2007 Toyota Prius Electronic Stability Control Esc Service Brakes Problems

WHILE DRIVING AROUND A CORNER ON CITY STREETS, BRAKING SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT, AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SKID WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. A HIGH-PITCHED ELECTRONIC SQUEAL CAME FROM THE DASHBOARD, AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, VSC LIGHT, AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT ALL TURNED ON. THESE ARE ALL LISTED AS SYMPTOMS OF A FAILED BRAKE ACTUATOR. AFTER CONTACTING A LICENSED TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, I WAS DIRECTED TO THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT. AFTER BEING ESCALATED TO A SUPERVISOR, I WAS INFORMED THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT THAT THE WARRANTY EXTENSION THEY USED TO COVER IT EXPIRED IN 2017, AND THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACEMENT (~$3000). I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE CAUSE FOR A SAFETY RECALL, AS IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. IT WAS PURE LUCK THAT THIS DIDN'T RESULT IN A CRASH.

WELL KNOWN ABS ACCUMULATOR FAILURE, LOUD BEEPING NOISE, CAN'T DRIVE CAR SAFELY, HIGH MILEAGE CAR AND WILL BE REPAIRING IT, MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE PART IS SEVENTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS $1700 WHICH IS A LOT FOR SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS BRAKES AND WITH SUCH A HIGH FAILURE RATE ON ALL OF TOYOTA'S HYBRIDS. THIS PART NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE FROM 3RD PARTIES SO I AM NOT FORCED TO DEAL WITH JUNK YARD ABS THAT IS JUST AS LIKELY TO FAIL BECAUSE OF A FLAWED DESIGN.

IN FEB 2018 I NOTICED THAT SEVERAL LIGHTS CAME ON IN MY CAR THE VSC, ABS, AND PRESSURE SENSOR LIGHT LIT UP. ALSO THE BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT. I HAD RECENTLY WENT FOR AND INSPECTION ON MY CAR IN JAN AND HAD BRAKES REPLACED AT MY LOCAL MONROE PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING SO I QUESTIONED THEM ON WHAT ALL THE LIGHTS MEANT AND THEY LOOKED ON LINE AND SAW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE BRAKE ACTUATOR FOR MY CAR. THEY ADVISED ME TO GO TO THE TOYOTA DEALER. I WENT TO THE DEALER IN A FEW WEEKS LATER IN MAR AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS A LETTER SENT TO PRIUS OWNERS STATING THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON BRAKE ACTUATORS UNTIL END OF 2017. THEY HAVE IT IN TWO PHASES, AND IT'S UNLIMITED MILES UNTIL DEC 2017 FOR THE FIRST PHASE, THEN AFTER THAT IT'S 150K MILES/10 YEARS. IT ALSO SAYS THE RED TRIANGLE LIGHT MUST BE ON FOR IT TO BE COVERED (IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S ONLY COVERED IF IT FAILS.) I NEVER RECEIVED THIS LETTER AND THE EXCEED THE 150K MILES BY 5K AND YEARS. THE CSR REP SAID HE WOULD SHE IF THEY COULD HONOR IT BEING THAT IT WAS SO EARLY IN THE 2018 YEAR ONLY A FEW MONTHS PASS THE DEADLINE BUT THE MANAGER ON SITE DECLINED AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE. THE DEALER QUOTED ME $3,500.00 TO GET THIS REPLACED. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND OF COURSE THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE LETTER STIPULATED A SPECIFIC TIME FRAME OF SERVICE. MY ISSUE IS THAT I #1 NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER ABOUT THIS RECALL/EXTENDED WARRANTY #2 I BROUGHT THIS CAR AT A DEALER CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED TOYOTA DEALER SO THEY SHOULD OF UPDATED MY INFO IN THE SYSTEM (ADDRESS, EX.) #3 MY CAR IS A ELECTRICAL CAR AND NEEDED THIS FIX TO OPERATE PROPERLY... I FEEL LIKE I'M BEING PUNISHED ABOUT A DEFECT UNDISCLOSED TO ME WHICH NOW IS A HEFTY COST. #4 MY ISSUE HAPPEN 2-3 MONTHS AFTER STILL NOT FAR OFF. I'M FILING A COMPLAINT IN HOPES OF FINDING HELP TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. .

STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY, ACCELERATING WHEN THE TRAFFIC STARTED PICKING UP BUT VEHICLES IN FRONT SUDDENLY STOP AND AS I HIT THE BRAKES ON THE BUMPING FREEWAY THE VEHICLE DOES A BRIEF LURCH FORWARD AS ESP LIGHT BLINKS. VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP UNDER THIS BRAKING CONDITION AND FEELS MOMENTARILY LIKE THERE IS NO BRAKE PRESSURE. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE DOESN'T STOP IN TIME AND HITS THE VEHICLE IN FRONT EVEN THOUGH IT COULD'VE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE BRAKES WORKED AS THEY SHOULD'VE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED; THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. ...UPDATED 04/25/13 *BF THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS DESIGNED. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE ANTI SKID WAS ACTIVATED IT WOULD NOT RESPOND DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE CONSUMER STATED AT FOWARD SPEED OF 0 MPH THE STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVATED, ON A SLIPPERY SURFACE THAT HAD 1 INCH OF SNOW AND AN INCLINE OF APPROXIMATELY 15 DEGREES. THE ANTI SKID LIGHT BLINKED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FOWARD UP THE INCLINE. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURED IN THE DEALER'S PARKING LOT. THE DEALERSTATED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED.THE DEALER SUGGESTED THE CONSUMER SWITCH TO SNOW TIRES. UPDATED 06/04/2013 *JS