Toyota Dealers Told to Expect Prius Fix

Toyota’s group vice president Bob Carter sent a message Friday night to U.S. dealers: a brake fix for the 2010 Prius is coming.

Carter told dealers that the automaker is working a plan and will disclose details early next week. The fix is meant to eliminate the lag that may occur when the car switches from its regenerative brakes to its hydraulic brakes when the antilock braking system is also activated. Toyota has said it has fixed the software problem on the production line, and all new Priuses built since late January have the corrected software. The fix could affect up to 100,000 2010 Priuses sold in the U.S., and up to 270,000 of the model worldwide. The U.S. government says the problem is suspected in four crashes and two minor injuries.

According to the Associated Press, public awareness of the problem “has prompted considerable customer concern, speculation, and media attention due to the significance of the Prius image,” Carter said in the e-mail. “We want to assure our dealers that we are moving rapidly to provide a solution for your existing customers.”

Late this week, it was reported that Toyota would seek a recall for the Prius model under scrutiny, but none has emerged, either in the U.S. or in Japan. The problem isn’t related to separate recalls involving millions of Toyotas with defective gas pedals and floor mats that could cause unintended acceleration.

Toyota preparing to announce Prius fix (Associated Press, via Detroit News)