Toyota recalls 400,000 hybrids worldwide | Coffs Coast Business | Business News for Coffs Coast, Australia

AAP

TOYOTA says it will recall about 400,000 hybrid vehicles around the world, including its latest Prius model, to fix faulty brakes.

The carmaker - facing a barrage of complaints ranging from unintended acceleration to brake failure - is scrambling to reassure drivers it did not sacrifice its legendary safety in its successful drive to be the world's largest automaker.

The company filed a recall in Japan on Tuesday covering the regular Prius and its plug-in version, as well as the Sai sedan and the luxury Lexus HS250h.

About 223,000 hybrid cars will be recalled in Japan - covering the models that went on sale last year, documents show.

There have been about 200 complaints in Japan and the US about a delay when the brakes were pressed in some conditions.

Company president Akio Toyoda addressed the Prius issue on Tuesday in only his second news conference since the overall recall crisis went global nearly two weeks ago.

The company's troubles escalated with a new lawsuit in the United States filed by a California woman who alleges her Prius has severe braking problems which make it dangerous to drive.

Lawyers for the plaintiff are pursuing what is believed to be the first class-action lawsuit over the faulty Prius brakes, which would add to legal trouble facing Toyota over the accelerator problems.

The Japanese maker has said it redesigned the anti-lock braking system for Prius cars produced since last month.

It says a delay occurs when the vehicle switches to the conventional hydraulic brake from regenerative braking, used by hybrids to capture the energy of the car's motion to recharge the battery for its electric motor.

Customers have reported problems with the braking when driving at slow speeds, on slippery roads, or over potholes and bumps, Jim Lentz, president of Toyota's US sales arm, said in an interview with news-sharing website Digg.com.

"Exactly what the solution's going to be I can't tell you but I can assure you that we're going to do whatever's necessary," he said.

"We are working on a solution and we hope to have a solution for that very soon."

The group has denied it was slow to act on the safety problems. Lentz said the company received a report of a sticky gas pedal on a Tundra pick-up truck in 2007 but was unable to pinpoint the cause.

The accelerator problems have been blamed for several accidents, including one in California in August in which four family members were killed.