2012 Toyota Prius

Defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.

Risk. If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0V. Note: The software updates in this recall are needed even if the vehicle had the software previously updated under recalls 14V-053 or 15V-449.

Defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Toyota Prius, 2010 and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and 2011-2012 Lexus CT200h vehicles. A weld in the curtain shield air bag inflator may crack causing one or both portions of the inflator to eject into the passenger cabin.

Risk. If either portion of the curtain shield air bag inflator ejects into the passenger cabin, there is an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

Remedy. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install retention brackets to the curtain shield air bags, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Service Department at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is Toyota G0U, and Lexus GLJ.

Defect. Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

Risk. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy. SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

Defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures. If this occurs, various warning lamps will be illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle will have reduced power allowing it to only drive a short distance.

Risk. The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Toyota will notify owners and dealers will update the software for both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. If an owner experiences a failure of the inverter before the vehicle receives updated software, the dealer will repair or replace the inverter assembly with a new one at no charge. The recall began on March 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Defect. Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk. An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.

Remedy. Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Defect. Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

Risk. If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

Remedy. Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received a petition dated September 19, 2023 from the owner of a 2012 Toyota Prius V requesting that ODI reevaluate its decision to deny DP19-004. In the letter, the petitioner reported experiencing an unexpected and complete loss of brake power while driving, accompanied by multiple dashboard warning lights. This petition is based on the petitioner's direct experience and assessment that ODI closed DP19-004 because its prompting petition was withdrawn by that petitioner. ODI will review the work conducted during DP19-004 and a review of any …

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after …

On September 19, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition from Mr. Roger Hogan requesting that the Agency investigate and recall certain Toyota Prius, Prius PHV, Camry Hybrid and Avalon Hybrid vehicles for a brake actuator valve wear condition covered under Toyota Customer Support Programs ZJB and ZKK (subject CSP?s). In support of his request, the petitioner identified 117 NHTSA complaints allegedly related to the subject CSP condition, including 60 reporting crashes. On September 30, 2019, ODI opened Defect Petition DP19-004 to evaluate the petitioner?s …

Region Email: Toyota will be sending Safety Recall/Special Service Campaign Follow-Up Notices to owners whose vehicles have not yet had the following Safety Recall/Special Service Campaign repairs completed. Please note the following information for Regional and PD associates.

Region Letter: Toyota will be sending Safety Recall/Special Service Campaign Follow-Up Notices to owners whose vehicles have not yet had the following Safety Recall/Special Service Campaign repairs completed. Please note the following information for Regional and PD associates.

Dealer Email: Toyota will be sending Safety Recall/Special Service Campaign Follow-Up Notices to owners whose vehicles have not yet had the following Safety Recall/Special Service Campaign repairs completed. Please note the following information for Regional and PD associates.

Dealer Package: Toyota will be sending Safety Recall/Special Service Campaign Follow-Up Notices to owners whose vehicles have not yet had the following Safety Recall/Special Service Campaign repairs completed. Please note the following information for Regional and PD associates.

TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.

TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.

TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.

Dealer Package: Toyota has received reports about certain internal malfunctions of the brake booster assemblies in some of the subject vehicles. Although the brake booster and brake booster pump assemblies are covered by Toyota?s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), Toyota is now offering a voluntary Customer …

Warranty Enhancement Program: Toyota has received reports indicating various brake system related warning lamps illuminate due to internal malfunctions.

Dealer Letter: March 7, 2019 ZJB Phase 2 Launch for Certain 2011 ? 2015 Model Year Prius Vehicles and Certain 2012 ? 2015 Model Year Prius PHV vehicles. Toyota has received reports about certain internal malfunctions of the brake booster assemblies in some of the subject vehicles. Although the brake booster and brake booster pump assemblies are covered by …

When I started my car this morning, the red BRAKE light, ABS warning light and anti-slip light were all illuminated. The car does still stop but the brakes are very spongy and there's a clicking noise under the hood. I only moved the car out of the driveway to allow other cars to leave. The brake fluid is not low. This is the problem listed under Toyota's Customer Support Program Notice ZJB but it is past the coverage expiration date. There should not be an expiration date on a known manufacturer issue. If this had happened while I was on the highway driving to work, I could have had a serious accident.

