News

Toyota Prius under investigation for reported brake problem

Photo of the 2010 Prius from the Toyota media site

TopGear.com.ph Car News - 2010 Toyota Prius sold in the United States photo 

The Prius--Toyota's wildly-popular hybrid vehicle--is now under scrutiny as reports of brakes problem has reached both Japanese and American authorities.

There have been at least 77 cases of the Prius' brake malfunctioning since the current-generation model went on sale in Japan in May 2009, the New York Times said. One collision that injured two people in July 2009 is even suspected to have been caused by the hybrid's slow-moving brakes. As of yesterday, Japan's Transport Ministry has already asked Toyota to investigate 14 cases of the Prius momentarily losing its brakes.

In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received at least 136 complaints for the same model, with four resulting in a crash. Occupants were reportedly injured on two cases.

Based on the reports, Prius drivers said that the hybrid either surged forward or was slow to brake after driving over a pothole or any uneven road surface. Many even said that it has been a recurring problem, with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak being one of those to say so.

"I have many models of Prius that got recalled, but I have a new model that didn't get recalled. This new model has an accelerator that goes wild, but only under certain conditions of cruise control. And I can repeat it over and over and over again - safely," said Wozniak on CNET news. "This is software. It's not a bad accelerator pedal. It's very scary, but luckily for me, I can hit the brakes."

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), meanwhile, has acceded to the request of both Japanese and American transport agencies, saying that, "we are presently investigating the contents of each complaint raised by the customers, and we are still considering what course of action to take."

Meanwhile, Toyota Motor Philippines continues to wait for word from TMC before it takes action on the 25 Prius units sold in the local market since the launch in June 2009.

 
 
 
Tags: Toyota, Toyota Prius, Toyota Philippines

Post Comment | Comments (56) |

 
 
 
 

