Edit: Test driving 2025 Prius and I’m familiar with some of the quirky sounds. I also now know that the Corolla Cross hybrid has a slightly different brake design. I’m noticing the brake pedal is making a slight sound along with a sensation that doesn’t exist in the Corolla Cross Hybrid. I don’t recall this with other Gen 5 Prius test drives but recall someone mentioning something like this before. It’s hard to explain. Almost like a slight unexpected movement in the brake pedal and a sound. Especially during stop and go traffic. Any ideas? Thanks
I don’t think it’s loud enough to record. Wouldn’t you know my reliable service manager is on vacation and there is not another Prius on the lot.
What are you driving? Your profile says 2009 (a gen 2) and your post is in the gen 5 forum. I have neither; I have a gen 3. But anyway, in my gen 3 there is always a definite click right near the beginning of pressing the pedal, and in my gen 3 it is the sound of these two valves closing in the brake actuator: Those are the valves that make the difference between 'normal' brake operation (when they are closed) and 'fail-safe' operation (when they are open). Sometimes people talk about the fail-safe mode as needing some valves to switch over before it can work, but as the clicks in the gen 3 show, those valves are in their fail-safe position all the time except when the system closes them for normal operation as you actually brake. That way, if the system were to fail, nothing would have to flip those valves; they'd already be in the fail-safe position. I don't know how much of that translates to the brake system in whatever-you're-driving ... there was a little more discussion here.
It might be normal. I’m starting to recall that I might have felt this before. It’s all such a blur over the past two years of waiting and test driving. : /
Does anyone know if the other sedan hybrids have the same brakes as the Prius? Maybe they have another vehicle I could test. Corolla Cross definitely has different braking feel.
There is a switched released in all cars when pressure is first applied to the pedal. The release is what turns on the brake lights.
I think 'release' might have been auto-incorrected from 'relay'. Where there is a relay that turns on the brake lights, it is not always mechanical, and does not always make a sound. It was my first assumption about the click in my gen 3; it was only after I looked at reflections behind the car and realized the brake lights did not coincide with the sound that I knew I'd have to explore further, and learned it was the sound of the SMC and SRC solenoid valves switching. A gen 3 liftback does have a component called the stop light relay, but it is an electronic component that makes no sound.
Apparently the Corolla Cross hybrid braking system is not the same as the Prius. A service guy drove the car and said it’s a normal sound for regenerative braking. Obviously they are going to say this but it’s probably true. I’m not worried they won’t work. Just don’t want an intermittent annoying noise that’s not supposed to be there. I will get used to it. I can already tell I will miss the quietness of the Corolla Cross hybrid but on Monday I will be a Gen 5 Prius owner. Supposed to be excited about a new car but can’t wait for this to be over with. I had to talk the sales manager into an additional discount in order to make the deal work. $2300 discount on 2025 Prius helps soften the loss in the trade in.
Daisy, i'm not warning you off of it, but personally, i would hate to invest in a new car with your feelings. i would already have buyers remorse driving home from the dealership
I really appreciate your feedback and understand why you are saying this. Overall I really like the agility of the Prius and will get used to the noises. I just want to be sure I’m not inheriting an intermittent brake issue. Driving the CCH around today and seeing the 28-30mpg for my typical around town driving is not ok. It’s really too big of a vehicle. A friend watched me getting into it and commented how it seemed too big for me. Ha! I will have some buyers remorse simply because I did so much research and know exactly what I’ll be missing with either choice. I’m not obsessing about my decision at this point…maybe just a little : }…but nothing like the dread I felt when I drove home with the CCH. I just want to be sure brakes are as they should be.
Concern resolved. I actually found another Prius at a dealership not far from where I needed to be this morning. Brakes feel the same. Thank you!