1. My Brake booster failed/malfunctioned. I had to get it repaired/replaced by Toyota so it might be with the dealership or thrown out by now. 2. I had to take it in because I had an incident where I was unable to apply the break on the car. I was lucky enough to be in a not busy street and was able to pull over safely. 3. Toyota diagnosed the issue and proceeded with the repair. They even have an extended warrantee but due to covid I was unable to get the repair in time for it to be covered by one year and had to pay. 4.Toyota did inspect and diagnose the problem. I have already paid for the repair with the dealership. 5.I had some breaking issues but I had brought it to an independent mechanic and they said it was my rotators since they needed to be replaced soon. I replaced them but then still had the issue and that's when my breaks stopped working for a brief time and I took it into Toyota to get it fixed. It been a while at this point but I do remember there being warning lights that turned on because of this issue as well.

The contact owned a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while making a left turn at 10 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the vehicle and t-boned the front passenger's side door of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There was no warning light illuminated. After the impact, the front windshield slowly cracked. A Police report was filed. The contact and her husband were transported by ambulance to the hospital. The contact suffered a fractured sternum, five fractured ribs, a crushed left wrist, and two fractured bones in the left ankle. The contact's husband had a fractured neck and five fractured ribs. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was declared a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Brake warning lights on, buzzing sound every 10 seconds. Likely a known actuator and master cylinder issue

Brake lights icons stay on mechanic at Toyota dealership state need new brak master cylinder and booster

Unknown. There were a multitude of codes that appeared on the diagnostics causing problems with engine. The temperature, brake, tire sensor lights are all on. The cruise control is not working. White smoke emitting from tail pipe and engine. Main engine coolant leaking. Car overheating rapidly.

My 2012 Toyota Prius is experiencing brake actuator pump failure, presenting diagnostic trouble codes C1253 (brake actuator pump motor stuck/locked) and C1256 (brake actuator pump motor overcurrent). These codes trigger ABS, brake, and VSC warning lights and disable ABS and stability control. Toyota previously acknowledged this exact defect under Customer Support Program ZJB, which covered 2010-2015 Prius vehicles for brake booster and brake booster pump assembly failures triggered by these specific codes. I am the original owner of this vehicle, purchased new in 2012. I never received notification of CSP ZJB despite being the registered owner at the time notifications were distributed in 2019-2021. My current mileage is under 150,000 miles, within the secondary coverage mileage limit established by the program. Toyota has declined to provide goodwill coverage citing program expiration. This is a known safety defect that reduces braking effectiveness and disables ABS — it should have been addressed through a mandatory recall rather than a voluntary program with an expiration date that left original owners without recourse due to failed notification.

The power brake unit and actuator are failing.

Almost had an accident due to the brake master, actuator and booster pump assemblies, failing. There were no warning lights alerting me to an issue. Just lost ability to break and car shut off completely while in motion.

The brake booster and brake booster pump assembly (also referred to as the Accumulater or Accentuater) have failed in my vehicle the same as Toyota's known defect that was mentioned in their Customer Support Program 20TE07 (part numbers can be found within the filing of their CSP 20TE07). I am reporting that this issue appears to have affected more than their initial estimate of ~118,960 states impacted vehicles.l because Toyota is declaring my vehicle is outside of their CSP 20TE07 although their defect endangers my safety (and the safety of others) and attempts to put their defective vehicle brake parts as my financial burden. This issue should have been/should be a larger recall. Thank you.

2012 Prius with 174,344 miles in great condition, with regularly scheduled oil changes. ABS/Break Actuator failure on freeway with no warning other than a beep a few seconds before the breaks disappeared completely. Break pads changed 4 months ago and new wheels installed as well. This is a known problem with Toyota under the TSB002419 where Break booster actuator was put on a customer service program to be fixed by the dealerships, but has since expired since 2022. The cars are still known to have their breaks go out due to this malfunction but it is now not covered by Toyota and cost $4K-$5K to fix which is more than the market value of the car today. This needs to be fixed and regulated.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 187,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 227,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, with an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with brake booster failure. The contact was informed that the brake booster pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that an undisclosed Extended Warranty Program had expired. In addition, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.

