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Toyota to announce action on Prius
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Toyota is preparing to announce plans to deal with braking problems in its prized Prius hybrid amid reports it had decided to issue a recall for the vehicle in Japan.
Toyota has already had to recall more than seven million other cars in the US, Europe and China over a faulty accelerator and floor mats that can get caught in the pedal.
Those problems and criticism of Toyota's response have sullied the stellar reputation for quality long enjoyed by one of Japan's corporate icons.
Meanwhile, the company has told dealers in the United States it is preparing to repair the brakes on thousands of Prius vehicles there, according to an email sent by a company executive. It was unclear whether Toyota planned a formal US recall.
The Prius is the world's top-selling petrol-electric hybrid and its fuel efficiency has drawn intense interest amid concerns about global warming and dependence on fossil fuels.
On Saturday Toyota decided on a recall in Japan covering its latest Prius model and has notified domestic dealers, Japan's largest newspaper, the Yomiuri, reported. It added that Toyota would announce the move early this week after consulting with the Japanese government.
Japan's Kyodo News agency and TV Asahi carried similar reports. Kyodo said Toyota had started notifying dealers and that at least 170,000 vehicles in Japan would be subject to the recall.
Prius drivers in Japan and the US have complained of a short delay before the brakes kick in - a flaw Toyota says can be fixed with a software programming change. The lag occurs as the car is switching between brakes for the petrol engine and the electric motor - a process that is key to the hybrid's increased fuel economy.
The brake problem affects about 270,000 Priuses that were sold in the US and Japan starting last May. The company says it has already fixed vehicles that went on sale since last month.
The reports said the new Prius model was released in May, and more than 300,000 have been sold in about 60 countries and territories.
