With 14 crashes and five injuries linked to two power braking issues in Camry Hybrids, a consumer watchdog group is asking Toyota to move beyond servicing cars, model years 2007 to 2011, and recall roughly 177,500 of the automobiles.
After being prompted to investigate the braking problems with the Toyota Camry cars, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was said to have fielded at least 269 complaints from owners of the hybrids.
The NHTSA has been probing the braking issue in Camry Hybrids, model years 2007 and 2008, but Consumer Reports stated the scope of the investigation wasn't wide enough to address all of the vehicles affected by the problems.
There remains a potential that drivers of the Camry cars in question would have to apply significantly more pressure to the brakes to stop the vehicles, due to a clog in the reservoir filters for the automobiles' braking fluid, according to Consumer Reports. Similarly, there was said to be instability in the antilock braking system's actuators that would also require more effort from drivers to stop the Camry Hybrid from moving.
Toyota was said to be in the process of replacing reservoir filters for the braking systems in the Camry Hybrids, with an estimated time of completion slated for June 30, 2017. The issue with the automatic braking system was said to have been addressed by warranty extensions for the affected vehicles.
In both cases, vehicle owners who have taken proactive measures to resolve either of the braking issues have or will be reimbursed by Toyota. But with repairs slated to be fulfilled three years after the NHTSA began probing the matter, Consumer Reports stated its belief that Toyota needed to take more aggressive measures in resolving the issue.
"We think Toyota's proper action would be a recall -- greatly diminished brake function is a serious safety concern," stated Consumer Reports. "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."
A Toyota spokesperson has stated that the automaker has been cooperating with the NHTSA during the problem of the Camry Hybrid's braking woes.
Production of the Camry Hybrid, among other Toyota cars, was brought to a halt in January 2014, due to a failure in seat heating units. Vehicles sales, despite the prevalence of recalls, have been climbing for Toyota, GM Chrysler and Nissan during the summer of 2014.
