Toyota Recalls 437,000 Prius & Hybrids Vehicles Worldwide
On February 3, 2010, the NHTSA announced they received more than one hundred complaints from 2010 Prius owners regarding brake problems. The next day, the Transportation Department launched an investigation into brake problems on 2010 Toyota Prius. Previously, Toyota recalled nearly 8 million vehicles and halted sales of eight popular vehicles due to sticky gas pedals and floor mat interference, which at times can cause vehicles to suddenly accelerate.
On February 9, 2010, Toyota announced that an estimated 437,000 Prius and other hybrid vehicles internationally will be recalled to fix brake problems the latest in a string of embarrassing safety lapses at the world’s largest automaker, according to an Associated Press news report.
In Japan 223,000 vehicles will be recalled. In the United States, Toyota will recall 133,000 Prius cars and 14,500 Lexus HS250h vehicles. Additionally, 53,000 Priuses will be recalled in Europe.
Owners in the United States will start receiving letters about the recall next week.
U.S. safety officials have launched an investigation into problems with the brakes.
The problem is suspected in four crashes resulting in two minor injuries, according to data gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is investigating the matter. Toyota says it’s cooperating with NHTSA’s investigation.
Toyota was one of the first companies to mass-market a hybrid that combines an electric motor with a gas engine, introducing the Prius in Japan in 1997. Its high gas mileage made it popular among environmentally conscious drivers, especially when gas prices spiked two years ago.
But the complexity of the Prius, a highly computerized car, has led to problems in the past. In 2005, the company repaired 75,000 of them to fix software glitches that caused the engine to stall.
