Japan Orders Toyota to Investigate Prius Hybrid Brakes

Published Feb. 3, 2010 at 12:11 p.m.
Japanese authorities have ordered Toyota to investigate the brakes in the Prius.
Japan Tells Toyota to Test Prius Brakes for Defect - NYTimes.com

NAGOYA, Japan — The Japanese government said Wednesday that it had ordered Toyota to investigate a possible defect in its newest Prius hybrid model after receiving 14 reports of brake trouble, another blow for an automaker already embroiled in its biggest-ever recall.

Complaints mount about Prius brakes - Feb. 3, 2010

In the U.S., more than 100 complaints alleging poor brake performance have been lodged with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration against the 2010 Prius, a newly designed version of the car that was introduced last summer.

This is really bad news for Toyota and their signature hybrid...While Prius sales were up in January compared to last January, this sort of news is going to scare off anyone who thinks the current massive Toyota recalls don't affect hybrids.

BTW, I've seen reports about this issue before...According to an NHTSA memo the regenerative brakes cut out for a moment prior to the friction brakes kicking back in...That momentary changeover makes it seem like you're accelerating, although it's technically just not slowing down any more...Either way, that's a scary thought when you're applying the brakes.

---

More Hybrid Car information can be found at http://hybridreview.blogspot.comFollow me on Twitter

Back | Read more at Hybrid Car Review