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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
13 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
34,892 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Toyota Prius brakes problems

brakes problem

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2012 Toyota Prius Owner Comments (Page 2 of 8)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #122

Jul 032023

Prius

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Brake system warning lights illuminated. The brake pedal pressure required to stop the vehicle has increased. In effect: no power brakes, no traction control, and no antilock available. Intermittent engagement of an electric motor can be heard about every 8 seconds for a period of about 3 seconds during operation of the vehicle at all times.

- Yukon, OK, USA

problem #121

Apr 142024

Prius

  • miles
Sudden lights appear on dashboard. Brake system sudden fail becomes very hard to press the pedal or apply brakes My car has 136000 miles only Asked mechanic and mentioned the brake booster pump.

- El Monte, CA, USA

problem #120

Mar 302024

Prius

  • miles
Brake pressure actuator defect leading to major brake failure. No warning until it's too late.

- Hattiesburg, MS, USA

problem #119

Mar 162023

Prius

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Warning lights, and while driving the ABS, brake, and traction control lights came on, and I NOTICED a strange sound when applying the brakes. The brakes seem somewhat soft when applied. This is a 2012 Prius with 123,000 miles.

- Milton, GA, USA

problem #118

Feb 272024

Prius

  • miles
I bought my first used car, 2012 Toyota Prius, from Fowler Toyota back at the end of October 2023, but I was not able to pick it up until September 21, 2023 due to extra time for re-conditioning. I did not haggle about the price nor complained about the 3 week delay. In the last 3 weeks of owning my car, the TPMS sensor light and check engine light infrequently turned on. February 28, 2024 all the fault sensor lights on my instrument panel are on, along with the loss of proper braking function. I was not worried about the other sensor faults, but brake malfunction is a matter of life and death to myself and others on the road. I have had the car for a little over 4 months and less than 10k miles. I brought the car in to diagnose all the error codes. The dealer said it will cost over $2600 to fix the brake malfunction. I chose this particular car because carfax had well documented service records and Fowler Toyota advertised that every used vehicle for sale has surpassed rigorous inspection. I voiced my complaint to the used car director and he offered numerous default excuses for unforeseen problems inherent in buying a used car. I said I did my due diligence by selectively purchasing a used Toyota Prius, from a reputable Toyota dealership that uses a Toyota certified service center to inspect and recondition vehicles for sale. All the cliche nightmare stories of buying a used car from the side of the road car lots came true in my experience at Fowler Toyota. The worst used car story happened to me, despite performing my due diligence: to buy a used Toyota from a Toyota dealership that uses a Toyota certified service center for re-conditioning vehicles. I even paid more to finance my Prius through Toyota Financial services, which did not offer extended warranty. For God sake, I was buying a Toyota with 121k miles. I only bought a prius because I work too hard to throw away all my hard earned money on gasoline. The only recourse the dealership offered

- Warr Acres, OK, USA

problem #117

Feb 082017

Prius

  • miles
Brake master control system failure with constant issues over 80k miles. Forward running lights control housing has not held a light fixture since day one and dealership wants to charge for light replacement. It-??s a faulty part and burnt through the housing. Olathe Toyota refused to repair under warranty saying it was a customer issue but is clearly a safety problem. Irresponsible dealer management.

- Olathe, KS, USA

problem #116

May 102023

Prius

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Brake failure

- Springdale, AR, USA

problem #115

Nov 152023

Prius

  • miles
Hard to stop, ABS AND BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROLL RELATED WARNING LIGHTS ON. ERROR CODE C1391

- Buena Park, CA, USA

problem #114

Oct 232023

Prius

  • miles
On October 24, 2023, while driving my car, several lights went on all at once, including the ABS, and brake lights. I immediately drove it to the Toyota Dealership on 2213 Old Jacksboro Hwy, WF TX 76301. The car was also making a noise constantly, that I had taken into Toyota service center previously which was also causing an issue with my battery dying. (It went through 4 batteries in the last 2 years). Toyota diagnosed it as a problem with brake booster and assembly and brake booster pump. calling for both of them to be replaced at a cost of $3,888. Toyota did not inform us of any recall regarding brakes, I did email Toyota directly, called and tried to work with the dealership, all to no avail. They are being sued due to numerous complaints and refused to assist me.

