Repairs begin on Prius hybrids The Yomiuri Shimbun
Repairs began Wednesday on Prius hybrid vehicles being recalled by Toyota Motor Corp. at about 4,800 Toyo-ta dealers throughout the nation.
The problem lies in the software controlling the Prius' antilock braking system, which is intended to prevent tires from slipping sideways. Customers seeking repairs at Tokyo Toyopet Motor Sales Co.'s Shibaura shop in Minato Ward, Tokyo, began appearing at about 10 a.m.
One such Prius owner was company executive Makiko Noguchi of the same ward. "I've never felt anything wrong while driving, but I asked for the repair just in case," Noguchi said.
Mechanics got into driver's seats and changed the software program by attaching external diagnostic devices. Toyota says the repairs usually take about 40 minutes per car.
Toyota is recalling four kinds of hybrid vehicles in this country, for a total of about 223,000 cars. About 200,000 Prius cars currently subject to repairs belong to its latest, third-generation model of the popular hybrid, launched in May 2009, but only those manufactured up through Jan. 27. The company said it had fixed a software glitch in the antilock brake system on cars produced from Jan. 28 on.
According to Toyota, repairs for the other three types of vehicles--the plug-in Prius hybrid, which can be charged from an external power source, the Sai compact sedan and the luxury Lexus HS250h sedan--likely will be delayed to March.
The other models also are being recalled because they are equipped with the same braking system as the Prius.
Toyota notified authorities in Japan and overseas Tuesday of a recall of about 437,000 hybrid vehicles.