COMMENTS

  • fredrick says haiys. . . . . (05 February 2010)
  • Underscrutiny says Toyota Philippines is still "waiting" for word...in other words, "what can we say that will allow us NOT to recall those 25 units we sold and still not be liable..." ay naku... (05 February 2010)
  • ann says class suit waiting to happen (05 February 2010)
  • Juan Miguel Reantaso Mendoza says may problema nanaman ang toyota buti nga sa kanila matatalo na sila ng mitsubishi. go mitsubishi! (05 February 2010)
  • Mamang Tsuper says Hindi aamin ang Toyota Philippines na may palpak sila. Only in the Philippines. Toyota Philippines is owned by the Ty's of Metrobank and probably supported by powerful politicians. At ano naman ang government agency natin ang mag iimbestiga? Wala tayong equivalent ng U.S. National Transportation Safety Agency. Ingat na lang sa mga Toyota owners. (05 February 2010)
  • evilwez says @juan miguel. i dont think that will happen. only TGP readers and some knew this issue about toyota. if the issue will be brought out in a local news, tv patrol or 24 oras, then toyota may have a decrease in its sales but i doubt that mitsubishi will take their place as the no.1 in the industry. for MOST Filipinos, Toyota is the most reliable. mitsubishi is really a fun vehicle but that is only one in many factors that buyers will look up for. (05 February 2010)
  • Juan Miguel Reantaso Mendoza says Evilwez, Hyundai is already beating the Toyota. much more, Mitsubishi is already planning something i can feel it. if you'll read the survey Mitsubishi is already in 2ND place. When the i-Miev arrives in the Philippines, it will be in demand for sure. by the way im a fan of Mitsubishi. (05 February 2010)
  • H says @juan miguel miski bumaba ang sales ng toyota matatalo pa rin ang mitsu kagaya nga ng sinabi ni evilwez "toyota is the most reliable" syempre sabi ng iba magandang gamitin na taxi ang toyota kasi reliable sya kaya sa lahat na nagsasabi na pangtaxi ang toyota para na rin nyung cnabi na reliable ang toyota hehehehe kasi ndi naman gagawing taxi ang toyota kung ndi reliable! (05 February 2010)
  • Juan Miguel Reantaso Mendoza says h, iniintay lang ng mitsu matalo sila at kpag talo na sila babangon na ulit sila, un ang style ng mitsu. padating na nga ang rvr e. euro 2 na nga ang l300 e. at saka madaya ang toyota. (05 February 2010)
  • Juan Miguel Reantaso Mendoza says @manang tsuper tama ang comment mo talagang di aamin ang toyota. masyado gumagamit ng sales talk ang toyota. (05 February 2010)
  • Anonymouse says @Underscrutiny: I think that's being unfair to Toyota Philippines. For one thing, they can't act because the Prius is made in Japan, not in the Philippines. So they can't move unless the plant in Japan that makes the Prius has a solution. (05 February 2010)
  • torque88 says Tumigil kayo mga TOYOTA fans!!nakita nyo na mga video footage sa YOUTUBE reliable ba ang TOYOTA nyo kung ganyan na maraming cassualties...ewan ko kung family nyo sakay nyan.. (05 February 2010)
  • suv says matutoyo nito ang toyota pag nagkataon tsk tsk baka lalong dumami ang taksi dahil mumura ang bentahan ng vios pag nilangaw na ito sa showroom nila...may advantage din naman hehe (05 February 2010)
  • BOOGIECAT says They(TMPC) can't fix the D-4D problem eh yan pa kayang problem sa 3rd gen Prius..So far TMPC sold 25 units of Prius in the country since its launch last year..Muntik na akong makabili nito noon but thank God di natuloy dahil may defects pala tong Prius! (05 February 2010)
  • torque88 says sana di malugi ang mga Taxi Operators sa TOYOTA units nila baka matakot na ang mga tao..TOYOta is a MOST RELIABLE CAR!tsk,tsk,tskPrius have a break problem,then Camry,RAV4,Corolla,Yaris,Sequioa, and now according to the ABS news Innova and Fortuner..D-4D is not good!!choking problem for a long time is still going on.If you drive at the speed of 120kph at SLEX,NLEX,or SCTEX with somebody after you and this problem occur..do you think what happen?OMG take care to those who drives TOYOTA model that i've said. (05 February 2010)
  • torque88 says Sorry Guys,,I loved Mitsubishi..If TOYOTA said "THE WORLD IS MINE" this will be a Karma..GOD is the Owner..and Mistsubishi is claimed DRIVE @ EARTH and that is correct.:) (05 February 2010)
