After providing a fix for its defective accelerator pedals, you’d think Toyota’s reliability nightmare would start abating. Well, apparently not. There were reports that the current-generation Toyota Prius hybrid was under investigation after numerous complaints about its brakes. To add fuel to the fire, the Japanese automaker admitted today that there was a design flaw with the brakes on models sold before the end of January.

Company spokesman, Paul Nolasco, said that the lag in the brakes felt by drivers stems from two systems in a gas-electric hybrid, the engine and the electric motor. He said that when the car moves on a bumpy or slippery surface, the driver can feel a pause in the braking when the vehicle switches from hybrid mode to gasoline mode.

Toyota has since fixed the issue, but did not notify owners about the problem. It said it was still investigating how to inform purchasers of the hybrid before the brake issue was fixed. The U.S. Transportation Department has opened an investigation into the problem; a recall is still not out of the question.

Source: Detroit News

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1. Toyota to Recall 37,000 Prius Hybrids | AutoTribute says:

   February 5, 2010 at 7:56 pm

   [...] Hybrids, Safety/Reliability, Top, Toyota Toyota can’t seem to get a break. Just after admitting that the Prius had braking problems, the company announced today the recall of 37,000 units of the latest rendition of its popular [...]
2. honda hybrid discusser says:

   July 6, 2010 at 1:15 am

   Howdy, this was a really outstanding blog. I’d like to write like this also – taking time and real effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I very busy and never seem to get something done.

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