In more bad news for Toyota Motor Corp., Japanese and U.S. authorities have received complaints about the Prius hybrid's brakes, as well as reports of accidents and injuries caused by the problem.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said many drivers complained that the brakes would not work for about one second on slippery roads at slow speeds.
The NHTSA said it had received 102 complaints as of Tuesday, and that the braking problems have led to four accidents, including collisions. Two of the drivers were hurt.
In Japan, 13 complaints from the Prius users about the brakes were filed in December and January, according to the transport ministry.
The ministry said Wednesday that in another accident, two people were injured when the driver of a Prius rear-ended another vehicle at an intersection in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, in July.
"I applied the brake at the traffic light, but it did not work," the ministry quoted the driver as saying.
The ministry told Toyota to investigate the complaints.
The automaker said it has been notified of the complaints in both Japan and the United States.
"We are now verifying the contents of the complaints," said a public relations official of the automaker.
Asked whether Toyota will recall the Prius to fix the brakes, the official said, "Now is not the time to comment on that."
Since November, Toyota has recalled millions of vehicles, mostly in the United States, to fix problems with gas pedals, which were at risk of getting stuck in floor mats or were slow to spring back.
The gas pedal problem is believed to have caused an accident in San Diego in August that killed four family members in a Lexus.
The braking problems with the Prius, whose popularity is seen as a symbol of society's shift to more eco-friendly vehicles, will only further damage the automaker's image.
Most of the complaints about the Prius concern the 2010 model, which went on sale in Japan and the United States in May last year.
Seven complaints about brakes each were leveled at the 2009 Prius and the 2010 Corolla.
Unlike the models with the faulty gas pedals, the new Prius is produced in Japan.
The drivers said the brakes were slow to react to the depression of the brake pedal on bumps in the road or on slippery surfaces at low speeds.
If the brake does not work for one second, a vehicle running at only 20 kph will continue moving for at least 5 meters.
The drivers said the brakes start to work if they continue depressing the pedal, but it is often too late to avoid hitting the car in front or stopping at a safe distance at pedestrian crossings.
Hybrid vehicles, which use both an electric motor and internal combustion engine, are also equipped with conventional oil-pressure brakes and regenerative brakes. The switch between the oil-pressure brakes and regenerative brakes may be behind the problems with the Prius, experts say.
The 2010 Prius, which boasts improved fuel-efficiency and costs a relatively low 2.05 million yen ($22,600), has been Japan's most popular vehicle in terms of sales since June last year.
Including the older Prius, 200,000 units were sold in Japan last year, nearly triple that of 2008. About 140,000 were sold in the United States in 2009.
Mitsuhiro Kunisawa, a commentator on automobile issues, said he has received more than 10 reports on brake troubles of the new Prius.
"It is probably a brake-control problem," he said. "From an environmental viewpoint, the brake problem will not change the appraisal of Prius, which has an excellent performance. But it would be better for Toyota to improve the brake as soon as possible."
, voici le lien direct sur l'info du journal japonais 
Mais pour l'instant pas de news ni orales, ni par courrier....alors patience !
, j'avais retenu que des courants négligeables dans le cas de la P2, c'est en dessous de 5 A (moins d'1 kW).