  • francis says @torque88 expression lng un anu ba, saka wala naman kaming problema sa fortuner namin kpg papunta kaming baguio ung dad ko nga umaabot pa ng 130kph sa SCTEX wala naman ganung nangyayari saka ang pagpunta namin sa baguio 7 to 10 times a year pero talagang walang nangyayaring choking na cnasabi mu....peace ^_^ (05 February 2010)
  • TJ says Mag insight na lang. (05 February 2010)
  • Juan Miguel Reantaso Mendoza says tama ka dyan torque88. @ francis talo na ng montero sport ang fortuner. i'm a mitsubishi fan too. mas maganda pa ang insight pati i-miev. (05 February 2010)
  • Juan Miguel Reantaso Mendoza says TOYOta, mas reliable ang mitsubishi. bago na nga ang strada, lancer ex, l300, galant and many more of mitsu. mitsubishi rules!!! (05 February 2010)
  • JP says @juan miguel Pinoy ka talaga. Wala ka nang alam sa motoring. Mas marami ang tiwala sa Toyota worldwide kaysa sa Mitsubishi. (06 February 2010)
  • suv says ganun naman ang mga toyota owners syempre tangkilin ang sariling atin kahit may D-4D problems or the perrenial tagtag issue ng fortuner, magbulagbulagan na lang to justify na tama ang ginawang pagbili, ang nakakatakot ay pag sa inyo tumama ang unreliable safety problems ng mga nirecall na units sa US, Europe, posibleng ala nga pero it's scary yung possibilities, so take the risk? (06 February 2010)
  • pogi says st*p*d peoples, most of Filipino think Mitsubishi and Toyota is the Best! this is our mistake friends. they selling here only Filpipno version,, low profiles and low Quality car..i dont know if anyone knows Fortuner and Motenro in not sale for US and Eroupe... think again. (06 February 2010)
  • suv says @pogi may MonteroSport naman sa US at sa South America, Pajero Sport naman yan sa Russia, iba iba name pero same lang, they are the frontrunners kase sa atin kaya ganun ang competition (06 February 2010)
  • torque88 says Suv says correct..Pogi,Montero Sport in US and South America and sa Europe Pajero Sport yan.Magbasa basa ka nga ng feedback tungkol sa Montero Sports ha..Dun sa mga may Fortuner,D-4D lang nman may problem,but sa VVT 2,7 Variants is best..But sa mga may TOYOTA probems wait and see.don't take risk..you always drive your car with no peace of mind...mahirap yata un..how you consider ur car sit and relax with this kind of problem..omg (06 February 2010)
  • AM3 says @Anonymouse Toyota Japan already had a solution, thats why the recent Prius models being manufactured don't have the problem. The issue here is they did not recall the earlier units with the problem. (06 February 2010)
  • John Martin C. Balinghasay says the CURRENT Montero sport is not available in the US, only the Endeavor and Outlander. Almost all SUVs in US are shifting to unibody platform. Body on Frame SUVs are being relegated to asia and South America. (06 February 2010)
  • hmm says mitsubishi fanatic keep bashing toyota for having such problem... can i ask where is your mitsubishi "eco friendly hybrid"? ow you don't have the tech.. reliability? as if your mitsubishi have never had issues before...keep buying mitsu crap..next time you know, you won't have enough money for fuel...why don't you check the new honda FCX clarity...its BRILIANT!...oww i forgot you're ZERO's engine(tora-tora) FANATIC...lol (06 February 2010)
  • Mamang Tsuper says Hyundai Santa Feang binili ko last December. Good decision for me. Available sya worldwide not just in third world countries. Yung Fortuner pang third world lang. he he he (06 February 2010)
  • botchifan says we used to buy only toyotas and hondas. after ondoy, we are never going to buy another toyota anymore. i have a fully restored vios and paid more than P200,000 just to restore it. when i brought it home, it won't start anymore. toyota sucks. (06 February 2010)
  • Juan Miguel Reantaso Mendoza says @JP, paniguradong mitsu na ang pagkatitiwalaan buti pa si mamang tsuper at si torque88.@Hmm, i-miev, i-miev cargo at i-miev crossover ang hybrids ng mitsu OK!!!!! (06 February 2010)
  • Juan Miguel Reantaso Mendoza says buti pa si suv alam ksi alam ko rin un d ktuld nina john mrtin at pogi wlang alam!!! (06 February 2010)
  • suv says a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, so read, read and read at baka masupalpal...peace hehe (06 February 2010)
  • John Martin C. Balinghasay says @ juan and suv go to mitsubishi US website and see if the CURRENT MONTERO SPORT is being sold there. Am not talking about the LAST GENERATION MONTERO SPORT which was only a 5 seater. Then tell me who needs to read before making any informed comments. . . (06 February 2010)
