Toyota Prius production to be slashed as recall woes continue

By Matt Brogan | March 16th, 2010

Toyota’s popular environmental crusader, the Prius hybrid, will have its production levels slashed this month as the Japanese manufacturer struggles to address claims of braking system problems.

Nearly 450,000 third-generation Prius models were recalled earlier this year amid claims the brakes could fail to properly function when the car switched between petrol and electric mode or was driven on particularly slippery or bumpy roads.

The issue has caused a sales slump for Toyota with the US market — the Prius’ single most important market — recording a 40 per cent fall in Prius purchases.

Reports from Tokyo say Toyota will trim 10 per cent from Prius production levels to meet the slowing demand. Prius production reached a peak output of 50,000 units per month back in October 2009 after going on sale in May the same year. It’s understood that figure will now be pared back to around 45,000 units a month.

In the Prius’ home market of Japan, the petrol-electric hybrid has been a sales success, and thanks to state subsidies and tax incentives, has topped the nation’s best seller list for the past nine months.

“The outlook for Prius demand is uncertain,” a Toyota spokesperson said.

In the US regulators are investigating more than 60 reports of customer issues with the Prius’ braking system as Toyota’s investigation of the problem continues.

Mr Brooksy

I’m sorry to say, but I’m kind of happy this is effecting the Toyota Prius, and sad for the drivers who could be dangerously effected by this issue. J Leno’s statement regarding the Prius “its a car that celebrities drive to show they are doing ‘something’ for the environment and want to boast about it”, or words to that effect. Now the rest of the world having jumped on the band wagon now has to deal with a pretty major fault, I hope it was worth stroking the “look at me” syndrome!

Maybe people should go out and buy a Diesel or LPG car, or even better… Toyota instead of pouring money in to a gimmick invest in Hydrogen power and storage research!
Joober@Work

Mr Toyoda should burn fires and take the phoenix approach this company has been tarred with so much bad things in a short timeframe. If the continue with this business approach, they’ll be the old Ford/GM.

Start fresh, new approach, new cars, and perhaps a whole new rebranding exercise, at least you get some sympathy with the Toyofans if not the market that you are really acknowledging the mistakes and really doing a damn to fix it…
Redback

While I’m not exactly a Toyota fan, I have some sympathy for their situation.

Given the litigious, reactionary and sheep-like metality that seems so pervasive in the US, I take the seriousness of these “defects” with a large grain of salt.

Remember the Audi “unintended acceleration” fiasco back in the 80/90s? Every man and his gun-toting dog jumped on the imaginary UA bandwagon, only for it to be later exposed as “operator error”. Current affairs shows falsified “proof”, alleged victims lied to cover their own stupidity and scammers came out of the woodwork to sue for damages.

While there may have been some incidents with the Prius that warrant investigation, we should never underestimate the ineptitude of the “passenger” behind the wheel of your average car in the US.

I’ve lived there and witnessed it first hand…

Benjamin

Tell that to the families of people who have died with this so called UA phenomena

GoHyundai

yea i agree,

i don’t know where the bloody hell s/he lived and witnessed what,

RE: “While I’m not exactly a Toyota fan, I have some sympathy for their situation”

Darren

After 8000km on the clock, I’m happy with my Prius. It gives me everything I want in a car at a okay price tag (of course it wasn’t as cheap as it should be). The fuel consumption is pretty much the same whether I drive it in the city or on the freeway, 4.9L/100km.

However I must admit my Prius does have that problem with the brake. Heavy breaking over a pothole or uneven surface gives a startling feeling. I got used to it after a while. After returning it to CMI Toyota and let them work on it, it improved but not entirely. The problem with the ABS braking system is still there. While it’s not life-threatening since the car still stop where I want it to stop, but it’s annoying to have that funny feeling whenever the ABS is activated.

GoHyundai

it improved but not entirely?
The problem with the ABS braking system is still there?
While it’s not life-threatening since the car still stop where I want it to stop???
but it’s annoying to have that funny feeling whenever the ABS is activated???

man…i don’t know what to say…
William

I experienced the exact same thing. I test drove the prius before the news broke. When braking from 30 mph while driving over a speed bump it lurched forward ever so slightly, startling me in the test drive. I did apply gentle braking but it did it nevertheless. My passat with ABS doesn’t do that.
Carl

Darren, For that sort of money you could have bought a classy diesel from a bunch of good car manufacturers BUT they don’t come with the bragging rights of the BULL SH*T man made global warming crap!! Oh and good luck with those slightly improved brakes!! LOL
Darren

Lol, thank for that but I don’t hit potholes everyday while braking and this problem doesn’t mean the car fail to brake like many of you are imagining. And yes, with that sort of money I can buy other nice car, the Tiguan came close, but none of them offer what the Prius has to offer at that time. Moreover, I bought this car months before all that news broke out, so I can’t return it.

GoHyundai

wow
they’re still selling the prius? still?
oh no…
svd

The Prius braking system is more complicated than the average car. They have regenerative braking as well as the common hydraulic system operated from the brake pedal. There is a transition from regenerative to hydraulic which can be confused by the wheels momentarily losing motion like when a pothole is encountered. This is a software issue.
yowza

The claims are questonable since..

there was a technical bulletin that explained that the brake problems were software based and the main issue was that “it felt weak”, as opposed to being weak braking.

Failing?, this is from US. I think its 50/50 that the customers are paranoid and exagerating… But to be honest, I would be to if I bought one, because I would want Toyota to replace my car with a brand new one altogether.