The owner of a Toyota Yaris Hybrid has spoken out about the problems he’s experienced with his new car, CarBuyer has reported.

After just 3,000, Ian Chettleburgh from Chigwell in Essex noticed that the driver’s side rear brake disc was badly scored.

Ian said: “After about 3,000 miles, I noticed that the driver’s side rear brake disc was badly scored.

Ian claims technicians at Hills of Woodford Toyota, in east London initially said the discs could just have surface rust but Ian pointed out deep grooves.

Hills sent the case to Toyota Customer Services which later advised that the grooves were a result of the owner’s driving.

Driving style?

Ian said: “I brake normally with the car, the same as I have done with all my other vehicles.”

Toyota eventually agreed to replace the car’s back brake pads and discs.

However, just 2,000 miles later, Ian found the brake discs were scored with grooves again.

Scoring returned

Ian returned his car back to Hills for another inspection.

Again, he was told the way he was driving was causing the grooves, but Ian disagreed with this, and asked Toyota to inspect the discs for a manufacturing fault.

A spokesman told CarBuyer that the grooving was normal and down to driving style.

The spokesperson added: “On our hybrid models where there is a lot of regenerative braking done by the hybrid system, the disc brakes work less hard than a non-hybrid car.

“Because of this light scoring and/or corrosion can occur more often.

“This is not a manufacturing fault and there is not any issue with the braking performance.”

Hills replaced the discs and pads once more and sent Ian away with a second set of brakes.

Ian added: “This is not an F1 car, it is a city car, and in London you brake to the road conditions.

“I’ve been told by Hills that it doesn’t know what else to do the next time it happens, other than call Toyota again and ask for a repair.”

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