Toyota Prius 2001 News

Toyota has issued a recall of the 2008-09 ZW30 third-generation Prius hybrid. The recall affects some 1,652 Australian models, and relates to a potentially faulty Brake Booster Pump Assembly --a key element of the car’s braking system.The potential fault can result in a fatigue crack to the accumulator within the system, which could cause nitrogen gas to leak and result in a spongy or longer travel to the brake pedal. This could in turn increase stopping distances and the risk of collision.The recall includes all Prius models within the VIN number range: JTDKN36U# 01000031 – 01092008 and JTDKN36U# 05000003 – 05076028, produced between October 2008 and October 2009.Toyota will alert owners of the recall via mail, advising they visit their Toyota dealer for a free inspection of the relevant system. If necessary, the assembly will be replaced free of charge. 

Toyota has issued a global recall on 242,000 cars around the world, affecting the Toyota Prius and the Lexus HS 250h. The recall will include 1650 Australian Toyota Prius built between October 2008 and October 2009, however the Lexus model is not sold in Australia. The affected vehicles are fitted with a brake pressure accumulator that may develop a fatigue crack on an internal part due to vibration. The most likely outcome would be a loss of braking pressure, although Toyota hasn’t detailed what would happen if the part in question did develop a crack. The fix will involve inspection of the brake booster pump assembly to see if it is equipped with one of the suspect accumulators.  If so, the dealer will replace the brake booster pump assembly with an improved one.  

Toyota says it will the first carmaker to sell a hydrogen-powered car in Australia, using an onboard fuel cell to generate electricity, perhaps as soon as 2016.It claims the newcomer will be a bigger breakthrough than the first Prius, although its plans are dependent on developing a workable network of refuelling stations that can supply the hydrogen for the vehicle.Toyota is well advanced with its fuel cell development work and I have driven an impressive Kluger in California that is refuelled from the world's first dedicated high-pressure hydrogen refuelling station. It sounds and responds like an electric car, and Toyota says its giant hydrogen tanks and prototype fuel cell 'stack' will be shrunken considerably by the time it is ready with its first production car."We're aiming for a production fuel cell car in the USA in 2015. It's a car, not an SUV," says Greg Gardner, of Toyota Australia. "It will be an all-new model. Something like the Prius, at least initially. "As the environmental leader in Australia, hat's definitely a target for us. Yes, definitely, we want to be first."Toyota has shown several hydrogen concept cars including a four-door sedan that will have the space to package the new-era powerplant, which is similar to the one in the landmark Honda Clarity. The Clarity began as a concept car and is now being leased in small numbers in Japan and the USA, but is not regarded as a genuine production model.Toyota says its car will be sold, not leased, and will be a genuine production car and not a science experiment. Even so, Gardner says it will take time to get established. "It will be produced in the tens of thousands by 2020.It won't be like the Prius, which will hit one million sales next year," he says. But he promises a car that satisfies the needs of regular consumers, not just eco warriors, with the practicality of a Camry. "The good thing about hydrogen is that you only have to find space for the cell and tanks. It's about packaging," Gardner says."It can be applied to any vehicle. So in the future you could have a gasoline car, an electric hybrid and and hydrogen drive in the same vehicle. "The more that you do, and the longer you do it, the better the price will become. It's about the economies of scale." But he admits there is an elephant in the room, with no sign of a workable hydrogen fuel network any time soon in Australia."Refueling is the biggest challenge. But this is he future we're talking about," he says. "If we build it, they will come. When we introduce it, we'll have to work collaboratively with the liquid energy distribution companies and governments to make it work. It's a massive task." 

But it takes a government office to forget where they parked a fleet of 293 brand new cars. Let alone that they bought them in the first place. The Miami-Dade county office in Florida, US, has ‘rediscovered’ a fleet of Toyota Prius hybrids and other vehicles that have sat unused since being purchased five to six years ago. The $4 million worth of undriven vehicles only came to light after a story appeared in the Florida Spanish-language newspaper, El Nuevo Herald.  County commissioner Javier Souto is cited as saying that in 2010 a county employee had been told hundreds of new cars were sitting unused in a Miami-Dade carpark. Mr Souto says questions about the fleet had been put to the office of then - mayor Carlos Alvarez - who lost office last year amid controversy over county funding uses.  The county’s director of corporate services, Lester Sola, has reportedly confirmed the cars were being quickly put into service. He has also stated the vehicles are still covered by warranty.  However, warranties can be voided when a vehicle has been abused. And leaving one sitting unused - and unserviced - for several years could well wipe out any manufacturer guarantees. Get all the latest news and reviews in your newspaper's Carsguide section.  

