Fixing Cars

Toyota has been in the news with regards to a problem with the Prius brakes and hats off to PriusChat and their findings that confirm the issue with Prius brakes. More on the Prius Brake Problem thats been confirmed by a TECH.

The Toyota Prius has a regenerative braking system, which is the same type of braking thats used with electric motors which turn them into generators for recovery of energy. There are different phases or stages of braking that Prius owners have been able to encounter that teaches them the advantages of using this form of braking with regards to getting excellent fuel efficiency.

Regen Braking PDF

Prius brakes are controlled by the vehicles computer system which relies on data from sensors and other types of electronic devices, just like the engine it has parameters and logic that sends signals according to the force being applied to the brake pedal. In the case of the Prius, where braking while the foot is removed from the accelerator, or gliding, at speeds under 40mph is the sweet spot for Prius owners. More on these conditions of maximizing mileage with a Prius on HybridCars.com

This braking problem could have nothing to do with the actual brakes themselves, ie. brake pads, calipers, discs, rotors, or the brake pedal so by paying very close attention one may notice some common occurances that affect not only the brakes but the overall drivability once the vehicle enters a certain mode. This certain mode when looking at the overall vehicle electronics system could be summed up for a basic explanation of whether your car is in open or closed loop, you can read more about that on this wikipedia page about electronic throttle control.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_throttle_control

So be fully aware that if your Toyota is showing signs that don’t seem normal and you haven’t spoken to your dealer, then it’s potentially be a very dangerous situation not only for the owner / driver of the vehicle but for everyone on the road. So be vigilant about this and contact your dealer, and if they don’t help call another one until you get one on the phone that will that day listen to you, the problem and make a recommendation.

In addition, I’ve put together a list of some tips on determining whether your Toyota Prius has a brake problem which is currently being looked into by Toyota at the request of Japan and the US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. So until they’ve made an official determination, here are some things you can consider about your brakes.

Read more for the FAQ list :

Does my Prius have a brake problem?

Most of the time if a car encounters a problem it will either flash an indicator light which illuminates with either “check engine” or “check brakes” which is the result of something abnormal going on within the vehicles main computer.

How can I check the brakes on my Prius?

At this point unless there’s been strange brake behavior then it’s probably not an issue unless Toyota issues a recall on the Prius brake system.

What would a strange brake behavior be like?

If you’ve ever hit the brakes on a patch of ice you may have noticed a sensation that feels like the brake pedal is vibrating. This is the computer engaging the brakes at a on / off pulse so that the wheels do not lock up causing an uncontrollable spin. That is one example to illustrate how brakes may feel when they are not acting their usual self. So any sudden locking up or hesitation in brakes being applied or any other odd braking experience would be reason to keep track of it.

What can I do if I’m having some brake problems or symptoms of brake problems?

The best thing you could do is to first get yourself a notebook and keep it with you in the car, perhaps one small enough to fit into the glovebox. Anytime you experience a strange or abnormal driving experience take out the notebook and write down your experience. Be sure to include the date, and any other details such as road conditions, wet, icy, or deep standing water on road.

What might be an example of when the brakes become a very serious problem?

This could be different for many people, so the rule of thumb I would suggest is anytime that you feel like you’re uncomfortable driving would constitute a serious problem. Driving is a very serious activity that requires concentration and alertness so that the vehicle is not a potential danger to others on the road. If there’s even the slightest indication that something isn’t right, don’t risk it and call the manufacturer.

Why would a new car have brake problems or issues related to erratic braking?

New vehicles have computers which are totally relient on the data that is sent in for processing from all of the cars sensors. Vehicle speed is a function of not only the % of throttle being applied but of the current speed the vehicle is traveling so stomping on the gas will have a different effect at 0 MPH than at 50 MPH. The same applies to brakes. If you stomp on the brakes at 50 MPH the vehicle is going to send different messages than if you were driving at 5 MPH and stomped on the brakes. The same goes for stomping on the brakes while on drive pavement vs. wet pavement. There is going to be a calculation done and steps to produce the slowing of the vehicle in relation to how much you are demanding it be slowed will commence.

Does riding the brakes produce problems or can I cause these brake problems myself from my driving?

Generally the answer is no because unless you are always driving with your accelerator and brake at the same time you aren’t going to cause the entire brake system to alter its behavior during standard driving conditions.

Should I pull the ebrake if my car won’t stop or what happens in the situation where my brakes go out?

This is a tough one because it could be a million different scenarios that could occur. What lane are you in? Could you potentially cross over into oncoming traffic? Are there people in the car with you? Have you tried to slow down by putting it in neutral? Can you get to a lane where you could get safely off the road if the vehicle won’t stop?

There are these runoffs for semi trucks in the mountains such as Montana which are made up of deep sand and due to the steep inclines and declines along the highways semis can risk loosing their brakes. If that occurs they have steer off into one of these sand pits to slow them to a stop. These aren’t common though they would be one way to get a vehicle to stop if all other methods fail. Pulling an ebrake could put the vehicle into a spin and would not be a good option.

Where can I go online to find out about my Prius brake system?

There are a few places that will be very helpful in providing good information and very helpful resources to Learn about your Toyota Prius:

PriusChat - Toyota Prius Braking In Reverse - 20 pages of information from owners who report strange behavior when braking in reverse with their Prius.

CleanMPG - Great community who has a great deal of information and feedback on the Toyota Prius and other fuel effiecient vehicles. http://www.cleanmpg.com/

When it comes down to it all people really wanna know is whether or not their cars safe to drive, sure there’s going to be repairs needed that’s why Toyota’s issued recalls but people really wanna know if they are safe to be on the road, because if not they will park the vehicle and leave it until further information is provided.

There’s no sense in jeopardizing other people’s lives and ones own with vehicles that have mechanical or electrical brake problems and questions about when such issues may be resolved.

Tags: prius brake actuator, prius brake failure, prius brake pads, prius brake problem, prius brake system, prius brakes grabbing, prius braking system

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 1:31 pm and is filed under Chrysler, toyota. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.