NHTSA Complaint #11682002 — 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS

Around May 2025, the brake booster and pump in the car stopped working. There was no clear warning lamp or indicator prior to it failing. While driving on the highway, the part stopped working and significantly changed the car's braking power. Rather than smoothly braking as it did before, the car's brakes have significantly less braking power. The defective part also affects the car's ABS system, making the car unsafe if a sudden stop were required as the brakes will lock up and the car will lose grip on the road and start skidding. Significantly longer braking distances is needed and it's not clear the car would be able to safely stop at a short distance in the event of an emergency. It's a miracle we didn't get into any accidents when the part suddenly failed. There is a significant risk that failure of this part will be the cause of a car accident when the car suddenly no longer brakes how the driver is used to. Toyota has previously offered an extended warranty on the part, but the part did not fail until shortly after the warranty expired. The car has been within my family since it was originally put into service and none of the owners were ever notified that the part could be replaced or even fail in such a manner. The problem has been confirmed by a dealer but they have only offered to fix it at a significant cost. The vehicle does not feel safe to drive. Warning lights only appeared after the part failed but they weren't particularly helpful in diagnosing the problem in the moment because 4 different lights turned on all at once.