TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Toyota Prius V brakes problems
severe 34 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $450 · see brakes across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
34
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
2crashes
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 34 brakes complaints filed for the 2014 Toyota Prius V, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Brakes accounts for 44% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 5 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 34 brakes complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗RE: Toyota has received reports regarding the Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assemblies on certain 2012 ? 2014 model year Prius V and certain 2015 Model Year Prius V vehicles. These reports have indicated certain internal malfunctions of the Brake Booster Assembly. Although the Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assemblies are covered by Toyota?s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers? ownership experience. Toyota is providing coverage for repairs related to certain internal malfunctions of the Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assemblies in some of the subject vehicles. The following information is p
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2014 Prius V exhibits a pattern of brake booster and accumulator pump failure (diagnostic code C1391) that Toyota itself identified early enough to establish a limited-duration warranty program. Owners describe sudden loss of brake assist during normal driving, followed by multiple warning lights (Brake, ABS, Traction Control) that appear *during* or *after* the failure, not before. The brake pedal either requires extreme force to engage or goes soft, making the vehicle difficult or impossible to stop. Some owners heard hissing or buzzing sounds from the brake system during failure; others experienced complete loss of braking response that nearly caused collisions.
Toyota offered free repair under Customer Support Programs 20TE07 and 21TE01, but only for vehicles that failed while the extended warranty (10 years or 150,000 miles from first in-service date) remained active. The program expired by March 2024 for most owners, after which Toyota denies coverage. Repair costs run $3,000–$10,000 depending on dealership labor rates; overseas service is even higher. Several owners reported multimonth delays waiting for parts availability. One isolated case at 27,000 miles involved intermittent brake pedal release during light braking. At least one owner's daughter experienced a vehicle skid when applying brakes related to ABS failure. Two owners reported rear-end collisions attributed to brake failure, though one vehicle had a salvage title and was not repaired. Class-action lawsuits are reportedly underway against Toyota over this issue.
Same Toyota Prius V brakes reports on nearby years: 2013
Failure modes owners describe
Brake booster and brake booster pump assembly failure (C1391)
Loss of brake assist pressure due to internal leak in the brake booster accumulator, causing loss of braking ability or requiring excessive pedal pressure. Multiple owners report sudden brake failure, spongy or firm pedal feel, and inability to stop the vehicle normally. The brake system continues to function at degraded capacity but requires extreme effort to engage.
When: Occurs between 27,000 and 220,000 miles; no clear mileage pattern. Multiple owners report failure shortly after or during normal driving with no prior warning lights.
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of brake assist; pedal pressure released when depressed; Brake pedal becomes spongy or goes to floor with minimal stopping effect; Excessive pedal effort required to slow vehicle; Abnormal hissing or buzzing sound from brake system (audible every 3-5 seconds or during braking); Multiple warning lights illuminate simultaneously (Brake, ABS, Traction Control, VSC, Battery, Tire Pressure, Check Engine) during or immediately after failure; Warning lights often appear only AFTER or DURING the failure event, not prior; Vehicle hesitates to respond to brake input; Brakes become 'shaky' after warning lights clear
Codes mentioned: C1391 (Abnormal Leak of ACC PRESS / Brake booster and brake booster pump assembly)
Repairs/costs cited: Brake booster assembly and brake booster pump assembly replacement required. Parts cost quoted between $3,000 and $4,500 per part (EUR 3,500–4,000 each in overseas dealership). Labor estimated $1,100–$2,000. Total repair cost $3,000–$10,000+ depending on dealership and labor rates. Overseas repair quoted at EUR 9,000+ ($9,900). Parts on backorder at some dealerships; one customer reported vehicle in shop for nearly 2 months awaiting part arrival.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota Customer Support Program (CSP) 20TE07 (extended to 10 years/150,000 miles from first in-service date) and CSP 21TE01 provided free repair coverage for brake booster failure—but only if failure occurred during the warranty window. Toyota Service Bulletin POL18-03 addresses brake system warning lamp issues. Coverage expired for most owners by March 2024 or when vehicle exceeded 150,000 miles. Toyota denies coverage after expiration despite known defect. One customer (#13) reported Toyota covered repair after program expiration but had 2-month delay waiting for parts. Toyota US confirmed no coverage available once CSP expired. Multiple class-action lawsuits are reportedly pending.
