Have a FaceBook, Twitter, or other social networking account?

Link them to your fanatic account!

Add An Account

TAKE ME TO...
Automotive Consumer
AUTOS: For Toyota, Hits Just Keep On Coming
NHTSA opens investigation of Prius brake complaints; feds question sticky-throttle solution.
Bob Golfen  |  Posted February 04, 2010   Washington, D.C.
Toyota has responded to owner concerns with a running production change for 2010 Prius introduced last month, improving the ABS system’s response time, as well as the system’s overall sensitivity to tire slippage. (Photo: Toyota)
Already in the throes of two major unintended-acceleration recalls, Toyota has been hit with two more black eyes from government agencies.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced today that it was opening an investigation of the 2010 Prius hybrid to determine if there is a problem with its brakes

The agency said there have been 124 consumer complaints that brakes on the latest-generation Prius lose stopping power after the car runs over bumpy surfaces or hits a pothole. Four crashes have been linked with the reported problem, which would affect 137,000 new Priuses.

In Japan, regulators announced Wednesday that they were investigating claims that the Prius, a major top-seller in its home country, has a problem with its brakes after repeated complaints from consumers.

Toyota said it is looking into the claims and would cooperate with the NHTSA probe.

“Toyota is currently in the process of confirming these reports and investigating the vehicle driving conditions under which the reported phenomenon occurs,” the automaker said on its website. “It would be premature to comment until the investigation has been completed.”

U.S. investigators also said that they are unconvinced that the throttle-pedal problem, which caused the recall and sales stoppages of 2.3 million vehicles here and two million more in Europe and China, does not also involve the electronics controls for the throttle.

Toyota officials say that the flaw is limited to a sticking part of the throttle mechanism and that the electronic system features a fail-safe mechanism that disallows acceleration that does not match up with the throttle-pedal position.

But the U.S. Department of Transportation is probing possible defects in electronic sensors as another cause of unintended acceleration, a Transportation official told Automotive News.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is undergoing a general investigation into electronic throttle controls used by the auto industry that could take several months.

Tunnelheads, Pick Your Starters! Win Weekly! Win Monthly! Win The Championship!
bob_golfen's avatar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob Golfen

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR
Advertising | Jobs | Feedback | FAQ | Terms of Use | NEW Privacy Policy | Ad Choices | Site Map
Fox Sports | FUEL TV | FX Network | National Geographic | IGN | AskMen
The Motor Sports Authority, SPEED and associated logos are registered trademarks of Speed Channel Inc.
All Rights Reserved © Speed Channel, Inc. 2012

All external links will open in a new browser window. SPEED.com does not endorse external sites.