2014 Toyota Prius · symptom sheet
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early
- 96owner reports
- 106,000median miles
- $3,000median quote
- 14involved a crash
Newest report Sep 12, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
96 of the 182 complaints on this car describe brake wear, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2014 Prius.
Narrower sheets: Brake pedal goes hard or the booster or vacuum pump fails (47 reports) · ABS light on (44 reports) · Brake warning light stays on (42 reports)
Tick what matches of 96 reports
Brake wear on other Prius years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2016.
What this problem usually is
Brake reports cover a wide spread of symptoms. Grinding or squealing is common, and so is a pulsing pedal or a shake through the car when stopping. Others describe pads and rotors worn out long before they expected, a brake warning light, or a pedal that goes soft or sinks toward the floor. The most serious ones say the car didn't stop in time.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the ABS module (45 reports), the booster (44 reports), the master cylinder (12 reports) and the pads and rotors (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the brakes covers the 2014 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the brakes on the Prius
Brake actuator valve wear. Open.
Brake actuator valve wear. Closed jan 21, 2021.
Braking performance, hybrid vehicle. Closed jul 12, 2010.
What owners paid
27 of the 96 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $2,500 to $4,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 77,000 and 150,000 miles, from the 48 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 5 service bulletins or notices for the 2014 Toyota Prius that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
Dealer Package: Toyota has received reports about certain internal malfunctions of the brake booster assemblies in some of the subject vehicles.
Warranty Enhancement Program: Toyota has received reports indicating various brake system related warning lamps illuminate due to internal malfunctions.
Dealer Letter: March 7, 2019 ZJB Phase 2 Launch for Certain 2011 ? 2015 Model Year Prius Vehicles and Certain 2012 ? 2015 Model Year Prius PHV vehicles.
1 more on the 2014 Toyota Prius page.
What owners wrote
“Brake actuator had been making noises and it finally stopped working on 7/14/26. Thankfully my car was and stopped and parked. The car has 137k miles on it, one owner and no explanation of what caused this. There were no accidents, abuse, or failure to maintenance.”
Filed Jul 14, 2026 · 137,000 miles
“ABS, brake, and traction warning lights came on. Loss of power brakes/limited manual brake. Extended warranty/customer service outreach did not apply. Car is at 120,000 miles and almost 12 years.”
Filed May 28, 2026 · 120,000 miles
“2014 Prius HB with 135k miles , onboard system warning lights for Brakes, ABS system, TPMS and Traction Ctrl all came one suddenly. Brake losing pressure while vehicle making strange noise under front driver side”
Filed Jan 29, 2026 · 135,000 miles
“Brake booster system failed and needs replacement. Was told that there was a recall but it expired in 2024 and my car is not covered. Cal has 102000 miles on it.”
Filed Feb 7, 2025 · 102,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 14 of 96 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found