flipside909

Toyota Announces Voluntary Recall on 2010 Model-Year Prius and 2010 Lexus HS 250h Vehicles to Update ABS Software

Inspection of Power Steering Hose Position on Certain 2010 Camry Also Announced

Recalls Underscore Toyota’s Commitment to Address All Vehicle Quality and Safety Issues Promptly and Effectively

TORRANCE, Calif., February 8, 2010 – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc, today announced it will conduct a voluntary safety recall on approximately 133,000 2010 Model Year Prius vehicles and 14,500 Lexus Division 2010 HS 250h vehicles to update software in the vehicle’s anti-lock brake system (ABS). No other Toyota, Lexus, or Scion vehicles are involved in this recall.

The ABS, in normal operation, engages and disengages rapidly (many times per second) as the control system senses and reacts to tire slippage. Some 2010 model year Prius and 2010 HS 250h owners have reported experiencing inconsistent brake feel during slow and steady application of brakes on rough or slick road surfaces when the ABS is activated in an effort to maintain tire traction.

Toyota has responded to owner concerns with a running production change for 2010 Prius that was introduced last month, improving the ABS system’s response time, as well as the system’s overall sensitivity to tire slippage. The production change for the HS 250h is planned for later this month.

“We’re committed to doing everything we can – as fast as we can – to restore consumer trust in Toyota, and these recalls are part of this effort,” said Jim Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer, Toyota Motor Sales. “We regret the inconvenience this recall will cause to Prius and HS 250h owners, and will do our best with the support of our dealers to make sure that it is conducted in the most trouble-free manner possible.”

Mr. Lentz continued: “As part of the quality improvement program announced by Toyota President Akio Toyoda last week, our company is undertaking a top to bottom review to ensure that our vehicles meet our own high standards of safety and reliability, now and for the future. We are taking steps to implement more stringent quality control across the company, to investigate customer complaints more aggressively and to respond more quickly to any safety issues we identify.”

The recall will allow Toyota dealers to perform the software update on 2010 Prius vehicles sold prior to this running production change. Only Prius vehicles produced since May 2009 and all HS 250h vehicles are subject to this recall. First- and second-generation Prius vehicles use a different ABS system and are not involved in this campaign.

The ABS system on the Lexus HS 250h is similar in design to the Prius. The software adjustment planned for HS 250h production and dealer modification is being finalized and will be announced very soon.

Toyota will begin mailing letters to Prius owners included in this recall next week and HS 250h owners within the next few weeks, to let them know when to bring their vehicles into a dealership. Owners will only receive a letter if their vehicle is involved in the recall.

Separately, Toyota will conduct a voluntary safety recall on approximately 7,300 early production - 2010 model year Camry vehicles equipped with the 4 cylinder engine to inspect for a power steering hose that may be in contact with a front brake tube. This contact could lead to a hole in the brake tube and cause a brake fluid leak, increased brake pedal stroke and greater vehicle stopping distance.

Owners of the involved 2010 Camry vehicles will be notified by mail starting in the middle of February.

Detailed information about these recalls is available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall and at the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

Credit: Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.


Cross reference:Toyota Announces Voluntary Recall - 2010 PRIUS & 2010 HS250h

flipside909

There's no need to be alarmed folks. This is a VOLUNTARY recall imposed by Toyota. There was no government agency that mandated this recall. Give it up to Toyota for taking the precautionary steps to correct an issue that has been brought up.

This news shouldn't be surprising as it has been in the talks of the media in the last few days.

flipside909

FAQs About the 2010 Prius/2010 Lexus HS 250h/Camry Voluntary Recalls


1. What is the problem with the 2010 Prius?

The anti-lock brake system (ABS) in the 2010 model-year Prius, in normal operation, engages and disengages rapidly (many times per second) as the control system senses and reacts to tire slippage. Some owners have reported experiencing inconsistent brake feel during slow and steady application of the brakes on rough or slick road surfaces when the anti-lock brake system (ABS) is activated in an effort to maintain tire traction.


2. How is Toyota responding to this Prius issue?

Toyota has responded to owner concerns with a running production change for the 2010 Prius that was introduced last month, improving the ABS system’s response time, as well as the system’s overall sensitivity to tire slippage.

