NHTSA Complaint #10360953 — 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS

LOSS OF BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. HAPPENS WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. YOU DON'T LOSE BRAKING POWER COMPLETELY, BUT IT WOULD BE LIKE YOU HAD LIFTED YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKES PARTIALLY. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE (A LITTLE OVER A YEAR). I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT FACTORS MAKE IT HAPPEN. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS SPEED, SEVERITY OF THE BUMPS, OR BRAKING PRESSURE, OR COMBINATION. I KNOW THAT TEMPERATURE MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, AS IT HAS HAPPENED IN WINTER AND SUMMER. THE LAST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN A BICYCLIST MOVED IN FRONT OF MY CAR TO AVOID BUMPS. I APPLIED THE BRAKES (IT WAS NOT SEVERE), AND AS I WENT OVER THE BUMPS, I LOST BRAKING POWER. MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. TOYOTA HAS DONE A RECALL ON THE BRAKES, BUT I CONTINUE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER OWNERS, AND THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, EVEN AFTER THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKING DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS. HE ALSO STATED THE ENGINE RACED BRIEFLY, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN GEAR AT THE TIME. UPDATED IVOQ 03/01/11 *TR