My Brake Booster/Actuator failed on me while on the freeway with out any warnings. It made it really hard to stop the car. I didn't find out what it was untill I took it into a repair shop and they told me it was the Brake Booster/Actuator.

The vehicle is experiencing a suspected brake actuator / brake booster failure. Multiple warning lights appeared simultaneously, including ABS, Brake, Traction Control, and Master Warning lights. The vehicle produces a frequent buzzing noise from the brake system, especially at low speeds or when stopped. The noise occurs repeatedly when pressing the brake pedal, indicating the system is struggling to maintain hydraulic pressure. This condition raises serious safety concerns because it may reduce braking performance and increase stopping distance. Brake system failures present a significant risk to vehicle occupants and others on the road. After researching the issue, I learned this appears to be a common failure in Toyota Prius vehicles of similar model years, and Toyota previously issued extended warranty coverage for the brake booster/actuator assemblies. However, many vehicles now exceed the coverage limits despite the safety nature of the defect. I am submitting this complaint because a failing brake system is a critical safety hazard, and this issue appears widespread.

Vehicle check engine code C1391 (Antilock Brake System - abnormal leak in accumulator) came up on 2/5/2026. Recommended repair is to replace the Brake Booster Pump and Assembly, Brake Booster - over $1000 in parts alone. This WAS covered by an Extended Warranty by Toyota (10 years / 150K miles). I only have 120K miles at this time but am past the 10 year mark. However, it seems that this part will fail in every Prius given time and encourage NHTSA to monitor these failures and hold Toyota accountable to address post the 10 year / 150K mile mark.

Vehicle: 2012 Toyota Prius Mileage: Approximately 217,000 miles While driving normally in traffic, the vehicle experienced a sudden and unexpected brake system failure. Multiple warning lights illuminated simultaneously, including the red BRAKE warning light, ABS warning light, traction control light, and warning symbol (!). Shortly after, the vehicle began emitting an audible warning/beeping, and there was a sudden loss of power brake assist. The brake pedal behavior changed abruptly: the pedal became very soft initially, then became suddenly hard halfway through travel, This failure occurred while approaching another vehicle in traffic, and I narrowly avoided rear-ending the vehicle in front of me. The unexpected loss of brake assist created an immediate and dangerous situation, as the vehicle did not decelerate as expected when the brake pedal was applied. Due to the seriousness of the brake failure and safety risk, the vehicle was removed from service and towed. This incident represents a critical safety defect, as sudden loss of braking assist while driving poses a significant risk to vehicle occupants and other road users. I am reporting this incident to document the hazard and request investigation into the reliability and safety of the brake system design. I am requesting you to please issue a recall and reimburse me , as these parts are very expensive , it affected my financial situation, Thanks

My 2012 Toyota Prius plug in hybrid had just passed state inspections and was even looked at by a dealership a year ago with no reported issues. I brought up a whirring issue at the dealership when breaking but the dealership said that’s normal for a hybrid. In a matter of minutes while driving, the traction light, brake light, and ABS light came on as well as a groaning, whirring sound when breaking. Over time, the breaks failed and I could not stop the car, almost causing a wreck because I could not stop without putting all my body weight on the break pedal. When taking it to the Toyota dealership for a whole diagnostic, they said it was a break actuator and break booster failure that is known to happen with Prius’s. They quoted me $3000 for a repair and then marked my breaks as yellow not red on their sheet implying I could still drive it despite the dangerous situation of driving without functioning breaks. When looking into it, this seems to be a known and common problem with Prius’s due to a faulty manufactured part. Codes were c1391, wc1256, and c1252. I believe this part should be recalled and Toyota should fix these faulty parts, especially considering they inspected my car and did not mention it as an issue despite it being a known issue. I got a second opinion from Mavis Tires and they concurred with the diagnosis but could not fix it.

