ON 2/27/09, MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS' BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. I WAS GOING DOWNHILL IN AN HIGHLY TRANSITED URBAN ROAD (RTE 123 IN VA, CLOSE TO TYSONS CORNER). THANKFULLY I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 40MPH WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED TO RED. THE 2 VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED. I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND MY CAR ACCELERATED INITIALLY, AND THEN NOTHING. BRAKES ARE MEANT TO WORK. ALWAYS. I KEPT PUMPING THE PEDAL HOPING TO ENGAGE THE BREAKS, BUT THEY DID NOT ENGAGE. WHAT STOPPED ME WAS THE REAR OF A BMW X5. THANKFULLY I WAS THE ONLY INJURED PARTY, AND MY INJURIES ARE MOSTLY MUSCULAR. I COULD HAVE DIED OR I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE. IN JANUARY, I HAD TAKING MY CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE ALL THE ALERT LIGHTS ON THE DASH WOULD SPORADICALLY GO OFF. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A WEEK AND CLAIMED THAT THE SECONDARY BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I GOT MY VEHICLE BACK AND ON 2/23/09 THE ISSUE RESTARTED. I WAS DUE TO TAKE MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. I CALLED A LAWYER TO SEE IF I HAD A CASE, AND WAS TOLD NO. I AM STILL RESEARCHING THE ISSUE BECAUSE SOMEONE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND FUTURE TRAGEDIES SHOULD BE AVOIDED. IF ANYONE HAS STARTED A CLASS ACTION SUIT, PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW AS I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN YOU. *TR