Legal news for product liability attorneys. Toyota recalled the Prius due to brake problems.
Product liability attorneys alert- Toyota Pruises have been recalled due to problems with the brakes.
West Palm Beach, FL—In the latest recall announced by Toyota, nearly 270,000 Priuses in the U.S. and Japan are being recalled to address a problem with the brakes. The Transportation Department began an investigation on Thursday, February 4, 2010 into the brake problems with the 210 Priuses, as reported by MSNBC.
The recall only included the third-generation Prius, which was launched in May 2009. It is believed that a design problem with the brakes in the gas-electric hybrid is to blame. Consumers have reported 124 complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) http://www.nhtsa.gov/ and the Transportation Department’s safety agency about the brakes, including four reports of crashes. The Transportation Department’s investigation will also investigate claims of momentary loss of braking capability while riding over uneven roadway surfaces, including potholes and bumps. The U.S. investigation was prompted after the Japanese government requested Toyota to look into the Priuses brake problems. Toyota has reportedly identified a problem with the anti-lock brake system in the Prius cars that were sold and shipped overseas last month. A Toyota spokesperson stated, “the time lag for brakes kicking in felt by drivers stem from the two systems in a gas-electric hybrid—the gas-engine and electric motor… When the car moves on a bumpy or slippery surface, a driver can feel a pause in the braking when the vehicle switches between the traditional hydraulic brakes and the electronically operated braking system, he said. The brakes work if the driver keeps pushing the pedal.”
Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for product liability lawyers.
