2017 Toyota Prius Brakes Problems

While driving your 2017 Prius on the highway, you heard a loud ringing noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. You discovered the driver's side rear brake pad had tilted and was banging against the rotor, which your son replaced. You're concerned that this unexpected noise could distract drivers and cause an accident, and you believe Toyota should investigate the brake pad manufacturer since your car is known for gentle braking.

MY 2 YEAR CHECK UP W/14,932 MILES I WAS ADVISED MY FRONT ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO POOR PAD CONTACT AND REAR ROTORS ARE GROOVED HEAVILY AND NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. I WAS SHOCKED. I DID NOT HAVE REPLACED . MECHANIC SAID WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. IS THERE A RECALL? WHAT IS GOING ON W/TOYOTA PRIUS BRAKES. AM AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR AND CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE ROTORS EVERY 15,000 MILES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 19 MPH AND APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MILLENIUM TOYOTA, 257 N FRANKLIN ST, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND AN INSPECTOR WAS SENT OUT TO RETRIEVE INFORMATION FROM THE VEHICLE DATA RECORDER. THE CONCLUSION WAS DRIVER ERROR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000.

SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN OCTOBER, 2017, I HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT OCCURRENCES WHERE THE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY SLIP WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IT HAS HAPPENED IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS, (BUT MOSTLY WHEN WET), AND AT ALL SPEEDS. I CAN GO WEEKS WITHOUT AN OCCURRENCE, AND THEN IT CAN HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES IN A WEEK. IT SEEMS TO BE COMPLETELY RANDOM. I HAVE BEEN TO TWO DEALERSHIPS, AND FINALLY WAS ABLE TO DRIVE WITH A TECH WHO FELT THE "SLIPPAGE". THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS AND TOLD ME THEY TALKED TO CORPORATE AND THAT A BUMP IN THE ROAD TRIGGERS AN ABS SENSOR TO FIRE, CAUSING THE ABS TO KICK IN. THEY ALSO TOLD ME TIRE PRESSURE MIGHT AFFECT IT. NONE OF THIS SITS RIGHT WITH ME BECAUSE IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. I HAVE EXPERIENCED DRIVING A CAR WHEN ABS KICKS IN, AND THIS IS NOT THE SENSATION I AM GETTING IN THE PRIUS. "SLIPPING" IS THE BEST ADJECTIVE I HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT FEELS LIKE, AND WHEN IT HAPPENS IT IS TERRIFYING. THE LAST TIME I TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE BRAKES AGAIN, I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE CORPORATE HAD BEEN CONTACTED PREVIOUSLY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THEM. THEY DIDN'T KEEP THE CAR, AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD CALL ME BACK WHEN THE CORPORATE REP WOULD BE THERE SO HE COULD DRIVE WITH ME. THAT WAS A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND THEY HAVEN'T CALLED BACK, OR RETURNED MY CALL. AT THIS POINT, I FEEL LIKE TOYOTA IS HIDING SOMETHING FROM ME AND I HAVE LOST ALL TRUST IN THE BRAND. I FEEL LIKE I AM DRIVING AN UNSAFE CAR AND TOYOTA IS IGNORING EVERYTHING I AM SAYING TO THEM.

WHILE I AM SLOWING TO A STOP, A WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INDICATING THAT I AM PRESSING THE BRAKE AND THE ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE. THE CAR DOES TRY TO MOVE FORWARD BUT PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE OVERCOMES THAT ISSUE. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES (NOT EVERY TIME) BUT FORTUNATELY NO ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED. THIS HAS ALSO NEVER HAPPENED WHEN I AM DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND NEED TO BRAKE.

WHIRLING SOUND EMANATING FROM FRONT AREA... GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. FINALLY TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, EVEN THOUGH NO WARNING LIGHTS, AND THEY INDICATED BRAKE ACTUATOR BAD, TO THE TUNE OF $3400. SO I GAVE MY OTHER PRIUS (06) TO MY DAUGHTER TO DRIVE AND SAME NOISE, SO NOW HAVE TWO FAIRLY YOUNG (FOR A TOYOTA) PAPERWEIGHTS, SINCE SERVICE MANAGER SAID UNSAFE TO DRIVE. COMPLAINED TO CORPORATE AND THEY SAID EXTENDED WARRANTY OUT OF TIME. THIS IN UNACCEPTABLE FOR THIS AGE OF CAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL. THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA OF POWAY (13631 POWAY RD, POWAY, CA 92064), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

I HAVE RECENTLY INSTALLED HAND CONTROLS ON MY CAR AND UNDERWENT PROPER TRAINING.FSINCE THE HAND CONTROLS WORK THE OPPOSITE OF A ZERO TURN LAWNMOWER I HAVE TO FIGHT THE FACT THAT THEY WORK IN REVERSE. I HAVE TRIED TO FIND AN APP FOR MY COMPUTER WITH A JOYSTICK THAT WOULD SIMULATE DRIVING AND HOW TO RESPOND TO A CHILD RUNNING IN FRONT OF MY CAR. THIS IS SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T PRACTICE ON THE ROAD AND MY INSTINCT MIGHT BE THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IT SHOULD BE. I WOULD LIKE SUCH A GAME TO ENSURE THAT MY RESPONSE ALWAYS IS IMMEDIATE DO YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS?

PLEASE NOTE: THAT I HAVE OWNED A PREVIOUS GENERATION PRIUS - A 2011 - AND I AM MORE THAN AWARE THAT REGENERATIVE BRAKING WORKS ENTIRELY DIFFERENTLY THAN A CONVENTIONAL BRAKING SYSTEM. SO IN NO WAY AM I REFERRING TO THE "USUAL NOISES" THAT COME FROM REGENERATIVE BRAKING. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED DOCUMENT FOR EXPLANATION OF LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUE.