2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V Recalls, Complaints & Safety

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake master cylinder was constantly cycling. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. Most recently, while the vehicle was turned off, the brake master cylinder was cycling. The contact stated that while the keys were in his hands and standing several feet away from the vehicle, the brakes started cycling. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

The power assist braking system failed while I was driving in the rain. I was approaching a stoplight and I had to push down a lot harder and farther than I typically have to in order to stop. Luckily I was not going that fast and there were no cars ahead of me, but I stopped beyond where I had intended at a busy intersection. No warning lamps or messages had been illuminated prior to this happening. After the failure, the Brake system, ABS, and SLIP indicator lights were on and remained on when the car was restarted. An independent service center used a scan tool and found code C1391 stored in memory, indicating that the brake booster is unable to hold pressure due to an internal leak. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police or insurance, but can be available upon request.

I bought this car over a week ago for a good price, performed fine until I’m driving it home on the interstate and some abs/brake lights came on the dash. I enter my city and notice the brakes aren’t performing as tight as they were during the test drive. A few days later I take it to a local dealership to get it looked at. The brake actuator and pump had gone bad, causing this issue. It cost almost $5,000 to fix there, I couldn’t afford it so I had to only pay the $185 for the diagnostic. It’s an on and off thing, sometimes the lights go away and it brakes as it should, but most of the time the lights are on and the brakes don’t work as they should. I fear one day the brakes may eventually give out on me and cause an accident. I am available for inspection.

After 13 years and 112,000 the brake booster and brake booster pump went out on my car. Toyota extended the warranty to 10 years because of this issue. Now just outside of the 10 yr mark my car has this issue and Toyota will not cover it. This is a huge expense and also a major issue with this year and model of car.

I have a Prius v 2012, and the lights for abs turned on and when I checked on internet Toyota was repairing the part for 150k miles and 10 years but this is a safety feature my car is now at 149922, And while I was on road suddenly the signs came up and I the brakes were hard, and this is a problem for my safety and for others too since It doesn’t brake well

While driving on the interstate I went to slow down to merge and my brakes failed. The following warning lights came on: Master Warning Light (yellow), Brake System Warning Light, Brake System warning light (red), ABS Warning Light, and the Slip Indicator light. My vehicle was towed to a Toyota Dealership and after running a diagnostic test, they confirmed that it was the "Break booster with accumulator c1391 stored internal leak of accumulator and need immediate attention" which they quoted at $4,295.68 to fix. After researching the issue saw A Customer Support Program 20TE07 was issued taking responsibility for the faulty Brake Booster Pump Assembly however only covered the repair for a two-year period and only if it was one of the identified diagnostic trouble codes listed in the CSP issued by Toyota but expired in Feb 2022. The code pulled from my vehicle 3 days ago was listed in this document, but the coverage only covers until Feb 2022. This is not a normal wear and tear issue, it is a faulty part that Toyota identified as a life and death safety concern but refuses to do anything about because mine didn't show an issue within their 2-year CSP timeframe. Toyota identified that there are roughly 118,950 2012-2014 model year prius V with a production period of late September 2010 to mid-November 2014 vehicles that this faulty part affects along with everyone else on the road with these vehicles as it causes failure of the brake booster pump assembly, which leads to a loss of braking assist and the deactivation of the Vehicle Stability Control system. For the safety and lives of the owners of these vehicles and all of the other lives of the drivers on the road that this could affect in the case of this faulty part should there be a catastrophic accident, like mine could have been, a nationwide recall on this part MUST be issued.

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service brakes warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the brake booster assembly and brake booster pump assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21TE01. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

