they need to jump on this toyota prius brake issues that's going on, and really reach out to the customer. really make sure their cars are right for them. if they do that, in the long run i think toyota may get their reputation back. they've always built very, very good cars with very good safety records. and their reliability is second to none. >> david champion with the "consumer reports" organization on one of the biggest consumer products crisis to come along in some time. thank you for your time tonight. >>> here in new york, this was a bad day for the stock market. the dow was down more than 268 points, closing just two points above the 10,000 mark. david favre is here from cnbc to tell us what set this off. i understand this is a problem far from our shores. >> it is. the u.s. is not the only country in the world that has huge deficits as it spends a lot more than it collects in tax revenues. there are many countries throughout europe that have done the same thing we have, trying to spend to revive their morabund economies and racking up huge deficits. a lot worse than we are in te

ecifically what the company ay plans to do about an alleged brake problem in some makes of the toyota prius. the latest toyota model to come in to fire. we heard from a lot of you in response to yesterday's "how you see it" question, when we asked whether you would still buy a toyota after all of the bad news. in our admittedly unscientific poll, it was mostly good news for the japanese carmaker. anthony wrote, of course i would purchase a toyota. they will fix the problem and go on to making terrific cars. and joe told us, i have three toyotas and wouldn't buy another brand. he went on to add, this recall is overblown. >>> nato commanders are signalling they're on the verge of signalling they're launching the first major offensive in afghanistan since president obama ordered more american troops there last year. some 15,000 u.s., british, and afghan troops are expected to take part in the operation in helmand province. as we found in this report found late last night, the british are bracing for more casualties in a war that's already proved unpopular. >> reporter: this was operation panth

safety regulators are taking a close look at reports of braking problems in the toyota prius. now it hasn't been involved in the recalls but it is now the focus of a national investigation by the national highway traffic safety administration. it's received 124 complaints about brake problems including four that involved crashes. toyota has recalled more than eight million other cars and trucks worldwide for problems with gas pedals. >>> some of the ireporters are talking about about the recall, too. both drive toyotas but they have different takes on how the company has handled the problem thus far. >> luckily for us, our cars have not been called up for recall, but it's frustrating. i do believe that toyota knew it was going on. you can't be at the top of the game for so long, for so many years and not know when your equipment is faulty. i believe they could have acted faster especially when you hear 9-1-1 calls of families who died in these accidents. they should have acted sooner. i'm happy they are acting now. it's almost like they are acting because they got caught. >> h

toyota it is about the recall 270,000 prius hybrid vehicles in the u.s.because of brake problems. michael jackson's doctors plans to surrender today. this is the word from conrad murray's lawyer. he will face involuntary manslaughter charges and is accused of giving jackson of the powerful drug propofol that led to his death. >>> your traffic and weather together every 10 minutes. >> let's begin with adam caskey. he is in tysons corner. we know it is on the way. >> this will be an epic storm. years from now when you think back on big storms, you'll think back on this storm. this likely will be one of the top five biggest snowstorms in recorded history for washington d.c. and a chance at the top three. 35 degrees in tysons. we are above freezing in many locations. it is still cold enough to get snow because the air above us is plenty cold. temperatures will be dropping once the snow moves in. a lot of white out to the west and southwest. that is cloud cover. the closest snow report is done there lynchburg and roanoke. that will push off to the north. the s

prius. >> reporter: the u.s. investigation comes after the japanese government ordered toyota to probe brakes on the new prius there. as a result, the company changed the anti-lock brake systems on those vehicles sold since last month. in a statement the company said toyota will continue to evaluate the condition as it relates to owner complaints and will keep national highway traffic safety administration informed of its progress. critics attribute toyota's recent turmoil to a company growing too big too fast. others like motor trend's todd lassa think the auto company could also be a victim of rapidly changing technology. >> we've been adding a lot of things very quickly. the technology has advanced very quickly. it may be hard to keep up with the reliability on those things. i think we may be seeing some of that right now. >> reporter: there was some good news at toyota today. the company said it made a $1.7 billion profit in the previous quarter. still, its stock took a hit today on news of the prius investigation and potential lost sales across its product line. >> i think it's safe to say that they have a muc

