Toyota to Voluntarily Fix 378,000 Prius Hybrids for Overheating Problems

Toyota's US division has issued what it describes as a "limited service campaign" (and not a recall…) on approximately 378,000 U.S-spec Prius hybrids from the 2004 and 2007 model years to resolve a potential problem with the water-pump that can cause the cars to overheat.
“The water pump is part of a system designed to cool the hybrid powertrain components and is separate from the engine cooling system” said John Hanson, Toyota Motor Sales National Manager of Environmental, Quality and Safety Communications. “A fault in the water pump can cause air bubbles to build up and disrupt the flow of coolant, which can lead to overheating”.
The company said an “on” check engine light can signal the problem. If the car is driven further the temperature of the hybrid components can reach a critical level and the vehicle will enter “fail-safe mode” to prevent damage.

Oddly enough, the Japanese automaker pointed out in a press statement that the issue is being treated as a "customer support campaign" and not a "recall" as the company "determined it is not a safety issue” and it “has not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to this condition."

Owners will be notified by mail in early December and Toyota dealers will replace the water-pump for free, as long as customers arrange for service before November 30, 2013. Clients who have had their water-pumps replaced because of this condition are going to be reimbursed.
For detailed information customers can call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371.

By Csaba Daradics

Toyota Plans to Slowly Bore us to Death with Prius MPV Puzzle Teasers

Toyota has decided to build some anticipation about its upcoming Prius MPV [the name has not yet been announced] hybrid, before the big reveal at the Detroit motor show in January 2010, by launching a series of teasers in the form of puzzle pieces. The puzzle theme appears to be central to the Prius MPV campaign as it was also used in the billboard that showed the hybrid minivan hiding behind the normal Prius liftback.

Link: Toyotapriusproject

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Toyota Debuts Prius PLUS Performance Package from TRD with Aero and Suspension Mods

The annual SEMA aftermarket show in Las Vegas will see Toyota launching an all-new sporty package for its Prius hybrid, which will be available in limited production beginning in April 2011.

Developed by Toyota Racing Development (TRD), the Performance Package doesn't justify its name with changes under the hood, relying instead on a sporty outfit and a sports tuned suspension plus beefier tire and alloy wheel combos for improved handling.

The aerodynamic kit comprises of seven pieces including a uniquely styled rear diffuser, front and rear bumper spoilers and side skirts. According to Toyota, the aero add-ons don't affect the hybrid car's 0.25 coefficient of drag.

The Prius PLUS also gets race-inspired 17-inch forged wheels that are fitted with low profile 215/45R17 tires and have a custom offset, which is said to increase track width while keeping the standard model's rolling resistance.

To improve handling, TRD installed sports-tuned lowering springs, which Toyota claims "provide a lower center of gravity, enhancing the vehicles on-road performance through quicker turn-in, enhanced steering response and improved cornering ability." In addition, the Prius Plus gains a rear sway bar to reduce body roll "for flatter, more stable cornering and maneuverability."

Completing the package are a set of unique floormats with a "PLUS" logo and a "PLUS" exterior badge.

According to the Japanese automaker, TRD is developing similar packages under the "PLUS" brand for other hybrid models in Toyota's lineup.

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Busted: 2011 Toyota Prius MPV Picture is an Older Photoshop

Not that we expect the actual production version of the upcoming 2011 Toyota Prius MPV (or whatever else the Japanese maker names the hybrid minivan) to look any more exciting than the vehicle shown in the black-and-white picture above, but just to set things straight, what you see here is an older photoshop created by Japan's Best Car magazine and not the real deal as some hastily baptized. Proof seekers may follow the jump for color shots from the magazine.

We'll just remind you that Toyota has confirmed that the world premiere of the Prius minivan will take place at the 2011 Detroit motor show in mid-January, with sales to follow either towards the end of the same year or in early 2012.

Photoshop: Best Car , Via: Autoblog.it

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New Toyota Prius Special Edition Celebrates Hybrid's 10th Anniversary in the UK

Marking the 10 years since the launch of the Prius onto the UK market, Toyota has released a special 10th Anniversary edition of its hybrid model. Said to be the most exclusive production Prius to date since only 1,000 examples are to be built, the"Prius 10th Anniversary" is offered with a choice of two paint finishes - White Pearl or Astral Black- and an on-the-road price of £26,150, with first customer deliveries to commence this winter.

The new front, rear and side skirts, 17-inch smoked-finish alloys and dark-tinted privacy glass plus the black leather upholstery embossed with the 10th anniversary logo, complete the list of upgrades over the standard top-of-the-range T Spirit model upon which it is based.

As with the T Spirit model, standard features include HDD satellite navigation (with integrated sound library), rear parking monitor, Bluetooth, Intelligent Park Assist, cruise control, smart entry and start, rain-sensing wipers and head-up display.

Update: Toyota UK informed us that the special edition's name is "Prius 10th Anniversary" and not "Prius Generation X" as the company noted in the original press release. Corrections have been made on the title and article.

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2012 Toyota Prius Alpha Hybrid Minivan Scooped?

Carscoop reader Nick K. had an opportunity to snag what may very well be the first spy photos of the long-anticipated minivan version of the Prius, rumored to be called the Prius Alpha.

Spotted out in California following a new Lexus CT200h with its logos covered, the camouflaged minivan seen here - said by Nick to be "about the size of a Mazda 5" - appears to be wearing a Prius-esque front fascia and doesn't look to fit anywhere else in the lineup.

As you can see in our photo gallery after the jump, the minivan and the Prius also seem to share a similar design for the windshield, front window line and tail lamps.

If earlier reports from Reuters and Japan's Nikkei daily are correct, the Prius MPV will end up housing three rows of seats with space for up to seven passengers and be powered by in-house developed lithium-ion batteries (which may later be manufactured with help from Panasonic).

As we recently told you, Toyota Executive VP Takeshi Uchiyamada hopes to launch six new hybrids worldwide by 2012 (two Lexi and four Toyotas) on top of its current hybrid offerings. That means the Lexus hybrid family - LS, GS, HS, and RX - will likely gain another crossover of some sort and probably an IS hybrid.

Toyota - currently at three hybrids in the U.S. with the Prius, Camry, and Highlander - will likely get at least one more variant of the Prius, as well as three other models. Speculation on those is up to you all.

By Phil Alex

Many thanks to Nick K. for the spy pictures!

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