NY Times: U.S. Starts Inquiry Into Prius Brake Problems

[marmar]

U.S. Starts Inquiry Into Prius Brake Problems
By MARTIN FACKLER , HIROKO TABUCHI and MICHELINE MAYNARD

Published: February 4, 2010


TOKYO — Safety regulators in Washington announced Thursday that they would open a formal inquiry into the braking problems of the 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid, following a similar investigation ordered a day earlier by the Japanese government.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that it would examine reports from Prius owners of a momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over an uneven road surface, pothole or bump. At least 124 reports have been filed by consumers, including four reports involving crashes occurred.

The decision came shortly after Toyota executives confirmed that the Prius had problems with its anti-lock braking system and left open the possibility of a recall, the latest blow to the beleaguered company and one that affects the symbol of the automaker’s engineering prowess.

The Prius has been drawn into the mounting crisis for Toyota as Japanese officials have ordered the company to investigate complaints that the brakes on its 2010 Prius model sometimes failed to work immediately on bumpy or slippery roads. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/business/global/05toyota.html?hp

[leveymg]

1. That's how anti-lock brakes work. Lose traction momentarily, and that brake will disengage.

This is a corporate scam that's being mounted against a big, foreign competitor.

[vadawg]

2. yeah i thought thats what they did to, ive noticed it on my ford as well

i guess ill have to get the maintenance people to contact congress about this as well. there must be someting different thats being investigated i cant see its just because people dont understand how their abs works..

[DainBramaged]

4. Really, even after Toyota ADMITTED they have an engineering defect in the braking system?

interesting outlook on your part.

Toyota Admits Design Flaw With Prius Brakes

The Transportation Department opened an investigation Thursday into brake problems in the 2010 Prius, the latest in a series of safety troubles at Toyota that have confused drivers and strained the Japanese automaker's relationship with U.S. regulators.

Toyota earlier Thursday acknowledged design problems with the brakes in its prized gas-electric hybrid, but said it was still deciding how to inform customers and whether a recall is needed.


http://www.ksat.com/automotive/22459124/detail.html

[FarCenter]

3. I think that the ABS is more complicated on the hybrid

The ABS has to activate and release both the regenerative braking done by the electric drive motors, which are now generators charging the battery, as well as the friction brake pads.

Looks like they need to bias the system towards using the brake pads more at low brake pedal pressures.

[vadawg]

5. that makes more sense, was wondering what the heck it was about

i hate when the abs does this at high speeds, gives me real palpatations to feel the brakes change.

[FarCenter]

7. Do car antilocks reduce crashes?

http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/antilock.html

Although car antilocks perform well on the test track, it is unclear whether they have made significant reductions in the number of on-the-road crashes. A 1994 Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) study1 and a subsequent 1995 study2 compared insurance claims for groups of otherwise identical cars with and without antilocks, finding no differences in the overall frequency or cost of crashes for which insurance claims for vehicle damage are filed. Because antilocks should make the most difference on wet and slippery roads, researchers also studied insurance claims experience in 29 states during winter months. Even here they found no difference in the frequency of insurance claims for vehicles with and without antilock brakes. A 1997 Institute study3 and a 2001 update4 reported no difference in the overall fatal crash involvement of cars with and without antilocks.

According to one federal report, "the overall, net effect of antilock brakes" on both police-reported crashes and fatal crashes "was close to zero."5 A more recent federal report concluded that antilocks reduce overall crash involvement risk by 6 percent for cars and 8 percent for pickups and SUVs, but they have no effect on fatal crash risk.6 Leonard Evans, a researcher with General Motors, reported that antilock-equipped cars were less likely to rear-end other vehicles but more likely to have other vehicles rear-end them.7 The net result was little effect on overall crash risk. In a study conducted for auto manufacturers, Failure Analysis Associates reported a net beneficial effect of antilocks on nonfatal crashes but no effect on fatal crashes.8

Another complicated, expensive, troubleprone feature that the marketing suits love to sell you.

[vadawg]

8. nope, your better off beiong able to threshold brake, gives you more control

abs is just a crutch for people who cant drive their cars properly, if you can learn to threshold brake you will see a big difference..

[Subdivisions]

6. Nice. We can open an inquiry into a problem that has killed

few, if any. Yet, we can't even think about opening an inquiry into an insane madman president who is reponsible for the deaths of millions of people and administering the wildly un-safe act of torture.

Go figure.

[leftstreet]

9. +1