Investigations
Drivability, Service brake failure
NHTSA Defect Petition DP13002 - closed, opened 2013-03-18.
NHTSA investigation DP13002 is a Defect Petition opened on 2013-03-18 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2014-07-25 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Defect Petition like DP13002 starts when a person or group formally asks NHTSA to investigate a specific alleged defect. Petitioners submit evidence, NHTSA reviews it within 120 days, and either grants the petition (opening a PE) or denies it with a written explanation in the Federal Register.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "On January 3, 2013, NHTSA received a letter (ODI No. 10487746) from Ms. Jessie A. Powell petitioning the agency to investigate drivability and braking concerns in the subject vehicle. The petition expressed two concerns:..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
On January 3, 2013, NHTSA received a letter (ODI No. 10487746) from Ms. Jessie A. Powell petitioning the agency to investigate drivability and braking concerns in the subject vehicle. The petition expressed two concerns: 1. "The first software problem was when the vehicle shifted from battery to motor and caused such impact, I initially believed the vehicle had been struck in the rear." 2. "The next more alarming problem was NO BRAKES. The brake pedal traveled to the floor and a dashboard warning light flashed." This symptom occurred twice, leading to the vehicle being towed to the dealership, the second time in the dealership parking lot after diagnostics of the first incident. After a test drive and vehicle inspection, no actionable problem was found within the petitioner’s vehicle. The braking concern reported turned out to be normal vehicle operation. The petitioner identified other complaints of poor braking performance and low brake pedal received by NHTSA concerning Prius models. Broader review of the consumer complaints reported for all variants of the subject vehicle showed no indication that either the reported jolting sensation or the brake performance concerns reported are occurring in this vehicle population at a level that would require investigative action by NHTSA. The following recalls by Toyota were to address many of these complaints in Prius variants. Neither of these recalls is applicable to Ms. Powell’s 2012 Prius C: 1. Recall 10V-039 March 5, 2010 - 2010 Prius, Lexus HS - Reprogramming ABS ECU - Improve Antilock brake function over bumpy surfaces. 2. Recall 13V-235 August 7, 2013 - 2010 Prius, Lexus HS - Replace Brake Booster / Pump assembly - Low brake pedal due to nitrogen bubble in hydraulic portion of brake system. In the Agency’s view, additional investigation is unlikely to result in a finding that a defect related to motor vehicle safety exists in the subject vehicles. Therefore, given the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA limited r
About This Investigation Type
A Defect Petition (DP) is initiated when an individual or organization formally petitions NHTSA to investigate a potential safety defect. NHTSA reviews the petition and decides whether to open an investigation.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.