Brakes pulling in turns

[Sky]

Hi! I'm a proud new Prius owner who loves the 50mpg I'm averaging so far, the sound system, and temperature controls, quiet ride, and much more. And I think my car looks cool. The one questionable thing that I'm noticing is a tendency for it to pull left when I'm in a mild right turn and gently put on the brakes. Not always, but often. And once, when I was testing this, it almost felt like someone was on the other end of the steering column and nudging back every time I nudged it.
I would love to hear any feedback on this. I have driven many, many new cars and never noticed anything like this before.
I sometimes also feel this pull in left turns, but not nearly so often.
When I have tested the brakes on straight stretches, the car always tracks straight--no pull.

[craigcush]

Wish I knew the answer as I have the same experience. It feels like the brakes are grabbing the steering, disconcerting. No answer from the dealer here, did you try them on it? Or under the "adjustment period" have the alignment/linkage/brakes checked?
I'd be curious of your and others experience.

[hdrygas]

What Package do you have? According to Prius New Car Features the Traction and VST will aggressively control both front and rear wheel skid with the suggestion that the control systems actually control steering as well not just the break systems. Remember the car can steer itself at low speeds. The Japanese Prius can parallel park itself. If the power steering can do that what can it do with the car moving. Is the VST light coming on? The few times I have experienced this in action it was very strange indeed. The car feels a bit like it has taken control. Not at all what I have experienced in previous cars I have owned.

[Sky]

I have a "Package 6 (BC)", and I don't know what the VST light looks like or exactly where it would be located. I haven't noticed any special lights come on, but I will watch for that. Thank you.

[craigcush]

Good thought but no vst, I have experienced the car taking over with the light and beep making a high speed u turn on wet pavement. Didn't feel the steering then just the power backing off.
The problem is only at slower speeds with easy slight degree turns, touch the brakes and you get the feeling that someone else has a duplicate steering wheel. I can only compare this to my first landings in a plane when the instructor made a correction. And a older car that had a shot front end!
My Prius is a '05 #6 800 miles

[DanMan32]

That's VSC (Vehicle Stability Control). When it activates, you see the car with the squiggly line underneath it in yellow, accompanied by a chime.
VSC is to prevent you from fishtailing, so you won't be able to do doughnuts on icy parking lots.

If you see the icon without a chime, that's either traction control or ABS activating.

At least have the alignment checked.

[mdacmeis]

If you are NOT getting indication that VSC is activated (light and sound) you are most likely feeling the affects of EBD, electronic brake force distribution, which optimizes rear brake force distribution while in a turn. When turning, the rear wheels will have different traction limits depending on your speed and turning arc. The inside rear wheel, when turning, may lift and therefore has brake force reduced to it. The uneven application of rear brake force MAY be noticeable at times and feel somewhat as if the vehicle is being pushed in a slightly different direction. As the outside rear wheel has more brake force applied to it, the vehicle may feel as if it wants to go straighter through the turn than you are requesting because the higher brake force at this wheel creates a force that acts as a pivot. While this can be a bit strange feeling, you have much less likelihood of having the inside rear wheel skid, which would result in ABS activation or VSC activation if the rear end broke loose.

[IsrAmeriPrius]

If it were due to the EBD, wouldn't the vehicle pull both to the left and to the right, depending on conditions?

My car also demonstrates these symptoms every now and then. I have yet to figure out a consistent pattern of when such a force is present. When I do detect such a pull, it is always to the left and never while the ABS, traction control or VSC systems are activated. It feels almost as if it is due to the air pressure in the left front tire being lower than in front right tire, but it is the same (my gauge is accurate to within half a PSI).

[craigcush]

I asked a friend to drive with me and we both agreed that braking even in a straight line feels like something grabs the wheel. Nothing changes, just unnerving. I didn't even notice the straight line before, just curves.
Looking for consensus, but it only seems a few posts here so I agree with Dan and will push the dealer a bit harder.

[mdacmeis]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius\";p=\"87270)</div>

If it were due to the EBD, wouldn't the vehicle pull both to the left and to the right, depending on conditions?

My car also demonstrates these symptoms every now and then.  I have yet to figure out a consistent pattern of when such a force is present.  When I do detect such a pull, it is always to the left and never while the ABS, traction control or VSC systems are activated.  It feels  almost as if it is due to the air pressure in the left front tire being lower than in front right tire, but it is the same (my gauge is accurate to within half a PSI).[/b]

You are correct, however, the left versus right affects are countered by you sitting in the driver's seat. Thus, right turns have a larger affect in lifting the left rear, while left turns are somewhat countered by your mass in the drivers seat affecting right rear lift. Adding another passenger will further change the center of gravity of the vehicle and thus affect the in-turn feeling you experience.

As reported by others, there seems to be some variation in the tracking of the Prius, so some of the "twitchiness" reported by others might translate to increased in-turn sensitivity. I still suspect you are feeling the affects of weight transfer and EBD, which adds to the feeling.