TOKYO — Japanese police are recommending charges against a driver who says his Toyota Prius crashed because of brake failure. An analysis of data from the car showed no defects.
The 37-year-old driver, whose identity was withheld because no charges have been filed, told police he pressed on the brakes but they didn’t work, causing the Prius to hit a car stopping for a red light.
Two people in that car were slightly injured in the July 19 accident, which resulted in two other cars getting bumped at an intersection in Matsudo city, northeast of Tokyo.
Data from an event recorder, or “black box,” in the Prius sent to a laboratory for analysis found the brakes were working properly, police said Friday.
The latest model Prius, the world’s best-selling gas-electric hybrid, has been recalled in Japan and overseas because of a flaw in the antilock braking that made the brakes momentarily unresponsive under some driving conditions.
Toyota’s quality control has come under scrutiny after recalls of more than 8 million vehicles in recent months, mostly in North America, for defective gas pedals, faulty floor mats and flawed braking.
