Toyota reportedly recalls Prius vehicles

PHOTO

The Prius, which combines a petrol combustion engine with a battery-powered electric motor, is Toyota's flagship hybrid car and key to its efforts to stay in pole position in fuel-efficient vehicles. [AFP]

Mark Willacy, Tokyo

Last Updated: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:02:00 +1100

Japanese media is reporting that Toyota will this week order the recall of 300-thousand Prius hybrid cars.

The company has already recalled more than eight-million other cars because of accelerator problems.

Now, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper is reporting that Toyota will recall the latest model Prius to fix a software program with the car's anti-lock brakes.

The company has received complaints of brake failures which have led to at least five accidents.

It's being reported that the problem can be repaired by Toyota dealers in less than an hour.

Japanese newspapers have been highly critical of Toyota's slow response to complaints about accelerator problems with other models, saying the recall of more than eight-million vehicles will hurt the country's reputation for trustworthy technology.