NAGOYA, Japan — The Japanese government said Wednesday that it had ordered Toyota to investigate a possible defect in its newest Prius hybrid model after receiving 14 reports of brake trouble, another blow for an automaker already embroiled in its biggest-ever recall. Considering the popularity of the Prius, this could bring down the sort of pain Toyota really does not need right now.



Quote from the article:

The drivers have complained that the brakes on their Priuses have momentarily stopped working when driving at low speeds, especially on slippery surfaces, said Kenji Sato, a transport ministry official in charge of recall policy. In one incident in July 2009 in Japan, a Prius collided with another vehicle at an intersection, hurting two people. Ten of the 14 complaints in Japan about the new Prius, which went on sale here last May, came in January. In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has logged 111 complaints about the brakes on the 2010 Prius. Many are from drivers who say the vehicle surged forward or temporarily lost braking after driving over a pothole or other uneven surface, and many say it is a recurring problem. Four cases involved a crash, and two of those resulted in injuries, according to the safety agency’s complaint database. In comments Wednesday morning with reporters, the secretary of transportation, Ray LaHood, said the agency would “look at these complaints involving brakes and make sure they’re paying attention to it.” A Toyota spokesman, Takanori Yokoi, said that dealers in North America and Japan have received reports from customers who said their Priuses had “braked insufficiently” on bumpy or frozen roads.

Source: Japan Tells Toyota to Test Prius Brakes for Defect