The recall will allow Toyota dealers to perform this software update in the anti-lock brake systems of 2010 Prius vehicles sold prior to this production change.


3. Why does this only impact 2010 Prius models?

First- and second-generation Prius vehicles use a different ABS system and are not involved in this campaign.


4. What is the problem with the Lexus HS 250h?

The anti-lock brake system on the Lexus HS 250h shares similar component design to the 2010 Prius, so it has been included on this recall.


5. How is Toyota responding to this Lexus issue?

The software adjustment planned for the Lexus HS 250h production and dealer modification is being finalized and will be announced very soon.


6. How many vehicles are impacted?

This recall involves approximately 133,000 2010 model year Prius vehicles and 14,550 Lexus Division 2010 HS 250h vehicles.


7. What should 2010 Prius and Lexus HS 250h customers do if they experience this braking issue?

If a Prius or Lexus HS 250h owner were to experience this condition, pressing hard on the brake pedal will stop the vehicle safely.


8. Are these vehicles safe to drive until they get their update?

The vehicles are safe to drive because pressing hard on the brake pedal will stop the vehicle.


9. When can I get my vehicle fixed?

Toyota will begin sending letters to Prius owners included in this recall by mail next week and Lexus HS 250h owners within the next few weeks to let them know when to bring their vehicles into a dealership. Owners will only receive a letter if their vehicle is involved in the recall.


10. How long will it take for a dealer to repair my vehicle?

The software update should only take approximately 30 minutes to install, depending on technician workflow.

11. Is the repair covered by warranty? Will drivers have to pay any money out of pocket for this work?

Toyota will cover all repair costs associated with this work.

12. Is this recall related to the ongoing Toyota recalls associated with sudden unintended acceleration?

No, this recall is unrelated to the ongoing recall of Toyota vehicles for sticking gas pedals and floor mat entrapment issues.

13. What is the problem with the Camry?

On certain early production 2010 model year Camry vehicles equipped with the 4-cylinder engine, a power steering pressure hose in the engine compartment may be the incorrect length. If this condition exists, a crimp on the power steering pressure hose may come in contact with the No. 7 front brake tube.

Should this condition continue, a hole may wear in the brake tube and deplete the brake fluid in the vehicle. As a result, the brake pedal
stroke will increase and lead to greater vehicle stopping distance.

14. Which and how many vehicles are involved?

Approximately 7,300 Camry vehicles in the U.S. are involved.

15. Are there any warnings that this condition exists?

No, there are no specific warnings that this condition exists.

16. What is Toyota going to do?

Any Toyota dealer will inspect and, if necessary, adjust the space between the brake tube and the power steering pressure hose crimp. Based upon the inspection results, the dealership may need to replace the brake tube.

The inspection/adjustment and, if necessary, the brake tube replacement, will be performed at no charge to the vehicle owner.

17. When will Camry owners be notified?

Toyota will notify owners by mail starting in mid-February 2010.

18. Where can I get more information on this recall?

Information for Toyota customers can be found at www.toyota.com/recall and at the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

Information for Lexus customers can be found at lexus.com and at the Lexus Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-255-3987.

Credit: Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.

tonyscv

It should be noted that there's some disappointing news for folks who have HS250's on order that was in this announcement as well:

"In the U.S., Toyota will recall 133,000 Prius cars and 14,500 Lexus HS250h vehicles. Nearly 53,000 Priuses are also being recalled in Europe. Toyota is suspending production of the Sai and Lexus HS250h in Japan until the updated software for those models is ready."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35278742/ns/business-autos/

flipside909

See, this is another problem with the media. They're making this seem like it's the end of the world. The fix is a software reflash for the ABS. It's not a hardware failure or replacement. Toyota runs a very tight ship. Just because they stopped production doesn't mean they're stopping shipments of vehicles already outside of the factory or those ready for transport. This is a voluntary recall.

tonyscv

It doesn't say it's a hardware failure or replacement in the article, nor does it say they are stopping shipments of vehicles already completed.

