Toyota Announces Worldwide Recall for Prius Brake Pedals

A Toyota Prius passes in front of a Toyota dealership in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture on February 8, 2010. Toyota Motor Corp. has told Japan's government it will recall its Prius hybrid vehicles worldwide. (Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images)

Toyota, the world’s largest car manufacturer, has announced yet another major recall due to faulty pedals. This time it is the brake pedal in the company’s popular hybrid, the Prius. The recall affects approximately 400,000 cars.

Toyota president Akio Toyoda made the recall announcement at a news conference in Japan, reported by BBC.

“We have decided to recall as we regard safety for our customers as our foremost priority,” Toyoda said.

Apparently the problem is not mechanical, but lies in the software controlling the ABS system on Prius brakes.

Some Prius drivers have complained of inconsistent brake feel during slow and steady application of brakes on rough or slick road surfaces when the anti-lock brake system (ABS) is activated.

The system, in normal operation, engages and disengages many times per second as the control system senses and reacts to tire slippage. A running production change was introduced last month, improving the ABS system’s response time, as well as the system’s overall sensitivity to tire slippage.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a Preliminary Evaluation into owner complaints about brake problems with the 2010 Prius. Toyota announced it will cooperate fully with NHTSA’s investigation, on its Web site, Toyota.com.

Recalls Hurt Image

Toyota, whose brand was once a watchword for quality, has had its image tarnished by a pair of massive recalls, involving eight million vehicles worldwide with dangerous sticking or jamming accelerator pedals.

The first recall, “Floor Mat Entrapment,” issued on September 29, 2009, was in response to  driver’s floor mats which sometimes interfered with the accelerator pedal, causing it to get stuck in the wide-open position. This recall involved 4.2 million cars, both Toyota and Lexus models.

The second recall, “Pedal,” was issued because certain accelerator pedal mechanisms mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position or returned slowly to idle. This recall, announced mid-January, affected 2.3 million vehicles.