NHTSA Complaint #11661320 — 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS

I am reporting a sudden and dangerous failure of the brake booster in my 2012 Toyota Prius. While driving, I experienced a loss of braking power, accompanied by several warning lights including ABS, Brake, and the Traction Control system. The brake pedal became extremely stiff and unresponsive, significantly increasing the stopping distance. This failure nearly caused an accident, as I was unable to stop quickly enough when traffic slowed unexpectedly. This issue happened without warning and is a serious safety risk. I later discovered this is a common and widely reported defect in 2010–2015 Toyota Prius models. Toyota issued an extended warranty (Customer Support Program ZE3) to cover this known brake booster defect — but only for vehicles within 10 years or 150,000 miles. While my Prius has well under 150,000 miles, it is just over 10 years old, which disqualifies me from coverage, leaving me with a repair estimate over $4,000 for a well-documented manufacturer defect. This seems grossly unfair, especially for responsible owners with low-mileage, well-maintained vehicles. Toyota’s refusal to issue a formal recall and instead offering only limited support puts millions of Prius drivers at risk. A brake system failure of this kind should qualify as a safety defect and trigger a mandatory recall, not a quietly limited program with arbitrary expiration dates. I urge NHTSA to investigate this issue further and consider a recall of the defective brake booster system in these Prius models to protect public safety and ensure fair treatment for affected owners. Thank you.