Toyota set to deal with Prius brake problem

Toyota Motor Corp. said Sunday that it will soon announce plans to deal with braking problems in its prized Prius hybrid amid reports it has decided to issue a recall for the vehicle in Japan, a possible new embarrassment for the world's biggest automaker.

Toyota has already had to recall more than seven million other cars in the U.S., Europe and China over a sticky accelerator and floor mats that can get caught in the gas pedal.

Those problems and criticism of Toyota's response to them have sullied the stellar reputation for quality long enjoyed by one of Japan's corporate icons.

The company has told dealers in the U.S. 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 U.S. recall.

"We will make an announcement soon on the action we plan to take," spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi said in response to media reports Sunday that the company has decided to issue a Japan recall. Takeuchi did not confirm those reports.

The Prius is the world's top-selling gas-electric hybrid and its fuel efficiency has drawn intense interest amid concerns about global warming and dependence on fossil fuels.

Japan's largest newspaper, the Yomiuri, reported that Toyota decided Saturday on a recall in Japan covering its latest Prius model and has notified domestic dealers.

Prius drivers in Japan and the U.S. have complained of a short delay before the antilock brakes kick in a flaw Toyota says can be fixed with a software programming change. The brakes will work if the driver keeps pushing the pedal.

The brake problem affects about 270,000 Priuses that were sold in the U.S. and Japan starting last May. The company says it has already fixed vehicles that went on sale since last month.