2010 Toyota Prius Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 593 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2010 Toyota Prius, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 93,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “brake booster” (27% of reports).
- 593service brakes complaints
- 93,000median miles at failure
- 44mention a crash
- 14mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $4,150typical repair cost reported by owners
- 27%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Brake booster: mentioned in 159 of 593 complaints (27%)
- Traction control: mentioned in 90 of 593 complaints (15%)
- Master cylinder: mentioned in 69 of 593 complaints (12%)
- Pump assembly: mentioned in 46 of 593 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the 2010 Toyota Prius at $4,150, and half of them between $3,400 and $5,300.
Based on 78 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 373 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 593 complaints, 44 mention a crash, 14 an injury.
Toyota Prius service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Prius | 2 | 13% | — |
| 2024 Prius | 2 | 7% | 3,000 |
| 2023 Prius | 2 | 10% | — |
| 2022 Prius | 4 | 17% | 10,000 |
| 2021 Prius | 1 | 17% | — |
| 2020 Prius | 4 | 29% | 8,185 |
| 2019 Prius | 9 | 30% | 3,498 |
| 2018 Prius | 3 | 8% | 4,500 |
| 2017 Prius | 14 | 15% | 14,932 |
| 2016 Prius | 18 | 12% | 7,193 |
| 2015 Prius | 89 | 54% | 35,000 |
| 2014 Prius | 94 | 45% | 21,000 |
| 2013 Prius | 231 | 56% | 83,500 |
| 2012 Prius | 184 | 43% | 77,000 |
| 2011 Prius | 264 | 51% | 80,000 |
| 2010 Prius | 593 | 21% | 93,000 |
| 2009 Prius | 63 | 13% | 130,000 |
| 2008 Prius | 145 | 10% | 129,325 |
| 2007 Prius | 127 | 6% | 123,377 |
| 2006 Prius | 73 | 5% | 139,500 |
| 2005 Prius | 82 | 8% | 135,626 |
| 2004 Prius | 21 | 3% | 138,000 |
| 2003 Prius | 5 | 5% | 117,689 |
| 2002 Prius | 4 | 2% | 30,000 |
| 2001 Prius | 5 | 3% | 125,225 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Service brakes
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Prius vehicles manufactured March 31, 2009, through October 9, 2009; and model year 2010 Lexus HS250h vehicles manufactured June 19, 2009, through October 9, 2009. Nitrogen gas from a component of the brake booster pump assembly could leak into the brake fluid.
Risk: As nitrogen is released into the brake fluid, the brake pedal may have reduced hydraulic pressure. Under certain circumstances, this condition could affect stopping distance and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected brake booster pump assemblies. The recall began on August 7, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Service brakes, air:antilock:control unit/module
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 toyota prius and lexus hs250h passenger vehicles. Customers have experienced inconsistent brake feel after abs actuation during slow and steady application of the brakes on rough or slick road surfaces. Stopping distances may be increased compared with a customer's expectation for a given pedal force.
Risk: Vehicle stopping distances may increase relative to a customer's expectation increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will rewrite the programming of the abs control unit free of charge. The safety recall began on march 3, 2010, and is expected to be completed in late march 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331 and lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Subject: Vehicle Safety Defect Complaint / Request for Investigation Review Vehicle: 2010 Toyota Prius VIN: [XXX] Component: Electronic Brake Booster / Pressure Accumulator Assembly Dear Administrator, I am writing to formally report a critical safety defect in my 2010 Toyota Prius regarding the…
Component failed: Brake actuator and accumulator on a 2010 Toyota Prius. It is available for inspection upon request. Safety: ABS, traction, and brake lights turned on suddenly in the middle of rush-hour traffic, followed by a spongey, hard-to-press pedal. Braking distance and efficiency was…
To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally complain about the way Toyota has handled the problems with my 2010 Toyota Prius and my repeated requests for assistance. I have been a loyal Toyota customer and have purchased two new Toyota vehicles because I trusted Toyota's quality and expected…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2010 Toyota Priuss have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 593 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2010 Toyota Prius (21% of the 2,823 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2010 Toyota Prius service brakes?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes problems start?
The median reported mileage is 93,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the 2010 Toyota Prius?
Owners report a typical cost of $4,150 (half paid between $3,400 and $5,300), from 78 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2010 Toyota Prius?
The most frequent phrase is “brake booster”, in 159 of 593 complaints, followed by “traction control” (90).
Other 2010 Toyota Prius problems
See all 2010 Toyota Prius problems or service brakes problems across all Prius years.