10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 15 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 7 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 16,443 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.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
When I start the car and it becomes idle the brake pedal becomes stiff and gets stuck. I have to put the car back in park and restart it for the brake to work properly. This doesn't happen all the time but happens enough for me to be concerned. I took it to two Toyota dealers and they couldn't duplicate it and couldn't find a problem but it is still happening. This only happens when I start car not while driving.
- Chicago, IL, USA
The edr report clearly showed that the brake oil pressure changes did not correlate with the progressively increasing vehicle deceleration. The issue is occasional, rare and cannot be reproduced every single time. This leads to disparity in assumed braking distance from routine experience by driving the vehicle and actual braking distance at the time of failed braking which supposedly may be as a result of inverter issues that are responsible for exclusively regenerative braking at low (<50 mph) speeds.
- North Charleston, SC, USA
Brakes completely failed and I rear ended a car. I was stopping normally on a city street. According to dashcam I was traveling at about 25mph. The car slowed to about 12mph when the brakes went down to the floor and the car accelerated.
- Santa Clarita, CA, USA
The car brakes failed at low speeds (10-15 mph) and bumped into the car in front in a stop-and-go traffic on the wet freeway after a recent rain. The brake pedal went all the way down to touch the floor, as if the brake pedal was disengaged from the braking system and the ABS light did not turn on at the time of braking. The car was driving in the straight line and immediately before this I was able to successfully brake the car on the very same trip. So the problem is intermittent. This is the second time with this car, as my spouse also experienced the similar brake failure at even lower speeds (<10 mph) resulting in touching the car in front and minor scratch on the bumper. It was a dry day then and almost similar circumstances. Associated geico claim number is 0423477190101054. We opened a case with Toyota to check the data recorder. Associated Toyota case number is 181112370.
- North Charleston, SC, USA
On a winter day my car slid down a steep road and would not stop while breaking, both front fender flares broke off causing the car to act like it was on a sled. The car eventually stopped after I placed it in neutral and then slid again and then it finally stopped. I almost killed myself.
- Caledonia, MI, USA
In Nov 22 2017 I parked my car at 1719 brader pl. South in seattle, Washington in a city street. Approximately at 1500 pm, I puled the car from the street parking I-order to pick a passenger about 4 feet and the car accelerated by itself toward right into the building complex on right and flipped on the side of the driver side. The car was on drive but I was trying to stop to pick up a passenger, but failed to stop and accelerated and turned and found myself flipped on the side as you can see on picture.
- Renton, WA, USA
Vehicle increased acceleration while making a right-hand turn and braking, into a covered parking stall. Vehicle did not stop under breaking until front end went over cement parking bumper.
- Lodi, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius. While driving, the brake pedal was applied, but the vehicle failed to respond.the vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not included in a recall. The contact did not want to pay for the repair because the vehicle was still new and should not have any issues. The failure mileage was 30,000.
- Sommerton, AZ, USA
While I was doing a slow turn in a driveway, my brake failed and the car continued to accelerate in a forward motion. When I shifted into reverse, the car revved and roared accelerating at full tilt. It raced across a road into another driveway only stopping when wedged between a garage door and a tree. Toyota took the totaled car and had it inspected by engineering associates and insurance auto auctions. Their response is that "there was no serious defects identified." Obviously, the momentary mechanical or electronic failure of my car could never be detected, so according to Toyota, there was nothing to cause the failure. I feel totally victimized and believe Toyota should take responsibility and compensate me for the loss of my car.
- Lake Worth, FL, USA
When car stalls...there are no brakes..happened to me 4 times. Hit objects 3 times to stop.
- Davenport, FL, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius. While driving 5 mph, the vehicle accelerated when the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the contact crashed the vehicle into a building and the air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact sustained chest injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,700. Updated 01/20/16
- Modesto, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius. While driving approximately 25 mph, the contact attempted to depress the brake pedal, but the vehicle did not stop. As a result, a crash occurred and the air bags did not deploy. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact was not injured and a police report was filed. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 3,200.
- Romeoville, IL, USA
I was in a parking lot and put the car in reverse. Then I heard a "boom" and I thought that I backed into something, so I quickly put the car into drive. I then felt the car excelerating fast and I was pushing the brake as hard as I could and could not stop the car from moving forward. The car proceeded to excellerate and when over a curb up onto pavement and through a metal fence and bent a 5 inch round metal fencing down to the ground and the car kept going another 30 feet till it finally stopped. You can see the skid marks in the the parking lot.