While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden brake system malfunction without prior warning or gradual degradation. The vehicle was being operated under normal driving, road, and weather conditions. No recent brake service, repairs, or aftermarket modifications had been performed prior to the failure. Multiple warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, including the ABS warning light, brake warning light, and traction control warning light. Shortly after the warning lights appeared, the vehicle began emitting continuous warning beeps. Audible buzzing or pumping noises were also present from the brake system during the malfunction. During this event, brake performance was reduced and braking felt inconsistent. The brake pedal became hard at times and spongy at other times, requiring increased effort to slow the vehicle and resulting in unpredictable braking response. This created a safety concern while the vehicle was in motion. The driver was forced to alter driving behavior and exercise extreme caution due to reduced braking confidence and unpredictable pedal feel. The malfunction has occurred intermittently during normal driving. The condition temporarily resolves on its own and later reoccurs without corrective action. The suspected failed component is the brake actuator / ABS actuator assembly. A diagnostic scan retrieved fault codes C1252 (Brake Booster Pump Motor ON Time Abnormally Long), C1253 (Pump Motor Relay Malfunction), and C1256 (Accumulator Low Pressure), w

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while reversing, the driver's side rear wheel flipped over. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a corroded I-Beam assembly on the rear wheel. The contact was informed that the driver's side rear hub and the BRG assembly, rear suspension, and bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 196,347.

Odometer Fraud. The contact’s son recently purchased a 2012 Toyota Prius. The vehicle was a private sale. After the purchase, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy based on the Carfax report. At the time of purchase, the vehicle displayed 137,000 miles. However, the Carfax report listed the mileage as 281,586 miles, and the current mileage on the vehicle was 151,103.

While driving on a city road below the speed limit, braking was compromised leading to loss of traction and failure of the ABS system. During the incident, the brake, ABS, and engine warning lights all turned on and a collision was only avoided due to pumping of the brakes. Further investigation by a mechanic revealed a failure of the brake actuator system. Failure of this system has increased the stopping distance of the vehicle considerably and makes braking unreliable and unpredictable.

The hybrid system fails to enter “Ready” mode with no SMR engagement audible from the junction box. Dashboard displays ABS, brake, engine, and master warning lights. OBD codes include U0142, U0155, and previously U0073 . Rear brake lights function normally when pedal is pressed. Dealer said to pay 250$ for diagnostic and diagnosed incorrect voltage from brake light switch and quoted $348.94 to replace, but refused to proceed with open safety recall J0V / 18V684 (NHTSA 18V684000) citing inability to achieve “Ready” mode. Recall covers inverter failure leading to loss of motive power. Dealer declined to jump 12V battery or use external power to perform required software update and inverter inspection. Vehicle remains inoperable and poses safety risk due to sudden power loss potential. Component (inverter G9200-47141) available for inspection. Problem confirmed by dealer diagnostics. No police or insurance inspection. Warning lamps appeared after 12V battery replacement three months ago.

While driving 60 mph in highway, ABS, traction control and brake lights lit up and vehicle lost its effective braking power. There were no prior warnings prior to this failure. It was a sudden incident. Since it wasn't rush hour, I could safely reduce speed and bring the car to stop. Situation could have been much different if it was normal hours. After taking the car to dealership, it indicated DTC code 1391, Brake Assembly Failure. The car was fixed at dealership at cost of $3,000. When researched further, it appeared that there is broader pattern of failures. Numerous reports have been made by owners of 2010–2015 Toyota Prius, Prius PHV, 2012–2015 Prius V, 2012–2014 Camry Hybrid, and 2013–2015 Avalon Hybrid vehicles, all of which share the same brake booster pump assembly design manufactured by Advics Co., Ltd. Dealerships, including Capistrano Toyota and Claremont Toyota in California, have previously petitioned NHTSA regarding this very defect. Their 2019 letter to the agency documented that Toyota: * Knowingly excluded hundreds of thousands of hybrids from prior safety recalls (DOH 13V-235 and KOL 19V-544) despite identical failures. *Issued “post-failure” repair programs (Warranty Enhancements ZJB, ZKK, ZKC, ZLM, 20LE03, 23TE06 and 23TE07) only after owners experienced brake failure. * Identified the same DTC codes (C1252, C1253, C1256, C1391, U0293) in both recalled and unrecalled vehicles—codes that correspond to accumulator leaks, loss of brake pressure, and failure

Traction control.Abs and brake warning lights all came on.

