Toyota Motor Co. recently announced that nearly a half a million of its hybrid vehicles may have a faulty braking component that could cause serious problems, resulting in a recall that includes 86,500 Prius and Lexus models in the U.S. alone.
The recall is voluntary, and stems from the vehicle’s brake pressure accumulator, which the company’s fatigue testing showed a crack could develop because of the vibration of the car. The crack would likely form on an “internal part” of the braking system. So far, no reports have surfaced of anyone being injured or killed in accidents caused by the braking defect.
According to Auto Week, about 233,000 of the affected cars are Prius models found around the world that were manufactured between March and October of 2009. Any Prius produced after this period does not contain the defect, as this is when Toyota stopped using the part that can wear down over time.
Toyota spokesperson Dion Corbett stated that the first report of the potential breaking failure was reported in 2010. A total of 81,500 Prius and 5,000 Lexus models are being voluntarily recalled in the U.S. due to safety issues. The recall will prompt dealers to perform safety tests on the cars’ brake-booster pump.
Using testing to know when a component will fail can lead to much lower cost of ownership in the long run.