1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Brake Actuator Assem - Warranty Enhancement

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by wjtracy, May 21, 2016.

  1. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,311
    3,588
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Congrats ...that's funny your 2006 period ends Aug 2016 mine is Dec 2017 maybe they read my post and corrected.

    Here's your prior post
    2006 Prius - Brake, (!), ABS, VSC - warning lights on | PriusChat
     
    edthefox5 and bisco like this.
  2. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Wj you always have some good stuff. I have learned alot from you. Thanks.
     
    johnnyb588, bisco and wjtracy like this.
  3. howardc64

    howardc64 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2011
    89
    36
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Found Toyota's bulletin to the dealers (attached). More details if we can find the warranty policy bulletin POL16-03
     

    Attached Files:

    #23 howardc64, May 30, 2016
    Last edited: May 30, 2016
    flippo, m.wynn, johnnyb588 and 4 others like this.
  4. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,123
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Thanks OP! I was unaware of this. I haven't received any such letter yet.

    It is goofy the coverage periods. I'm already a few months past 10 years, so I guess I'll get the primary coverage until that ends?

    I'm also past the coverage period for the combo meter extension. Fortunately (?), mine's been ok.
     
  5. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,311
    3,588
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    That notice makes it clear that this is a 2004-2009 Gen2 program (+2006/7 Highlander)
     
  6. eurosteve

    eurosteve Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2008
    122
    4
    0
    Location:
    Watkins Glen, New York
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    The only problem I've had with the brake actuator is the defect that causes the "barking" sound. Press on the brake and it sounds like seals barking. I originally had this problem at around 60,000 miles and the dealer did something to make it go away. I think there was some sort of technical service bulletin. It reappeared at 100,000 miles and the dealer refused to address it under warranty. Since the problem is intermittent I have let it go. I now have around 170,000 miles. Interesting to note that the brakes only "bark" after my wife has driven the car. My hypothesis is that she presses much harder on the brake pedal than I do.

    So my question - I wonder if the "barking" problem might be addressed by this Toyota initiative. By the wording in the notice it appears that if there are no lights, there is no problem.
     
    bisco likes this.
  7. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,463
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I received the letter for my 2004 this past Saturday. I am looking forward to receiving other letters for the 2006 HiHy and 2007 Prius.

    Regarding the "barking" sound, I've noticed that issue occasionally at higher altitudes. I haven't taken any action, since there is no safety problem. This issue might be helped by replacing the brake fluid.
     
  8. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,311
    3,588
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I got the seals barking...good description...mine noise is baby seals, but definitely I have been listening to hear if its the fan belt or what
     
  9. eurosteve

    eurosteve Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2008
    122
    4
    0
    Location:
    Watkins Glen, New York
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Thanks. I'll check to see when I had the brake fluid replaced last. I'm also keeping a lookout for the letter...
     
  10. mingoglia

    mingoglia Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2007
    846
    10
    0
    Location:
    Gilbert, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    The issue is with the brake actuator bleeding pressure and other associated issues. I'm doing backflips having received the letter. That rattle under the dash that happens every 4th or 5th brake press on normal cars runs almost continually. Just sitting without my foot on the brake mine will run, pause for maybe 2 seconds, then run again. It's been doing this for 2, maybe 3 years on my 2008. I went to get it fixed and the part was around $2k, and half a day to install. I said, "screw that, I'll wait until it fails completely or my brakes go out". Ironically just last week the brake lights and stability control lights illuminated (after all this time), just as the notice talks about. I plan on bringing mine in to finally get fixed sometime next week. I'm just 5,xxx miles short of the 150k mile limit. :)
     
    johnnyb588 likes this.
  11. johnnyb588

    johnnyb588 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2014
    193
    73
    0
    Location:
    Tempe, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    I
    I wish I had your luck. Mine went out in August/September of last year at about 145k miles, but Toyota had not issued any sort of warranty extension yet. I had a used one put in at a local shop for about $700 total, so I'm going to try to get Toyota to reimburse me for those costs. We'll see how that goes. It's just a bummer that if mine had held out for another 8 months or so, I would have had a brand new actuator for free, whereas now I might be stuck with a used one (and who knows how long it will last) for $700. Them's the "brakes"!
     
    #31 johnnyb588, Jun 1, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 1, 2016
    bisco likes this.
  12. tampaite

    tampaite Member

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    225
    38
    0
    Location:
    FL
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Wow. I had mine replaced few months ago at a local shop - Wish, Toyota acted sooner!
     
  13. tampaite

    tampaite Member

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    225
    38
    0
    Location:
    FL
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Does anyone know if Toyota would reimburse if you got your vehicle repair at a local repair shop for this warranty enhancement?
     
  14. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,463
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The letter indicates that Toyota will consider repair reimbursement. Hence it would not be a waste of your time to write to the Toyota Customer Experience Center after you receive your warranty enhancement letter, citing the letter and providing a copy of your repair invoice as well as proof of ownership.
     
    m.wynn likes this.
  15. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2011
    3,318
    1,103
    0
    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Got the letter today for our "old" 2009. I guess it was wholesaled when we traded it in. Hard to believe since the dealer gave us 11.5K trade in on it.
     
  16. Jedi2099

    Jedi2099 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2008
    22
    0
    0
    Location:
    FL
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I got just the letter recently for my 2008. Unfortunately - I already had the part fail on me and had to be replaced about 4 months ago and had to pay over $2000 out of pocket to get it fixed. I will be sending in for the reimbursement.

    It wasent just the warning lights when it went - The car could barely brake at all and it was making the "barking/brake" noise almost constantly.
     
  17. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,123
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    I received my letter today.

    My bought my 06 Prius new in around mid to latter part of January 06.

    On my letter's sticker, my primary coverage ends Dec 31, 2017.

    After the primary coverage ends, it says it has secondary coverage for 10 years from date of first use or 150K miles, whichever comes first. But, at the bottom, they state my date first use is 12/31/05 (weird). Anyhow, the secondary coverage for me is useless since I'm already months past 10 years.
     
  18. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,311
    3,588
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Wow its a good thing your HV battery did not fail on 1/1/2015! That would have been an interesting dilemma.

    I don't think we are hearing any 2005/2004's getting the letter? If so you would be among the first.
     
  19. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,463
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I posted on May 30 about getting the letter for my 2004.
     
    wjtracy likes this.
  20. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,311
    3,588
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    OK I stand corrected... you know what they memory is the first thing to go (or is it the second thing, I forget).

    I was thinking nobody had said a 2004 or 2005 was covered out to 12/31/2017...did your letter also give coverage out to that date? That's almost 13 years