Consumer Reports, which is consulted by many when analyzing which vehicle to purchase, wants Japanese car maker Toyota to recall its Camry Hybrid owing to defects in the safety system.
On Monday, July 28, Consumer Reports called for Toyota to recall nearly 177,500 models of its older Camry Hybrid sedans so that the company can look into the possible defects in the power brake.
Per Consumer Reports, even though Toyota will conduct a repair campaign to tackle "potential component failures" or issue a warranty extension for Camry Hybrid models from 2007 to 2011, this is not enough.
Toyota's service campaign will assist owners in the installation of new brake reservoir tank, which will be for free until June 30, 2017. The second campaign will extend the warranty of the brake actuator from 36 months to 10 years or 36,000 miles to 150,000 miles.
"We think Toyota's proper action would be a recall. Greatly diminished brake function is a serious safety concern. 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. Besides that, unlike extended warranties, recalls don't expire and are performed proactively," opines Consumer Reports.
Toyota is still mum on any plans of recalling these models. However, company spokesperson John Hanson revealed that Toyota was working in tandem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) investigation into the issue.
"We believe our actions to address this issue are appropriate, and we are continuing to cooperate with NHTSA in its investigation," said Hanson.
However, Consumer Reports alleges that Toyota's actions have been fueled, thanks to the consumer complaints that have been filed with the NHTSA over the last few years. The complaints include loss in braking, more effort needed to press the brake pedal and more issues.
In January 2014, the NHTSA spurred into action with a "preliminary evaluation" into 30,000 Camry Hybrid sedans (2007 and 2008 models) and asked Toyota to share its complaints record, as well as other relevant data. The organization revealed that there were nearly 59 complaints pertaining to defective brakes.
According to Consumer Reports' review, since then, the number of complaints relating to power brake defects for the two Camry Hybrid models in question has risen to 269. These figures are inclusive of 14 accidents and five injuries as a result.
The NHTSA is currently looking into the matter and the outcome will be decided post the initial step of preliminary evaluation. In the event the NHTSA discover a safety hazard, Toyota may be required to recall the vehicles.
