiting for a Toyota specialty mechanic to become available to replace the brake booster and pump assembly at a cost of +$3,000. Please investigate this issue, there are many people experiencing this issue with the 2010 Prius models.

- Ben Lomond, CA, USA

problem #513

Jan 132016

Prius

  • 65,000 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle consistently made abnormal sounds and jerked forward while the brake pedal was being depressed. The vehicle became inoperable. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a crack and leak in the brake booster. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact referenced the NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V235000 (Service Brakes). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000. The contact stated this is a known manufacturing fail for the brake booster 2010 Prius.

- Overland Park, KS, USA

problem #512

Nov 022023

Prius

  • miles
My brakes behave strangely cause i experience inconsistent brake feel after actuation during slow and steady application after brakes on rough or slick surfaces.also, All three lights ABS light, brake light and VSC come on and off on dashboard at the same time.

- Methuen , MA, USA

problem #511

Nov 062023

Prius

  • miles
A couple weeks ago we were driving our 2010 Toyota Prius and 3 brake lights came on: BRAKE, ABS, and a car with squiggly lines behind it. We took the car into the Toyota dealership ($209) to perform a diagnostic. Their results are as follows and I quote: "Hydraulic Brake Booster Pump DTC C1391 Abnormal leak in accumulator. Has T-SB and CSP that are both expired. Recommend perform repair outlined. Recommend R&R Brake Actuator Assy, Booster Pump Assy and perform ABS ECU Reflash. We wouldn't have purchased this car had we known a few years later we'd be facing a $4400 charge Toyota wants to charge. We don't have the funds let alone go now and purchase another car.

- Rocklin, CA, USA

problem #510

Sep 152023

Prius

  • miles
Slip indicator symbol, Brake word, Brake symbol, and ABS word lit up while driving. Brake pedal had to be pushed further down to stop the car. No warning lights or issues before this incident. Toyota diagnosed as abnormal leak in accumulator and internal brake fluid leak, and quoted replacement of the brake booster assembly with master cylinder and the brake booster pump. There is no advance indication and the brake booster will not be available while driving. Toyota recalled selected vehicles. There are currently many reports online from vehicles excluded from the recall that are affected by the same brake booster malfunction and warning lights.

- Spencerville, MD, USA

problem #509

Aug 012023

Prius

  • miles
The brake booster assembly and brake booster pump have failed due to a vaccine leak internally in the brake booster. Failure of the brake booster can cause the vehicle to be more difficult to stop. Yes the failure codes have been reproduced. The vehicle falls -??out of warranty-?? for a part that should last the life of the vehicle. Replacement of the part is quoted over 4,000 dollars. The abs light, brake light, and traction control lights.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #508

Oct 262023

Prius

  • miles
Hi I want submit issues with the master cylinder and abs pump assy I have 2 vehicles same model with average same mileage and both had issues with this system if I drove any distance below 25 mph in a constant time the dash lights comes on traction control, abs light, brake light, and the brake pedal goes low and barely brakes make this situation dangerous when I stop if you try turn it off the engine and on again lights stay there but if I reset the codes the pump works again for some while and then again when you don-??t expected lose pressure and I am really afraid for my safety and my family, and I am not the only one with this problem is too many Prius owners who have the issues I went from dealer and they advice $3000 dlls fix situation who motivate people to lose money for $1200 in parts and $1800 dlls in labor for something they can resolve it because in reality is an manufactured defect

- Raytown, MO, USA

problem #507

Sep 292023

Prius

  • miles
The breaking lights, skid lights and another light associated with breaks came out and I lost the ABS abilities, the hv battery is not charging while breaking. These lights comes out randomly. Very risky especially while breaking.

- Dracut, MA, USA

problem #506

Sep 292023

Prius

  • miles
Due to insufficient corrosion protection, the rear brake line of my 2010 Prius burst as I pressed the brake pedal in my driveway. It dumped ALL of the brake fluid onto the ground within a couple of minutes. Imagine if I had been driving!! There could have been a serious crash!! This was sudden. There were no brakes! Pedal lost all pressure and went to the floor when pressed. Lots of warning lights and alarms screaming inside car. The vehicle has been inspected and repaired at the Toyota dealer as of 10/03/2023. I have pictures of the failed part when it was installed on the car. If the dealer is contacted quickly, they might still have the actual failed brake line (which I was charged disposal fees for.) This was very scary and numerous lives could be at risk due to the popularity of this car and its use in rideshare/taxi service. There were no warnings prior to this. Brakes worked normally. Car is well maintained with dealer service records. There is no excuse for not properly trading such a critical part for corrosion, just to save money. Peoples lives are at stake!! It's the BRAKES of the car!! Someone needs to investigate this! I have pictures and receipts I can provide.

- Ingleside, IL, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »