U.S. safety regulators have begun a preliminary probe into complaints of brake failures in Toyota Motor Corp.'s Camry hybrid cars sold in the United States, regulatory and company officials said Monday.
Subject to the investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are about 30,000 units of the 2007 and 2008 models of the Camry sedan, according to news reports.
The NHTSA has received 59 complaints, including cases in which longer stopping distances were needed or more brake pedal pressure was required to stop the vehicles, the officials said. The complaints included two accidents, but no injuries have been reported so far.
If the NHTSA concludes there is a safety defect in the vehicles' brake system, Toyota may be asked to recall them. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. said it will fully cooperate with the NHTSA.