On 10-17-24 these warning lights came on: 1. Pre-collision System 2. Hybrid System 3. Airbag 4. Safety Connect red light And Intermittently: 1. Slip Indicator 2. Brake System Cruise control would not set, and displayed "E3". ------- Component failed: Dealer determined that the driver's side door harness had been chewed by a rat that had entered the under dash area "somehow". They said it couldn't be repaired but must be replaced. My insurance deductible was $500 and they paid the balance of the $1,387.06 bill. (I have retained the harness, which could have been repaired by splicing the two wires connecting to the driver's side airbag collision sensor. The labor to splice the wires would have been less than an hour.) ------ Safety: The chewed wire apparently disabled the Airbag, Pre Collision, Emergency Automatic Braking, Seatbelt Pre-Tensioning, ABS, and Stability Systems. ----- The dealer confirmed the problem. ----- My insurance adjuster did inspect the harness. ----- I placed electronic rat traps in the vehicle, which killed three rats. ========= NEXT ========= ALL THE SAME WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON A FEW MONTHS LATER! I didn't throw more money at the Dealer, and took off the panels to inspect the wiring myself. There was damage to the passenger side door harness wires. I removed the harness and ordered a $60 used replacement on Ebay. While waiting for delivery, I researched rat damage to Toyota wires, and how rats could possibly enter the interior of the car. I discovered that there is an UNSCREENED 12x9 inch opening to bring fresh air into the HVAC system. It is hidden under the windshield wiper cowls. Also, there are two UNSCREENED vents in the trunk area. Other Prius owners covered those openings with 1/4 inch metal wire hardware cloth. I spent a few hours disassembling, covering, and reassembling pieces to prevent further access through the fresh air intake, and will do to the rear next. TOYOTA should recall these cars and ratproof the harnesses

My wife was driving home and four dashboard error lights illuminated (Brakes, ABS, SLIP and a yellow light_) The brakes suddenly "went soft" (in her words), and it freaked her out. I now learn that I need to have the brake master cylinder and a booster pump assembly replaced at a cost of over $4,000. Ouch!

While driving suddenly the ABS and vehicle traction lights came on and the car became very slippery, was unable to stop without an excessive amount of space between the car in front of me and me. While looking at the car, I realized the actuator brake booster pump. I then found multiple websites and forums dedicated to people with the same problem ( brakes suddenly not functioning correctly while driving) with the same model car as I have, and there was a service bulletin that shows Toyota acknowledged there was a problem ( and a fix) but with the date of the bulletin and the date it was to be fixed within, it was near impossible to actually have it fixed. My car has 87,000 miles and the brake system is dangerous

Brake booster pump assembly. Toyota has sent a notice of extended warranty for this vehicle which has expired. Without repair, the brakes will loose compression and stop working.

Anti lock brake malfunction. Code c1391 leak in brake accumulator. This seems to be a common code for brake issues with Prius. The cost to repair is significant, more than the value of the car. This is a certain safety issue that needs to be addressed. This is clearly a Hazzard and will cost lives to those who cannot afford the cost of repair.

The issue is my brakes failed on me all of a sudden. My abs light, traction control light, and brake light came on out of nowhere. Suddenly didn't have brake pressure. Had to pump the brakes a few times before the car would stop. Luckily I didn't hit anything or anyone. I brought the car to Prius specialist and they diagnosed it saying it was the ABS Actuator Pump Assembly and Master Cylinder. They said it is quite common in the 3rd generation of Prius'. I contacted Toyota North America and they said they had a recall on the parts but it ended Dec 31st, 2021. I bought the car in 2022 unknowingly. Was quoted around $4000 to repair it parts and labor. This is a safety issue that should not be limited to time. Luckily I was not on a Freeway or anywhere where I could have done damage. This issue is a hazard to myself and other people on the road. Toyota needs to resolve this.

I write to add my voice to the litany of complaints in support of NHTSA investigation DP23005. While on an road trip recently the ABS, Traction Control, and Brake warning lights all came on. The brake felt squishy and didn't seem to be functioning as confidently as before. I altered my driving (giving plenty of distance, lowering my speed) so that in the event the brakes quit working I would have an exit strategy. I took it to my Independent Service Center as soon as possible who found the code C1391 and diagnosed the need to replace the master cylinder / booster assembly for several thousand dollars. Of course I must do this in order to remain safe but this is clearly a safety issue that could have been catastrophic. Meanwhile I am out of a car for several weeks until the part arrives and out of at least $2000 as quoted by my mechanic ($1640 for the part). The car only has 146,500 miles on it so otherwise would have plenty of life left in it. I'm filing this complaint to add my voice to the open petition and toward the NHTSA's investigation in strong support of holding Toyota responsible for PREVENTING injury and death through a proper recall, as well as against burdening the car owner with the costs of making up for Toyota's negligence on this issue. At the least they need to cover the cost of these necessary safety repairs when they are warned by the lights and reinstate their warranty extension for this issue

I write to add my voice to the litany of complaints in support of NHTSA investigation DP23005. While on an interstate road trip recently the ABS, Traction Control, and Brake warning lights all came on. The brake felt squishy and didn't seem to be functioning as confidently as before. I altered my driving (giving plenty of distance, lowering my speed) so that in the event the brakes quit working I would have an exit strategy. I took it to my Independent Service Center as soon as possible who found the code C1391 and diagnosed the need to replace the master cylinder / booster assembly for several thousand dollars. Of course I must do this in order to remain safe but this is clearly a safety issue that could have been catastrophic. Meanwhile I am out of a car for several weeks until the part arrives and out of at least $2000 as quoted by my mechanic ($1640 for the part). The car only has 146,500 miles on it so otherwise would have plenty of life left in it. I'm filing this complaint to add my voice to the open petition and toward the NHTSA's investigation in strong support of holding Toyota responsible for PREVENTING injury and death through a proper recall, as well as against burdening the car owner with the costs of making up for Toyota's negligence on this issue. At the least they need to cover the cost of these necessary safety repairs when they are warned by the lights and reinstate their warranty extension for this issue ("POL18-03") which expired for my vehicle in August of 2021.

have suddenly brake failture, w code c1391, it problem persist car do not stop by pressing brake , it is too dangerous to drive this car!!!! what you can help me w this recall or rebate option for brake repair?

The Toyota Prius of this generation has a known defect in the brake booster pump assembly. About 2 weeks ago the dash lights came on for ABS, Traction control, general warning light. The brakes work but feel soft, and a motor sound pulses behind the steering column every 8-10 seconds. My mechanic pointed out it is a known problem where the ABS booster pump has a faulty valve that doesn’t allow proper pressure to build to engage ABS system. I cannot afford the Repair: $3890 for master cylinder and brake booster. My concern is that most people can’t afford this repair and without a functioning ABS system, people are put at risk from this generation of Prius. Toyota did offer a customer service program acknowledging the issue, but that program only helped if these issues occurred before 2022. With the known issue, why wasn’t a recall required? Toyota should be required to address this safety issue. How many of these Prius are on the road where customers are expected to perform a $4,000. Repair to keep up the safety standards. The car is available for inspection upon request. Thank you.

I was driving and all of a sudden the emergency brake light, the ABS brake light and a couple more turned on and I had no more brakes. I had just driven 25 miles with it and stopped at many red lights along the way with no issue and NO WARNING lights. I could have gotten into a major accident if it had happened anywhere else in my route. Fortunately, I was about a mile from my house and the hybrid motor helped slow the car down. I was unable to stop at any stop sign in my development and here again was very fortunate that there were no cars along the way. Once I got home, I got it towed to Toyota and was told it is an internal failure of the actuator. I contacted Toyota America and was just told that there was a campaign to repair this but that I had passed the date. My car has only been serviced at the same Toyota in my city since I got it. I religiously brought it every 5000 miles. I am shocked that they never mentioned this campaign to me and that they didn't initiate a repair during the campaign. This is a major issue that needs to be addressed and Toyota needs to be held accountable.

About three weeks ago, my daughter told me that several lights were on on her display. I checked and among them were the traction control and 2 other related to the brake system. I looked up possible causes on the Internet and it seemed the brake booster/master cylinder could be a culprit, but then I checked the fluid reservoir and the fluid was low, so I topped it off, drove the car, pumped the brakes a few times and all the lights went off. About a week later the lights were back on. I checked all the lines and saw not visible signs of leaks and decided to take it to a mechanic. I took it to a local mechanic and I was told that the brake master cylinder with brake booster failed and had to be replaced. Afterward the brakes were repaired I went to 2 local Toyota dealerships to check the price of the parts. The first dealership provided the prices without any discussion. At the second dealership, the employee who waited on me, after I provided her the VIN and told her that I need the price of the brake booster/master cylinder,m told me that there was a service notice on the booster/master cylinder because of a high rate of failure and that I would have to check with the service department before she could sell me the part. This is concerning, if Toyota knew/knows that the part has a high rate of failure, why wasn't a recall notice issued?

Brake master cylinder and brake booster accumulator assemblies brake parts from this vehicle failed on another vehicle.

After starting the car on 7/30/24, the Brake System Warning Light, ABS,Slip Indicator, and Master Warning Light all came on indicating an issue with the brake system. We were able to get it to the local dealership and when they ran diagnostics on it, it returned a code C1391, which confirmed the issue. This was addressed in 2020 by Toyota, but only for cars 10 years or 150,000 miles old. Our car is a 2022 with 105,000 miles on it, but we are outside of the year limit (car was 8 years old when the Customer Service Program was released).

