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The brake and accelerator pedals as seen in a 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid car February 4, 2010 in San Francisco, California. More than eight million Toyota Prius vehicles have been recalled in the US Europe and China to address braking problems.
Toyota's world-wide woes which have culminated in millions of cars being recalled to address safety issues may have reached Australia with reports of problems with brakes in the new generation Prius hybrid.
More than eight million of the marque’s most popular models have been recalled in the United States, Europe and China to address sticking accelerators caused by at least two separate problems -- slipping floor mats and a design fault in the pedal.
To date Australia has been isolated from the problems, but the latest safety concerns over inconsistent brake feel have hit closer to home. Toyota Australia says it is investigating reports that some owners have experienced inconsistent brake feel when the vehicle is driven over potholes, bumps or slippery road surfaces.
There have been more than 100 complaints of brake problems on the Prius in the United States and the world's biggest car manufacturers says that 77 similar concerns were reported in Japan to the end of last year. Toyota has not released the number of Australian complaints.
Toyota Australia says that while it is investigating the reports of Prius brake problems in Australia and will make no further comment or supply numbers of complaints the company believes there is no relationship with the earlier overseas recalls.
