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Great news David and many thanks. Fortunately I have an alternative main dealer to go to so will get in done asap. Sounds like it won't take long to fix. Thanks also to Alan333 for suggesting the fix. This all goes to show why the forum can be so much benefit to members.

Update: Noise is fixed - rattling front brake caliper fixed by replacing caliper pins. All under warranty. You were spot on alan333 - thanks again. Mr Wolf, get a second opinion from a different main dealer and tell them there is a technical bulletin regarding this issue.

I got one of these from e-bay. made life much easier. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/21Pcs-Universal-Caliper-Disc-Brake-Wind-Back-Pad-Piston-Compressor-Tool-Kit-Set/253452691318?epid=22008831079&hash=item3b02f52776:g:HMcAAOSwVtZaMRP6 £17 inc.

Although electric parking brakes are becoming common, think the manual handbrake is more common. We change our cars every three years or so, and have yet to have an electric parking brake.

Just thinking out aloud here, how would engine vibration get to the steering? Does the vibration increase with engine speed, or road speed? Does it pulse? Does it make any noises when steering? Anything you can do while driving to make it worse? Maybe engine/steering colomn mounts have failed? And engine or exhaust is touching the steering rack. I fail to believe it's an issue that can't be solved, but a little more information would make it easier to diagnose. FWIW it's not normal, they are very refined to drive, and feel very smooth.

As we're an independent forum and have no association with Toyota, comments such as this won't be seen by Toyota, and hence serve little purpose. This type of feedback needs to go back to Toyota GB Customer Relations.

Hi. If yours is 2 years old next month, are you sure it's not a 4th Gen Prius? Either way, I've driven all four generations of Prius quite extensively (60k in a Gen 3 and 27½ k in my current Gen 4 - the latter being 2 years old on Sunday) and have never experienced anything like you describe. They're all extremely smooth and refined.l I guess you've looked into obvious things like wheel balancing, tyre damage? A close encounter with some of the more severe potholes currently in vogue could certainly cause damage that would result in vibration felt through the steering, especially if you're on the 17" rims which put less air/rubber insulation between the rim and the road.

Following on from Konrad's post. If you have a multimeter with a continuity function and with the piggy back out of the fusebox, check the two blades on the piggyback which fit into the fuseholder. Obviously with the fuse in place. That will confirm whether or not the current will flow from blade to blade. Or even try a different piggy back, they are very inexpensive. It will still work whichever way round it is fitted in the fusebox but should be fitted the correct, in link from Konrad, way to maintain the protection of the acc. socket fuse.

I've had this problem on an 05 plate, a 55 plate and a 12 plate Avensis over the past years. Toyota 'repaired' the 12 plate car under warranty (at about 2.5 - 3 years old) but I reckon they merely half-heartedly greased them up since the rattle returned after a short while. I didn't bother repairing the 05 plate car at the time, but while changing discs on the 55 plate car I found a cross-threaded pin so bought a new "kit". I (stupidly?) assumed the kit would have enough for both calipers but it only has enough for one (2 pins and 2 bushes [the part the pin screws into]) and IIRC it's about £30. I therefore greased the other side up with copper grease and it stayed quiet for the next 6 months or so until I sold it. Perhaps it stayed quiet longer than the one Toyota "repaired" because I had fitted new pads therefore the slider pins were not extended so much? Or perhaps not? Beware according to Toyota there's lots of different part numbers for the kit, so buying a (cheaper) kit from ebay might be a gamble. And it'll almost definitely be your fronts. Here's a thread with some more info...