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Recall Notice: Toyota Officially Recalls 2010 Prius and Lexus HS250h for ABS Brake Issues
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As expected, Toyota has announced a recall for the 2010 Prius hybrid, as well as the 2010 Lexus HS250h model. The recall affects 133,000 Prius models as well as 14,500 HS250 models so that the automaker can update the car’s ABS software. The recall does not affect previous generation Prius models or any other Toyota,…
Report: Ford Announces Fix for Fusion Hybrid, Milan Hybrid Over Brake Issues
Just as Toyota is facing a potential recall of its popular Prius hybrid for brake problems, Ford has today announced a recall of its own, affecting the Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan hybrid. The comparatively small recall affects 17,600 Fusion and Milan hybrids built on or before October 17, 2009. Officially the move by Ford…
Report: Toyota Expands Brake Investigation to Cover All Hybrids After Admitting Issues With the Prius
Toyota has now expanded its internal investigation over braking issues to cover all hybrid models says a report by the Wall Street Journal. Toyota has already admitted that there was a braking problem with its 2010 Prius model, and according to Japan’s Nikkei News, Toyota is preparing to issue a recall for 270,000 Prius models…
Breaking: Toyota to Recall Prius Hybrid
According to Japan’s Nikkei News, Toyota will recall 270,000 of its 2010 Prius models due to an issue with the car’s braking system. Unrelated to past Toyota recalls, the Prius uses a unique combination of traditional mechanical braking and sophisticated regenerative braking, which is used to recharge the car’s hybrid battery. The National Highway Traffic…
Video: Chevy Volt Explained in Layman’s Terms
As Chevy gets set to launch its potentially revolutionary new Volt at the end of this year, the automaker has released this helpful video to educate consumers. Hybrid fanatics will likely know everything discussed in the video, but the vast majority of consumers don’t and have plenty of questions like: How far can it travel?…
Chicago Preview: Kia Ray Plug-In Hybrid Concept Teased Again
Kia has released one more teaser photo of the Ray plug-in hybrid concept that it will debut at the Chicago Auto Show next week. As with all modern Kia’s it has a sporty, if not downright aggressive look and we’re eager to see what the whole package looks like. We expect that the Ray will…
Report: 2010 Prius Now Officially Under Investigation by NHTSA for Faulty Brakes
Toyota‘s popular Prius model is now officially under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for potentially faulty brakes. In a statement released by the NHTSA, it said it will launch a formal investigation into whether the popular hybrid has a brief loss of braking capability when traveling over bumpy or icy roads….
Report: Toyota Admits New Prius Did Have Brake Problems
After pressure from the U.S. and Japanese governments, Toyota has admitted that there was an issue with the brakes on the all-new 2010 Prius hybrid. Over 100 complaints about braking related issues have been reported to the NHTSA and roughly a dozen such reports to the authorities in Japan. According to Toyota, Prius models sold…
Report: Hybrids Too Expensive for Scion Brand Right Now Says Exec
Toyota’s hybrid technology is too expensive to be used in Scion models says brand VP Jack Hollis. In an interview with Ward’s Auto, Hollis explained that a hybrid Scion model would essentially be out of the price range of the brand’s target demographic. Scion works to keep all its cars at, or starting at, under…
Report: Toyota to Provide Tech Support for Apple Co-Founder’s Prius
Toyota has offered to test Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak’s Prius after he claimed the vehicle’s electronics can cause it accelerate unintentionally. Wozniak’s claims made headlines when he claimed his 2010 Prius’ accelerator “goes wild” under certain conditions. He says he can repeat the acceleration issue and suspected the Prius’ software as the culprit. Toyota has…
Report: Apple Co-Founder Says His Prius Has Software-Related Unintended Acceleration
The Prius hybrid has not been affected by the recent 2.3 million vehicle recall by Toyota for unintended acceleration, but according to Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak it probably should be. Wozniak, a man who knows a thing or two about software, recently spoke openly about a “unintended acceleration” problem with his new 2010 Prius, which…
Report: Honda Insight Sales Struggling Because it’s Too Small, Says Exec
Honda is expecting that its new Insight hybrid won’t meet its sales target because it’s to small. That, at least, is the opinion of Honda Executive Vice President Koichi Kondo, who told Bloomberg, “I think we compromised too much on size in pursuing fuel efficiency.” Honda had expected to sell as many as 200,000 units…
