The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

Earlier this week, Toyota announced that over seven million vehicles were affected by the defective gas pedal situation. Now, the auto company has announced that the 2010 Prius has problems of its own. Rather than the gas pedal, the Prius has problems with its antilock braking system. Consumers report trouble braking on uneven or slick surfaces, even at low speed, which increases the likelihood of an accident. So far, no one has reported an accident due to brake malfunctions.

The Prius, touted as the flagship vehicle for Toyota, has a waiting list of interested consumers for the green technology and advanced engineering. The Prius, according to an auto industry analyst and Prius owner, should be the company's "gold standard;" the vehicle that will probably one of the top vehicles purchased globally into the foreseeable future. However, it has joined Toyota's other models in the defective automobile category until this problem can be cleared up.

The Prius brake problem is not part of the mounting problem with the gas pedal. While that defective part was manufactured in the US, the brake pedal for the Prius is manufactured in Japan. As of this writing, there are less than 150 reported problems with the brakes.

There are virtually no reports of trouble with the brakes on 2004-2009 Prius models. One reason may be because the 2010 Prius has a new kind of regenerative brake system. Regenerative braking uses energy from the wheels to recharge the vehicle's battery. Hybrid vehicles, including the Prius, use a variety of electronic systems that combine conventional brake pads with regenerative braking, but stopping the vehicle uses brake pads more than the regenerative system.

The braking problem with the Prius, as well as the gas pedal problem on eight other models put Toyota in a position where it must defend its safety record, once one of the safest records around.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident due to a defective part, please contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Cochran Firm. We serve clients nationwide.