2014 Toyota Prius

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety concern involving the brake actuator/booster assembly on my 2014 Toyota Prius. My vehicle has experienced failure of this critical braking component and has been unable to be properly repaired since November due to difficulty obtaining the correct replacement parts. This involves a major safety system required for proper braking operation. Brake actuator/booster assembly. Diagnostic codes: B1206, B2321, C1252, C1253 C1256. Toyota previously acknowledged brake actuator concerns through Customer Support Program ZJB. However, my vehicle is outside the program limits despite experiencing what appears to be the same type of failure reported by many other Prius owners. Since November, I have faced difficulty obtaining the correct parts, reports of nationwide backorders or limited availability, conflicting information regarding updated Toyota part numbers, and concerns about repair providers advertising new OEM parts that may actually be aftermarket or incorrect components. This creates a safety concern because owners experiencing brake failures may be unable to obtain timely repairs using verified, appropriate parts. Repair estimates have ranged from approximately $3,000 to over $4,000, including a Toyota dealership estimate of approximately $4,100. This creates a significant barrier to restoring a vehicle to safe operation, especially involving a component Toyota has previously addressed through a customer support program. I request that NHTSA review this complaint and similar reports to determine whether further investigation is warranted regarding Toyota Prius brake actuator failures, parts availability issues, and whether additional manufacturer action or support is needed. A vehicle’s braking system is a fundamental safety component. Owners should be able to obtain a safe and reliable repair without months of delay or uncertainty regarding replacement parts.

The traction control, abs, and emergency brake light came on. We checked and the code produced was C1391. There’s a humming noise every 10 or so seconds when idle. The humming noise is also present when braking. We did some research and this appears to be an issue with Toyota Prius. We called the dealership and were informed that this was not a known issue. Thank you.

On Jan 5, 2026 I was driving locally at about 40-45 mph. All of a sudden 3 indicator lights came on ABS, Brake, and Brake System Warning Light. There were no noises, but the brakes felt different. They did stop when needed. I left space between myself and others just in case, did not want an accident. Called my regular mechanic. They advised to not drive the car, but to bring it into the shop at 8am the following day. On Jan 6th, the mechanic stated it was beyond their expertise. It was towed to the local Toyota Dealer for repairs. It ended up being the Brake Booster and Pump. Upon investigation online, we saw this was a recall, but we were not notified by Toyota.

2014 Toyota Prius: While driving at high speed the engine stalled unexpectedly, steering and braking were not effected. Was able to safely coast to a stop in the breakdown lane and after a few minutes, restart the engine and proceed driving. Another event occurred on the entrance ramp onto an interstate highway. I was able to pull over safely and the car restarted after a short delay. This seems to be a very dangerous condition. Toyota dealer service said they could not determine the cause and they know of no recall. I found online a reference to NHTSA Recall # 20V369000 that referred to "unexpected hybrid power system shut down." That is what happened to me.

At a stop light, when the light turned green, I took my foot off the brake and pressed the gas pedal but the car did not advance forward. Instead it was as though the car was in neutral and it began to roll backwards because I was on a slight slope. I attempted to get the car to move forward by engaging in shifter into Drive, but nothing changed (still as though it was in neutral). I heard a whirring sound but couldn’t tell where it was coming from. The only way I could get it to drive was to turn the car off and restart. This happened twice before I could get where I was going. Fortunately it didn’t result in an accident but I’m afraid to drive the car now.

Blizzard Pearl White paint started peeling off the car's body around the top areas of the 4 side doors (passenger & driver sides). There seems to be an active recall on this from Toyota for the same paint color and type, but the Prius model is not included in the active recall for this same condition. It has become a hazard such that such paint chips can be ingested by children. I took it to the Santa Monica, CA Toyota dealership and it was verified by the dealership representative there that this was a condition caused by a defect in the original paint with exposure to sunlight.

GOING 70 MPH COMING DOWN A STEEP HILL ON A FREEWAY IN SOLID TRAFFIC, THE CARS AHEAD IN MY LANE SUDDENLY STOPPED. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND MY HANDS ON THE WHEEL. WHEN THE CAR AHEAD STARTED MOVING, I PUT MY FOOT ONTO THE GAS PEDAL BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. ALL THAT I SAW ON THE DASHBOARD WAS A LIGHT GREEN LONG ARROW POINTING LEFT (NOT THE TURN SIGNAL HIGHER ON THE DASH). I MANAGED TO ROLL INTO THE LEFT SHOULDER. I NEVER TURNED OFF THE CAR BUT AT THAT POINT PUT IT INTO PARK. (BEFORE THAT I HAD NOT TOUCHED THE GEAR SHIFT.)CALLED 911. CALLED THEM AGAIN 10 MINUTES LATER AS NO ONE HAD ARRIVED. SHE ASKED IF I COULD DRIVE THE CAR. AT THAT POINT I PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND MANAGED TO DRIVE A SHORT DISTANCE IN THE SHOULDER. (WHILE I WAS DRIVING BEFORE THE SUDDEN STOP I WAS NOT IN CRUISE CONTROL AS THERE WAS TOO MUCH TRAFFIC.) I MANAGED TO DRIVE HOME WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY. ON TELLING THIS TO MY SON, HE SENT ME AN ARTICLE STATING THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER TOYOTA PRIUS DEALERS WHERE THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. ( HTTPS://WWW.LATIMES.COM/LOCAL/CALIFORNIA/LA-FI-TOYOTA-PRIUS-INVESTIGATION-20180423-STORY.HTML ) I CALLED THE DEALER AND SPOKE TO A REPAIR PERSON WHO SAID HE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. AFTER THE WEEKEND I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER AND SAID THEY NEEDED TO CHECK OUR CAR AND THEY DID THAT. HOWEVER, FROM WHAT I SEE, THEY DID NOT CHECK THE INVERTER WHICH IS WHAT CAN CAUSE THE PROBLEM I HAD. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TESTS SHOWED THAT THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AT SOME POINT. HOW COULD THEY EXPLAIN THAT? COULD THE CAR SWITCH ITSELF TO NEUTRAL? SEVERAL DAYS AGO I CONTACTED THIS MANAGER AGAIN AND HE HAS NOT EVEN RETURNED MY CALL. WE DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN FEEL SAFE DRIVING IN THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE AN OBI NUMBER WHICH IS 11414427