ABS system failure / brake actuator valve wear
Anti-lock brake system malfunction, sometimes concurrent with brake booster failure. ABS pressure loss or valve wear results in loss of ABS function and warning lights. In at least one case, a daughter experienced a skid event when applying brakes.
When: One owner reported at 85,000 miles; another at 106,000 miles. Timing variable; some failures occur after years of storage or light use.
Symptoms owners cite: ABS warning light illumination; Traction control or anti-skid system failure lights; Loss of ABS function or pressure; Vehicle skid event during brake application; All braking-related warning lights illuminate simultaneously
Codes mentioned: C1391 (when related to brake booster/accumulator), Brake actuator failure codes (unspecified in several narratives)
Repairs/costs cited: ABS system replacement or repair required; specific parts not itemized in most narratives. One owner quoted over $5,000 for ABS replacement. Another had ABS covered under Toyota CSP but parts availability issues.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota issued a Customer Support Program for ABS-related issues on 2012–2015 Prius V models (CSP 20TE07). Coverage extended to 10 years/150,000 miles from first in-service date. Multiple recalls issued starting in 2019 on other Toyota models for similar ABS issues, but 2014–2015 Prius V was excluded from those recalls. Coverage expired by March 2024 for most owners.
Brake pedal pressure release / intermittent brake failure (low-mileage occurrence)
Rare early-mileage failure (27,000 miles) where brake pedal pressure released spontaneously when depressed during light braking (20 mph approach to stop). Vehicle surged forward; pedal had to be fully released and reapplied to regain braking. Occurred at least 12 times in one reported incident.
When: Reported at 27,000 miles; no other similar cases noted in narratives.
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal pressure release during light pedal depression; Vehicle surge forward when brakes fail to hold; Repeated failure requiring pedal release and reapplication; Failure occurs at low speed (20 mph)
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle taken to dealer but failure could not be reproduced; not repaired.
Brake booster pump assembly leak (non-accumulator)
Internal leak in brake booster pump assembly separate from accumulator failure, causing reduced braking assist and firm or hard-to-engage brake pedal.
When: At 142,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Firm brake pedal difficult to depress; Hard to slow vehicle; No warning lights initially; Internal leak confirmed by diagnostic
Repairs/costs cited: Parts not available at dealership at time of complaint. Repair not completed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified owner that parts to repair vehicle were not available.
Synthesized from 34 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
Brake Actuator Valve Wear all lights relating to brakes are on, Dec. 12th 2024. The warranty for this expensive fix ended March, 2024 or 150k miles, there are only 106k miles on the vehicle. Something that is such a safety hazard SHOULD not have a date. We are experiencing unexpected loss of brake power while driving, accompanied by multiple dashboard warning lights, so we are unable to…
Brake light and several other lights suddenly came on. The brakes became spongy. Taken to a repair place close enough for walking for diagnostic work. It showed that the brake booster needs to be replaced. There was a campaign for this problem, so Toyota knows that it is/was a problem. That campaign has apparently ended. This is a very expensive repair on a car that I expected to use the rest of…
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the brake light, tire pressure, traction control, battery, and other warning lights were illuminated. While attempting to depress the brake pedal, there was more resistance than normal, making it difficult to slow the vehicle. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the nearest mechanic;…
Brakes are not working properly,pull up to stop light and pedal can go all the way to floor. there are multipul warning lights. Toyota dealer says becase I have 153,00 miles they wont repair,even though Toyota knows there is a problem
Upon inspection, our mechanic determined that the master cylinder assembly and the actuator assembly require replacement (error code C1391). It is currently available for inspection, but will need to be repaired soon. Our safety and the safety of others is at great risk, because there is impending brake failure if driven and the end result could be catastrophic. On 09/13/25, the BRAKE, TRACTION…
Had brakes trouble with your 2014 Toyota Prius V?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2014 Toyota Prius V?
It's a meaningful issue. 34 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Across the 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most brakes failures cluster between 100,000 and 142,000 miles, with the median around 120,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 100,000; a quarter make it past 142,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2014/Toyota/Prius V.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.