An anonymous source has confirmed that Toyota will be announcing a recall for the 2010 Prius in the U.S. market within a few days, coming just days after the same recall was announced in Japan. The recall will address a confirmed problem in which the Prius can suffer momentary failure of the ABS braking system while driving over pot holes or rough surfaces.
According to early reports, the recall would only affect the 2010 model year of the Prius – Toyota has sold 103,000 units in the U.S., 176,000 in Japan, and a grand total of 311,000 worldwide. Of those, not all will be affected by the recall as Toyota implemented a change on the assembly line in late January after discovering the problem, but prior to publicly considering a recall.
Because Toyota implemented a change in the brake design, only 277,000 of the 311,000 units sold will likely be subject to recalls – with 37,000 located on U.S. soil. Although the source who spoke to the NY Times about the imminent Prius recall did not mention the Lexus HS250h, Toyota has confirmed that it is also looking into the HS250h and Sai model (Japan only) as they share the braking system with the Prius.
According to NHTSA reports, the 2010 Prius has logged more than twice as many complaints than the sum of all other 2010 Toyota models combined – including the models included in the latest recalls. High complaint rates are not new to the Prius, however, as from 2004 to 2009 the Prius received 2,310 driver complaints with NHTSA, with the rest of the Toyota lineup garnering 2,340 complaints during that period.
Toyota says that the likely fix will be a software re-flash, but it has yet to confirm a definite solution for the vehicles already on the road.
02/07, 11:34 PM
posted by:
jacobdexter
Toyota is only sorry because they were caught. They originally had no intention to recall the 2010 Prius. They thought they could fix the issue in the factory and forget about the ones already sold. Idiots! Oh yea, and what about recalling the previous-gen Prius’ because of the headlights issue? Over the past couple years I’ve heard Prius owners complain about this issue. So why haven’t they been recalled for that issue? Toyota better get that out of the way too before it rains even more! -Toyota. Moving Forward, even if you don’t want to.
02/08, 12:10 AM
posted by:
daiso
In Japan there is a proverb, “If it stinks, put a lid on it.”
“One glowing exception to this parsimonious record is the saga involving pharmaceutical companies that kept selling tainted blood products to hemophiliacs that left many of them infected with HIV in the 1980s. The government was aware of the issue and failed to stop this avoidable public health crisis. After years of denial, the current finance minister, Naoto Kan, who was health minister in 1994, revealed documents showing that the government allowed the companies to continue selling the bad blood so that they would not lose market share to foreign companies selling safe blood products.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704533204575047370633234414.html?mod=WSJ_hp_us_mostpop_read
02/08, 12:19 AM
posted by:
asb81689
I saw Toyota’s new commercial today to TV, couldn’t help but laugh a little.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZoBfpm1zHg
02/08, 12:53 AM
posted by:
A4
“only” 277,000 of the 311,000.
“only” 90% of them.
02/08, 8:30 AM
posted by:
4thyrkindergarten
Do you get that puckered feeling when you see a Toyota behind you? What would be the charge for driving a Toyota under recall and injuring someone?
02/08, 8:43 AM
posted by:
Borat
^^^^ A valid question, but what do you follow an idiot at 45 mph on 65 mph road in left lane or pass him on the right?
02/08, 8:46 AM
posted by:
alsvw
ASB– toyota should have ran this add last night for the superbowl. It would have won for best laugh.
What a complete lie and joke of a commercial.
02/08, 8:47 AM
posted by:
A4
^ well usually the idiot going 45 in a 65 is in a Toyota too.
02/08, 10:13 AM
posted by:
saabaru1
.. I wonder if maybe the mechanical brakes just aren’t big enough. When the pads in my Grand Cherokee are worn (as now), it “surges forward” on each down-shift while I am slowing to a stop.
OF COURSE, it is not actually surging forward, it’s just decelerating less than the moments before and after. And this is because the engine resistance isn’t there at the moment. This could be similar, no?
02/08, 10:17 AM
posted by:
saabaru1
Just looked it up, 10″ discs in front, 10.2″ discs in rear. (odd in itself).
02/08, 10:19 AM
posted by:
BADLS1GTO
Well hope the owner dosent have a stuck accerator pedel… Cause now they cant stop because the brakes don’t work. “Don’t put you or your family at risk, Buy American!”
02/08, 10:22 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I just don’t understand… I’ve seen the Prius commercials where they’re driving through all the green fields and flowers and I didn’t see any bumps on that road. How would they even know about this?
02/08, 10:53 AM
posted by:
400horseSS
Recall nothing, its called a vehicle betterment program.
02/08, 10:58 AM
posted by:
BAD124
“I just don’t understand… I’ve seen the Prius commercials where they’re driving through all the green fields and flowers and I didn’t see any bumps on that road. How would they even know about this?”
Thanks, that *&^%( commercials song is in my head now…next to Barney nothing on TV is so down right sickening in its sappiness
02/08, 12:19 PM
posted by:
NRG
No surprise here. The train wreck continues.
Borat, just pass him on the right and shake your head when going by. Or, flash him the high beam to see if he moves over. There are other solutions not worth mentioning.
02/08, 12:53 PM
posted by:
Elvacano
One thing I noticed on a long trip on the highway, Toyota are the most respected (or feared) vehicles on the highway, everyone just steps aside and lets them through every time they see one coming.
02/08, 2:43 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
Really? Gosh, maybe I should get one, because people like to cut me off!
02/08, 4:45 PM
posted by:
85ZingoGTR
The brakes may fail but their shaft doesn’t stop turning for them.