As hearings into Toyota’s recall woes begin today in Washington, the automaker has announced that it will install a new brake override feature on an expanded range of vehicles. The feature, initially announced for the 2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, and the 2007-2010 Lexus ES 350, 2006-2010 IS 350 and 2006-2010 IS 250 models, will also be installed on all 2005-10 Tacoma models, 2009-10 Venza models and 2008-10 Sequoia models.

The brake override feature will automatically reduce engine power when both the brake and accelerator pedal are pressed. While this is not a part of the recall, it will be performed when recall work is done. Toyota says that it is “an extra measure of confidence for Toyota owners.”

Toyota has also said this brake override feature will also be standard equipment on most new Toyota models in the future.

Additional info can be found at www.toyota.com/recall or by calling the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

Find additional recall information at the AutoGuide Toyota Recall News Hub here.

Official release after the jump:

Toyota has announced that it has received subpoenas from both the U.S. Grand Jury and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over documents related to “unintended acceleration” issues with millions or cars, as well as the braking system on the Prius.

This news comes a day before congressional hearings on the matter and a day after it was revealed that Toyota boasted on an internal document that due to lobbying it had avoided a costly recall that would have cost the company $100 million.

According to a source of the Wall Street Journal, the investigation is being handled by the securities-fraud unit of the U.S. attorneys office, which has been used in preliminary criminal investigations on high profile cases. The Department of Transportation is also examining if Toyota did not issue recalls in a timely manner. If found guilty, the Japanese automaker could face a fine of up to $16.4 million.

Later this week, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda will testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

[Source: WallStreetJournal]

Toyota has again announced another recall. Or should we say another, another recall. Yup, not one, but two recalls, affecting the Tacoma pickup and Camry sedan. Both recalls are minor in number, totaling just around 15,000 units and affect only 2010 model year cars and trucks.

First came the 2010 Tacoma recall for 8,000 trucks where a manufacturing defect may have caused trucks to be equipped with a cracked front drive shaft. This only applies to 4WD trucks. Toyota says it will notify owners starting in mid-March.

As for the Camry recall, it affects 7,314 Camry vehicles built for the 2010 model year. The issue here involves the brakes (surprise, surprise), and the NHTSA says that on some 4-cylinder models the left rear brake tube could puncture because of interference from the power steering tube. A loss of brake fluid could result in reduced braking ability and lead to an accident. Toyota has not yet released when it will contact owners of affected cars.

Those in need of more info can call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or visit www.toyota.com/recall.

Visit the AutoGuide Toyota Recall news Hub Here for more info

[Source: Toyota and NHTSA]

Official release after the jump:

Toyota has made the bold move to turn down a prestigious Japanese automotive award, given to the automaker for the new Prius model just days after a recall was announced for the hybrid’s ABS brake system.

The award, handed out annually by the Japanese Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry celebrates a vehicle’s energy efficiency. Not only is the new 2010 Prius a fuel-economy leader, but it was also the top selling model in Japan last year. Toyota cited the Prius’ recall and said it would be appropriate considering the circumstances.

Toyota has not commented if it will also turn down Motor Week’s Best of the Year award, which was just announced last Thursday.

[Source: InsideLine]

According to a spokeswoman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Toyota may face yet another investigation, this time over steering-related issues with the 2009 and 2010 Corolla model. The NHTSA has recorded 83 power steering related complaints on the 2009-10 models, which use an electric power steering system. Toyota switched to electric power steering in  the Corolla for the ‘09 model year, with ‘09 model year Corollas first going on sale in February of 2008.

Complainants say the vehicle can veer to the left or right at over 40 mph. Over the 83 filed complaints, six accidents are associated with the alleged steering issue with 10 injuries reported.

Yesterday Toyota announced a worldwide recall of the 437,000 hybrid models, including the 2010 Prius hybrid after the NHTSA opened an investigation into electric braking problems with the car and the Lexus HS250h.

Toyota also has two other recalls out for over 8 million vehicles, one for “floor mat entrapment” and another for faulty brake pedals. Both of these recalls also include the 2009-10 Corolla.

The NHTSA is considering an investigation into the complains which could result in further analysis of the car by Toyota and (if deemed necessary) a recall. Currently the NHTSA is investigating 40 possible defects, three of which are for Toyotas.

See more Toyota recall news here: AutoGuide Toyota Recall News Hub

[Source: Automotive News]

As expected, Toyota has announced a recall for the 2010 Prius hybrid, as well as the 2010 Lexus HS250h model. The recall affects 133,000 Prius models as well as 14,500 HS250 models so that the automaker can update the car’s ABS software. The recall does not affect previous generation Prius models or any other Toyota, Lexus or Scion models.

