TOKYO, (KUNA): Toyota Prius 2010 & Toyota Prius recall: Toyota to recall 437,000 Priuses, hybrids worldwide. Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will recall 437, 000 hybrid vehicles worldwide, including its best-selling Prius, to fix brake problems. "I apologize again for causing trouble and concern to many people over the quality and safety of Toyota vehicles," President Akio Toyoda told a news conference after filing a recall with Japan's transport ministry. It was his second apology in less than a week in addressing a recent string of safety problems.
"We will take appropriate measures as soon as possible for the good of our customers in the US, Europe and other regions," Toyoda, grandson of the companys founder said, noting that the recall pertains to about 400,000 vehicles worldwide.
The world's largest automaker will recall around 210,000 vehicles outside of Japan, including about 155,000 units in North America and about 5,000 units in Europe. The recall was to improve the software for the vehicle's antilock brake system that causes a delay in brake functions on bumpy or icy roads.
"In addition to the Prius, we are now preparing remedies for the other three models," he said, adding that the automaker will suspend sales of those three models, or suspend deliveries to customers in the case of completed purchases, until it has prepared the solutions. "We will do everything in our power to regain the confidence of our customers," he said.
Earlier in the day, Toyota filed a recall of 223,068 vehicles in four hybrid models in Japan. Subject to the domestic recall are 199,666 Prius hybrids, 10,820 Sai hybrids and 12,423 luxury Lexus HS250h hybrids, as well as 159 Prius plug-in hybrids, which employ a similar brake system to the Prius, according to papers the automaker filed with the ministry.
Since its launch last May, Toyota has sold nearly 311,000 of its third-generation Prius in 60 countries and regions, including the Middle East, Europe, the US, China and Australia. Concerns over the safety of the world's most popular hybrid further damage Toyota's legendary reputation for quality, which has already been tarnished by the massive recall of 8 million vehicles worldwide due to sticking gas pedals and floor mat problems in its eight other popular models, including Corolla and Camry.
