NHTSA Complaint #10343395 — 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS

I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS, AND REPEATEDLY EXPERIENCE THE "BRAKE DROP-OUT" PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED ON NUMEROUS PRIUS-RELATED WEBSITES. (SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, HTTP://PRIUSCHAT.COM/FORUMS/GEN-II-PRIUS-TECHNICAL-DISCUSSION/80218-TRACTION-CONTROL-DISABLING-BRAKES-OVER-BUMPS.HTML, OR HTTP://PRIUSCHAT.COM/FORUMS/PRIUS-HYBRID-NEWS/75647-TOYOTAS-NEXT-PAGE-RANKING-NIGHTMARE-PRIUS-BRAKES-4.HTML, AMONG OTHERS). I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN RAISED WITH NHTSA NUMEROUS TIMES. THE PROBLEM I EXPERIENCE IS THAT WHEN I DRIVE OVER A BUMP OR POTHOLE, PARTICULARLY AT A LOW SPEED, WHILE BRAKING, A WARNING LIGHT FLASHES ON AND THE CAR MOMENTARILY LURCHES FORWARD. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE FELT CLOSE TO GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT. I UNDERSTAND FROM THE EXTENSIVE ONLINE DISCUSSIONS OF THIS PROBLEM THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH A TRANSITION FROM THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM TO THE TRADITIONAL FRICTION BRAKING SYSTEM, BUT THAT ONLY EXPLAINS THE PROBLEM, AND DOES NOT SOLVE IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA HAS ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM IN THE GEN III PRIUS, BUT HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT THE GEN II PRIUS. ALSO, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FLOOR MAT RECALL FOR THIS CAR. *TR