The Toyota Motor Company USA issued a voluntary recall of approximately 700,000 Toyota Prius vehicles in the United States, the model year 2010-2014, on February 12, 2014. The affected vehicles can suddenly lose power and stop due to defective control ECU software used to control the motor/generator and hybrid components.
If you drive a Prius under the recall your vehicle may suddenly enter failsafe mode, which can increase the risk of a crash at high speeds or heavy traffic. Owners of the Prius model years 2010-2014 should visit Toyota’s recall website to determine if their VIN is included in the recalled vehicles.
Vehicle manufacturers who issue a recall will send instructions to consumers to fix the problem or replace the product. Follow the instructions you receive in the recall notice. Most notices will instruct you to schedule a repair appointment with your local dealership.
Prius owners can take their vehicle to a local Toyota dealership for a free repair. A technician will perform a software update to fix the glitch, which takes approximately 40 minutes. If that does not solve the problem, then the techs may have to replace the entire control module, which can take several hours.
While there have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to the defect in the Prius software, many defective vehicles do cause single- and multi-car accidents. In 2010, Toyota had a recall on multiple vehicle models where the accelerator pedal would become stuck, causing vehicles to continue to accelerate, resulting in several crashes with injuries and fatalities.
Attorney Julie Johnson can help you and your family file an injury or wrongful death claim against a car manufacturer if a defective vehicle has caused a serious accident in the Dallas area. You may be entitled to physical and property damages, as well as compensation for pain and suffering. Call 214-290-8001 or visit our contact page to schedule a FREE consultation regarding your potential injury claim.
