Wednesday, February 12, Toyota Motor Corp. said that 1.9 million Prius Hybrids around the world are being recalled for a software glitch, a malfunction that could force the car to decelerate or even to come to a sudden stop. This recall means that more than half of all the Priuses that Toyota has sold to date require an update, one which the company will offer to all affected car owners. The recall applies to all models from 2010 to 2014, and will affect about 700,000 vehicles in North America.
The glitch could cause some transistors to overheat, sending off warning signals on the dashboard. Toyota reported that in the rare instance, the car could stall while in motion because the hybrid system would fail. No injuries or accidents have yet been reported due to this defect.
Additional Toyota Recalls
The largest car maker in the world announced other recalls as well, recalls of nearly 260,000 other vehicles across the United States. The company cited a different issue that needed repair. Software updates are necessary in some 2012 RAV4s, 2012-2013 Tacomas, and 2012-2013 Lexus RX350 vehicles. The problems in these vehicles were caused by an electronic circuit issue that sometimes shut off the vehicle stability control, the antilock brake, and the traction control functions.
In 2013, a total of nearly 22 million vehicles were recalled by car makers. That's the highest number of recalls since 30.8 million cars were subject to recall back in 2004. Last year, Toyota was the auto manufacturer that issued the most recalls, and these affected almost 5.3 million cars in the United States alone, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Still, Toyota luxury brand vehicles were reported to have 68 problems per 100 vehicles, while the average for most other car makers is 133 problems per 100 vehicles.
If a car suddenly shuts down on you, this could easily lead to a serious crash. Of course, any number of defects, such as with faulty brakes and defective steering systems, or even in the poor design of a car itself, can all lead to devastating accidents, leaving people with serious, even life-threatening injuries. This can also leave individuals and families with a trail of medical bills, weeks or months of lost income, and more financial losses.
Whenever someone is harmed in an accident caused by a vehicle defect, the injured individuals or their families could be entitled to compensation. Usually, an injured plaintiff can file an auto product liability lawsuit against the car manufacturer, as well as any other parties along the chain of distribution. Learn how an experienced car accident attorney may be able to help you file an injury claim when you contact a legal expert on our directory today!