Toyota files recall of Prius, other models

Toyota Motor has filed for a recall in Japan of its latest Prius hybrid and 3 other models to address brake problems.

Toyota Motor Managing Officer Hiroyuki Yokoyama visited the transport ministry and filed for the recall on Tuesday.

About 200,000 Prius vehicles manufactured between April and January are subject to the recall, as well as the Sai, Lexus HS and a Prius-based plug-in hybrid, for an additional more than 23,000 units. The models employ a similar brake system to the Prius.

According to Toyota, these vehicles' antilock brake system has a glitch in its software.

This could cause temporary malfunctioning of the brake for about a second.

Reports of the brake malfunctioning in the Prius, for example on bumpy roads, have been sent to the ministry and Toyota.

Starting on Wednesday, Toyota will repair the problems for free at its dealers across Japan.

Originally, the automaker had said the troubles were a matter of the drivers' impression, and denied that the vehicles are defective.

But complaints from consumers both in Japan and the United States forced the company to file for a recall.

Toyota will also file a recall in the United States and other countries where the Prius is sold.

2010/02/09 13:47(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)