The brake booster noise, brake problem, brake booster pump internal mail function

2012 Toyota Prius brake actuator failure . While driving my Toyota Prius the braking system failed, this was on a large road and so posed a major danger to not only me, but the passengers in the vehicle and the vehicles around us. Thankfully nobody was hurt. After having the vehicle inspected by a Toyota dealership the problem was found to be the “Actuator/accumulator” and after speaking with the dealership it has come to be my understanding that this is a common and unavoidable problem with Toyota Prius models. There were no lights or warnings on in the vehicle until after the brakes gave out. I cannot understand why this has not been recalled when it is a manufacturing issue on Toyotas end that poses a significant danger on the roads, and am wondering what the reimbursement policy for this is as it came out to be quite expensive.

The Brake Master Cylinder and Brake Booster pump failed to maintain pressure. I don't have the replaced parts, my mechanic recycled them before I realised I was going to submit this. When the part completely failed, I had the ABS, traction control lights on. I couldn't trust that the car wouldn't have a problem stopped, and the brake pedal also became squishy in responsiveness. My own safety, my kids safety, and the safety of others was at risk and I immediately stopped driving it to get the repair done. The problem was confirmed by a Toyota dealership and this was a recall but since my car is older the recall had expired. I was unaware of this recall until the issue began. It was also confirmed by my personal mechanic to be the failure. The Dashboard lit up the ABS, TCS, Brake, (!) light, VSC, and the sound of the pump changed. Before all the lights came up I had noticed a air leaking sound coming from near the brake pedal at times.

while driving i lost the power braking on my vehicle and the abs, traction and another exclamtion point symbol came on. my brakes had to be pushed really hard all the way down to the floor board increasing my braking distance.

Complete Brake failure, confirmed brake accumulator / actuator failure resulting in near miss crash, tow home not drivable, onle e brake works, appears pump burned up not running any longer.

Brake booster has gone out. This is a known, dangerous issue that Toyota knows will occur, It is a dangerous and expensive risk to those driving these ticking time bombs, and those potentially in the path of these vehicles. This is a pure safety risk item. No one asking for these brake actions are gaining anything materially other than the use of their cars safely. To make matters worse, Toyota doesn’t even make these in volumes that don’t generate volume pricing efficiency, meaning replacement runs upward of $4k to $5k at their dealerships to replace. Criminal…. Please help.

On February 27 2024 I had spend 2300 dollars on car repairs see enclosed then on April 11 2024 while backing out of my driveway, I experienced a sudden acceleration of my vehicle which led to body damage to my car yet Toyota after inspection says that now the car system works perfectly. Prior to this incident I experienced warning light and windshield wiper malfunction .

Crash 1 injured

On February 27 2024 I had spend 2300 dollars on car repairs see enclosed then on April 11 2024 while backing out of my driveway, I experienced a sudden acceleration of my vehicle which led to body damage to my car yet Toyota after inspection says that now the car system works perfectly. Prior to this incident I experienced warning light and windshield wiper malfunction .

Crash 1 injured

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle then stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

I was driving when I felt my brake pedal start to become soft and mushy. I was able to brake, but I had to pump the brakes to get full brakes to stop. I also noticed warnings began to appear on my dashboard. The warnings that were shown are the brake light, traction assistant light, and ABS light. I took it to Gates Toyota in South Bend, IN and paid for a brake inspection. They told me that my brakes themselves were OK (pads, rotors, calipers), but they were getting a C1391 error. I was told that the brake accumulator has an internal leak. I was told that I needed to replace the brake master cylinder and brake booster pump assembly. I bought the car used from the dealership about a year and a half ago. After doing research, I found that this same issue has been a common recall problem on a number of Toyota vehicles starting as far back as 2008. I also found a few class action lawsuits concerning Toyota vehicles with the exact same issue. My vehicle doesn't show any current recalls, but I'm having the same problem as other Prius V vehicles are having. I was quoted $3300 to fix this problem. I shouldn't have to be responsible for paying for a defect that has been recalled on a very large number of vehicles, and also has been the result of class action lawsuits.