The new Camry Hybrid being launched next week will be closely followed on to the showroom floors by a facelifted Prius and a Yaris-sized Prius C at the end of March. In the second half of this year, Toyota will add a Prius v wagon. Toyota sales and marketing director Matthew Callachor says they are expanding their range of hybrids. "By the middle of this year, we will be offering hybrids priced from around the mid-$20,000s all the way to the mid-$50,000s," he says. "Greater affordability, familiarity and sales will help us achieve real market acceptance. "At the moment, hybrids are bought mainly by innovators and early adopters. They are turned on by technology, fuel and the environment." He says most of these innovators and early adopters are aged under 35 as they have a better understanding of hybrid technology. "They are more likely to believe it is worth paying a premium for hybrid," he says. "They are more likely to trust hybrid technology and they certainly understand that hybrids are better for the environment than diesel cars." Callachor says the novelty of hybrids had worn off now that the company had sold more than 3.5m hybrids worldwide. "And many of the world's major manufacturers, including Holden, are promising hybrids," he says. "We welcome that development. "From the earliest days, Toyota has actively encouraged all carmakers to embrace hybrid technology - and we have licensed our technology to several other companies." Callachor says Toyota is also introducing its hybrids to motorsport with a return to Le Mans this year with a pair of new hybrid race cars and the first hybrid vehicles to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship. "Motorsport improves the breed and our target this year is to demonstrate the performance level of these cars, and particularly the hybrid powertrain."

The new hybrid hero is not technically part of the Prius family, but Toyota is using its TS 030 as a 320km/h labratory-on-wheels and a way to break down barriers against future cars. Toyota is not planning to win in France this year but does intend to lay the foundations for future success at Le Mans with a two-car coupe entry in full factory colours. But it will not be the only hybrid contender in June, as Audi has just confirmed plans to race a pair of diesel-electric versions of its latest R18 in a four-car effort at Le Mans. It is believed to use a flywheel, similar to the Williams F1 system already used by Porsche in a racing 911, for energy storage. The new Toyota 030 is also a full hybrid that combines a 3.4-litre V8 racing engine with a hybrid energy storage system to boost power to electric motors at the wheels. The biggest difference between the road and race cars is the storage system - a Prius uses a battery pack and the Toyota racer uses a high-tech capacitor that has greater storage potential and the ability to release energy in a more concerted burst. "The first year is a testing year, but at the same time, the whole team, including myself, has massive motivation. Even if it is the first year, we are there to win the race," says Kazuki Nakajima, a former Williams F1 driver who heads the driver lineup for Le Mans. Toyota has fielded cars many times at Le Mans, firstly with the TS 010 and 020 that made the podium in the 1990s, then the GT-One built in Germany by the team that would eventually take Toyota - unsuccessfully - into Formula One. The 030 hybrid has already been tested extensively ahead of Le Mans but Toyota says it is still assessing the potential drive system. Race rules mean a maximum of 500 kiloJoules of energy can be recovered under braking - although the capacity of the Toyota system is double that amount - and it can be fed to either the front or rear wheels. rand Prix cars use their kinetic energy recovery systems to boost drive to the rear wheels but Porsche has turned its 911 into an all-wheel drive racer with electric power to the front wheels, something also being trialled by Toyota. The Toyota 030 hybrid races for the first time at Spa in Belgium in May and, apart from Nakajima, the six-driver lineup also includes former F1 racer Alex Wurz.

