2006 Toyota Prius service brakes, hydraulic problems

“The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while getting into the vehicle, there was a loud buzzing sound coming from the brakes. The contact stated that the brake, anti-slip regulation, ABS, and vehicle stability control warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the brake was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with an accumulator failure. The part was replaced; however, the failure recurred consistently. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 243,000.”

“MY PRIUS HAS ALWAYS HAD ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES MAKING A CLICKING SOUND WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT, ETC. I HAVE COMPLAINED FROM DAY ONE AND ALWAYS BEEN TOLD IT WAS NORMAL. BY 2008 THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING WELL AT TIMES AND THE PEDAL WOULD GO ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AT TIMES AND NOT AT OTHERS. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THIS AND TOLD ME THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. IN FEB 2008 THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN SAID THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS AND THAT THE BRAKES WERE FINE. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS INCIDENTS SINCE WITH THE PEDAL GOING ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AT TIMES AND NOT AT OTHERS. IF I HIT POTHOLES OR AM ON REALLY ROUGH STREETS THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AND I LOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH THE INABILITY TO BRAKE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPEATABLE SAID THERE ARE NO ISSUES WHEN THEY CHECK THE CAR. THIS WEEK, ON MONDAY, THE BATTERY DIED AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A REPLACEMENT. AS ALWAYS, I ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE BRAKES AND NOW THEY SAY THERE IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE ACTUATOR THAT COULD CAUSE…”

“"!", ABS, AND VSC LIGHTS COME ON AND BRAKES STOP WORKING - WHILE DRIVING. MUST COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURN OFF VEHICLE, AND RESTART. THEN BRAKES WORK FOR A WHILE UNTIL PROBLEM RECURS. REPLACED BRAKE STROKE SENSOR. FIXED PROBLEM FOR 17 MONTHS - 20,000 MILES. AGAIN, BRAKES FAIL WHILE DRIVING. GETTING CODE DTC 1247 - FAULT IN STROKE SENSOR. TOLD PART IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND MUST BE REPLACED AGAIN. VEHICLE SHOULDN'T HAVE A PART THAT FAILS EVERY 20,000 MILES RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE DRIVING. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN AT 25 MPH WHEN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000. ..UPDATED 01/04/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE REPLICATION AT THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. ON A RECENT RAINY DAY, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT EACH BRAKE APPLICATION AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT APPLY FOR 1-2 SECONDS. EFFECTIVELY, LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITH NO BRAKES. THE ABS RELATED BRAKE FAILURE WOULD ALSO OCCUR ON BUMPY ROADS AT LOW SPEEDS WITH DRY PAVEMENT. UPDATED 01/11/12”

“MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMPY SURFACE, OVER SMALL POTHOLES, ROUGH PATCHES ETC., THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD AT THE SAME TIME MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WILL FLASH ON AND OFF UNTIL THE ROAD SMOOTHS OUT.”

“EVER SINCE I GOT MY 2006 PRIUS, THE BRAKES HAVE BRIEFLY STOPPED WORKING WHEN I TRY TO STOP QUICKLY OR ON A HILL WHEN IT IS WET OR ICY OUTSIDE. ON FEBRUARY 24, IT WAS VERY ICY, AND THE CAR COMPLETELY LOCKED UP WHEN I WAS GOING DOWN A HILL. I WAS GOING VERY SLOWLY WHEN I STARTED GOING DOWNHILL, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED WHEN I TRIED TO STEER OR PUSH DOWN THE BRAKES AND I GOT IN AN ACCIDENT. I CONTACTED TOYOTA, BUT THEY ONLY TESTED IT WHEN IT WAS DRY OUTSIDE, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE WHEN IT WAS DRY. THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD INCREASED TROUBLE STOPPING AT STOPLIGHTS WHEN IT IS WET. THE WHOLE CAR SEEMS TO LOCK UP AND I SLIDE TOWARD THE LIGHT FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE BRAKES RE-ENGAGE. I AM TRADING THE CAR IN, AS I AM AFRAID FOR THE SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN IN THIS CAR.”