Toyota recalls 437,000 Prius and Lexus vehicles

Toyota today  that it is voluntarily recalling 437,000 of its Prius hybrid vehicle and Lexus Sedan globally to fix brake related problems after having recalled more than 8 million vehicles since last month because off defective accelerator pedals.

Already reeling from its largest ever recall in its history, (See: Toyota recalls another 2.3 million vehicles) the world's largest automaker is now recalling 133,000 Prius 2010 Model and 14,500 Lexus 2010 HS 250h vehicles to update software in the vehicle's anti-lock brake system (ABS).

The 2010 Prius hybrid, is Toyota's best-selling model in Japan and the fourth-best selling vehicle in the US.

The Japanese car maker had said last week that its dealers in North American and Japan have received over a dozen complaints from Prius hybrid customers of inconsistent brake action when driving over potholes, bumpy and frozen roads. (See: Toyota's woes now extend to Prius hybrid brakes)

Toyota said in a statement, ''The ABS, in normal operation, engages and disengages rapidly (many times per second) as the control system senses and reacts to tire slippage. Some 2010 model year Prius and 2010 HS 250h owners have reported experiencing inconsistent brake feel during slow and steady application of brakes on rough or slick road surfaces when the ABS is activated in an effort to maintain tire traction.''

The carmaker said that it is issuing the recall to improve the ABS system's response time, as well as the system's overall sensitivity to tire slippage and is planning for a production change for the HS 250h later this month.