Toyota confirms Prius recall

Fifth Gear  Tuesday 09 February 2010

As expected, Toyota has confirmed today that it will issue a global recall on the latest Prius.

This will affect 8,500 owners of the car in the UK. The recall is the result of inconsistent brake pedal feel on bumpy or slippery roads once the ABS has been actuated.

The manufacturer is confident that a software upgrade will solve the problem, and was quick to reassure customers that the car remained safe to drive as there was no evidence of actual brake failure despite the reported loss of feel.

Nevertheless, with Toyota still reeling from the huge recall of vehicles with faulty accelerator pedals, today’s announcement was the last thing the company needed to have to make. The current problem is certainly not as serious, but with the manufacturer very much in the media spotlight they can expect every safety issue to be given widespread coverage.

But at least some lessons appear to have been learnt. In a press release issued this morning, Toyota GB apologised to its customers for any concern this particular issue had caused, and insisted that the upgrade would be completed as quickly as possible.

The procedure is expected to take 40mins and can be carried out at any Toyota service centre. Prius owners can expect to hear from the manufacturer within the next few days.