Brake failure resulting in code C1391. Petition for Defect Investigation dated 09/09/23 summitted to NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via Certified Mail. Received by Office of Defects Investigation on 10/10/23.

8/2/22 My ABS light came on. Took the car to a dealer. They kept it for six weeks and returned it on 10/3/22. No charge and no explanation. 11/7/22 engine light came on. Took in to dealer, they returned it 11/17/22 indicated incorrect air/ fuel mixture. 10/9/23 Traveling 47 mph, came around a mountain and encountered stopped cars. Slammed on the brakes, car did not slow down, steering wheel locked to the right, car yawed to the right, and turned over, hit a curb and the car righted itself. 3 occupants, 2 injuries , 1 death. Researching the 2012 Toyota Prius, found many instances of a faulty ABS system, mimicking exactly my experience. I was never informed by Toyota or the local Toyota dealer.

Crash 2 injured 1 deaths

The hybrid system was shut down while driving. The symptoms are like the description in this recall (NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V684000). However, my VIN is not on the recall list.

8/2/22 My ABS light came on. Took the car to a dealer. They kept it for six weeks and returned it on 10/3/22. No charge and no explanation. 11/7/22 engine light came on. Took in to dealer, they returned it 11/17/22 indicated incorrect air/ fuel mixture. 10/9/23 Traveling 47 mph, came around a mountain and encountered stopped cars. Slammed on the brakes, car did not slow down, steering wheel locked to the right, car yawed to the right, and turned over, hit a curb and the car righted itself. 3 occupants, 2 injuries , 1 death. Researching the 2012 Toyota Prius, found many instances of a faulty ABS system, mimicking exactly my experience. I was never informed by Toyota or the local Toyota dealer.

Crash 2 injured 1 deaths

8/2/22 My ABS light came on. Took the car to a dealer. They kept it for six weeks and returned it on 10/3/22. No charge and no explanation. 11/7/22 engine light came on. Took in to dealer, they returned it 11/17/22 indicated incorrect air/ fuel mixture. 10/9/23 Traveling 47 mph, came around a mountain and encountered stopped cars. Slammed on the brakes, car did not slow down, steering wheel locked to the right, car yawed to the right, and turned over, hit a curb and the car righted itself. 3 occupants, 2 injuries , 1 death. Researching the 2012 Toyota Prius, found many instances of a faulty ABS system, mimicking exactly my experience. I was never informed by Toyota or the local Toyota dealer.

Crash 2 injured 1 deaths

Brake actuator making noise every 10 seconds and oil is having to be filled in everyday.

Broken bones in face. Nose split in two parts Eye socket broken along with cornea messed up. Broken ribs. Bleeding spleen. Broken neck.

Crash 1 injured

Broken bones in face. Nose split in two parts Eye socket broken along with cornea messed up. Broken ribs. Bleeding spleen. Broken neck.

Crash 1 injured

Broken bones in face. Nose split in two parts Eye socket broken along with cornea messed up. Broken ribs. Bleeding spleen. Broken neck.

Crash 1 injured

Upon driving out of my school parking lot at approximately 15 to 20 miles per hour I noticed a cushiony filled with a brakes and all of a sudden I heard a shhh all of my lights popped up on my dashboard. When I took my vehicle in to be able to find out what was going on with it I was told that I need a master cylinder and a brake booster. This was after having my vehicle for only 3 years where I purchased it from Rice Toyota Greensboro North Carolina.

Coming to a yellow light, I braked and the vehicle made a strange sound with loss of braking, so I sped up instead, having to go through a red light. Shortly after, that afternoon, when I again started the vehicle, the safety lights lit up in the dashboard and my vehicle kept making a strange cycling noise. As it turns out, it was the whole brake actuator assembly. Under great financial hardship, I had the vehicle repaired ($4300+). I applied to Toyota Corporate for help but they denied it, saying I was outside the extended warranty. I’ve since learned this brake problem was a known issue, and Toyota settled a class action settlement. My vehicle has only 90,000 miles on it, and it is has been used primarily as an in-town vehicle, our only car. I’m asking for a recall and reimbursement on repair for affected vehicles. Toyota has been allowed to get away with responsibility for a known issue by putting it into a extended warranty program, now expired. Meanwhile, this dangerous, known defect continues to happen to unsuspecting drivers. I was lucky with my incident, as no cars came out when the light changed, but it could have been a different outcome.