Toyota Recalling 270,000 2010 Prius Hybrids in Japan & US for Brake Issue | PriusChat: "Nothing official out of Toyota yet except for a very minimal statement, but the Nikkei news service in Japan is reporting that Toyota will recall 270,000 3rd generation Prius hybrids that have been sold since the May launch of the 2010 model. As we've reported a couple of times on PriusChat, Toyota performed a software update to the Prius brake computer system and it has been in effect for Prius models rolling off the line since January. But Prius hybrids sold between May and December do not have the updated brake ECU software, yet. This recall is to update the rest of the 3rd generation 2010 Priuses with the new software."
Comment -- I assume that we'll soon get a letter from Toyota instructing us to take the car to the dealer for the update.
I can't say I've really seen any noticeable problems with the brakes. A few times in the last six months, I have felt the car lurch a little as we rolled to a stop. But I don't know if that was an issue with the brakes, or if it was the engine kicking in at the same time I was rolling to a stop.
Regardless, it was nothing like a safety problem. Just a little quirk of driving a Prius.
I follow PriusChat.com and in the months leading up to this controversy, I can't say I've run across any discussions or complaints about the 2010 Prius brakes. And, since complainers are more vocal than are satisfied customers, you would think that if there were some kind of widespread problem, then we would have heard it first in the chat rooms.
Finally, if anyone in the domestic auto industry asked me, I would caution them to not be too gleeful about Toyota's PR disaster. As all cars get more and more technological and computer-guided, these kinds of software glitches could easily hit some GM or Ford product. Then the shoe would be on the other foot -- or brake pad, as it were.
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