  • suv says @john martin-we are talking about the Montero Sport, the name itself Montero not specifying then and now. I did not specify the 7 seater model currently sold here so still...Montero being sold there and by the way, the Montero Sport Ukraine model is also a 5 seater thereby putting the US Montero in the same category imho. (07 February 2010)
  • John Martin C. Balinghasay says As I have stated in my first comment, I am implying that THE MONTERO SPORT is not anymore available in the US and so as not to mislead the readers here that the current generation that is sold here is also sold in the US. and FYI the Montero sport that is CURRENTLY sold in asia, russia, south america is a different vehicle altogether from the one STILL CURRENTLY SOLD by MITSUBICHI EUROPE WHICH IS BASED ON THE OLD GENERATION PLATFORM. SO DONT SAY THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF SEATS THAT THEY ARE THE SAME "CATEGORY" as you say, because WE, the INFORMED readers always look to the platform and generation of a vehicle when WE talk about certain models. And its obvious that we are talking about CURRENT GEN Montero Sport and not the Last gen which WAS sold in the US and was discontinued in 2004 (07 February 2010)
  • Juan Miguel Reantaso Mendoza says @ john martin, tama nmn si suv. may fortuner ba sa america? un ang tanongin mo sa sarili mo. pero sasagutin ko na, WALA! paano ko nlamn, nasa states ang aunt roselle ko at sbi nya wlang fortuner doon!!!! (07 February 2010)
  • EuroCars says That's the problem with Japanese or some crap asian cars. Very Low in quality. Kaya ako I always buy Merecedes and BMW cars. If I were you guys try nyo lang. Kahit test drive muna. You'll know the difference. (07 February 2010)
  • pogi says wow, I changed topic. hehe. my point is, filipino people have to know how Honda,Toyota and Mitsubishi treats us locally. ok lets see Thiland, Taiwan and Korea. check all of brands those country's web site, all brand, and last u will know what is really DIFFERENT!! our Camry? its for china and ASIAN market only(2airbags no side thnis and o lot features are gone), LANCER?? so many of features are gone, CIVIC?? we don't have Hyvrid things her. Oh i forgot NISSAN, We dont have here any new cars I thinnk Nissan almost close here in the philippine, Altima..many of Nissan cars NOT AVAILABLE IN THE PHILIPPINES!! Filipino Like SENTRA which is very very OLD GEN and still manual window things..Good! Korean cars?? Nice but not in the Philippine baecause HARI and Columbian Motors get too much Margin. thats why they brought same model selling in US but LOW profiles Version in locally. why? because of they want more your CASH. (07 February 2010)
  • suv says if i remind everyone, topic nga pala ng blog ay yung Prius, napunta na kung saan-saan at it heated up when it leads to Montero-Fortuner rivalry again, ganyan kasikat ang 2 suv na ito sa mga pinoy kaya kahit in almost all blogs laging nababanggit. I admit being biased to Montero as this is my precious suv thus the monicker but prior to purchase naman,may rigid evaluation naman sa economic at functional aspects at really worth value, thanks Mitsu! (07 February 2010)
  • ewan says bahala kayung magawayaway ung mga ibang mitsu fans inaaway ang toyota fans ung iba nmn toyota fans ang nangaaway basta aku nissan fan aku hehehe....kapag may sasabihin kaung negative sakin wala na akung paki ^_^ (07 February 2010)
  • John Martin C. Balinghasay says Sorry Juan dont need to ask myself if fortuner is available in the states because ever since I know what is sold over there and whats not, so suv is still not right because ask yourself if the same montero sport is sold in the US and in the Philippines, and the answer is NO and I dont need to ask anyone from over there because I keep myself informed and not make misleading statements in blogs just to say that you know something others dont, just to make yourself look smart. . .all I wanted to confirm is that Montero sport is not CURRENTLY sold in the US which suv stated in his comment, just to state the FACTS. . .nothing more (08 February 2010)
  • wew says @pogi anu ba mali mali pa spelling mo anu bayan peace! ^_^ (08 February 2010)
