Now here a a Prius story for you! My 2006 Prius brakes failed!

Having never done a brake actuator but read the procedure pretty
carefully and chatted with Toyota techs about it, I would agree
that it's a pain in the tuchus. It's probably similarly gnarly
on a third-gen, too, even though the plumbing is a little different.
.
_H*

 

I just did this accidentally yesterday. At a parking lot someone next to me suddenly moved his car after I had been slowly moving mine. I stomped on the brake and heard this loud noise as if someone had hit my car. Good to know this is normal. Thanks very much!

 

So even with Toyota's software tool the brake bleeding is still this time consuming?

 

2nd Gen Prius are tough as all get out to bleed the brakes on, and the 3rd Gen can be just much a pain in the neck to bleed. Replacing the actuator on the Gen 3 is actually simple. It is located directly under the wiper pan. Remove the wipers and the pan under them and the actuator is staring you in the face, quick and simple.