Toyota recalls Prius, three other car models

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"Let me assure everyone that we will redouble our commitment to quality as the lifeline of our company," Toyota chief executive Akio Toyoda told a news conference.

The filing with the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry came after the latest model of the Prius, released in May, became a top-selling model in Japan on the back of government incentives for fuel-efficient cars.

Toyota is also to recall three other models - the Lexus HS250h sedan, the hybrid-only Sai compact sedan and the plug-in Prius hybrid - which employ a similar braking system as the Prius.

The recall of 223,068 vehicles in Japan was to fix software that has been blamed for temporary brake failures when the Prius is driven over uneven ground.

Toyota said it would begin notifying owners through its dealers Tuesday. It is expected to take about 40 minutes to complete the repair at a Toyota dealer, the carmaker said.

The world's largest automaker is also to recall about 139,000 vehicles in the United States, 53,000 in Europe and about 5,000 units in other areas, Kyodo News said.

It follows a recall of 8 million other Toyota cars worldwide for accelerator problems, as the company struggles to shore up its image for producing high-quality, reliable cars.