What the media is doing is scanning Toyota consumer database information in detail since it's a hot story. Yes, one could argue they are sensationalizing the story (they are in many cases)... one could also argue that Toyota could have been far more proactive with communication and with fixing their problems so that it did not get to this point. Toyota has handled the PR for these issues horribly.

flipside909

Toyota is taking the steps to correct the recalls. I'm not sure how you think they're handling the situation horribly when they're making progress with the recalls. Have you ever studied the Toyota Production System (TPS)? Suspending production is part of of their process of "Jidoka".

Toyota Production System in a nutshell:
http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/vision/p...tem/index.html

encore888

It's a software update, no hardware failure or replacement. There have been no complaints on the HS 250h, but there have been around 5 complaints of low-speed injury accidents with the Prius on rough roads. That's why the software is being updated.

The media reporting on this issue, like other technical areas (e.g. their reporting on aviation incidents), is all over the place, and I'm not surprised that some articles lead to the impression of a hardware issue (CNN.com for instance thinks that the HS 250h is the only Lexus hybrid in some reports). There is a lot of misinformation or misleading reporting out there...

...that being said, I agree that Toyota's PR has been horrible. They failed to get in front of this situation and are just reacting to events. Their press releases often have a split-hairs approach which makes me think they were written with liability lawsuits first in mind and customer assistance second. The resultant damage to their reputation will take years to recover. However, I do acknowledge that they are facing a media storm and crisis that is probably impossible to control. And perhaps the PR dept is doing all they can but the behind-the-scenes management is the problem. But from this outsider's perspective, they are reacting too slowly and ineffectively.

flipside909

5? Where are you obtaining this number? I'm going to assume you're only reading and hearing about these stories from internet and mainstream media. Do you have actual intrinsic data for this?

It's a huge combination of both. Reports are conflicting and sometimes crossing facts to one conclusion.

Do you know for a fact the customer is being put secondary in this case? So if they're reacting too slowly and ineffectively, how would you handle this case differently? Keep in mind the HS250h just came out for sale around August. The car hasn't even been out for only 5 months and you say their efforts are slow and ineffective?

encore888

I have been doing active research, and in the past weeks have collected and read literally 200+ articles on the Toyota recall. NHTSA has recorded 2 injury crashes related to the 2010 Prius, and Japan's Ministry of Transportation has recorded at least 1 injury accident, with some sources claiming up to 5 such accidents. Fortunately, no one has been killed.

You are misreading what I am saying. I doubt that Toyota's customer service dept. is putting customers second, and never said that (press release wording however is another matter). I also have not criticized the HS 250h response, and in fact, I'm trying to point out that it is a software fix, and no complaints have been reported. As I see it, the HS 250h response is a proactive, reasonable way to handle things.

That being said, when it comes to PR and salvaging the company's reputation, there are numerous articles which suggest that Toyota has been slow to react and being the curve when it comes to salvaging their image. Make no mistake, having studied Toyota's culture for years, I am well aware of their above-and-beyond altruism. So it saddens me deeply to see this happen to a company which IMHO does not deserve it. The news media is tarring the company as if it were Enron, and IMO the PR response should have been more forceful. Multiple articles I've read have PR experts faulting Toyota's response on all levels.

One of the criticisms is that the press releases and statements have used ambiguous language. Autoblog and other sites have criticized statements such as (link) "The number of accidents is still under investigation" instead of yes or no to the question on whether accidents have occurred. I would somehow respond, "yes, there have been a small number of accidents over the past ten years" but that might be too liability-stricken.

I also would not have issued the statement claiming that there was no defect other than floor mats (link), which led NHTSA to respond claiming that Toyota was being "inaccurate and misleading" (link).

CNN has been running "Special Investigation Unit" reports, same as ABC News, LA Times, and others, claiming that the electronics are at fault, that Toyota has "no idea" what the problem is, etc. etc. These reports almost never include the fact that most of these complaints are driver error. These reports are going out of control, and if were Toyota I would bring in some outside experts (they are doing that for quality) to examine the electronics and either give them a clean bill of health or recommend fixes. That is the only way to eliminate suspicion on this issue.

