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Toyota Announces Voluntary Recall on 2010 Model Year Prius and 2010 Lexus HS 250h Vehicles to Update ABS Software

 Inspection of Power Steering Hose Position on Certain 2010 Camry Vehicles
                               Also Announced
 Recalls Underscore Toyota's Commitment to Address All Vehicle Quality and
                   Safety Issues Promptly and Effectively

    TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS),
U.S.A., Inc., today announced it will conduct a voluntary safety recall on
approximately 133,000 2010 Model Year Prius vehicles and 14,550 Lexus
Division 2010 HS 250h vehicles to update software in the vehicle's
anti-lock brake system (ABS). No other Toyota, Lexus, or Scion vehicles are
involved in this recall.

    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.

    Toyota has responded to owner concerns with a running production change
for 2010 Prius that was introduced last month, improving the ABS response
time, as well as the system's overall sensitivity to tire slippage. The
production change for the HS 250h is planned for later this month.

    "We're committed to doing everything we can - as fast as we can - to
restore consumer trust in Toyota, and these recalls are part of this
effort," said Jim Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer, Toyota
Motor Sales. "We regret the inconvenience this recall will cause to Prius
and HS 250h owners, and will do our best with the support of our dealers to
make sure that it is conducted in the most trouble-free manner possible."

    Mr. Lentz continued: "As part of the quality improvement program
announced by Toyota President Akio Toyoda last week, our company is
undertaking a top to bottom review to ensure that our vehicles meet our own
high standards of safety and reliability, now and for the future. We are
taking steps to implement more stringent quality control across the
company, to investigate customer complaints more aggressively and to
respond more quickly to any safety issues we identify."

    The recall will allow Toyota dealers to perform the software update on
2010 Prius vehicles sold prior to this running production change. Only
Prius vehicles produced since May 2009 and all HS 250h vehicles are subject
to this recall. First- and second-generation Prius vehicles use a different
ABS and are not involved in this campaign.

    The ABS on the Lexus HS 250h is similar in design to the Prius. The
software adjustment planned for HS 250h production and dealer modification
is being finalized and will be announced very soon.

    Toyota will begin mailing letters to Prius owners included in this
recall next week and HS 250h owners within the next few weeks, to let them
know when to bring their vehicles into a dealership. Owners will only
receive a letter if their vehicle is involved in the recall.

    Separately, Toyota will conduct a voluntary safety recall on
approximately 7,300 early production - 2010 Model Year Camry vehicles
equipped with the 4 cylinder engine to inspect for a power steering hose
that may be in contact with a front brake tube. This contact could lead to
a hole in the brake tube and cause a brake fluid leak, increased brake
pedal stroke and greater vehicle stopping distance.

    Owners of the involved 2010 Camry vehicles will be notified by mail
starting in the middle of February.

    Detailed information about these recalls is available to customers at
http://www.toyota.com/recall and at the Toyota Customer Experience Center at
1-800-331-4331, or the Lexus Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-255-3987.

    (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030501/TOYLOGO)