Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2014 Toyota Prius submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 25 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
The traction control, abs, and emergency brake light came on. We checked and the code produced was C1391. There’s a humming noise every 10 or so seconds when idle. The humming noise is also present when braking. We did some research and this appears to be an issue with Toyota Prius. We called the dealership and were informed that this was not a known issue. Thank you.
ABS, traction control, brake system, and brake lights turned on while driving. Took the car to the mechanic and pulled the code C1391. It seems from other complaints to NHTSA that it is a common issue and quite dangerous, meaning the brake system is failing.
The brake system malfunctioned suddenly. While driving and while stopped, the brake pedal became very hard and braking behavior became unpredictable. The vehicle sometimes brakes aggressively and other times requires excessive pedal force to stop. The ABS and BRAKE warning lights illuminated. The vehicle no longer provides normal braking assistance. This issue is related to a failure of the brake actuator / brake booster, which is a known issue affecting Toyota Prius models from 2010 to 2015. This defect creates a serious safety risk, as braking performance is inconsistent and may increase stopping distance or cause loss of control during emergency braking situations. The vehicle has not been repaired yet because the cost is very high and the manufacturer has declined assistance despite this being a known safety-related defect.
Failed Brake booster and pump assembly, confirmed by Toyota service. Warning lights turned on all at once: AEB, skid control and brake light. Estimated cost to repair is $3,000.
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.
I AM FACING MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR LATELY; IT OVER HEATS ALOT AND SUDDENLY THE SPEED DROPS WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING IN A VERY DANGEROUS HIGHWAY AND I CAN THEN HARDLY DRIVE IT TO PARK IT ASIDE. A MESSAGE STARTED ALSO TO APPEAR FREQUENTLY "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM". I WAS INFORMED BY THE OFFICIAL TOYOTA AGENT IN JORDAN (MARKAZIA) THAT THIS PROBLEMS IS CAUSED BY THE INVERTOR. HOWEVER, THEY ARE DENYING THAT THE INVERTOR FOR THIS CAR WAS RECALLED, CONTRARY TO WHAT THE OFFICAL TOYOTA WEBSITE STATES WHEN I ENTER THE VIN. THEY ALSO CALIM THAT THEY ARE OBLIGATED BY THE MAIN OFFICE TO OFFER A SOFTWARE UPDATE ONLY.
THE PRIUS VEHICLES COVERED ONLY BY WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT ZJB ARE SUFFERING THE SAME DANGERS FROM BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP FAILURES AS THOSE TOYOTA COVERED SAFETY RECALLS D0H AND K0L. BY EXCLUDING PRIUS WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKES FROM D0H AND K0L, TOYOTA HAS LEFT THE OWNERS TO HELPLESSLY EXPERIENCE LIFE-THREATENING BRAKE FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS BEFORE TOYOTA WILL PROVIDE THE REPLACEMENT BRAKE COMPONENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THE CAR SAFE. THE LAW REQUIRES TOYOTA TO PREVENT THE LIFE-THREATENING DANGERS OF THIS DEFECT BEFORE BRAKE FAILURE OCCURS. TOYOTA'S COST-CUTTING STRATEGY IS CAUSING CRASHES. INJURIES AND CRASHES CAUSED BY THE BRAKE DEFECT EXPLAINED HEREIN HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA. TOYOTA'S DECISION TO PROVIDE POST-FAILURE REPAIR REIMBURSEMENT - INSTEAD OF A PREVENTATIVE SAFETY RECALL REMEDY - EXPLAINS MANY OF THE CRASHES AND INJURIES REPORTED TO NHTSA. HERE IS A LIST OF RELEVANT COMPLAINTS FROM SAFERCAR.GOV: 10794873,10875685,10876015,10927047,11231660,11219354,11014878,11151142,10680404,10627821,11154835,10983408,10704553,10734278,11173353,11064519,10971881,11186947,10923921,10573591,11243249,10819439,10592400,10919990, 10851950,10855586,11240240,11197067,11193820,11173721,11156466,11144698, 11235210,10550179,11253950,11102264,11044156,11253725,10616134,10875625, 11231596,10584723,11207636,10749388,11014797,11203834,11203591,11193354, 11182610,11155778,11130742,11129946,11164336,10498096,11219901,11154783, 10598545,11228248,10547701,11110691,11164990,11222966,11207630,11192342, 11184751,11183661,11183178,11173804,11173173,11173044,11162242,11144888, 11139660,11121916,11088447,11080403,11061959,10984549,11073636, 11034572, 10870866,10929397,11104163 WHEN THE BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP ASSEMBLY FAILS IN A PRIUS VEHICLE EXCLUDED FROM D0H, C1256, C1253, C1252, C1391, U0293, AND OTHER DTCS INDICATING DANGERS AND FMVSS NONCOMPLIANCE ARE BEING STORED. *TR
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.
