Brakes pulling in turns

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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).

 

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.

 

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

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.

 

I have another braking question...

When coming to a slow stop I notice that something disengages just before it stops. I then have to brake harder to stop where I wanted to.

Am I alone on this?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GAGendel\";p=\"87499)</div>

The regenerative braking is actually doing the work until you slow to around 8mph and then the friction brakes take over from there to complete stop.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sky\";p=\"88169)</div>

I think you're seeing the true Prius. It has been written up several times noting it's "lack of feel" and "understeering". Darn thing scared me silly the first few days of driving. However, like all new car quirks, I soon adjusted and found it reasonable. I understand that the 2006 (at least in Europe) will have a completely redesigned steering and suspension systems. Not soon enough for us existing owners, but it means that Toyota is listening.

 

I got my Prius on Sat, and in my commute today had my first hard stop. At first, the brakes felt too soft, and didn't slow the car quick enough for my tastes. Right at the end of the stop, something kicked in and stopped the car on a dime. I guess it was the brakes engaging at 8mph. Good for me, as long as the guy behind me can stop as quick. That will take some getting used to.

 

Alignment check is, surprisingly, not a part of the pre-delivery checklist. Have it checked, both to be in spec, as close side-to-side as they can adjust it, and make sure the front toe-in is in fact, toed-in, not zero or a little out (which the spec allows). It can affect braking stability as well as handling.

 

Any possibility you can borrow and drive another Prius to verify things?

 

I'm curious if weight distribution may effect the problem. Do you usually see the problem when you are the only one in the car? Do you ever notice it when there is someone riding in the front passenger seat? What if people are in the back seats?

It may help troubleshooting... Just throwing out some ideas.

Glenn