Prius Brakes - Recall

Oh no, there goes Tokyo!

Things are going from bad to worse for Toyota.

Not the Prius, too!

Design problems with the brakes is not a good problem to have.

TOKYO -- Toyota admitted design problems with the brakes in its prized Prius, adding to the catalog of woes for the world's No. 1 automaker still reeling from a massive U.S. recall involving faulty gas pedals.

Toyota Motor Corp. spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi said Thursday that Toyota discovered there were design problems with the antilock brake system and corrected them for Prius models sold since late January, including those being shipped overseas.

But the company said it was still investigating how to inform people who had bought the gas-electric hybrid cars. Nothing was decided on that front for Prius cars sold overseas, according to Toyota.

Complaints about braking problems in the third-generation Prius have been reported in both the U.S. and Japan, combining to some 180, and come amid a global recall of nearly 4.5 million other top-selling vehicles for faulty gas pedals.

"We are investigating whether there are defects in the Prius," Toyota executive Hiroyuki Yokoyama told reporters at Toyota's Tokyo.

The company gave few details of the brake flaw. A major Toyota dealership in Tokyo said the automaker had informed dealers that Prius brakes can sometimes fail to work for less than a second but it had not told owners.

...The problem with the Prius — the best-selling hybrid in the world and Toyota's flagship model — is a big embarrassment for the automaker in its home turf Japan and another blow in the U.S., its biggest market.

...The transport minister is ordering an investigation and said a recall for the Prius should be considered. U.S. authorities are also investigating.

A recall for the Prius should be considered.

Terrific. And what should Prius owners do during this period of consideration and investigation?

No doubt, Prius owners will look to Ray LaHood for advice.

"STOP DRIVING IT."

No, don't.

This is not good.