Prius V-Brake Booster & Pump Assemblies Failures

A lot of non-hybrids are also going to the electric booster due to automatic braking systems. That also included electronic parking brakes.

 

Here is the response from Toyota:

Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. We are sorry to learn of the brake concerns you are experiencing with your 2012 Toyota Prius. We have confirmed that your concerns were reviewed appropriately with a Senior Representative, Blake A., and you were provided with Toyota's position on 03/23/2022. While we understand this is not the response you were hoping for, it does represent Toyota’s final position. Understanding your personal experiences with your 2012 Prius is important to Toyota, and your additional feedback has been documented at Toyota's National Headquarters under case #220323001452. We have added your comment to your original case #220323001452. Please be advised any additional comments will be added to your original case number, and any new cases created will be automatically closed with no response. Sincerely, Evette V. Toyota Brand Engagement Center

Case closed ☹️

 

Never had a headgasket or brake problem on any other car I've had and I'm 66

 

Bummer but
I knew that would happen................ I would never purchase a new car especially a toyota.... and I have 3 toys.........all older with 320,000 and 430,000 prius down with bad trani....most unreliable car I have ever owned.

 

This week our 2012 Prius v 2 with 149 k miles experienced the brake booster/ pump failure. It happened on the Interstate after about 2 miles of stop and go due to an accident ahead. After the traffic cleared I floored it to get back up to speed and within a few seconds all the brake warning lights lit up. I checked the pedal feel and it went nearly to the floor but the hydraulics were still there enough to limp home with no regen indicating and a vey low pedal. After checking with Toyota who refused any help I drove it to the closest dealer for a ridiculous estimate but picked it back up to try a local independent shop. In the meanwhile while driving slowly around our neighborhood the pedal firmed up enough for us to drive the car until we could schedule a repair. The car has about 70-75 miles on it since the lights came on and our our way home from a dinner party tonight the lights went out, normal braking feel and regen have returned. Has anyone else had their system “fix” itself?

 

Is your brake fluid low?

 

No but I did a brake flush which worked for one day. Your stopping distances are much longer with this failure which can easily cause a wreck. Fix it or quit driving the car.

 

Better look out.
And I doubt it repaired itself.
The v is totally unreliable after 150,000 miles. Anything can happen.

 

This happened to my wife's car today, while driving home on the freeway. We pulled to the closest Toyota dealer to diagnose it. We got a text from them and it's going to be over $3k. Our 2012 v has about 142k miles. I assume there's no recall on the booster and accumulator to cover this cost.

 

Their coverage for this ends at 10 years from first use as long as you are under 150,000. Odds are not in your favor unless the car sold after Aug 12, 2012. If its close you could escalate to Toyota corporate and ask for a good will repair.

In some areas there are independent hybrid shops who can do it for less.

 

No luck with the coverage, since we bought this car in Dec 2011. We are eating the extra dealer cost, b/c wife doesn't want to take it to another shop..oh well..Once this is done, will start researching for another car in the next year or two when this chip shortage is over (probably not a hybrid).

 

Welcome me to the club. 2014 V 129000 miles. ABS light on. Traction light on. The whole thing. Of course on a 4000 mile road trip. Stop in a local Toyota dealership and for 161bucks he told me code 1391 is in effect.
I’m hoping I am still covered under warranty.

 

It should be covered 10 years 150,000 miles as long as it is original.

 

Hope they have one.......toy had my car 18 days for the replacement.

 

Two points:

After my ABS lights came on in the middle of my long roadtrip I brought the car into a local dealer. The problem was diagnosed with code p1391 instead of c1391. After reading many posts here I called him back. He said the code was computer generated. But he agreed to look into it. He called me back and said it was a glitch. Any opinions on this?

Secondly, the dealership in the state I’m in now says once the part is ordered Toyota assigns your vin to the part or parts ordered and you can’t have another dealership install. They are not giving a timeframe for parts. I will be driving many miles until I get home without abs.

 

I would verify that you are covered under the customer service program. Then I would call your home dealer and verify what this remote dealer said. You may have to get it arranged for your home location.

Just to be clear, you have not lost your abs, yet. But you "could" lose everything brake related except for partial non-powered brakes. This system depends on an electrically driven hydraulic pump and accumulator to feed the master cylinder and ALL of its functions. Lose it and a couple of failsafe solenoids connect the pedal to the hydraulic portions of the master cylinder, bypassing power brakes, abs, traction control, skid control and disables regen which is a big part of a Prius braking force.

If the remote dealer said wait two or three days, I would wait. Otherwise be very careful, slow down ahead of time and keep greater distance.

By the way, diagnosis on a confirmed customer service program should be free. Again working two dealers complicates this as well.

 

Called Toyota and told them about ABS failure. Took information and said it looks like I MAY qualify for the customer service program. My dealership would have the ultimate say. I hate that Toyota isn’t taking responsibility and leaving it up to dealerships.

The dealership that diagnosed c(p) 1391 has refunded my $161 bucks.

 

They are just leaving the diagnosis up to the dealer rather than the owner or independent mechanic. Toyota pays everything including wholesale cost parts and labor.

 

Get this taken care of and sell it............................................

 

Yes. I am going to sell it forthwith after they fix it. I thought it was a car I would keep forever because the only thing replaced is the 12 volt battery. I haven’t cleaned the egr and the hybrid battery will becoming due. What a shame the car has some flaws.