New 2016 and 2017 Toyota Prius Recalled – May Roll Away

Toyota is recalling its all-new Prius, a model that has only been on sale for a few months. The problem is with the parking brake. Most owners would not notice the defect, but it is important for all new Prius drivers to have the defect addressed.

Toyota says that the 2016 and 2017 Prius parking brake could become inoperative. If the driver sets the parking brake, while leaving the vehicle in any gear but “Park”, it could roll away if on an incline. This raises the question of why the Prius does not automatically shift to Park if a driver is stopped and opens a door, given that the transmission gear selector is strictly an electronic signal that the transmission obeys.

Toyota dealers will fix the problem by adding clips to the top of the brake cable dust boots. This will prevent the cable from becoming inoperative. Like all recalls, the repair is to be completed at no cost to customers. As is required by law, all owners will be notified by snail mail.

One reminder of just how well the Prius sells, is that the new 2016 and 2017 model year Prius cars included in this recall number 92,000. That is an amazing sales number for a green car. Another recent recall of 2016 Model year Prius cars involves the passenger airbag inflator. Owners would be wise to phone ahead to ensure that the parts for both recalls are available before setting up appointments. If you own a Toyota Prius and want to see if yours in on the list for either recall, simply check out this link.