- Chittenango, NY, USA
I pulled my 2014 Toyota Prius slowly out of a parking slot in a small parking lot turning it the direction I wanted to go on a very slight slant downhill. Before I could put it in drive from reverse it started rolling downward on its own. When I went to apply the brakes, they were squishy and did not engage. I tried several times to get them to engage but they never did. I went to put the emergency brake on but it is located so high up it was difficult to get my foot up there quickly. Meanwhile there was a truck parked across the end of the parking lot lane so my car rolled into the truck creating dents in the front door panel and rear door panel. This was obvious brake failure. I went to the local Toyota repair and dealership and spoke with a shop employee. He told me that this can actually happen where you can back a car up and turn it and it will go on its own (but it seems he implied that the "ready" light might not have engaged) and that he "had seen it happen himself". if the truck had not been there, my car would have rolled directly out into oncoming traffic on the main thoroughfare through town which had the huge potential of causing a major accident with injuries. I did try to recreate the event in a nonpopulated area in a very safe manner and was unable to do so. That even scares me more!!! as you have no idea if it can or will happen again. I spent $20,000 plus for a new car that I am always hyper-cautious in because no one will fess up to problems. If I sell the car it will be at a great loss which I cannot afford! in the internet I note that there were similar problems with the brakes, especially around 2007 - many were documented but Toyota was never taken to task re: These consumer complaints as I suppose the consumers just couldn't "prove" them. As usual money trumps human lives and safety. Toyota should be ashamed of themselves.
- Paradise, CA, USA
I was crossing the train tracks in palo alto on charleston St near alma and tried to stop at a stop light right after the tracks. When I stepped hard on the brakes, the brakes did not work at all. My car did not slow down at all and I hit the car in front of me.
- Cupertino, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius. While driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle drove over a pothole, which caused the rear of the vehicle to elevate. The contact lost control of the steering and brakes. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 1,500. The consumer stated he took the vehicle to the dealer, for erratic steering when going around curves at moderate speeds. The same morning, while driving, the vehicle went over a dip in the pavement. The rear of the vehicle went airborne as if, it was on a hydraulic lift. The consumer had no control of the steering or braking. What saved him was the left rear brake and the tire jerked on the pavement and pulled the vehicle back straight. He experienced the failure for a second time. Updated 10/29/14 updated 11/21/14 the consumer stated the dealer could not duplicate the failure. The failure doesn't occur with multiple people in the vehicle. The dealer refused to drive the vehicle alone.
- Erisbane, CA, USA
I was pulling into a convenience store in my 2014 Prius. As I was gliding in, I depressed the brake pedal and the car kept going. I continued to press the brake and the car started to accelerate. I could feel the surge of power. I was completely unable to stop the car and I ran into parking posts at the front of the store. All airbags were deployed. I got a cut on my forehead and was bleeding. An ambulance arrived and my husband drove me to the er afterwards and I received treatment. I was coming home from the gym at 9am in the morning. I have never been at fault in an auto accident before. I have a witness that said he heard a chirping sound coming from my brakes right before the crash. I have the pin drive from the car that a representative, supposedly from an outside source, that retrieved it. This is what Toyota used to conduct their "investigation" into the incident. They concluded that it was completely not their fault, not indicating how it could have happened. They are not going to help at all. Someone other than Toyota needs to investigate this problem before someone else gets killed. ( I filed a previous complaint this morning but realized I had entered the VIN number wrong. This is the same complaint with the correct VIN number.
- Tempe, AZ, USA
I was pulling into a convenience store in my 2014 Prius. As I was gliding in, I depressed the brake pedal and the car kept going. I continued to press it and the car started to accelerate, I could feel the surge of power. I was completely unable to stop the car and ran into parking posts at the front of the store. All airbags were deployed. I got a cut on my forehead, an ambulance came but I declined and my husband drove me to the er later where I received treatment. I was coming home from the gym at 9 am I have never been at fault in an accident before. I have a witness that said he heard a chirping sound coming from the brakes before I crashed. Toyota completely denies there is anything wrong with the car, but gives no explanation as to how this could have occurred. They will not help at all. Someone is going to get seriously injured or killed. This needs to be investigated by someone other than Toyota.
- Tempe, AZ, USA
We have recently purchased a 2014 Toyota prism that now has less than 4000 miles on the engine. In a very short period we have experienced a mass amounts of defects with the car. The first repair was Toyota had to replace the battery from our home. The second was a recall dealing with a national recall with software updates. On July 16th the yellow light came on as soon as we started to drive the car. It was the brake indicator and they asked my wife to drive it to the dealership 25 miles away" I called into quality imports Toyota in ft. Walton bch, Florida where we purchased the car and vented my frustrations. I was not satisfied with them asking us to drive the car with a brake light indicator that just came on. We are fearful of the next failure with this vehicle. The manufacture gave me a claim number 1407161970 to start the process of the complaint. I got a call from the Toyota case manager [xxx] who basically said we have to fill out a lot of forms for the lemon law and arbitration process. Basically we were asked to drive the car until 30-40 days later for the process. I told [xxx] we don't feel safe in the car and that they should let us use a loaner. He denied the request?" request to have this investigated. 'information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'
- Miramar Bch, FL, USA
- San Juan Capistrano, CA, USA