Brakes grabbing

What's the fix? You can't fix something that's not broken. I'm just surprised it didn't surface during his test drive so he could query the salesman.

It's really this simple.

Patient: "Doctor, doctor. It hurts when I do this."
Doctor: "Then don't do that."

nickb: "The brakes grab when I do this."
McShemp: "Then don't do that. Do this instead." (At least I offer an alternative)

 

McShemp, you're not helping.

If it didn't happen in 05 or 04 then you come to the conclusion.

I don't understand why you're even responding to this thread if it doesnt bother you or concern you ?

Thanks.

 

While I do understand the point you are making, I also don't think it is as simple as you're making it sound.

First off, I too have the grabbing problem, and yes it bothers me. Would bother me in any car, no matter how technologically advanced or inferior.

Yes, I can adapt, but then I can adapt to being kicked in the head repeatedly as well. Doesn't make it right, and I sure don't want to pay $30k for the privilege. If the cars all pulled to the right, the easy fix is to add a bit of pressure to the left side of the steering wheel... but would we reasonably be expected to do that? There are certain driving conditions (parking lot creep, for example) where this annying thing can't be avoided, and I end up lurching along, not feeling too happy about my otherwise great car.

Don't take these complaints personally. Everything I hear is people wanting this car to be as good as it can be...and that's a good thing. If we all accepted sub-standard vehicle functionality, we'd all be driving Fords. [ducks]

 

If the grabbing doesn't happen with the '04 or '05 and it does with the '06, why is my "Get an earlier model" comment so wrong? Get what you like and work with that.

I'm responding to this thread because you guys are wishing for a TSB for something that is working as designed. The brakes don't bother or concern me. I experienced the grabbing and figured out what to do to avoid it. What I don't understand is why you guys are resisting change so much? It's just pushing on a pedal a little differently. I'm sure you've changed other aspects of your driving style since becoming Prius owners.

 

Resistance is futile (appearently)

 

It's really simple... don't brake.

 

As one of the originators of this thread, I'd like to ask if anyone knows how to lodge an official TSB complaint. I don't mean ranting, I mean to do it professionally and carefully. We all the love the vehicle, but just shouldn't have to "live" with such an annoying problem.

Is there an internet link we can promote for people to sign their name and add their voice?

I'm only hoping to fix the problem, not cause a rant.

 

I think at this point the only way to get a tsb is to goto:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

But make sure you first complain about it to the dealer and service checked into it.

We can discuss this here forever... but no progress will be done. That's unless some high rank toyota person is reading this.

 

I don't get all these brake complaints. The brakes are different and they are one of the main features that made me decide to get a Prius. Far superior to regular car brakes.

You just have to learn to drive with more sensitive braking.
It isn't hard to do and once you do you will never go back to regular car brakes.

 

Oh geez you don't know what your talking about so butt out.

You obviously don't have the problem people are having here.

 

Go to your local Toyota dealer, ask to road test with a Prius tech, show him or her how to duplicate the condition, explain that you are very unhappy with this condition and that you want it fixed.

The Prius tech can call Toyota, report the condition, and possibly get the ball rolling towards a fix.


Btw my 2006 did it quite frequently for the first 3000 miles but now at about 4000 miles it seldom occurs. I think I have subconsciously changed my braking technique.


JaymanVA

 

I already went to the dealer...

Unfortunately ... i couldn't reproduce it when i was with the tech in the car. (go figure ah ?)

 

You're wrong about that. I know exactly. Because when others drive the car
they all stop roughly like you describe here. You just need to adjust your foot and
the problem will go away.

 

It sounds like you're subconsciously sabotaging yourself when you have a tech in the car. Try making a video of your feet while you're driving and braking ... when you can reproduce the grabbing. That way you'll have proof that it's the car and not just you.

 

I'm one step ahead of you... i already sent a video of not only my foot on the brake but also a split screen of my facial reaction.

And of course sent it to Toyotas N.A CEO.

 

The Nissan was only an example. The Prius is not as advanced as you think. If it was, it would not use legacy friction disk/drum brakes under hard braking and at low speeds. To do this (trult advanced form of braking) would require a break-away from conventional braking and if not done properly would result in a lot of lawsuits -- bad thing.

As a person who has worked on cars since the mid eighties, I can tell you that this braking pecularness cannot simply be chaulked up to "well it's a hybrid".

 

To the naysayers that would like to write this topic off to "this is the way the car works...get used to it": don't overlook that a few of the posters have mentioned that the grabbing is coming from the front left.

It is not their imagination, as the vehicle actually gets pulled slightly to the left on each grab. I would bet Toyota did not design it to do that. And I am sure that Toyota is interested in discovering problems and their cause, as the Japanese are famous for completely halting a production line for a repetitive paint scratch.

The fact that quite a few posters are experiencing the problem means that it is deserving of the attention of readers of PriusChat. Isn't that one of the purposes of PriusChat...to bring a collective elevation to deserving information?

We as readers should be trying to determine how prevalent the problem is. And if it is prevalent (as it appears it may be) then we should be helping each other with suggestions as to the best way to proceed to get resolution. I know that some are following that prescription, but some aren't.

Now how, through PriusChat, and through other means can this problem get some attention?

 

If it's any clarification, a few days ago I went and hosed most
of the winter's salty gook out from underneath the car. This
included pretty intense spraying through the wheels and suspension,
from a bunch of different directions. Completely soaked the brakes,
and then they just sat there while I was washing off the rest of
the car and dealing with some other stuff. Half an hour later
they had that typical rust film beginning to form, and when I finally
went to move the car they felt totally *nasty*. And one corner of
the car, I forget which because it doesn't really matter, was worse
than the others -- it would actually grab with a bit of a "bang"
under very light pedal pressure, and release with a lurch.
.
I drove out and did the usual fix on the next downhill, and it all
cleared up. As I knew it would.
.
_H*

 

Yes, it does feel like its more pronounced on the left (driver side)

 

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I have been having this same problem with the brakes on my brand new 2006 Prius. I only have 750 or so miles on it.

Whenever I break (at a regular pace/pressure) and the vehicle is slowing down, and then the regular brakes are applied, it almost feels as if the brakes slip or "grab-release-grab-release-grab..."

I have read (most of) the posts in this thread so I decided to test out the symptoms. I put the car in Neutral and then applied the brakes and I got the usual smooth braking, which means there is nothing wrong with the actual brakes themselves.

I also noticed that the brakes were more "grabby" (for the lack of a better word) early in the mornings when it is a bit cooler outside.

Not sure exactly what is causing this then...