Toyota Prius recalled for water-pump fix

Toyota is recalling about 650,000 units of the Prius hybrid for a problem with the coolant pump that could cause the engine to overheat.

The recall covers 2004 to 2007 models of the Prius. More than half of the vehicles being recalled, 378,000, were sold in the United States. Toyota said there have been no reports of crashes related to the coolant pump.

The faulty pump could let in air bubbles that slow coolant circulation. The engine could then overheat and lose power. Toyota has switched to a coolant pump with a different design.

Toyota said it would begin notifying Prius owners in the United States of the repair campaign in early December. The company will cover repair costs.

The automaker has recalled 15.4 million vehicles worldwide since last December, about 11 million of which were in the United States.

By Michelle Koueiter