2012 Toyota Prius. The brake system malfunctioned and my daughter was almost in a wreck. The ABS, traction control, and brake warning lights on the bashboard all illuminated at the same time. The brake pedal feels soft and is less responsive requiring more effort to stop the vehicle. The brake actuator assembly is making a hissing noise. Ran a ABS test using a scan tool and received a C1391 error code. The Code points to a leak within the brake actuator system. Upon research I have found that this is a very common and costly repair that Toyota has known about for many years. Toyota issued a customer support program related to this issue that ran for 10 years or 150,000 miles from the vehicle's date of first use. This car, being a 2012, is beyond the support program. I contacted Toyota, hoping they would do the right thing and cover the repair. I was told that they would not cover the repair or supply the parts to cover the repair. I told the Rep. for Toyota that I did not feel like it was fair for Toyota to continue to put millions of drivers at risk for a product that they clearly realize for years now is defective and could hurt or kill someone. The code and the braking issue did not appear until after the customer support program ended and therefore we had no warning or way to anticipate this braking issue or the danger to my daughter and anyone else riding with her in the car or on the roadway near her travel routes. I traveled 300 miles, rented a Uhaul car tow trailer an

While pulling out of a parallel parking spot going slightly uphill, I braked as I looked around the back of a double parked truck. I saw a car coming, braked hard, and suddenly my car surged forward across the street and hit a parked car. I looked down and saw that my foot was squarely on the brake pedal pressing down as hard as I could. The parked car was unoccupied, and I was uninjured. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem. I turned my car into the dealer for repairs and a fix to the sudden unexpected acceleration. They could offer no fix until a Toyota representative examined the car. On August 14, by an emailed letter, Toyota claimed it found no defects and it must be the result of driver error, specifically, my mistakenly hitting the accelerator. This is gaslighting denialism. (a) The EDR data sent to me does not indicate that I hit the accelerator unless that data is in the page of hexadecimal numbers. (b) Toyota's claim that I hit the breaks at "-0.2 seconds prior to the collision" is physically impossible. No one can move their foot from the accelerator to the brake that fast. (c) Toyota's claim is contrary to what I experienced and observed.

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the check engine and the hybrid warning lights were illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V684000 (Hybrid Propulsion System). The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The contact was informed that the parts might be available within a week. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.

Brake getting stuck on the floor would have to press on brake really hard just to get a response, this will happen out of the blue! Driving in highway or just driving off the driveway. I almost hit a car in front of me due to lack of brake, i had to swerve to the side! First appear 1 day after buying the car..This issue needs to be worked on right away.

While driving on the freeway I applied the brakes and the brakes suddenly felt soft and not very responsive. At that moment 3 dashboard lights turned on: ABS, BRAKE, and the slip indicator lights. I carefully got out of the freeway, parked the car, and had the car towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic detected brake booster and actuator problems, code C1391.

C1391 - Abnormal Leak in Accumulator

CA No problem

My Prius, along with the thousands of others this has apparently happened to according to a quick online search, has had the C1391 code appear, indicating a failed brake actuator and accumulator. It, like the thousands of Priuses from this generation, have had these faulty brake pump systems develop a leak and begin to fail. You will hear a whirring and hissing noise constantly when it starts going out, eventually resulting in a Christmas tree of dash warning lights and reduced braking due to a failsafe kicking on. Toyota apparently issued a "customer service bulletin" that is now ineffective as it only covered if you had the system fail within 10 years of manufactor or 150,000 miles AND had the codes appear. Most people's Priuses go out AFTER this, unless you're driving it like you stole it. It is a hefty repair too, being quoted at over $3000 at the Toyota STEALSRSHIP!! I have since gone to an independent mechanic and had one portion replaced in hopes that would fix the issue, but it turns out both the actuator and accumulator are needed to be replaced, which is extremely expensive, more so for the actuator than the accumulator, but still exorbitantly expensive. In conjunction with this, Toyota further added difficulties by making their paet numbers they have listed different from the mark number engraved on the part, so buying third party is made a bigger hassle by this as they will not know for certain the part number. This is a huge safety concern as this affects the veh

