NHTSA Complaint #10348577 — 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS

EVENT: INCOMPLETE BRAKE FEEL, DURING SLOW AND STEADY APPLICATION OF BRAKES ON SLICK OR ROUGH ROAD SURFACES, WHEN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) IS ACTIVATED IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN TIRE TRACTION. THE SYSTEM ENGAGES AND DISENGAGES RAPIDLY (MANY TIMES PER SECOND) AS THE CONTROL SYSTEM SENSES AND REACTS TO THE TIRE SLIPPAGE. IF THE SAME BRAKE FORCE IS APPLIED UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, IN THE WORST CASE, THIS MAY LEAD TO AN INCREASE OF VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE AND THUS RAISE THE POSSIBILITY OF A CRASH. TOYOTA SAYS THAT THE OLDER PRIUSES, LIKE MINE, USE A DIFFERENT ABS SYSTEM, AND SO ARE NOT SUBJECT TO RECALL. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A SIMILAR ISSUE. FAILURE: WHENEVER THERE IS A SLICK, WET ROAD. CORRECTION: I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER, ALL SYSTEMS WERE CHECKED SAFE, TIRES' PSI WERE ADJUSTED, IT WAS FELT THAT THERE WAS SOME TIRE NOISE. INCIDENT CONTINUES INTERMITTENTLY. *TR