Toyota says brake actuator needs replacing...

sounds like a typical failure of this component (being over 15 years old). I would go with the cheapest option that will offer you a BRAND NEW Toyota actuator. Don't put in a used unit for a lower price. This original one lasted 15 years without issues.

Also many dealerships will offer coupons to reduce the cost of the repair, especially ones this high. They will generally have a 10% or 20% off coupon if you ask.

 

Dang You are in Raleigh so where's your car at Fred Anderson I guess? My buddy doesn't work out they're any more but I still have account they're . This is not a super hard repair.

 

My '09 we drove for oh God 9 months until the brakes went completely out and then when they went out they didn't really go completely out but you could tell you weren't going to do much else I was like one caliper working or something but that took a long time to happen I was actually quite surprised and the pump wasn't running and whirrrying all that much

 

This is not a super real bad job You might want to consider rounding up the part hustling it off to somebody I know somebody in stem right over there off to the side of Raleigh a little bit Franklin county I could call him

 

I'm at 919 892 0363

 

Honestly, for me, the first thing I'd have checked would have been the trouble codes for why the light was on, and I'd have checked that three to four weeks ago. Doesn't take any special tools to do it this way:

Blink (a/k/a Flash) Codes – How to. | PriusChat

You can always check the fluid level next—or, if the codes you get include the one for low brake fluid. And if the trouble is something else, you'll have found that out right away.

If you can, see if you can remember who all the multiple people were who said air in a brake system isn't a safety problem. You can keep them as friends or whatever. Just don't ask them questions about brakes. (Or, see if you can find out whether any of them took out large life insurance policies on you recently.)

The most common way the brake system fails, if it's going to fail, is into a fail-safe mode where you have to shove really hard on the brake pedal and the car doesn't stop easily, but it does stop. Gets the blood pumping, but manageable.

On the other hand, if enough air's in there, the failure mode you get can be the one where you would like the car to slow down or stop and that doesn't happen. That one seems to be quite unpopular, though not everyone it's happened to responds to surveys.

 

I'm in the same boat here for the $3000 estimate! Toyota recently told me during maintenance that I had to repair the ABS brake actuator. I asked if it was necessary, and they told me "I wouldn't drive a car that had this going on." Car has been making this noise for at least the last 6 months or so that I've noticed, and it's up to every 15 seconds. But I never got any warning lights, brake lights or ABS lights. The brakes aren't really squishy, it just makes that noise, and add in some squeaks when I depress the brake pedal. Car feels fine.

I'm going to probably keep driving it until brakes are totally gone, just keeping some distance between myself and other cars. I can't afford an expensive repair because i JUST replaced my front brakepads, which was itself a $1500 endeavor.

 

Olathe Toyota has the part for $1,134.00 see if your dealership will price match them. If not will they install the part if you buy it from Olathe Toyota and have it shipped directly to them? This could be a great leverage tool. Good luck. Keep us posted.
https://parts.olathetoyota.com/oem-parts/toyota-actuator-assembly-brake-4450047141?c=Zz1lbGVjdHJpY2FsJnM9YWJzLWNvbXBvbmVudHMmbD0zMCZuPUFzc2VtYmxpZXMgUGFnZSZhPXRveW90YSZvPXByaXVzJnk9MjAwOCZ0PWJhc2UmZT0xLTVsLWw0LWVsZWN0cmljLWdhcw%3D%3D

 

1500 1500 for brakes on the front or all the way around a generation 2 Prius is a shocker to me no kidding wow even with new pads new rotors and new rear drums that's still pushing it this is an easy car to do this kind of work on too. The break actuator I would look around. The JDM importers can bring you a part in for about $150 from a low mileage takeout from Asia I could buy three or four of those and still be cheaper than the brand new part that should in fact last 15 years I realize but with some of today's manufacturing and whatever's going on I wonder if that will really be true Am I really buying a break actuator part that was made back in 2007 or 9? Or is the break actuator that I'm purchasing new today made 3 months ago? I think on some of this stuff it makes a difference then my case for my four vehicles I would order the actuator from the JDM guys just my take on it I can change it out in a couple hours at the house pretty quick.

 

Can't endorse that position. Observations like "brakes aren't really squishy" and "car feels fine" are kind of beside the point, because the whole way this brake system is built, it completely masks the feel of incipient failure, until it doesn't. (If you were to read the repair manual, you'd find all kinds of odd implications of that, just in ordinary repair work, like checking for a warped brake rotor. Normally you'd expect to feel the pedal pulsate, but in a Prius there's an extra step needed to take the computer out of the loop so you can feel that.)

When things get to the point the system no longer can mask them, you will usually have an experience where you have to stand really hard on the pedal to stop the car, and it's only braking with the front wheels so stability may be weird.

If there are bubbles in there, though, and they're big enough, then the moment the car no longer can mask them can be the moment you find your car isn't going to stop.

Is $1500 a typical price for a front pad job in Menlo Park?

I would compare, though, to how easily you could afford some other person's personal-injury attorney finding out you'd been ignoring a brake issue for six months before hitting her client. Maybe a quick look at the current limits on your insurance policy, and what's covered/excluded.

 

Thanks for the feedback. That's good to know it won't fail soft before it fails hard, guess I'll just have to hustle and get it repaired.

In that case, I will search for a low quote in the San Jose area because car repair is expensive around here. Any known recs?

Can't say for sure--I've never had to replace brakes on a car before! That said, cost of living is extreme in this area and I would be inclined to believe you if you told me it's way too much.

 

How did your repair go? I’m also looking for a mechanic.

 

I looked back at some files nad it turns out if was part of a much larger job, I wasn't able to get the itemized price for the brake repair.

I have a repair scheduled with Art's Auto in Berkeley, CA for $2800 on Monday. I'll also chime in about how it goes.

 

Our area is fairly high cost, of the "just because you live there we will charge you more" type, although not Menlo Park levels. I will state categorically even in California that $1500 is an insane price for a front brake job, even if it included new rotors, pads, and every other piece of hardware near the rotors (except maybe the calipers or new brake lines). Maybe on some super expensive niche vehicle you would pay that much for a standard brake job, but never for a Prius.

 

Its crazy how much shops charge nowadays and some even do lousy jobs as is. I bought a prius from someone who was quoted over $3k to replace the actuator at a regular shop (not Toyota) and they opted to sell the car at a loss. I picked it up, went on youtube and saw 3-4 videos on how it was done, picked up a used part and 3 hours later, out with the old in with the new (used part that is). It's scary looking job but not as bad if you have the right tools and patience. Too bad you're in Northern cali, otherwise I'd be glad to assist with this.

I read that first rule of thumb when you have a suspected failing/failed ABS pump, to check your brake fluid (dot 3) levels. Then your ABS fuses under the hood, then for leaks and finally if your OBD2 reader gives the dreaded C1256, C1252 code...then its time for a new ABS accumulator/actuator/pump (whichever you prefer calling it).

P.S...some will say you need the matching resistor that is behind the dashboard for the accumulator to work as Toyota tends to also include that with the new part (so I have heard) BUT, I for one can say that is not the case as I did not use the matching resistor and car is running great with original one.