For the past week I have been monitoring the evening news casts here in LA, and when NBC4, CBS2, etc. all are running stories with local dealership site reports, and customers interviewed saying "The shim is a joke, I think it's the electronics", a Prius owner saying "The bigger issue is not the fix, it is what did Toyota know and did they hide it from the public" -- this shows a PR disaster in the making.

Yes, it is a monumental challenge to counter the crazy reporting. But hopefully they can finish their recalls and get Toyota out of the headlines. The fact is, getting into a Toyota car accident due to any recall issue is less than the chance of getting struck by lightning, but the media firestorm has the public thinking otherwise. It's a shame, and I think that some of this could have been prevented.

However, it's telling when Michelle Krebs, head of one of Edmunds.com's units, is stating that Toyota has no idea how serious this will be. I turned on CNBC just a few minutes ago and Fast Money was comparing Toyota to Ford with the Pinto crisis and Firestone tire debacle.

flipside909

Please cite your sources. 3 injury related cases by 2 government agencies with the Prius, and none so far with the HS. You say 5 from other 3rd party sources. How credible are those numbers?



So what do you mean by this statement?

"They failed to get in front of this situation and are just reacting to events. Their press releases often have a split-hairs approach which makes me think they were written with liability lawsuits first in mind and customer assistance second."

You're basically saying they didn't do enough to stop this issue from surfacing and the PR guys are writing jargon to cover themselves before addressing customer's concerns. You and I don't know exactly what has been going on behind the scenes other than what's being reported on the news or what you've read on the internet.


That's all a matter of opinion. Let the so-called PR experts and media make the criticism. You and I know Toyota is not about to ruin their reputation on bad PR statements, nor let the media scrutinize their operations. Toyota has strong core values and they have a promising leader that is determined to make things happen. I think we all need to step away from all the media hype and look at the facts, not cynical opinions of website and media chaos. Do you believe in Toyota or do you believe in the media hype? Seems like you've gotten caught up with the rest of the public hysteria.

This issue is like beating a dead horse. We all know there is definitely bias in how the government and media has reacted to that Lexus loaner incident and this particular case. I personally have had an incident with a Lexus loaner car and improper floor mat being placed in the car. Is that a product defect? NO WAY. That's human error! Someone got lazy and put an RX clear floor mat in my IS loaner. Why is it that someone of a profession that relies on smart/tactful driving and plain common sense, loses his life, and the whole world points the finger at the manufacturer? That's medias fault for raising a non issue to begin with. You and I know if this was an average civilian, it would have never got this much attention. But the fact that there was law enforcement involved, and a few whistle blowers to rally the issue, it's become a calamity. There are reports that debunk the whole scenario.


Who cares? Let them. They have no other news to talk about. Economic downturn, the neverending foreclosures and unemployment rates on a roller coaster ride south. Breaking News....Toyota is FTL. For the media sources....this is great! Hot news...lets inflate it! Toyota is actively working on these fixes. They've acknowledged the problem, and they've got solutions. Be patient, because it may seem like a slow process, but so far, they are moving forward despite how media has already painted it. Guilty until proven innocent. So far that's the media's overall stance on Toyota news.

Do you realize most of these news outlets have been camping out at many of these dealerships just looking for any kind dirt to report? Toyota is under the microscope. News agencies are looking for the latest news to break to the public. This is a true test to what Toyota can do in this crisis. So far they're taking the steps to make things right.

I was at Longo Toyota last week to drop off my car for service, and the whole time I was there, there was a news van from KTLA parked in the lot. There were even people picketing in front of the dealership a few days prior. Speaking of Longo, they are one of the first dealerships to open their doors 24/7 to help alleviate the recall situation for the pedal entrapment case. I was there the day they made the call as well as seeing their freeway visible billboard flashing that news.

They are doing that as we speak. Some of this could have prevented....but sadly it's the media that has made a dumb issue into a huge mountain.

Turn off the TV, your computer as well, take a breathe of fresh air and move forward. You are going to kill yourself listening to various angles of the same propaganda.

