Does the brake software fix work?

Could I get some valium and a mute button instead.

I'm old, but I can still control my bladder.

 

I had read all about this problem, but never experienced it in 5000+ miles.
Then a couple days ago, it showed up.
Car had been driven about 10 miles on slushy roads.
Slowing down with regen brakes from about 30 mph.
The spot was slushy snow with bare spots.
I hit a pot hole and it did it.
Not severe by any means, but noticeable.
The wife was sitting in the passenger seat, and said she thought I had pumped the brakes.
To me it felt like slight acceleration.
I believe the passenger would have a better description, because the driver gets a different feeling.
I wouldn't like it to happen often, but I knew what had happened.
It wasn't scary at all.
I think Toyota will fix this, they got a lot hanging on the outcome.
Any company that produces a product can have a problem.
It's how they handle the problem, that counts.

 

Bladder control is harder for those of the older (Gen2) generation.

 

Got my call and scheduled for next week as we are on holidays in northern NSW.

Actually drove for a short distance on an unmade road, lots of corrugations, potholes and loose gravel. Did not notice any problems but then again it was a couple of hours after the phone call from Toyota so I may have been taking it very carefully.

The trip has just made me appreciate the car even more. Averaging about 4.5 l per 100 km on the highway where we have been sitting on a steady 110 kmh. The car is realy a good long distance cruiser. Paula loves the heated seats, even though it is averaging about 30 celsius outside I have the climate control on and the heat from the seats is nicely working on her strained back.
I love the radar cruise control. Did have one interesting experience approaching Sydney when we entered a really heavy series of downpours. The radar system just flashed up a warning and then after a while shut itself of along with the cruise control. I thought that was pretty good as it made me drive on throttle and slow down a lot until the rain got so heavy we were down to about 80 kmh. A lot of other cars where pulled over with emergency lights flashing but the Prius wipers coped with the rain very well. I guess Audi and Mercedes have even better wipers as they kept passing us like we were standing still.

Love this car.

David

 

Once the software fix became available, earlier this week, every Prius at my dealership was reflashed within two days. I know because I and several other techs worked long hours doing so as well as reflashing customer cars for this issue.

The actual reflash takes only minutes to perform. I can assure you that, at my dealership at least, we are taking this and all the other issues very seriously. Most of our techs are working from 8am to midnight 6 days a week. We have techs even going out and performing the accelerator pedal modifications at customer's homes. I just did a recall on a 2010 Camry last night at a customer's home in the pouring rain, and they had purchased their car from another dealer!

 

Thank you, thoughtful and great service! We need more dealers like you.

 

This is how all dealerships should model their recall efforts - it is a wonderful opportunity to win loyalty for life. When faced with an issue like this it can be a true opportunity to overdeliver on customers' expectations and turn what could be a bad situation around.

Your dealership should be highlighted to corporate headquarters as a model of how to deal with the response to the recall. I applaud you!

 

This is the way my Boss wants his business run. He has been running the dealership this way for the past 8-10 years or so and we have been growing steadily ever since. Despite the rough economy, we stayed pretty busy and kept making money. With the recalls coming out, we started going proactive on them and performing the recalls well befre the official letters started coming out. The mobile service (performing recalls which do not require Techstream reflashes and can be done in the field) is open to any Toyota owner.
We DO benefit from it, since we have "converted" customers some of whom now drive past three other dealers to come to us. I gotta say, the Boss is Crazy like a Fox. Honesty is the ONLY policy!

 

I see that everyone who reports having the software fix installed is American. Has anyone in Canada had their brake fix yet? I'm trading my 07 in next week on the '10 model and plan on asking if it's been done before I take the car.
My '07 has always had the ABS brake-loss sensation on one particular off-ramp bump every time I exit there, but my two Subarus that I had before I got the Prius give the same brake-loss feeling at the same spot.

 

I'm scheduled for later this week to get it done.

 

I'm scheduled for Monday in Ottawa area. Called 3 dealerships and Toyota Canada Friday AM. All 3 dealerships had no idea about when, and only 1 knew it was coming. Friday afternoon my closest dealership got the instructions/software etc.

So Canada about 6 days behind the US I guess.

 

I can confirm that the Toyota online didn't list the recall on my VIN until Friday afternoon here in Vancouver.

 

I had the fix applied this afternoon.

I was rushing to the dealership and inadvertently triggered the issue while braking harder than I usually do at a stop that has lots of stone debris.

This was the first time I noticed it on my wife's 2010. She only noticed it once in 6 months; after I explained it to her. Perhaps it only triggered due to snowy/icy conditions. My 2008 experiences may have been partly due to the awful OEM tires; the 2010 has much better stock tires.

The float only seemed to be about 300 milliseconds or so. With a dumptruck turning in front of me I got that panic feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I had two opportunities to attempt to trigger the issue on the way back, after the fix, but neither "succeeded". I can't be sure they would have triggered the issue though.

 

I have driven the car for the last 5 days since the software upgrade. I feel the brake response far better than it was earlier. I think the brake fix is working.

 

I know this is different but does this fix also fix the weird grabbing that the brakes do when reversing? This is not dangerous but it feels like the brakes are grabbing very hard when I am gently tapping them while going in reverse.

 

No. The issues are not related.

Tom

 

Yes. Got it done this morning. The service manager showed me the actual recall and it stated that there were a bit over 5700 cars nationwide that are subject to the recall.

It also showed the recall as a 2 step process:

1) Step 1 - evaluate ABS software version number.
2) Step 2 - If needed upgrade ABS software.

I drove about 30k after the upgrade and took it over several spots where I was able to generate the issue before. I only got it to do something similar once - but it would have been barely noticeable if I didn't know to look for it. Seems like the fix works so far.

 

I had the software upgrade done today for the Brake ECU. Before this I experienced the issue every day when going over bumps on my way to work. After the fix the bumps feel different but there is still a weird feeling so I'm not sure if the issue I experienced was fixed completely by this software change. But there is definitely a difference.

I felt safe in the car earlier and continue to do so.

 

I understand that this problem is related to how the brakes regenerate power for the battery. I can produce this 'bug' and I consider it very insignificant.

What I'm more concerned about is whether or not this fix, which may or may have not been rushed out, does anything to the efficiency of this system in the name of safety. I wonder if anyone knows anything about what the fix actually does to the brake system. I'd hate to have it applied just to find out it forgoes regenerative breaking for physical breaking as a safety precaution.

Basically if it takes my mileage down even 1mpg its not worth doing.