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.
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.
CAR WAS IN MOTION IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, MOVING AT A LOW SPEED, UNDER 25MPH. WHILE IN AN UNDULATING PORTION OF THE ROAD, DURING ENTRY AND EXIT FROM A DIP AND SLIGHT TURN IN THE ROAD, THE ENGINE STALLED FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, FOR NO MORE THAN A SECOND OR SO THE ACCELERATOR WAS NON-RESPONSIVE, CAUSING ME TO FORCE A STOP BY USING THE BRAKE, AFTER WHICH TIME THE MOTOR RE-ENGAGED AS NORMAL. UNKNOWN CAUSE, HAPPENED ONCE IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE CAR AND NEVER AGAIN. CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY MY DAUGHTER FOR THE LAST 3+ YEARS, SHE HAS NOT REPORTED A RECURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM.
PULLING INTO A PARKING STALL ALMOST STOPPED. MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND JUMPED THE CURB.
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.
SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. 2014 PRIUS WAS PARKED FOR A FEW DAYS IN HOT, HUMID WEATHER. WHEN PULLING THE CAR INTO THE DRIVEWAY AT A LOW SPEED, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO A VELOCITY FAST ENOUGH TO COLLIDE WITH AN SUV PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, KNOCKING IT THROUGH A METAL FENCE AND INTO THE BACKYARD. IT ALSO CAUSED THE DRIVER OF THE PRIUS WHIPLASH AND A HEAD INJURY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AS THE CAR ACCELERATED. WE BELIEVE THAT THE CAR ONLY STOPPED ACCELERATING WHEN THE RADIATOR WAS PUSHED INTO THE ENGINE BY THE IMPACT WITH THE BUMPER OF THE SUV.
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.
SEAT BELT LIGHT STAYED ON, SWERVE LIGHT OCCASIONALLY. PROVED TO BE RODENT DAMAGE ON WIRE INSTRUMENTS AND BLOWER, PANEL INSTRUMENT, ANTENNA ASSEMBLIES REACHING $3,900. VEHICLE PARKED OUTSIDE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING ON PUBLIC STREET IN COLD RAINY WEATHER. VEHICLE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. NEVER HAD SUCH A PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES WHILE LIVING HERE OVER 20 YEARS. COULD SOY BASED ENCASING AROUND WIRING CONTRIBUTE TO THIS? *TR
TL* 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*LJ *CN
WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AND ABOUT FOUR TIMES, I HAD EXPERIENCED ROUGH/HIGH IDLING DURING HOT DAYS AND AFTER DRIVING OVER 80 MILES; USING AIR CONDITIONING. (I WORK OVER 70 MILES FROM HOME.) I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA OF REDLANDS DEALERSHIP ON AUGUST 4, 2015, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS DISPLAYING THE SAME CONDITIONS. WHILE ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR BEGAN TO IDLE HEAVILY. I MERGED TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND WHILE ON THE OFF RAMP, STOPPED, THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE DISPLAY READ "CHECK HYBRID ENGINE. STOP PARK THE CAR SAFELY." I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE TO MOVE FROM OFF-RAMP TRAFFIC AND PARK IT. THE MESSAGE ON DISPLAY WAS STILL THERE. I SHUT OFF THE CAR AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. THEY RECOMMENDED I HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THEM. WHEN TOW TRUCK ARRIVED, I TURNED ON THE CAR TO POSITION IT FOR THE TOWING BED. THE MESSAGE NO LONGER DISPLAYED . THE CAR STAYED WITH DEALERSHIP ALL DAY ON AUGUST 5, 2015. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE DISPLAY SHOWED NO MESSAGE AND THERE IS NO CODE TO INDICATE A MALFUNCTION OCCURRED. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I AM KEEPING THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP ON AUGUST 6, 2015, FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. MY CONCERN IS TWO-FOLD: 1. MY SAFETY, 2. IF THE SYSTEM DISPLAYED A MESSAGE, WHY DOES THE SYSTEM NOT PRODUCE A CODE FOR THE TECHNICIANS AS A NON-HYBRID CAR WOULD? THIS ITSELF PRESENTS A SERIOUS ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE FAILURE PREVIOUSLY OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,687.