  • del rosario says cge lang magaway kayu ng magaway siraan ng siraan ng brand anu bayan mga asal hayup na kayu away ng away cge lng pagpatuloy nyu pa anu ba mapapala nyu ehhh nangyari na nagrecall na anu pangmagagawa nyu im a toyota fan ehh anu ngayun kung natatalu cla ndi ba pwedeng bumawi ang toyota? hello edi ngayun nanalo na mitsu anu naman sakin kung nanalo cla ndi naman aku affected kung nanalo cla basta wag lng malulugi ang toyota masaya ako basta wag lng mawawala ang brand ng toyota ok n un at imposible mawala ang toyota sa market kasi kahit papano may nagtitiwala sa toyota miski nagrecall .... un lng peace (08 February 2010)
  • KeithDB says @EuroCars, care to provide link where we can see the quality comparison between japanese and german cars? @Pogi, Reason is : (1) They have safety standards in the US which every manufacturer has to follow, dito sa Pinas, wala its up to the manufacturer what features will be available. (2) They removed some features to make the cars more affordable. As for nissan and the korean cars, i dont have a comment for that (08 February 2010)
  • yabang! says @eurocars yabang mo! bakit lahat ba kami d2 makakaafford ng BMW saka MERC?! ha?! tanong ko lng sayu!...nakakainis ka un pala nagpapanggap ka lng hay naku nakakainis ka.kaya nga nandyan ung ford,nissan,honda,kia,hyundai,mazda,mitsu, suzuki at toyota mga affordable,hello ndi naman kami makakaaford ng pinagsasabi mo! saka its not low in quality! etu papala laklakin mo yang merc mo at BMW mo ndi namin kailangan yan epal ka lng! (08 February 2010)
  • gilbert says uuuuhhhh galet naman ni yabang hehehe may point naman din ung cnabi nya ou nga ndi lahat tau nakakaafford ng mercedes at bmw bat mo pa sasabihin un d2 ehh ndi nga namin kaya iafford un saka ang mga japanese carmakers are not in low quality its just average or even higher.... (08 February 2010)
  • hmm says @juan miguel reantaso mendoza were talking about "HYBRID" here...you keep saying "MIEV"(mitsu electric vehicle)..i guess you don't know the word HYBRID...how manny hours for your mitsu electric car to be fully charge???? yeah right keep defending your unproven "mitsu crap"...ask your aunt rosselle if she seen one of your so called "MIEV" here in the state on the road...pathetic mitsu fanatic...lol (09 February 2010)
  • Bob says choking!?... funny where did you get that? Mas maganda talaga yung mga montero nyo na makina ay galing lang sa isang L300. Hayzzz. (09 February 2010)
  • Bob says @botchifan: Eh anong ineexpect mo! kahit na anong kotse na lumubog sa baha ay may kaunting chance lang na marestore. (09 February 2010)
  • Roy Eusebio says ay naku sana maayos ng Grupo ni Ty ang Toyota guys pero pag may hindi pa inayos ng mga TY's aba'y wag na natin tangkalikin ang Toyota db juan miguel,TJ,torque88? Ang problema nga lang mataas ng presyo ang units nila!!!! (10 February 2010)
  • torque88 says @Bob,tama yan nickname mo dito sa Forum Bob as in B*BO!!!kailan naging engine ng L300 ang sa Monerto..Hwag ka sumali dito scrap head!!!ok ba Juan Miguel,SUV,TJ,Roy.hehehe.mag research ka nga.. (11 February 2010)
  • suv says pansin ko kay Bob(uy) may sili ang bibig anghang magsalita, ala pa sa hulog..lol, topic ay "Toyota Prius under investigation...", ipapasok na naman ang montero, wag na wag makanti ang no. 1 SUV ng pinas ng 2009 at kukuyugin ng mitsu fanatics (12 February 2010)
  • tope says Mag ISUZU nlang kayo subok na barako ng lansangan mura na ang parts at kahit saan mo dalhin subok na matatag!! may nag bangaan na crosswind at fortuner samin wasak ang toyota pero ang crosswind XT parang gasgas lang (14 February 2010)
  • tope says And proudly pinoy made ang isuzu di gaya ng iba na puro thailand na lang (lahat nlang pati pagkain).. tsaka mas mura ang maintenance kesa iba.. (14 February 2010)
  • Arville says "Every giant has a weak spot." wish you all the best Toyota. (24 February 2010)

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Not registered? Click here to be a TopGear.com.ph member.

Click this link to view our posting guidelines.

Get 15% off when you subscribe to the magazine!
Click here for details.
Latest Top Gear Magazine

Sign up for exclusive automotive updates!

TEXT TOP GEAR PHILIPPINES
TOP GEAR ED <message> <name> <email address> <home address> <cellphone number> and send to 2640 for Smart, Sun and Globe subscribers. P2.50 for Smart and Globe and P2.00 for Sun.
www.topgear.com.ph on Facebook