The recall comes after over 100 complaints were registered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), by Prius owners who commented on a loss of brakes (or at least brake feel) under braking on icy or bumpy roads. The fix has already been made on all models produced since late January.

Toyota has said it will begin mailing recall notification letters to owners next week, with HS250h owners receiving their letter a few weeks after that.

In addition to this recall, Toyota has issues a separate recall on 7,300 Camry 4-cylinder models built for the 2010 model year, due to a steering hose that may touch the front brake tube, leading to a brake fluid leak.

Toyota owners with questions can find detailed information about these recalls and Toyota’s other recalls at www.toyota.com/recall or can contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

For more Toyota recall news visit the AutoGuide Toyota Recall News Hub here

Official release after the jump:

With a brake-related recall for the 2010 Toyota Prius expected any day now, Toyota is now said to be investigating the Lexus HS250h hybrid, which is also sold as the Sai in Japan. Using plenty of similar equipment to the HS the Prius has received over 100 complaints registered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as well as Japanese authorities. The NHTSA lists 10 brake-realated complaints for the HS.

Prius owners say they experienced a brief loss of braking capability when traveling over bumpy or icy roads. Toyota has admitted it knew of a problem that caused a brief loss of braking during the transition from the car’s regenerative braking to its traditional friction braking. Toyota refers to this as “slight unresponsiveness” and says it usually lasts less than a second. The automaker has said the issue has been solved on all models produced since late January but no recall has been ordered for models built before that time.

Over the weekend, Toyota engineers were busy testing the Prius at the company’s Higashifuji proving grounds. Toyota representative Ririko Takeuchi commented that the two models, “have very similar braking systems and we are currently checking whether they have the same problem.”

In the U.S., Toyota sold 6,699 Lexus HS hybrids last year, as well as 139,682 2010 Prius models.

[Source: Automotive News]

As though Toyota needed any more to deal with right now, the automaker could face a fine from the Federal Government for not acting quickly enough in issuing recalls. Legally, automakers that don’t issue recalls in a timely manner can be stuck with a fine for as much as $16.4 million. That amount, however, pales in comparison to the almost $2 billion that Toyota says the recent recalls will cost the company.

On Wednesday Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that until then Toyota had been uncooperative in working with the government and that it had taken a considerable effort to get the automaker to issue recalls.

To date, the largest fine the DOT has dolled out was to General Motors, for $1 million.

Toyota has said it has received no word tat a fine is pending.

[Source: Automotive News via eGMcartech]

Just as Toyota is facing a potential recall of its popular Prius hybrid for brake problems, Ford has today announced a recall of its own, affecting the Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan hybrid. The comparatively small recall affects 17,600 Fusion and Milan hybrids built on or before October 17, 2009.

Officially the move by Ford is a Technical Service Bulletin and not a full recall, as the brake issue is not a safety concern says Ford. The problem, says Ford, is due to a software glitch where the car’s regenerative braking (used to recharge the hybrid battery) does not engage or is late to engage, as a result there is a feeling of brake-pressure loss. The conventional brakes do still work fully, however, and so with full braking potential this is not a safety issue.

Only one complain has been recorded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but the TSB was announced after a Consumer Reports test driver experienced the brake delay.

[Source: Reuters]

Late last night Toyota held a press conference in Japan where company CEO and Akio Toyoda, grandson of the automaker’s founder, apologized for the recent recalls and safety concerns over Toyota products.

“The recalls are affecting several models in several regions and have caused anxiety among customers who are wondering if their cars are OK,” said Toyoda. “For that we are very sorry.”

Previous to this Toyota has been criticized for its lack of openness and minimal communication, as rumors and news reports swirled and owners of Toyota vehicles became increasingly confused. Toyoda did give a public apology once already but it was during a trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and wasn’t covered widely.

Toyoda reassured consumers that Toyota cars are safe and announced a new taskforce that would look into consumer complaints and work to make Toyota products safe. Akio Toyoda said he would personally oversee the new taskforce, which has six main goals: first, to improve the quality inspection process; second, to enhance customer research over safety issues; third, to establish an “Automotive Center of Excellence”; fourth, to work with outside experts on quality control; fifth, to increase communications and sixth, to improve regional autonomy of its divisons and productd.

What Toyoda did not do during the press conference is announce a recall for the popular new 2010 Prius model, which Japan’s Nikkei News has reported is coming.

For complete Toyota recall information visit the AutoGuide Toyota Recall News Hub

[Source: CBC, The Guardian]