2013 Toyota Prius

I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY CITY STREET AND AS I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE BRAKE FAILED. AS I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I KEPT ON HITTING THE BRAKE BUT IT WAS NOT WORKING. MY CAR WAS NOT STOPPING. THE ABS AND SLIP INDICATOR LIGHTS TURNED ON. I WAS ON A PANIC BECAUSE I WOULD BE HITTING OTHER CARS AND POSSIBLY PEOPLE BECAUSE I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION. LUCKILY THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED GREEN AS I APPROACHED SO I MADE THE TURN AND STILL I WAS NOT STOPPING. THE CAR WAS CONTINUOUSLY MOVING. AS I WAS APPROACHING ANOTHER INTERSECTION, I TRIED STEPPING ON THE PARKING BRAKE, IT DECELERATED BUT NOT STOPPING. BEFORE IT ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR ON THE INTERSECTION, IT STOPPED WHILE I WAS STEPPING ON THE PARKING BRAKE REAL HARD WITH ABATED BREATH.

I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A CITY ROAD WITH THE FLOW OF HEAVY TRAFFIC AT ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. I IMMEDIATELY SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES VERY HARD. AT THE TIME I DID THIS I HAD PLENTY OF SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN US. BUT, THE BRAKES NEVER CAME ON AND I ENDED UP RUNNING INTO THE REAR END OF AN SUV AT APPARENTLY FULL SPEED WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE SLOWDOWN. THE BRAKES DID NOT COME ON. THEY DIDN'T GRAB, AND THEY DIDN'T MAKE ANY SCREECHING NOISE AND THERE WERE NO TIRE MARKS ON THE ROAD. ALSO ALL OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND THIS WAS A FRONTAL IMPACT, WHICH WAS VERY SURPRISING AND SUFFOCATING. A CLOUD OF DUST FILLED THE CABIN OF THE CAR AND I COULD NOT BREATHE. I WAS LITERALLY SUFFOCATING UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AND GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I DIDN'T EVEN FEEL THE SEAT BELT TIGHTEN UP BEFORE THE CRASH. THE BRAKES NEVER FELT LIKE THEY CAME ON AT ALL. *TR *JS

I WAS TRAVELING LESS THAN 25 MPH ON A CITY STREET WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT SUDDENLY STOPPED. I PANIC STOPPED - MOVING MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND I BELIEVE THAT I HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKES DID NOT APPLY, AND I REAR-ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT. I LEFT NO SKID MARKS. OBVIOUSLY I COULD HAVE NOT ACTUALLY PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT I DID. THE CAR BRAKES SEEM TO BE FINE, SO IF THE CAR FAILED TO STOP THE PROBLEM HAD TO BE IN THE COMPUTER. *TR

ON 07/20/15 THE BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. ON 08/05/16 THE SAME BRAKES FAILED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. IT IS THE SAME ISSUE VERIFIED BY TWO TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS, (FRONT LEFT CALIPER AND BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENTS NEEDED). THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW. THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED TWICE, THEY CITE SAFETY DEFECTS. ON 08/15/16 I PHOTOGRAPHED LEFT FRONT BRAKE ISSUE. THEY CLAIM THEY, "DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S HAPPENING." IT IS CLEAR THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED ENTIRELY. I REPORTED THE FIRST BRAKE FAILURE 07/20/15 THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT THAT THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY AND THUS SENT THE ORIGINAL BRAKES TO TOYOTA FOR INSPECTION & INVESTIGATION. I NEVER HEARD BACK. ON 08/05/16 (12 MONTHS 15 DAYS LATER, APPROX. 12,000 MILES DRIVEN) THE SAME BRAKE FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN. FILLED IT WITH BRAKE FLUID ON 08/15/16 MAKE IT TO DEERFIELD TOYOTA (CLOSEST) THAT STATED I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE ORIGINAL TO AVOID PAYING. VERY DANGEROUS. THEN TOOK TO SAME, ERIC JONES, LIPTON TOYOTA, FORT LAUDREDALE, FL, AS LAST TIME. HE STATED THE REPLACED CALIPERS AND BRAKE PADS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE CAR REMAINS THERE, 10 DAYS AWAITING A BACK ORDER. I INQUIRED FURTHER ON 08/22/16 TO WHICH MR. JONES STATED THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKES/ CALIPERS AND THAT THEY HAD REPLACED THEM 07/2015 BUT THAT THEY HAD REPLACED THEM WITH TOYOTA DEFECTIVE BRAKES AGAIN. (ESPECIALLY SPECIFICALLY THE FRONT LEFT CALIPER AND BRAKE PADS). BRAKES HAVE FAILED TWICE. IT IS CLEAR THE DEFECTIVE ISSUE IS FROM THE CAR. PHOTOS REVEAL THAT THE REPLACEMENTS NEVER RESOLVED THE ISSUE AS IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING EVER SINCE THEN. TO CONTINUE DRIVING TO SEE IF A 3RD BRAKE FAILURE OCCURS IS TO RISK MINE AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD LIVES. 1ST REPORTED SAFETY CONCERN TO NHTSA ON 07/20/15, REFERENCE #10735054 : RANDY REID. I AM SCARED. HELP PLEASE.

