Toyota plans to recall more than 300,000 Prius hybrid sedans worldwide to upgrade software to avoid brief lapses in the antilock braking system, according to widespread news reports.
The Nikkei, which doesn’t cite its sources, reports the company also will recall the Lexus HS250h and Toyota Sai hybrid sedans, which were introduced in July and December, respectively. The cars use the same braking system as the 2010 Prius. The Japanese daily estimates the recall would involve about 28,000 vehicles worldwide.
Toyota says it has notified its U.S. dealers to expect an update on the situation this week. Any Prius recall would apply only to 2010 models built before the company made the fix on its assembly lines in late January.
Toyota said late last week that when the Prius ABS engages, there may be a “pause” in braking force of less than one second as the car switches from regenerative mode to standard hydraulic braking. The problem most often occurs at low speeds on icy or bumpy roads.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has received 124 complaints about Prius brakes, opened an initial investigation into the issue late last week. It is not clear that a recall by Toyota would close the probe.