Cheap and green is the name of the game, with the Yaris aiming to deliver the least expensive hybrid in the market, with the best fuel economy and emissions figures in the light car segment. Rather than relying on the 1.8-litre engine from the Prius, Toyota has downsized to a 1.5-litre and a smaller electric motor, inverter and battery pack, saving about 20 per cent in weight and avoiding having to cannibalise the Yaris cabin and 286-litre luggage space. The new system is tipped to deliver a maximum of 74kW with fuel economy nearing 3L/100km and emissions as low as 80g/km. This brings it under the Prius’ 3.4L/100km and 89g/km, and also makes it a contender against new ultra-light city cars such as the Volkswagen Up. Initially slated for Europe, the Yaris will make its international debut at Geneva Motor Show in March and hit the showrooms over there by May. And it will eventually hit our shores, but don’t expect to see it here for some years, Toyota Australia says. “For the Australian market we have the Prius C arriving towards the end of first quarter this year – within a couple of months -- and that will take the spot of the Yaris Hybrid here,” a Toyota spokesman says. “That’s for the interim. (TMC boss) Akio Toyoda’s vision is that every Toyota model will have a hybrid variant by 2020, so by then we will have one.” As the first full hybrid model in the B segment in Europe, Toyota’s newcomer will hope to build on the strength of Yaris being their top seller there – and snare younger buyers that can move up the model line as they mature.

M.I.G. Security relies on its nine-strong Toyota Prius fleet for security patrols around Mandurah and surrounding areas, about 75km south of Perth. Operations manager Paul Hiron said the longest-serving Prius, which has been used for patrols since 2005, is still going strong after 788,411km. Hiron says reliability is vital to their business as clients depended on the company to give them peace of mind. "Prius is ideal for our work, being quiet, economical and comfortable," he says. "It's ideal in stop-start traffic for fuel-efficiency and it performs on the open roads as well."

Feedback from show patrons will help determine whether the production version of the Prius c Concept is headed to Australia. The Prius c Concept is the inspiration for a future small hybrid with an entry price point and superior fuel economy. If approved for Australia, the city car will join the iconic hybrid Prius brand, broadening its appeal. Toyota Australia senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said the urban appeal of cars such as the Prius c would further increase the acceptance of hybrid cars in the market. "This car has the core Prius values based on Toyota's proven Hybrid Synergy Drive technology  strong performance, great fuel economy and ultra-low emissions," Mr Buttner said. "We are bringing it to the Australian motor show to test its appeal among buyers who we expect will come from a different group to those attracted to the current Prius. They are compact-car buyers, including young singles and couples, who want a mainstream city car that provides outstanding fuel economy while being fun to drive." The Prius c Concept, unveiled at this year's Detroit auto show, provides a surprisingly spacious interior in a compact package. It will include many advanced technology features, including some offered on the current Prius. The production car is due to be launched in the US during the first half of 2012. No timing has been announced for a possible Australian introduction.

The problem is that no-one knows the plural of Prius, a world originally chosen in Japan because it meant 'to go before'. It's a latin word with no previous plural. In the USA, where two new Prius models were previewed at the Detroit auto show, Toyota has taken the task to the people with a massive online poll that has drawn hundreds of thousands of votes from five Prius choices. It narrowed the field to five potential choices before the start of voting with Prius fans given a choice between Priuses, Prii, Prius, Prien and Prium. The poll closes on February 20 when Toyota USA will announce the result, as well as locking in a Prius plural for its work on the expanded model lineup. The first newcomer for the range - joining the current Prius and plug-  in Prius hatches 0 is a more family-focussed people mover revealed as the Prius V at Detroit. V, in this case and in the same way it is applied to Volvo's wagons, stands for versatility. The next new model is the smaller and slightly sportier Prius C. The Prius V is expected to be in American showrooms in the second half of this year, with the Prius C in the first half of 2012. The launch dates point to more Australian action in 2012. The two leading contenders in the Prius poll are Prii and Priuses, with Prien running last. As well as running the Prius vote, Toyota USA is using the arrival of the new models for an unusual online marketing campaign with a series of short films "featuring a notable expert exploring the etymology of words". Etymology is the study of the development of words and the historical verification of their meanings. PRIUS is likely to stay Prius in Australia. Despite the American push for a plural, Toyota Australia has a much more straightforward attitude to the name of its hybrid hero. "A Prius is a Prius. It's the same for one Prius or 20 Prius," says a Toyota Australia representative. The company is studying the results from the USA but is unlikely to be rushed into any decision or change in its sales program.