A Special Service Campaign (SSC) or full-fledged recall is imminent for the 2010 Toyota Prius to update the brake ECU software in order to resolve the "brake loss" sensation that occurs when the car changes over from regenerative brakes to the friction brakes. As I reported last night, an anonymous Toyota official told me that a fix is on the way. The ECU software for the 2010 Prius has been updated on the production line since January and so therefore it does not effect every single 2010 Prius on the road, though a vast majority do not have the software update. How do you know if your 2010 Prius will need the software update? All you need to do is look at the door jam of your Prius and take a look at your VIN number. The VIN number is the set of letters and numbers above the barcode in the photo above. Update: 2/11 Here is a definitive list of US Prius VINs involved in the ABS Brake Recall: There are approximately 133,000 Prius vehicles (2010 model year) involved in the U.S. VIN Range 0001044 - 0124257 1000089 - 1157301 5000063 - 5118198 NOTE: • Not all vehicles in the VIN range are affected by this Safety Recall. Thanks to information from PriusChat member ken1784, we now know that the ECU software of following VIN Prius had been modified since late January production. 0124257 or later (Toyota Tsutsumi #1 production line) 1157314 or later (Toyota Tsutsumi #2 production line) 5118118 or later (Toyota Auto Body Fujimatsu production line) So, if your VIN is within those numbers in the table above, or if you know your Prius was produced before January, then you will at some point receiving a notice to bring your Prius in for a software update. This most likely affects 99% of all North American 2010 Prius hybrids.
In this case about the VIN, I happened to see a post on Japanese forum by anonymous poster (probably Toyota internal person). affected VIN - Prius Gen3 forum Ken@Japan
I've noticed that everyone is saying this is a problem with 2010 Gen III models. I have a 2006 Prius that I have been complaining about this same problem with the braking. It isn't as bad in dry weather but in the rain is when you notice it more. My son drove my car one day in the rain. When he brought it back he asked what the Hell was wrong with the brakes. He won't even drive the car again. When I took the car the last time the service guy knew exactly what I was talking about but again when I got it back it still does the same thing. I love my Prius but I hate the braking. I make sure I stay back aways in the rain.
It'd be helpful if you replied to the right thread on this as you don't have a 2010. Since you have only one post, just joined today and I've driven my 06 Prius in the rain a LOT, I find your complaints questionable or about an entirely different issue. Perhaps you have bald tires and are hydroplaning, actually have bad brakes and not just the quirk that we 2nd gen owners used to? Even though you have a Gen II, perhaps you can post exact locations where you hit the issue in http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/74199-poll-prius-brakes-problem.html as I did in post 10? By issue, I'm referring to light braking at low speeds, hitting something in the road such as potholes, rough roads, railroad tracks, etc. and having it feel like the brakes cutout briefly due to the switchover from regen to friction brakes. It's almost a non-issue in terms of the net effect on the 2nd gens, IMHO.
Here's a question about all this. If you're in a typical light to medium regen braking event and you put the car in Neutral, you'll immediately get the hydraulic transition and likely the usual accompanying "sag". [Do this when you've got plenty of open space ahead if you don't know what I mean.] Does the "loss" being complained about feel exactly like that?? Is it more profound in the non-reflashed 2010 than in all the second-gens? . _H*
Here's the Google-provided translation, which is fascinating... I'm sure that this needs some work to reflect the actual meaning of the Japanese anonymous author. "Nami says: What happens if the brake and the other missing ZVW30-0124257 (the first factory-made dam line 1) ZVW30-1157314 (the first factory-made dam line 2) ZVW30-5118118 (made by Toyota Auto Body) Body or frame number of the above The thing with the pre-measures"
lol I'll repeat Any chance of this in English? I could tell you some funny stories about Google translator and it's erm, interesting translations.
A translation... "Regardless of whether the brake issue will happen or not - ZVW30-0124257 (Tsutsumi factory - line 1) ZVW30-1157314 (Tsutsumi factory - line 2) ZVW30-5118118 (Toyota Auto Body) Anything after those frame numbers has the fix in place."
Following is my best effort type of translation. (Please donate $1.00 per word to me. ) ----- Title: Re: people delivered January or later, tell me about the brake lost Poster: sorry in anonymous on this issue date/time: Feb 4th, 2010, THU, 19:44 contents: > Nami-san (Ken's note: reply to "Nami") no comments whether the brake lost is existent or not ZVW30-0124257(Tsutsumi plant no.1 line production) ZVW30-1157314(Tsutsumi plant no.2 line production) ZVW30-5118118(Toyota Auto Body production) it is told that a vehicle body with above VIN or later is already applied the fix ----- Please let me know to correct my English, if you found any errors in my spelling, English grammar or anything. Ken@Japan
I am supposed to pick up my Prius on Monday. The vin # is lower than the ones mentioned here, so it will probably fall into the recall or repair. Should I still pick up the car or wait for a new batch to get to the dealer. He has 3 in the lot, all prior to January production. Any suggestions. Thanks.
VIN Range 1 0001044 - 0124257 2 1000089 - 1157301 3 5000063 - 5118198 I've updated the original story with the definitive VIN ranges affected by the brake recall. This information is taken from the TSB in the TIS system. How To Tell If Your 2010 Prius Is Affected by the Brake Issue | PriusChat
If your dealer is like mine, they'll have done them already. They cannot sell them until the work is done per federal law.
this seems confusing. why can't we just press some magical button series on the MFD and see the firmware version of the car? vin numbers are irrelevant because, as some have pointed out, toyota can't sell these anymore without flashing the upgrade, so you're going to have cars in the vin range that already have the fix. posting a way to check firmware is going to be the sure fire way to tell if your car is affected.
Danny, Thank you! FYI to all, Some Japanese users found their Prius VIN's were in the affected range, but the new software was already installed on them. Toyota's answer is they did not track the VIN for the fix before January 27th, because it was the brake "feeling" update as one of many regular improvements, they thought. When Toyota recognized it a critical one, they started to record the VIN after January 28th. Therefore... since Jan 28th production, 100% of Priuses have the fix. before Jan 28th production, some of Priuses already have the fix. Ken@Japan