Report: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Headed for Production in 2013
A senior BMW official has confirmed that the wild Vision EfficientDynamics turbo-diesel plug-in hybrid is headed for production. BMW showed the concept at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year where it received an overwhelmingly positive reaction. As reported by InsideLine, BMW has not confirmed if in fact the hybrid sports car will retain its 3-cylinder…
Geneva Preview: Ferrari Readying 599 Hybrid Concept
Ferrari will show a hybrid concept at the Geneva Auto Show, based on the Italian automaker’s 599 flagship. Ferrari CEO Luca di Montezemolo made the announcement while unveiling the company’s latest Formula One race car. Di Montezemolo also stated that this prototype is slated for production but did not give any timeline. Ferrari has been…
Report: Acura TSX Will be First Hybrid Model from Honda’s Luxury Division
The entry-level TSX model will be the first Acura offered with a hybrid powertrain. According to one dealer sourced by Automotive News, the TSX hybrid will be offered starting in 2011. This news comes as somewhat of a surprise as previous rumors had suggested the next RL model would be Acura’s first hybrid, combining a…
Report: Mitsubishi EVO XI Will Be a Plug-in Hybrid
Mitsubishi’s next generation EVO will be a plug-in hybrid. Yup, according to a recent report by Motor Trend, a source inside the company has confirmed the rumors that the EVO XI is going green. This news will most likely have EVO enthusiasts about ready to jump ship to Subaru, but worry not says the report,…
Chicago Preview: Kia Ray Plug-In Hybrid Concept Teased Ahead of Debut
Kia has just released a single teaser image of a new plug-in hybrid concept called the Ray. Set to debut at the Chicago Auto Show next month, little is known about the new vehicle other than that it was created by the team at the Kia Design Center America. It appears to feature a solar…
Report: Toyota Aims to Double Hybrid Production By Next Year
With 500,000 hybrids sold last year, Toyota aims to double that number by 2011. Japan’s largest automaker had announced plans to reach the one million goal early in this decade, but a report in Japan’s Nikkei suggests Toyota is now looking at very-early in this decade. Part of the reason for Toyota’s optimism is the…
Spied: Lexus LF-Ch Hybrid Hatchback Production Model Partially Revealed
A collection of amateur spy photos have emerged online showing what appears to be a production version of the Lexus LF-Ch concept, which first debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year. With a slightly less aggressive style, a new rear hatch and some OEM-equipment wheels, it is likely that Lexus is preparing this new…
Tokyo Auto Salon 2010: Gazoo Racing and G Sports Show Off Concepts in Tokyo
How much could possibly be reported out of Toyota’s Tokyo Auto Salon booth? With G Sports and Gazoo Racing sharing the real estate it’s no surprise there’s plenty to see. Along with the FT-86 G-Sports Concept, Toyota displayed a pair of Gazoo Racing cars: the iQ-based FR Hot Hatch with a widebody and stylish flat…
Tokyo Auto Salon 2010: Toyota Displays Japanese-Market Mark X and Sai
With all the commotion surrounding the FT-86 G Sports Concept and the collection of G Sports vehicles at the Tokyo Auto Salon, it would have been easy not to notice several other Toyota models worth a mention. Eventually we did manage to tear our eyes off the FT-86, only to discover the Japanese-specific Mark X…
Tokyo Auto Salon 2010: Branew Debuts 370Z Aero Kit, Should Stick to Luxury Cars
While not as well known in North America as VIP tuners like Wald International or Junction Produce, Branew is a Japanese tuning powerhouse specializing in various luxury and tuning markets including Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Nissan, Bentley, Hummer, Porsche and Land Rover. The big buzz leading up to the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon from Branew was the…
Tokyo Auto Salon 2010: Honda’s Insight Goes Modulo
Honda is hoping to build a following with its line of Modulo parts in Japan, in a bid to replicate the the success that Mugen has had. On display at the Tokyo Auto Salon, Honda showcased three different Modulo-equipped versions of its Insight hybrid. First up is a mostly stock looking Touring Modulo Insight, featuring…
Tokyo Auto Salon 2010: Tommy Kaira Eco-Spo Aerodynamics for the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight
Not to be left behind with all the other Japanese aftermarket manufacturers that have taken to the trend of modifying hybrid/green cars, Tommy Kaira not only impressed with its GT-R at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, but with its Prius and Insight offerings too. Earlier this month both vehicles were released to the public and…
