NHTSA Complaint #10306089 — 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS

I HAVE A 2008 PRIUS THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THAT REPORTED WITH THE 2010. EVERY TIME I BRAKE ON A RIPPLED OR BUMPY SURFACE, THERE IS A REPEATED MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING. ON A CERTAIN DOWNHILL STRETCH OF ROAD NEAR ME, IT HAPPENED EVERY TIME I DROVE IT, UNTIL IT WAS RESURFACED. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT IF THE VEHICLE IS ON AN INCLINED SURFACE OF CRUSHED ROCK, THERE IS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE DEALER DESCRIBES THIS AS AN "OVERLY SENSITIVE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM" THAT CANNOT BE ADJUSTED. THIS IS ALSO HAZARDOUS BECAUSE ON SLICK SURFACES, EACH MOMENTARY LOSS OF TRACTION RESULTS IN AN OVERLY-COMPENSATED PERIOD OF SERIOUSLY REDUCED ACCELERATION; WE HAVE BEEN SITTING DUCKS IN INTERSECTIONS, UNABLE TO QUICKLY ACCELERATE OUT OF THE WAY IF CONDITIONS ARE SLICK, NOT BECAUSE OF THE SURFACE ITSELF, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE VEHICLE MIS-HANDLES THE SITUATION. *JB