NHTSA Complaint #11641970 — 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS

As i was driving, my breaks suddenly became spongey and unresponsive. I could hear a "hiss" sound come from below me. ABS and other warning lights came on on my dash. As i was near my auto mechanic i tried to make it there safely, and as i drove the brakes seemed to become softer and softer. By the time i had reached my mechanic i was so uncomfortable with its ineffectivness i felt it necessary to use the emergency brake to come to a complete stop. My mechanic confirmed that the issues included the failing of the Brake Booster, Brake Master Cylinder, Accumulator Pump, ABS, ABS Computer. According to him this was caused by a set of issues involving internal leaks in the brake booster assembly. These issues were replicatable, and my mechanic says they pose a saftey risk. Even after he gave it a "temporary patch job." Due to this the only times it has been driven were to get it home, to move it along our street so as to not get ticketed for having a stationary vehicle too many days in a row, and one time it was taken up the nearest rise in preparation for a Tsunami warning. When looking for replacment parts, my mechanic allerted me to a Technical Service Bulletin that should have been sent out to owners warning them of this issue and offering replacment parts. I never received this notice as I am the second owner of this vehicle, the notices were sent before i owned it, the previous owner claims not to have been aware of this issue herself, and because it was a voluntary service call, when researching the vehicle myself for any reported issues such as recalls, none had come up, meaning i had no way of knowing. To add to this, i contacted Toyota to see if they would honor the past offer to service this issue, but Toyota refuses to replace the parts now as it is too far past the voluntary service dates they set.