Following the news of a defect with the accelerator in a large number of their models, Toyota will be reeling from the news that their latest model, the Prius, may have to be recalled to fix a potentially dangerous brake problem.
According to the Guardian, the initial recall is expected to be aimed at the US and Japan, where drivers have reported momentary brake failure at slow speeds, particularly on bumpy or slippery roads.
Toyota has stated that it is not a mechanical problem, but a software issue than can be fixed in about 30 minutes. The news of this problem is a massive blow to Toyota, as the Prius model is the world’s most popular petrol-electric hybrid and was the bestselling car in Japan last year.
US authorities have launched an investigation in to the glitch, which has already caused four accidents and led to two minor injuries. This is in addition to 100 reported complaints from the US regarding the defect.
Japanese transport minister Seji Maehara has criticised Toyota for failing to “focus on the customer” after they initially planned to offer repairs under a voluntary service campaign.
This latest defect is a huge blow to Toyota and further stains their reputation for reliability, one of the key selling points of their vehicles. Toyota’s UK website has no details of when plans for recall and repair will be initiated in the UK. It seems that, as with the accelerator defect, UK purchasers will again be the last to be taken care of and this is a worrying trend, particularly if the defect has started causing accidents already, as this report seems to suggest. Consumers will respond more positively to a company that is seen to be taking positive steps to eradicate a potentially dangerous problem than one that is seemingly reluctant to face their own shortcomings in designing a feature which has the potential to cause injury.
