2015 Toyota Prius · symptom sheet
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early
- 92owner reports
- 95,000median miles
- $3,000median quote
- 11involved a crash
Newest report Sep 17, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
92 of the 165 complaints on this car describe brake wear, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2015 Prius.
Narrower sheets: Brake pedal goes hard or the booster or vacuum pump fails (54 reports) · ABS light on (46 reports) · Brake warning light stays on (25 reports)
Tick what matches of 92 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 booster (53 reports), the ABS module (47 reports), the master cylinder (12 reports) and the pads and rotors (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the brakes covers the 2015 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
25 of the 92 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $2,700 to $3,631.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 41,000 and 150,000 miles, from the 46 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 6 service bulletins or notices for the 2015 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.
2 more on the 2015 Toyota Prius page.
What owners wrote
“Code C1391 200k miles All the warning signs for brake booster issue came up. The cost is too high and I just missed the Customer Support Program timelines because the code came up late. This needs to be a RECALL, based on how many people experience this issue consistently.”
Filed May 26, 2026 · 200,000 miles
“Brake Booster and ABS, Brake Master Cylinder went out in car without any lights or warning while driving the vehicle at a moderate speed on Freeway. I was able to avoid an accident and take the car to a repair shop in which at 119K miles and just at 10.5 yrs old the entire brake system had to be replaced/repaired.”
Filed Mar 20, 2026 · 119,000 miles
“TOYOTA PRIUS ABS BRAKE PUMP ACTUATOR BOOSTER FAILING Making hissing noises and warning icon at only 10 years 9 month, 85,000 miles. Toyota extended warranty is NOT covering.”
Filed Mar 13, 2026 · 85,000 miles
“Got the warning code for C1391 for the brake booster. It failed at 140k miles but because it failed past the 10 year mark did not qualify for the Toyota extended warranty program. I don't think the warranty program is good enough and should be addressed as a recall. I had sudden total brake failure on the highway which could have been extremely deadly.”
Filed Sep 22, 2025 · 140,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 11 of 92 reports involved a crash and 6 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