The brake booster and brake booster pump assemblies had to be replaced at the dealership. Parts are not available for inspection as far as I know. We were warned by the dealership that we should not be driving the car because the brakes could completely fail at any moment if we didn't have parts replaced. That would have been dangerous for us and anyone else sharing the road with us. On a Sunday, leaving our house and driving down our street, three lights turned on on the dashboard display - traction, brakes, and ABS - and the brakes felt softer and less responsive than normal. After having gotten a diagnosis and repair estimate from the dealership, we carefully drove the car home to consider our options. We tried to get a second opinion from a trusted mechanic, but it sounded like the parts we needed were tightly monitored by Toyota and the original estimate for the repair from the dealership was above $3,000. After a few days, the dashboard warning lights turned off and the brakes felt back to normal. The whirring noise which had been happening roughly every 4 seconds had slowed to roughly every 10-12 seconds. We were told that this turning off of the lights sometimes happened, but that the issue was still the same. Prior to these lights turning on, the car had been making a lot of the whirring noises for some time, but it had never thrown the codes before that would have been picked up by a mechanic. At the time, we didn't recognize the sounds as a sign of an impending com

While driving my 2012 Toyota Prius, the traction control, brake, and ABS warning lights all came on at the same time. I used a home OBD scanner but it didn’t show any diagnostic codes. After some research and inspection, I discovered that the issue was related to a faulty brake booster and accumulator—something I’ve learned is a common problem with this model. I was relieved to hear that Toyota has an extended warranty on these parts. However, last night while driving, the brakes suddenly stopped functioning properly. It became very difficult to slow down, which put me in a dangerous situation. I’m deeply concerned about the safety risks this defect poses and believe this issue deserves further attention.

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding. The contact stated that there was a buzzing sound coming from accumulator pump. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to Nico's Auto Repair where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake booster and accumulator assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

I am reporting a sudden and dangerous failure of the brake booster in my 2012 Toyota Prius. While driving, I experienced a loss of braking power, accompanied by several warning lights including ABS, Brake, and the Traction Control system. The brake pedal became extremely stiff and unresponsive, significantly increasing the stopping distance. This failure nearly caused an accident, as I was unable to stop quickly enough when traffic slowed unexpectedly. This issue happened without warning and is a serious safety risk. I later discovered this is a common and widely reported defect in 2010–2015 Toyota Prius models. Toyota issued an extended warranty (Customer Support Program ZE3) to cover this known brake booster defect — but only for vehicles within 10 years or 150,000 miles. While my Prius has well under 150,000 miles, it is just over 10 years old, which disqualifies me from coverage, leaving me with a repair estimate over $4,000 for a well-documented manufacturer defect. This seems grossly unfair, especially for responsible owners with low-mileage, well-maintained vehicles. Toyota’s refusal to issue a formal recall and instead offering only limited support puts millions of Prius drivers at risk. A brake system failure of this kind should qualify as a safety defect and trigger a mandatory recall, not a quietly limited program with arbitrary expiration dates. I urge NHTSA to investigate this issue further and consider a recall of the defective brake booster system in these Priu

This Prius Hybrid is my [XXX] mother's car which she got thinking is was a very safe and reliable vehicle. She purchased the vehicle from a Toyota dealership here in Maine on [XXX]. Last week while driving down the road, all of a sudden, every brake warning light lit up the dashboard and the brakes became extremely unresponsive. It scared us both to death but thank goodness, I was driving when this happened. After doing some research, I have discovered that this a very well known brake issue with the 2010-2015 Prius cars. I cannot for the life of me understand how this major safety defect has not been made into an actual safety recall. I did contact Toyota customer service and they will not help us at all. Even though my mother has only had the car for just under 9 years and is well under the allotted mileage, they said their Customer Support Program (ZJB) only covers 10 years from the day the car was first driven after production. Her Prius now is inoperable and the repair costs are in the thousands. We are so incredibly disappointed with Toyota and the safety board for allowing this to happen to all of the defective Prius owners. I hope you will reconsider and do the right thing and recall these cars before someone does get into an accident where they are injured or killed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On three of the four tires at different times the tires were separating. They had bulges in the tire. Caused extreme vibration and noise. The last tire was today with 22k miles. The other two were a year ago with 15k miles. I’ve had to replace all 4 tires

Brake booster failures are a common safety issue with 2012-2015 Toyota Prius' this one included is starting to fail which can lead to ABS deactivating and shorter braking distances. There was a recall for this part but most tend to fail after the warranty period. Leaving many vehicles unrepaired and dangerous.