WHEN THE DRIVER HAS TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES REALLY QUICKLY THE CAR DOES NOT SLOWDOWN AT ALL. THE SKID LIGHT COMES ON THE DASH BOARD, BUT OTHERWISE THE CAR DOES NOT STOP. THIS HAPPENS EVEN ON A DRY SURFACE, WITH NO MOISTURE ON THE SURFACE, AT SPEEDS AS LOW AS 20-30 MILES PER HOUR. IT ALMOST ALWAYS DOES IT. IF THE DRIVER LIGHTLY TAP THE BREAKS, THEN THE CAR WILL DECELERATE, BUT NOT IF THE DRIVER HAS TO ABRUPTLY STOPPED. THIS IS QUILT A PROBLEM GIVEN THAT SOMETIMES YOU NEED THE CAR TO STOP SUDDENLY IT IT SIMPLY WON'T AT SPEEDS OF 20 MORE. THE CAR JUST STARTS TO SKID. IT WILL NOT STOP OR GAIN TRACTION WITH THE SURFACE THAT IT IS ON. THIS MEANS THAT IN A SITUATION WHERE THE DRIVER NEEDS TO HIT THE BREAKS ALL THE WAY DOWN, THE CAR STILL WON'T STOP. THIS PROBLEM IS MUCH WORSE IF ON WET OR NEGATIVE SLOPING ROADS. HOWEVER, IT CAN HAPPEN EVEN ON COMPLETE DRY SURFACE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON A ROADWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WHILE THE CONTACT WAS MAKING A TURN. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER SIDE AND THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A YARD AND THEN TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR FURTHER INSPECTION BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING TO DETERMINE IF AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD BE SENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT AND WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH VISIBILITY DUE TO THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH AND NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

I WAS DRIVING HOME IN MY 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015, AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30P.M. WHILE TURNING RIGHT FROM THE STREET ON WHICH I LIVE INTO MY DRIVEWAY, THE CAR, AFTER I APPLIED THE BRAKES, SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD. IN SPITE OF CONTINUOUSLY PUSHING DOWN ON THE BRAKES, THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. THE DRIVEWAY SHOWS SKID MARKS FROM MY ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE CAR. THE CAR DID NOT STOP. THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CAR SHOT FORWARD, CRASHING INTO THE CLOSED WOODEN GARAGE DOOR AND THE WALL TO THE LEFT OF THE GARAGE DOOR. THE GARAGE DOOR BROKE AND ONE HALF OF THE GARAGE DOOR SPLIT AND WAS PUSHED INTO THE GARAGE. THE GARAGE DOOR COLLAPSED ON MY CAR AS WELL AS ITEMS STORED IN THE GARAGE INCLUDING PARTS OF THE GARAGE STRUCTURE AND LARGE SECTIONS OF A STORAGE UNIT, WHICH WAS BOLTED TO THE WALL. APPROXIMATELY 90% OF MY CAR WAS INSIDE THE GARAGE. I TRIED TO EXIT THE CAR THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I CRAWLED TO THE TRUNK AREA AND COULD NOT FIND A MECHANICAL RELEASE FOR THAT DOOR. FINALLY I FORCED OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR AND EXITED THE CAR THROUGH THE BROKEN WALL. IF THE BRAKES HAD NOT FAILED THIS WOULD HAVE NOT HAVE HAPPENED. AS A RESULT OF THE BRAKE FAILURE, I HAVE INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL LOSS, INCLUDING THE GARAGE DOOR (A TOTAL LOSS), DAMAGE TO STRUCTURAL SUPPORT TO THE GARAGE WALL, A BUILT-IN GARAGE STORAGE UNIT, CONTENTS STORED IN THE GARAGE AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, I DID NOT SUFFER ANY MAJOR PHYSICAL INJURIES, ALTHOUGH FOLLOWING THE COLLISION I EXPERIENCED AND CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE MUSCLE, JOINT, HIP, NECK AND BACK PAIN AND DISCOMFORT. IN ADDITION, I CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS FROM THIS INCIDENT. I WANT TOYOTA TO PERFORM A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC SAFETY CHECK OF ALL SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE BRAKES AND ANY SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS THE BRAKING SYSTEM.

RECURRING PROBLEM. WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY "SLIDE" RATHER THAN BRAKE WHEN THE CAR GOES OVER DIFFERENT ROAD SURFACES. THIS HAPPENS FOR ABOUT THE LENGTH OF THE CAR OR LESS (PROBABLY THE LENGTH OF THE DIFFERENT SURFACE) AND THEN THE BRAKING CONTINUES ONCE THE ROAD IS CONSISTENT AGAIN. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE DEALER AND THEY INDICATE THIS IS A KNOWN SYMPTOM OF THE CAR'S DEGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM FUNCTIONING "PROPERLY" WHEN ALL TIRES ARE NOT WORKING IN SYNC. I THINK IT'S A DEFECT THAT WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO REAR-END COLLISIONS. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHEN GOING OVER STEEL PLATES, POTHOLES, APPROACHING TOLL-BOOTH STOPS - ALL IN GOOD WEATHER, AND ON SLICK ROAD SURFACES DURING POOR WEATHER.

ABS, BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON POSTED LIMITS ON HIGHWAY UNDER DRY CONDITIONS. AT SAME TIME, BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY REQUIRED MORE PRESSURE TO STOP CAR. WARNING LIGHTS STAYED ON, AND RETURNED AFTER CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN. DEALER STATED IT WAS BRAKE STROKE SENSOR MALFUNCTION AND REPLACED PART. CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW AND HAD ONLY DRIVEN IT FOR A FEW WEEKS. EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN JUNE 2015 AND JULY 2015. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, DRY CONDITIONS, ALL THREE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRED MUCH MORE PRESSURE TO WORK. STEERING ALSO LOST SOME POWER. DEALER DIAGNOSED A STROKE SENSOR MALFUNCTION. COMPUTER CODE WAS C1247. FIRST DEALER I TOOK IT TO IN JUNE 2015 COULDN'T RECREATE THE PROBLEM, CLEARED THE CODE, AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS FIXED. WROTE "CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE" ON MY RECEIPT. 2 WEEKS LATER SAME PROBLEM REAPPEARED AND A DIFFERENT DEALER SAID BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS FAILING.