I don't think I can handle anymore!

Something is wrong with your car, take a tech for a drive, that isn't normal. ABS shouldn't extend your stopping distance on a good surface.

Can you feel the ABS working? Is it pulsing under your foot? Are you holding your foot down hard even when this happens or are you lifting your foot?

You must not lift your foot when ABS works, hold the pedal down HARD!
It is a really good idea to practise this on a dirt road. While braking as hard as you can try swerving around an imaginary object, you will see why ABS is a good thing.
(Oh my god, did I just say that? 2 years ago I hated ABS!)

 

From 35 to 0 in 200 ft is not acceptable. I've seen car after car on Motorweek go from 60 to 0 in 120 to 140 ft.

 

35MPH and 200ft, something's definitely wrong there!

That equates to an average deceleration of only 0.2g. It should be at least four times higher than that! You really need to get the brakes checked asap.

 

To recap, you were driving on a recently paved surface, no water or ice on the road. A few questions:

How many miles on your car?
What tires are installed?
What is the tread depth, especially the front tires?
What tire pressure are you using?

If you were braking on a bumpy surface, I could believe that the braking would temporarily suspend as the front tires lose grip. However I haven't heard that this happens on a smooth surface.

I'm wondering whether you need new tires. The original equipment Goodyear Integrity tires are not known for outstanding traction and grip, especially once the tread depth is a bit worn down.

 

smartalec89 ... did you measure out 200 feet, or did it just seem like a looooong stopping distance?

my prius doesn't pulse, and stops pretty darn whip fast
i'm always slamming the brakes, 'cause i'm usually browsing porn on my iphone between stoplights, and on traffic on the 405, and whenever i look up it's time to slam on the brakes


quick anecdote
it was the 80's, thanksgiving, i was visiting my folks, and mama had a new acura, first generation, the smaller sportier one

i had my great uncle and aunt, real old, like eighty-something, in the back, and my gf, city girl, in the front alongside me

great uncle and aunt had to got back to NYC on the amtrack

we're heading to Philly, backroads, and i'm BLAZING down conshohoken state road twisties, downhill, through the woods, in the dark ... fun stuff

i come around a curve, and there's a mighty buck, and i mean mighty, straddling the double yellow, blocking a fair portion of each lane, eating grass or weeds sprouting through the pavement

daaaaaaamn!! i stand up on the brakes, i've got the steering wheel in my stomach, my face against the windshield, but all i feel are thump-thump-thump-thump from the wheels

i figured i'd lock 'em up, tires would smoke and scream, mighty buck would bolt, and i'd pull out of the slide and take whichever lane the buck stepped out of

but no ... thump-thump-thump-thump ... which i'm taking for brake failure 'cause i've NEVER driven a car with ABS

man, that little acura stopped with no room to spare, i'm telling you, the bumper was under his belly, legs on either side of the car ... he was that big ... then he turns, leans in close and looks right in the windshield

my heart is in my throat, i'm scared it's gonna fly out of my mouth

and mighty buck licks the windshield,
and my ancient city slicker great uncle hollers

"look at the size of that dog"

 

Aside from the Moose lncident, there is one sure fire fix, change your driving habits to accomodate the braking problem, IF, there is a braking problem. The moderator, Dr Efusco recommends doing the speed limit. The California Drivers Handbook for Seniors actually says the driver should leave a Quarter mile following distance! Both these habits will insure great mileage too. Also getting into habit of putting the gear selector into the BRAKE position when slowing down also helps alot, Altho the Prius freewheels fairly well (in drive) it doesn't compare at all to my wifes Honda. Because of the regeneration the Prius instantly starts slowing down when when off the GO pedal. Incorporate this fact with the BRAKE position and the driver hardly ever needs the foot brake. First you have to analyse IF there really is a problem.:welcome:

 

Now that is funny!ound:

 

in a panic stop, i would not have the wherewithal to be able to calibrate my stopping distance and i have great admiration for you if you can.

my suggestion is... do it again. unless its repeatable, its not a problem. any diagnostician will tell you the same thing.

go back to that road, get up to 35 mph, find a landmark, as soon as you get there, slam on the brakes. put in park, preferably after the vehicle comes to a stop. get out and pace it.

have done this many times...because friction brakes can easily go several days with little or no use, i do this to both Pri's once every other month or so just to brush the rust off. at 35 mph, my average stopping distance is like 40-50 feet. but in a non emergency situation, i am taking out reaction time. add something for real life situations.

let us know what you get

 

Frost, dew, bumps, dirt, sand, bald tires, panicked time compression. But yes, I would have a dealer test them to make certain.

 

You don't need to slam on your brakes to clean off the rust.... just get up to 30, shift into N and apply brakes normally... you don't need to finf empty roads etc for this to work.

 

ahh tried that, didnt raise anyones blood pressure even one notch... too boring

 

1) New tires always brake and handle a little funny. That's probably contributing to a legitimate effect.
2) Why 32psi? Even the placard pressure is higher than that, and placard pressure is generally considered to be on the low side.

 

Their is something wrong, if I slam on the brakes in our Prius, it stops in the bling of an eye.