My brakes began making a funny noise when I used them. I only have 80000 on the car and do regular maintenance. I took it in because it seemed the brake pedal was getting spongy as well. They ran in through diagnostic tests and determined the braking module or brake booster/master assembly was bad. This seems to be an issues with Toyota and should be addressed immediately. It is an expensive fix for a low mileage car

47050-47180 47070-47060 Both failed at same time along with many others getting quotes of 3500-4000 to replace no brake control or anti lock brakes

Toyota installed known faulty brake booster and master cylinder systems in Prius C models manufactured 2012-2014. Knowing these systems would fail, but not wanting to pay for their mistake, they created a basically secret "extended warranty program" for owners to get their brake booster replaced ONLY IF for a specific 2 year time frame their brakes failed with a certain DTC code. Knowing that many prius owners would not actually receive the notification nor had driven their vehicle enough miles for the braking system to fail, they got away without having to correct their issue. The brakes literally just fail and stop working in the middle of the highway, causing extreme safety concerns and accidents with no responsibility from Toyota.

Brake system went out suddenly making the car brakes not work

The accelerator wasn’t pushing down after I turned a corner then the lights in attached photo appeared. The power inverter needs to be replaced and since my car had the J0V software update in 2/2019, and the recall update came out in 3/2019, it was not linked to my vin as it should’ve been. The update to J0V (attached) should have been posted w my vin, correct? They are fixing it under customer support but refuse to tow it or give me rental bc they are saying it isn’t a recall issue, when the document below says it applies to all cars that needed J0V. I want to be sure all cars that had recall service before the March2019 update get this update linked to their vin.

Subject: Safety Complaint – 2012 Toyota Prius Brake Booster Failure (C1391 Code) I am writing to formally report a serious safety defect in my 2012 Toyota Prius involving the brake system. Recently, my vehicle’s dashboard displayed the ABS, traction control, and brake warning lights, indicating a critical braking issue. Upon diagnostic testing at a Toyota dealership, the vehicle was found to have DTC Code C1391 – Brake Booster Leak/Accumulator Failure. I later discovered that Toyota acknowledged this defect and issued a Customer Support Program (CSP) to cover repairs. However, I was never notified, despite always servicing my vehicle at Toyota dealerships. When I contacted Toyota, they confirmed that my vehicle has been flagged in their system, yet I was never received anything in the mail about the potential brake failure. Toyota initially set the CSP expiration in 2023, later extending it to May 2025, but they have refused to repair my vehicle under this program. The estimated repair cost is $4,680.09 along with a diagnostic fee of 206.09, which is a significant financial burden for an issue stemming from a known manufacturing defect. Most importantly, this is a major safety hazard: My brakes now produce a loud hissing sound when pressed, indicating imminent failure. If the brake booster fails completely, it could result in a loss of braking power, endangering myself, passengers, and others on the road. Numerous Prius owners have reported similar failures, yet Toyota has no

The styrofoam padding of the headrest came unglued from the plastic base of the headrest. This was discovered when removing fabric to wash the fabric. Car was not driving at the time.

My break actuator goes off every 12 seconds continuously. There is no warning sign in the dash board. Brought the vehicle to the Toyota dealership and had it checked out. The dealership says there is no problems according to their analysis. But the actuator continuously goes off every 12 seconds and the dealership said this was "normal" and charged me the service fee. I am seriously concerned because I drive this car with my child and I am reading that this is a bad sign and that the breaks might fail at any time. Since the dashboard doesn't give me a warning sign and the dealership says there's no problems based on their diagnostics, even if everyone can hear the actuator go off ever 12 seconds I guess I can safely drive this vehicle...it seems like driving a ticking disaster waiting to happen.

ABS pump and master cylinder malfunction. Pump is running very often. Hard braking makes it sound abnormally.

Brakes failed