What amazes, eek, me is that FORD and TOYOTA share exactly the same braking systems in their hybrids.......Ford is being touted for a voluntary "software upgrade".......Toyota is being slammed for a "braking issue"........dogpile anyone?
Oh Oh Oh but it's better than that, Toyota is Hiding the problem when they quietly fixed in on the production line in January but Ford is hailed as hero even tho they fixed their problem quietly on the production line in October???? and still didn't say anything until AFTER Toyota said they may have a problem?
I just bought a 2010 Prius a few days before the story broke. Unfortunately mine was made 11/09 . I don't understand why Toyota at least does not offer the software patch that they admit to using on cars built after 1/10. ???
I hope they haven't released the patch yet due to testing it as an upgrade to an existing system which could be different than applying to a vehicle not in service yet? Just a guess but having worked with software developers as the person that keeps the servers running I am inclined to wait until it is tested. Nothing worst than deploying a software fix as a knee jerk reaction and the update being worst than the original ailment. Although in my business untested software updates keep me busily employed....
When it involves a life-safety linked system, no company in their right mind would hastefully release a patch. I'd rather wait a month for the right fix than 2 days for a pacifier that could get me killed. I think Toyota (hopefully) sees it the same way. Given the extra engineering that goes into the backup systems for our braking systems (capacitor backup for the battery, hydraulic backup for the electronic system when you push in far enough, etc.), I'm thinking this patch will receive the same kind of attention.
Everything I read about the ford brakes was more about the pedal than actual brake loss. I'm also pretty sure I read that dealers were sent a memo notifying them of the issue earlier this year...
"Dog bites man" isn't news. "Man bites dog" is. GM, Ford or Chrysler not having a recall would be news.
It needed 4 months by Ford, from Oct/09 production update to Feb/10 announcement. I hope Toyota will do sooner than Ford. Ken@Japan
The difference is in admitting there is a problem and taking the steps to correct it. Ford did not try to pretend people were just bad drivers for ever needing consistency in braking or just too dumb to understand that their cars were really supposed to glide forward over bumps as a 'feature' of regenerative braking, or ABS or traction control or whatever excuses people have been trying to make.
