Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
U.S. Will Investigate Toyota Prius Brake Issues
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 4, 2010
Modified Feb 4, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 4, 2010
Modified Feb 4, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Don't call it a recall (yet), but the U.S. government is launching an investigation into braking issues that 2010 Toyota Priuses may have. After the Japanese government ordered Toyota to look into the problem, the car manufacturer issued a statement, "In certain 2010 model year Prius vehicles, Toyota has received reports that some customers have experienced inconsistent brake feel when the vehicle is driven over potholes, bumps or slippery road surfaces. Toyota is currently in the process of confirming these reports and investigating the vehicle driving conditions under which the reported phenomenon occurs. It would be premature to comment until the investigation has been completed."
This comes as Toyota is dealing with the recall of other car models that have faulty gas pedals. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood helped send Toyota stock stumbling by first telling owners of recalled vehicles to stop driving them, but then called it a "misstatement...What I meant to say, what I thought I said, was if you own one of these cars, take it to the dealer. If you're in doubt, take it to the dealership today and have them look at it and have them fix it." (Of course, there is the small issue of whether dealers can actually fix it at this point.)
The Post has a diagram of the gas pedal problem (and solution) and speaks to nervous drivers: One Corolla owner said, "I drive all the time and I'm out here risking my life," while a Camry driver said, "I'm driving scared with my seat belt tight, hoping the advice works, to put it in neutral if the pedal sticks."
Tagged
accelerator
brake
car
hybrid
prius
recall
toyota
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .