SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Ford Motor Co. said Thursday it will update the software in its brake system for two of its new hybrid sedans after receiving complaints from some drivers who have felt the loss of braking power.

The announcement comes on the same day that rival Toyota Motor Corp. /quotes/comstock/13*!tm/quotes/nls/tm (TM 71.78, -1.71, -2.33%) reportedly recalled its 2010 Prius hybrid for similar issues.

As for Ford /quotes/comstock/13*!f/quotes/nls/f (F 11.06, -0.58, -4.98%) , the automaker is telling drivers to bring in their 2010-model Ford Fusion Hybrids and Mercury Milan Hybrids to address the "different brake feel" that may occur when the hybrid's regenerative brakes switch to conventional hydraulic braking.

"The software upgrade will reduce unnecessary occurrences of the vehicle switching from regenerative braking to conventional hydraulic brakes," the company said in a statement. There have been no injuries related to this condition.

But a senior engineer for Consumer Reports explained that the scenario described by Ford is "much less scary sounding" than the one he experienced.

The engineer, according to the consumer watchdog publication, said the brake pushed down further than normal as he approached a stop sign, forcing him to zoom through the turn before the vehicle "more or less coasted" to a stop with minimal brake feel.

The group that puts out those software revisions is in the row next to my cube at Ford.

As far as I'm aware, this is much todo about nothing. They revise calibrations (which are software parameters that drive performance) all the time.

The whole "accellarator going off on its own," however, is a pretty big frickin' deal.

That and Toyota trucks that require multiple transmission replacements.

And Toyota trucks whose entire frame rots out within a matter of a couple of years.

And oil sludge accumulation issues in Toyota vehicles.

Oh, and Toyoya SUV's whose tires blow and cause rollovers.

Not that I'm trying to say anything with that...

crikey! glad I drive a Lesbaru!

Big difference between a software "update" and "We have no clue what the problem is!"

Toyota has been playing games with the floormat BS and now the pedals. People have known about this problem for a long time and Toyota played their usual "don't know nothing about it" nonsense.

Software updates happen all the time, be it your car, desktop/laptop or cell phone. They don't potentially harm/kill you. Brake failure,throttle problems that risk lives are totally different.

I don't fault Toyota for the problem, it's the BS way they handle their problems.

^ #3

Are you sure that your epic-length posts aren't taxing the Ford network and throwing off their calibrations?