Toyota is recalling 1.9 million Prius hybrid cars.
Prius under fire |
According to the Japanese car giant, a software fault has been found that can cause the vehicle to slow down suddenly.
11 incidents have so far been reported in Europe, although no accidents or injuries have occurred as a result of the defect, Toyota has claimed.
The technical issue can, apparently, trigger warning lights in Prius sedans manufactured after March 2009 and "cause the vehicle to enter a failsafe" mode which will reduce the car's driving power. "In limited cases, the hybrid system might shut down and the vehicle will stop, perhaps while being driven," Toyota said.
The company has stated that none of its other hybrid vehicles are affected by this issue as they use different systems. However, with the Prius being one of the world's most popular hybrid vehicles, Toyota is acting fast to safeguard its reputation and avoid a repetition of the damage inflicted on the brand by an accelerator fault prompting a global recall on several models in 2010.