Just curious, do you do this research for school or work? That's a lot of material reading for the average person out there. I'm going to take it that you don't own any of the vehicles aforementioned above or do you? On that note, I got a recall for the pedal entrapment issue for my ISF. I'm not sure why since I have the sport pedals which have plenty of clearance. Toyota is taking precautionary measures to make things right. I applaud them for it.

tonyscv

Someone didn't have their juice this morning. You're being extremely defensive in this thread.

I own an HS. I'm well aware that this problem exists on my vehicle. I can recreate it at will. I don't need a news agency to tell me there's a problem. I know there is a problem, and I'm glad that Toyota is fixing it.

After reading some of your responses in this thread, I would suggest that you take your own advice.

encore888

I don't want to turn the HS voluntary recall thread into a major debate...I think we are arguing the issues from the same side. Anyways, it's just my 2 cents, so what does it matter. I will however answer on these points. Source on the Prius number: AFP: "5 new accidents involving Toyota Prius confirmed: report" (link) There are many articles now on the Prius injury accident reports, they are mostly minor, feel free to google for more.

My point on their press releases is only on the press releases. I feel they could have been better written to avoid customer confusion. That's all, I am not questioning their customer commitment, I am questioning the writing style of the press releases. But then again, I am not in press relations or liability claims.

I haven't bought into the public hysteria, although I am an observer of it. I have posted online here and elsewhere numerous times about how this issue is overblown. I am simply hoping that Toyota will do more to counter the public hysteria. In recent days, it seems they are indeed doing that.

Agreed, and that's very, very hard to counter. Toyota is a punching bag right now for the media. Also, within the enthusiast community, which was already very skeptical if not outright hostile to Toyota products, this has pushed them over the edge into outright derision. It's a shame because a good portion of it is unwarranted. I know the media is on a witchhunt. Toyota is taking many steps to respond, I hope they work.

As an avid follower of Lexus-related news for years, this happens to be the main topic of late...but definitely it's a good idea to not focus too much on the media circus. With regards to whether I am affected by the recalls personally, no, the vehicles I or family members drive are not affected. And now I'm going to take a break away from all this Toyota media hysteria.

flipside909

Actually I had my O.J. this morning, thanks for asking.

It's great you are aware but not everyone is aware of the situation. It's best that our members are in the know before another epidemic starts on this side of town. I am not an HS owner, but i've had plenty of exposure to the HS from the world debut in Detroit, several encounters with Chief Engineer of the HS, and have had plenty of seat time in several configurations of the HS. Base all the way to the most fully loaded version. As a matter of fact I am driving an HS loaner as my ISF is in for service. I always request the HS when it is available during my service visits. I am a huge fan of the HS and it's purpose. Many don't understand the HS, but that's perfectly fine.

That's fine. You can agree or disagree. I'm not expecting everyone to agree with my position. My stance is pretty strong on this subject. It is my duty to inform and educate our members with facts, not fiction. I am not going to make excuses as I am very passionate about this subject. I care about the brand and CL more than anyone on this site. I know the people at Lexus PR and understand exactly what they're going through right now. For anyone to say they're not doing enough or they're administering things horribly is totally out of line. Toyota has clearly acknowledged the problems and are rectifying those issues with real solutions. Cut them some slack. Things are not going to get fixed overnight.

flipside909

Sure there are recorded instances with NHTSA regarding this matter, but we don't know about the reported issues to Lexus and Toyota internally. Will we ever know the true number? Maybe not. No need to be a google genius. There maybe accounts and reports involving this subject, but they're not always credible or factual. The point of the matter is, the issues are acknowledged and be assured that Toyota isn't leaving this subject to hang dry.

There is no customer confusion that I know of. The releases and Q&A are vital in answering owner's concerns. If I didn't think they were good enough, they wouldn't be posted on our front page. There's no reason the question their writing style. It's done to get the message across and answer basic questions to the masses. It's not up to you and I to do critical thinking to extrapolate and hypothesize why they wrote it. My daily grind aside from CL is in claims. From my expertise their broadcasts are perfectly fine and all are in line with consultation of their own legal team. I don't question it at all.

Well said. Don't be a victim of the media frenzy. They are doing exactly what they want you to do, get your attention and get you thinking of ridiculous things about their topic. This hype has been blown way out of proportion. Next!