2012 Toyota Prius Electronic Stability Control Esc Service Brakes Problems
4 owner-reported electronic stability control esc service brakes complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (4)
THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR A 2012 PRIUS V THAT I'VE NOTIFIED MY LOCAL DEALER AND TOYOTA ABOUT A POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE RELATING TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THE PRIUS V IS CURRENTLY NOT INCLUDED IN THE ZJB CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE. BRAKE PEDAL FEELS VERY FIRM AND INCONSISTENT AND MUCH HARDER TO ACTIVATE THE BRAKES. THERE IS CONSTANT (EVERY FEW SECONDS) BRAKE BOOSTER ACTUATION/WHIRRING CONSISTENT WITH SYMPTOMS OF A LEAKING/DEFECTIVE BRAKE BOOSTER PER MY LOCAL DEALER. WARNING LIGHTS FOR BRAKE, ABS, STABILITY CONTROL, AND TIRE PRESSURE ARE ON.
THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH A CHIRPING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. TODAY THE CAR APPEARS TO LOSE REGENERATIVE BRAKING CHARGING. THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL AND ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. THE BRAKE APPEARED TO BE MUSHIED.
MY 2012 PRIUS V IS ONLY 90K MILES. STARTING FROM ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO, THE WARNING LIGHTS INCLUDING BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, ABS WARNING LIGHT AND SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT WERE SUDDENLY LIT ON WHEN I WAS DRIVING, THEN I FOUND THE REGENERATE BRAKE BECOME VERY HARD AND DIFFICULT TO STOP WHICH WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THESE WARNING LIGHTS WERE KEPT ON ALL THE TIME WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR. THE CAR THREW OUT CODE C1391 WHEN GIVEN A DIAGNOSIS. AFTER SOME ONLINE WORK, I FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR PRIUS V. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT MY CAR, BASED ON ITS VIN, IS NOT IN ONE OF THE CERTAIN CARS COVERED BY ZJB PHASE 2 WHICH COVERS BRAKE BOOSTER AND BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP ASSEMBLIES FOR CERTAIN 2011-2015 MODEL YEAR PRIUS VEHICLES. THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE COULD BE A DEADLY DEFICIENCY TO ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE CAR WHEN DRIVING. NOW I HAVE TO THINK TO STOP USING THIS CAR BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE SECURITY RISK. TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO SOLVE ALL THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL INVOLVED CARS, NOT CERTAIN CARS. MY CAR IS MADE IN 2012, THE DIAGNOSIS CODE C1391 GIVEN BY MY CAR ARE FALLING INTO ONE OF THE FOUR CODES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRAKE PROBLEM COVERED BY ZJB PHASE 2. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT MY CAR WAS NOT ISSUED THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY.
ON JAN. 3, 2018 WHILE MOVING AT A MINIMUM SPEED (LESS THAN 15 MPH) I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED (BRAKES, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL) ALONG WITH A WARNING SOUND. THIS WAS ON A CITY STREET, DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE TO A STOP. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE AT A VERY LOW SPEED BUT SOON LOST ALL ABILITY TO BRAKE THE VEHICLE AND I COASTED TO A STOP. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. I WAS TOLD THE BRAKE ACTUATOR HAD FAILED AND WAS CHARGED $3288 PLUS TAX FOR THE REPAIR. I RECEIVED THE CAR ON JAN. 9, 2018 FROM THE DEALER. ON JAN. 12, 2018 THE CAR FAILED ONCE AGAIN IN THE EXACT SAME MANNER. THE DEALER KEPT THE CAR UNTIL FEB. 1, 2018 AT WHICH TIME THEY RETURNED THE CAR TO ME AT NO CHARGE, STATING THEY HAD CHANGED THE SAME EXACT PART AS BEFORE. THE CAR HAS 84,000 MILES AND I PURCHASED IT NEW. I UNDERSTAND TOYOTA HAS ISSUED RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE ON OTHER MODELS BUT NOT ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE RETAINED MY REPAIR INVOICES BUT AM UNABLE TO UPLOAD THEM AT THIS TIME.