Toyota recalls 2010 Prius, Lexus HS 250 hybrids

Feb 9, 2010 11:51 AM

Toyota has announced a voluntary safety recall on approximately 133,000 2010 Prius and 14,500 2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrid cars to update software in the anti-lock brake system (ABS). The brake system has been found to have inconsistent brake feel in some situations, particularly partial braking on rough or slick road surfaces when ABS is activated. No other Toyota, Lexus, or Scion vehicles are involved in this recall.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has described the problem as a "momentary loss of braking capability." NHTSA began a formal investigation into the Prius braking system last week. It has 124 owner complaints on record and reports that there have been four alleged accidents as a result of this problem. The Japanese Ministry of Transport kicked off the international investigation into the possible, momentary brake failures days prior.

If you experience the momentary loss in braking, NHTSA advises owners to continue to firmly press on the brake to stop the vehicle. It would be wise to leave a little more stopping distance until this recall is performed.

Toyota has already implemented a software update at the factory to improve the ABS system's response time on the Prius, and it plans to do the same for the HS 250h later this month. With this recall, Toyota will retroactively apply the update to owner cars.

Owners will be notified by Toyota. The work itself is estimated to take about 40 minutes, though owners will find dealerships are busy dealing with recalls on millions of other Toyota products.

Read Prius-related brake complaints from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database.

—Jeff Bartlett

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