News - National
Brake repair starting for Toyota's Prius
Posted: Feb 10, 2010 7:55 AM by Associated Press
Brake repair work is starting in Japan on the recalled Toyota Prius hybrid, but this fix has nothing to do with wrenches and screwdrivers. Mechanics are using a small laptop-like device that rewrites computer programming for the brakes. The car's faulty programming - which can cause a slight delay in braking - is replaced with correct programming in less than 10 minutes and virtually without a sound.
Some 400,000 Prius vehicles globally, about half of them in Japan where the gas-electric hybrid is manufactured, will get a repair for the glitch in the antilock brake system.
Prius owners in Japan are the first to get the fix and a similar repair for 139,000 Prius cars sold in North America will follow as dealers notify owners next week. A fix is also in the works for 53,000 Prius cars in Europe.
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