Toyota considering Prius recall in Japan, U.S. over brake problems

Toyota are gonna dive in popularity, like mitsubishi

Toyota are gonna dive in popularity, like mitsubishi

seems so, then? UNIQLO alone can not help Japan retain the position of world's 2nd largest economy.

UNIQLO alone can not help Japan retain the position of world's 2nd largest economy.

Especially in terms of image.

Moderator: Stay on topic please.

Hey, where are all you folks claiming all this attention on Toyota is being caused simply by the U.S. government's desire to help the Big 3? Unfortunately, if you bother to read this article, and the numerous other ones out there, you'll see that the Japanese Transportation Ministry ORDERED Toyota to look into the Prius problem first, before even the U.S. Transportation Department. Care to re-think your position? Please, accept the obvious -- Toyota grew too fast, cut some corners, and then, because of the corporate culture, no one had the guts to push management to acknowledge the problems as pro-actively fix them. And, if you don't believe that Toyoda-san's becoming head a few months ago was a coincidence to these problems -- think again. They knew the sh*t was going to hit the fan, so they put the only guy in place who has the clout to clean-up the mess and change the corporate culture.

"Hey, where are all you folks claiming all this attention on Toyota is being caused simply by the U.S. government's desire to help the Big 3?"

They were all last seen in Saitama hawking "No blood for oil" T-shirts at the Cocoon Shopping Mall.

Investors were also digesting a report by the Nikkei business daily that Toyota may recall an estimated 270,000 units of its flagship Prius hybrid in the United States and Japan to fix a brake problem.

The stock fell to 3,265 yen, after dropping 3.5 percent to a 10-month low on Thursday.

Toyota said on Thursday that the recall of more than 8 million vehicles due to problems with unintended acceleration on conventional gas-powered vehicles would cost it up to $2 billion in the January-March quarter.

(Reporting by Yumiko Nishitani)

The situation they describe is common with many ABS equipped cars. Certain situations such as abnormally bumpy roads or even loss of tire contact can create a slow braking response as the system cuts braking force too much.

The system must have registered 4 vastly different wheelspeed readings including the front wheels going to zero which is the same response you'd get on glare ice. It's probably only a half to a full second of no braking, but it feels like an eternity. The ABS is active on extremely bumpy roads with the same effect. The wheel momentarily changes speed very quickly while hopping on the rough road and the system thinks you're on a very low traction surface and cuts braking force. You stop slower than you think you should.

What I suspect is happening is that the Prius customer experiences this ABS "glitch" right as the computer is handing braking duties over from regen braking to ABS braking and the car goes from sort of stopping to not stopping much at all until the ABS computer sorts things out.

"Certain situations such as abnormally bumpy roads or even loss of tire contact can create a slow braking response as the system cuts braking force too much."

I don't know about you, but when I approach an "abnormally bumpy road" I SLOW DOWN ! Ha-ha, this is too much. Maybe Prius owners should just get themselves a Segway for their "off road" excursions ! Wow, how rich is that, I mean how many of the 180 complaints highlighted "high speeds on bumpy roads" on their file ? Stop already, I'm busting at the seams.

The US is playing this just like Japan played the Schindler elevator problems a few years ago. Milk it for all it is worth and use propoganda for your own economy's sake.

We all know every car maker has a recall. Toyota was foolish to play dumb in the US though, like they would do here in Japan and most likely get away with a pat on the wrist.

When you are the "gaijin" company (Toyota in America, Schinddler in Japan), it is a little more difficult to cover-up and be sleazy.

Good report just now on CNN saying one of the things being looked at is electro-magnetic interference and the possibility that it messes up the car's electronics. Sounds plausible, and might explain why there are multiple problems and so much confusion.

Change the headline JT... They just announced that the Prius recall is on...

All hybrids have issues with the breaks because the generator for the batteries is running from the wheels so you need increase brake pressure to stop. I've known people not to buy a hybrid just because of this.

The situation they describe is common with many ABS equipped cars. Certain situations such as abnormally bumpy roads or even loss of tire contact can create a slow braking response as the system cuts braking force too much.

That's MISINFORMATION. It's actually acked by Toyota to be a problem with vehicles with regenerative braking --NOT many ABS cars, ONLY ones with regenerative braking, in this case, Toyota hybrids for which now Toyota say they have a firmware upgrade which addresses the situation. Apparently there's a second delay when the system switches from regenerative to regular braking at vehicle at speed would have traveled ~30 meters in that time. The software patch will narrow that delay.

Apparently some Ford hybrids might have similar issue with an "odd feel" to the braking. However, now we're hearing that Priuses not only suffer from the brake issue but also Stalling, Malfunctioning headlamps, etc. Sigh.

Toyota senior managing director Takahiko Ijichi defended the automaker’s quality standards.

I seriously wonder what kind of 弱虫-president Mr. Toyoda is.

All announcements are done by his subordinates. In a publicity disaster and crisis like this the head of the company must show his leadership. Mr. Toyoda should have been the one who announced the recall and production stop.

But instead he chose to meet cosily with economy leaders in Switzerlands luxury resort, where he had to be tracked down by Japanese media and gave a short sumimasen, before being seen heading off in an Audi.

Would that have been the former president, Toyota would have fired him already for lack of visible leadership.

one of the things being looked at is electro-magnetic interference and the possibility that it messes up the car's electronics. Sounds plausible, and might explain why there are multiple problems and so much confusion.

Toyota blamed flaw mats. Actually, a floor mat, is a cover-up for the floor. It was too obvious a coverup of flaws. Floor and flaw sound the same, but unfourtunatly for Toyota have different meanings.

I wonder if they will still say that they are not worried about the situation.

Last week, an American news team tried to interview Aki Toyota, the head of the company, in Europe about the problem. He said nothing about the issue then drove in an Audi. I guess it is time for someone to do some deep bowing.

Come on Toyota, swallow your pride and do what's right.

Aki Toyota said nothing about the issue then drove off in an Audi.

Pure comedy!

I have nothing constructive to say but will mention that it seems that old saying, "everything happens in threes" has a certain ring of truth to it based on how you look at it : Toyota, JAL and Honda or Accelerator, Brakes and Window Switches.

Terrible timing. Braking ability should never be in question regardless.

Once the scam merchants get on to this and start using toyotas as an excuse to sue, Toyota will really feel it. Will we be saying "doing a toyota " in 20 years to mean comercial suicide

m5c32 at 11:41 AM JST - 5th FebruaryThat's MISINFORMATION. It's actually acked by Toyota to be a problem with vehicles with regenerative braking --NOT many ABS cars,

Let me clarify if you didn't know with your misinformation. PRIUS HAS BOTH. The Toyota hybrid brake system includes both ABS (standard hydraulic brakes) and as you mentioned AND regenerative braking system that uses the vehicle's momentum to recharge the battery. When more rapid decelation is required, ABS hydraulic brakes are activated to provide stopping power. To increase energy efficiency the system uses the regenerative brakes whenever possible.