First a mechanical defect forced Toyota to do the unthinkable and halt sales of eight of its most popular models. With a fix available to worried Toyota customers this week, Toyota seemed to be poised for a turnaround – until now. Toyota’s loved, and high-selling, 2010 Prius hybrid may be the cause of yet another potential recall.
Hundreds of complains worldwide have been mounting that concern the braking systems of the latest generation Prius. A software glitch has been identified as causing a sort of “disconnect” with the anti-lock brake (ABS) system, resulting in a one-second lag when the driver applies the brakes.
One second may not seem significant, but the lag may be what has caused numerous accidents. For example, when the Toyota Prius is traveling at 60 mph, the vehicle will have travel another 90 feet before the brakes would engage.
Braking systems on hybrid vehicles such as the Prius are extremely complicated and operate differently than non-hybrid cars. In most non-hybrid vehicles, standard brakes slow a car down by creating friction between a pad and a rotor or drum. In the Prius, it’s the electric motors that help slow the vehicle down, which also helps to generate electricity which recharges the batteries.
With more than 100 complains concerning the braking performance, the National Highway traffic Safety Administration has already launched an investigation into the 2010 Prius.
Toyota has earned a reputation as a leader in fuel efficiency and technology largely due to the popularity of the Prius. The current third generation was launched here in the US last summer and immediately became the best selling hybrid available, and Toyota’s third best selling model overall behind the Camry and Corolla.
With other automakers reporting strong sales in January, Toyota’s recall woes have resulted in a 16% sales plunge for the automaker. If a software glitch in the 2010 Prius is not remedied quickly, February’s sales may not be looking any better.
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