ABS Actuator Replacement

Overview

Brakes on a hybrid are… a little weird. Unlike on a regular car, where pressing down on the brake pedal drives fluids that compresses brake pads, on a hybrid, you push the brake pedal, which produces a signal, which goes to a computer, which then decides how much braking will be regenerative and how much will be hydraulic. Almost all hydraulic braking is routed through the ABS actuator (which is also a weird name since Toyota doesn’t always call it an actuator, but whatever).

Pricing

Just like with any service it’ll depend on the model, but to give you an idea, we currently charge $2100 to replace a gen 2 (2004-2009) Prius ABS actuator. If you have a different model feel free to contact us to get a quote.

How to tell that your ABS actuator is bad

The most common signs of an ABS actuator failing are:

a frequent buzzing sound coming from behind the steering wheel
A “barking” or “chirping” sound, also coming from behind the steering wheel
Brake-related codes (if you got a scanner)
Brake-related dashboard lights (see picture below).
Loss of brake assist

The funny thing (well… it’s not that funny if you’re in the car) is that the failure almost always goes in this sequence and is almost never sudden. For a few weeks or months, you’ll probably first experience the buzzing or chirping sounds. If you’ve gotten to the point where you have dash lights, you should probably stop driving the car.

Where's this annoying buzzing sound coming from?

That’s your ABS pump working harder to keep the brake fluid pressure built up in the brake system. When the entire system is healthy, the system can hold onto that pressure for longer, but as the seals fail, the pressure drops more frequently, and thus the pump has to kick on more frequently to build pressure. That kicking on produces that buzzing sound. Some people seem to think that the buzzing is coming from the hybrid battery. It’s not.

Do I have to replace it?