Prius models to be recalled in new Toyota alert over brakes

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Bosses at the world's biggest car maker are preparing to bow to growing pressure to fix a problem with the brakes on the third generation model of the hybrid vehicle that uses an electric motor as well as a petrol engine.

It will affect about 6,500 British owners of the Prius, popular in London because it is exempt from the congestion charge. Globally 270,000 cars could be summoned back.

Toyota has already recalled eight million cars worldwide, including 180,000 in Britain, because of fears over malfunctioning accelerator pedals. The problem with the new generation Prius, which went on sale last August, is caused by a software glitch that affects communication between the hydraulic brakes and an electric system.

Drivers say they notice a momentary loss of braking power when the car is passing over an uneven surface such as a pothole or a manhole cover. Changes were made to the production line in January to fix the problem. The British right-hand drive version of the car is made in the same Tsutsumi factory in Japan that supplies the US and Japanese domestic markets.

Although no accidents in Britain have been linked to the brake problem, drivers have voiced their disquiet. One who left a message on Toyota UK's website said: "I don't believe I was put in danger by the momentary release of braking (after my left front went over a dropped manhole cover approaching a roundabout) luckily there were no cars in front of me, however it was highly disconcerting and of course could have been dangerous."

London cab firm Green Tomato cars, which has 27 of the Mark 3 Prius among its fleet said its drivers had noticed the "phenomenon" but did not regard it as a threat to safety.

Director Tom Pakenham said: "The drivers say that for a fraction of a second the brakes are slightly slippy. It happens when they are driving at low speed over an uneven surface.

"When they experience it they adapt their driving style accordingly. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our customers and we're taking it extremely seriously. But we don't believe it is a safety issue."