- Wichita Falls, TX, USA

problem #113

Oct 252023

Prius

  • miles
I have had a 2012 Prius since 2016. The entire time I've had it, it occasionally "hydroplanes" but without any water. It happens in wet or dry (but mostly dry) conditions. Usually at slower speeds so, though it makes me very uncomfortable, it doesn't happen with any regularity. I've taken it multiple times to my mechanic who always says "Prius' just do that", which is not reassuring. I know there was a recall and I was told my car did not fall under that umbrella. On Wednesday of this week, 10/25/23, I finally had an accident because of this. The brake lockup had been happening more frequently in the past week and in this instance I saw the car in front of me suddenly slow down - I had about 2/3 of a cars distance between me and the car ahead. I hit the brakes and nothing happened. I was pushing down on them long enough to think, "Ok, this is it. They aren't responding at all and I'm going to hit this car in front of me." I did and it crushed the passenger side of the car. Luckily I wasn't hurt. There were no warnings from the car at all that this was going to happen, as there never are. I took it in for possible repair today (the mechanic is not sure but thinks it may be a total loss). This car did everything they describe in the recall cases and I want to know if there's anyway to be repaid from the company for this as there was nothing I could do to stop this accident" Why wasn't my car included in the recall"

- Boston, MA, USA

problem #112

Oct 132023

Prius

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Error code C1391 confirmed by two separate facilities, described as "abnormal leak in accumulator" and "accumulator pressure." Took to an independent shop first, then to Haley Certified Toyota Dealership. At dealership, parts needed were quoted to include tsb-0024-19. Three lights went on simultaneously (ABS, Traction, Brake).

- Richmond, VA, USA

problem #111

Oct 032023

Prius

  • miles
The abs pump kept running after the car stopped running... Malfunction and had to be replaced!

- Roswell, FL, USA

problem #110

Aug 042023

Prius

  • miles
My car breaks with out i almost hit the car in front of me, i could killed someone. This is very dangerous i took my car to a Toyota dealership they said the Extended warranty expired. They said upon inspection found code C1252, C1253, C1256 brake pump and actuator fault. Upon inspection found abs actuator accumualtor leak. Causing brake pedal to be hard and brake system malfunction. Toyota should had made a recall of this and not just a extended warranty that expires. I have 206,000 miles original owner they should me a lawsuit for this its very dangerous. I end paying $3000 of my own money to fix it, i should get reimburse for my money.

- Wasco, CA, USA

problem #109

Sep 182023

Prius

  • miles
ABS, Break and traction control lights from dashboard lit on and breaks were difficult to operate during driving, able to drive back home safely. Find out that ABS (brake booster and brake booster pump assemblies which are consider safety items), are defective and can cause accidents. When calling Toyota Customer Experience Center, they decline to honor customer support program ZJB due to my car is exceeding by 5k miles the additional limited warranty. Now I will have to pay out of pocket on known safety defective part, this should be a recall and not wait to an accident to happen.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #108

Aug 192023

Prius

  • miles
My teenage daughter was driving and almost had an accident because the brakes failed. No warning lights came on until the brakes failed. I am learning now that it is a brake booster pump that Toyota knows about it as they had issued an extended warranty on the same thing that expired last year. Toyota confirmed that my Pruis was included in the customer service program but it has now expired.

- Eagleville, TN, USA

problem #107

Jun 092023

Prius

  • miles
While coming to a stop there was a loss of braking power and feel. Due to the unexpected change in braking characteristics this nearly caused me to collide with the vehicle in front of me. Noticed the traction control, ABS and Brake light on dash illuminated. My local Toyota dealership has diagnosed the repair as a repair involving the brake booster master cylinder and pump assembly.

- Honolulu, HI, USA

problem #106

Jun 112023

Prius

  • miles
On June 11, 2023, my Toyota Prius brakes failed while I was driving! The vehicle was towed to the Toyota dealership on June 12, 2023 and determined the car needed brake booster assembly with master cylinder, based on codes presented at diagnostic. Quoted repair cost of $3,544.99+tax. I am second owner of this vehicle, which was purchased December 2020 from the same dealership. I was never notified about this pending issue from Toyota North America or from the dealer. I contacted Toyota North America on June 13, 2023 and was denied repair because Consumer Support Program 20TE07 expired May 2022. This Consumer Program should have been a recall. Brake failure is a major safety issue.

- Inglewood, CA, USA

problem #105

May 192023

Prius

  • 139,000 miles
Brakes Failed with code c1391 this is a known issue with toyota.

- Salisbury, NC, USA

problem #104

Apr 202023

Prius 4-cyl

  • miles
The Brake Actuator and Brake Accumulator were covered under a customer support issue until 5/18/22 On our car they are charging me $2600 to fix this issue. The car was at Toyota years earlier for a recall but Toyota never told us about this issue. That is not fair in my opinion. And now we are being charged $2600 to fix this issue Best [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Melbourne, FL, USA

problem #103

Apr 182023

Prius

  • miles
The Brake Actuator and Accumulator on the car have failed Toyota had a customer support issue on these parts and fixed them for free BUT it expired 5/18/22 No Toyota dealer told me about this issue and I received no warnings Now the 2012 Prius with 78,000 miles has this issue and Toyota wants $2600 to fix

- Melbourne, FL, USA

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