Toyota Prius Affected by Coolant Pump Glitch

2010 was so far the worst year for Japanese manufacturer Toyota in terms of quality issues and public scrutiny caused by the way in which its cars are built. The carmaker began the year by conducting the largest recall in history and has continued announcing problems after problems with its models throughout 2010.

The latest development surrounds the Prius, the most successful hybrid vehicle currently available on the market. According to Autonews, the model currently experiences some coolant pump issues, which may cause the engine of the hybrid to overheat and lose power.

Toyota admitted that there are some 378,000 Prius models manufactured in between 2004 and 2007 which are affected by the problem.

The problem will be fixed by Toyota, even if this is not officially a recall (this is so far dubbed as a repair campaign, as the problem does not cause safety concerns). The faulty pumps will be replaced by the carmaker's dealers free of charge, with the solution expected to be applied to Prius models sold outside the US as well.

According to Toyota, the problem is caused by the design of the electric water pump which lets air bubbles enter the system. This in turn slows coolant circulation and causes some of the components to heat up.

The owners of the vehicles affected will be notified of the repair campaign in the beginning of December. As said, no money will be asked from the owners, with the carmaker pledging to cover the fix. More details will be announced in December.