TOYOTA'S ENTUNE NAVIGATION SYSTEM RANDOMLY FREEZES AND RESETS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY WHERE A PERSON IS DEPENDING ON THE SYSTEM TO GET SOMEWHERE, IT CAUSES A MASSIVE DISTRACTION AND A RISK TO LIFE AND LIMB. TOYOTA IS OFFERING NO RESOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE AND IT'S DEALERSHIPS ARE REFUSING TO EVEN REGISTER USER COMPLAINTS - "UNLESS THEY CAN REPLICATE THE ISSUE" WHICH IS RATHER DIFFICULT SINCE THE PROBLEM IS RANDOM AND THE DEALERSHIPS WILL NOT TAKE USER REPORTS OF THE ISSUE AS CREDIBLE. *JS
ACCELERATION DRIVING EAST ON US RTE. 50 AT ABOUT 60 MPH: VEHICLE ACCELERATED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I NEARLY RAN INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. THIS CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH RADAR ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, WHICH WAS ENGAGED AT THE TIME. I TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION. UNINTENDED ACCELERATION HAS SPORADICALLY OCCURRED, BUT IT IS USUALLY FAIRLY MILD. THIS TIME IT WAS SO POWERFUL THAT IT FELT LIKE I HAD STOMPED ON THE ACCELERATOR; THE ENGINE ROARED AND THE CAR TOOK OFF AT FULL THROTTLE. THANKFULLY I WAS TRAVELING AT THE MAX DISTANCE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL. ACCELERATION WAS NOT CAUSED BY FLOOR MATS. I WATCHED WHILE THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER CHECKED. DECELERATION DRIVING EAST ON I-70: THE CAR AHEAD OF ME SIGNALED TO EXIT THE INTERSTATE AND TURNED SMOOTHLY ONTO THE EXIT RAMP. AS SOON AS HE WAS OUT OF MY LANE MY CAR'S CRUISE CONTROL LOCKED ON TO THE THAT OF THE EXITING CAR AND VIGOROUSLY APPLIED THE BRAKES. STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR DID NO GOOD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES DISENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES DISENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO THE VEHICLE BEHIND IT AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.
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. *TR
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. *TR
WHILE TRAVELING IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS I ATTEMPTED TO NAVIGATE A RIGHT HAND TURN. THE CAR BEGAN TO SLIDE WHILE BRAKING INDICATING POSSIBLE SNOW BUILDUP IN FRONT OF TIRES. I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE OUT OF THE SLIDE WHICH IS PROPER IN FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES. THE CARS DASH LIGHTS LITE UP AND THE SLIDE INDICATOR STARTED BEEPING. THE CAR BECAME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE TO THE GAS PROVIDING NO POWER WHATSOEVER. THE CAR SLID OVER THE CURB AND CRASHED INTO A HIGHWAY SIGN AND FINALLY CAME TO REST. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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