Consumer Reports wants Toyota to recall older Camry hybrids
By Ben Klayman
DETROIT (Reuters) - An influential consumer magazine on Monday called on Toyota Motor Corp to recall about 177,500 older Camry hybrid sedans to address potential power brake defects.
Consumer Reports, which many consumers use when studying what vehicles to buy, said the Japanese automaker's decision to call for a service campaign or a warranty extension on two different problems covering cars from model years 2007 to 2011 does not go far enough. Under a service campaign, an automaker repairs cars as they are brought back to dealers by consumers.
"Consumer Reports believes that Toyota should recall these cars," the magazine said. "What’s at issue here is a series of acknowledged defects in a crucial safety system.
"A recall is more comprehensive and widely published than a mere service campaign, and owners don’t have to wait for a problem to happen before qualifying for the repair," Consumer Reports added. "Besides that, unlike extended warranties, recalls don’t expire and are performed proactively."
Toyota spokesman John Hanson said in an email statement that the automaker was working with the U.S. safety regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on a probe related to the issue.
“We believe our actions to address this issue are appropriate, and we are continuing to cooperate with NHTSA in its investigation,” he said.
Consumer reports said Toyota's decisions were prompted partly by consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. The complaints over the last several years have covered loss of braking performance, increased effort to press the brake pedal and other difficulties, the magazine said.
NHTSA opened a "preliminary evaluation" probe into an estimated 30,000 Camry hybrid sedans from model years 2007 and 2008 after receiving 59 complaints of intermittent loss of assisted braking, resulting in increased stopping distances.
NHTSA said it continues to evaluate all data as part of the investigation and will take action as needed.
A preliminary evaluation is the first step in a process that can lead to a recall if regulators determine a manufacturer needs to address a safety problem.
Consumer Reports, which pointed out Toyota's service campaign and extended warranty both broadened the scope of the potentially affected vehicles, said its review for the two model years NHTSA cited found power-brake complaints had risen to 269, with 14 crashes and five injuries.
In the service campaign, a problem is potentially caused by a clogged brake-fluid reservoir filter and "front-brake assist could be temporarily lost," according to a Toyota notice to dealers. Instead of a recall, Toyota will alert owners to the campaign to install a new brake reservoir tank at no cost between now and June 30, 2017.
In the other case, Toyota is extending warranty coverage of the anti-lock brake system's brake actuator from the standard three years or 36,000 miles, to 10 years or 150,000 miles, according to a separate dealer notice. Remedies could include a new actuator or reprogramming of the skid control electronic control unit.
(Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit. Editing by Andre Grenon)
