Toyota is looking into possible brake problems with its Lexus hybrid because it uses the same system as the faulty Prius.
The company launched the probe although they have received no official complaints from Lexus owners. The model in question, the HS250h, was sold in Japan and the U.S.
Several customers have reported problems with the braking system in the Prius, the world’s best-selling hybrid.
The company acknowledged the problem with the Prius on Thursday and said a software issue is to blame for the lag time in the anti-lock braking system. The company has so far received about 180 complaints from customers in the United States and Japan.
Some drivers reported a delay in braking while driving over a bumpy or slippery surface. The lag lasts under a second but the brakes will kick in if the driver continues to push down on the pedal.
Toyota said the startling delay is due to the two systems - the gas engine and electric motor - used in the vehicle. The car switches between the hydraulic brakes and the electronically-operated braking system.
The automaker said it has fixed the problem in hybrids sold since January, but is still trying to figure out the best way to inform customers who purchased their Prius at an earlier date.
One accident in Japan is suspected of being linked to the faulty braking system. A Prius crashed head on into another vehicle in July 2009, injuring two people. Toyota looked into the incident and concluded there were no problems with the car.
The new problems for the Japanese automaker come in the wake of a massive recall involving 4.5 million vehicles due to sticky gas pedals.
The company promised customers affected by the gas pedal recall could start taking their vehicles in for repairs starting this week. Toyota shipped out reinforced steel bars that will be installed in the assembly, eliminating friction that could cause the accelerator pedal to stick.
Toyota recalled 270,000 vehicles in Canada on Jan. 21 and production and sales were subsequently halted on eight models.
The Canadian recall was part of a larger recall involving 4.5 million vehicles.
Toyota insists it hasn’t compromised quality to save money.