this was unrelated but seems today not the kind of publicity toyota needs. prius owners feel toyota's response has been hopelessly nadate. >> it's appalling. >> it's wrong all the information is coming through the press and the media. that can't be right. >> there is a false element here. toyota should have been more upfront and explain even the technical points to the general public. >> reporter: prius drivers say this defect occurs in cold and bumpy conditions. it feels like a momentary delay when the brake pedal is ed. toyota has been stressing there have been no casualties, unless you count their reputation, sales figures and share prices. toyota estimates the recalls will cost around 720 million pounds. sales could be hit by as much as 574 million pounds. toyota share prices down 22% in less than a month. >> it's all part of a frantic public relations exercise to preserve the name in britain. >> reporter: this is an industry where brands can be irreversibly damage. in the '80s, one was forced to leave the landscape because of rust. the new models irnd car of

a japanese newspaper reporting toyota is going to recall 270,000 prius hybrids here in the united states and in japan. that is topping the mash-up tonight. we are watching it all so you don't have to. as we told you, toyota recalls the prius, the transportation department here also investigating similar brake problems in that popular hybrid. at least 124 drivers in this country now have complained. one driver who has had problems with her prius is our very own jessica yellin. >> reporter: here's what happens. sometimes when you're driving slowly over an uneven surface or a slippery road and you hit a grate or a pothole, you step on the brakes and they don't respond for a moment. it's as if the brakes aren't getting traction with the ground and you just slip, which obviously can be really scary. the brakes respond just fine when you're moving at a high speed or if somebody were to jump in front of the car i'm sure it would stop. it's a problem at slow speeds over bumpy surfaces. i've been calling and e-mailing with toyota about this problem since last october with no resolution. so i deci

toyota is denying reports that it plans to recall 270,000 of the latest model prius hybrids, but toyota admitting take it is investigating the problems with the prius brakes. >> preparations under way in the mid-atlantic states where a major winter storm is about to dump up to two feet of snow. some flight and traen services are already canceled. >>> now to the debate over global warming. the united nations admit as report on the impact of global warming on the himalayan glaciers was off by hundreds of years. the u.n. main takens the science behind global warming is solid, but that has not stopped critics from piling on. mark phillips reports. >> reporter: the biggest splash these days in the global warming argument may not be caused by the world's melting glaciers, it may be caused by a series of gaffes by climate change scientists. the latest one involves temperature data from weather stations in china used in global warming calculations. the problem is that where weather stations are matters. one located in the city will give a consistently higher temperature reading than one out in

and federal safety officials launch a formal investigation into toyota prius. this hour, latest information that you need to know if you own a toyota and are worried about your safety. i'm wolf blitzer and you are in "the situation room." first, in the u.s. senate this hour, one man, republican scott brown of massachusetts, is about to give his party some renewed power. when brown is sworn in as the united states senator from massachusetts, only a few moments from now, he will claim the seat long held by ted kennedy and did he prooifs senate democrats of their filibuster-proof majority. gloria bornlger is here along with "fortune" magazine columnist ben stein. also joining us split cal analyst david gergen. let's go to our senior congressional analyst, dana bash. you are outside the old ted kennedy office where scott brown will have his new office. we are waiting for him to be sworn in. >> reporter: that's right. let's start with what's going on. i just moments ago walked with scott brown down inside this building as he made his way over the capitol. and he went

the company is officially recalling 270,000 toyota prius hybrids in the u.s. and japan over problems with the brakes. it 60 countries. there may also be problems with the breaks in the lexus highbridge. ford is updating the breaks in two hybrid models. super bowl sunday is the biggest sales day of the year for pizza companies. dominos expects to sell 9 million slices by game night. pizza delivery is dangerous work. insurance companies, some of them won't even in short beats a drivers such as allstate. jane king reporting. back to you. >> you at 6:15. are you still looking for perfect valentine's day gift for your sweetheart? gifts.com has all kinds of ideas for different levels of relationships. for women, says floridayahoo says to focust not to give to women. if you are still in a rut, there are videos on youtube so that you can give you a special someone a special gift. a snowboarder would be perfect right about now. >> docca "at and let me know how it turns out -- you should try that and let me know. we will look at your morning commute with the traffic and

toyota mod model. this time, it's the brakes on the prius. the dealers are working overtime, hiring extra staff to answer the phones, making house calls to fix the problems. toyota is giving u.s. dealers payments of up to 75,000 dlarls for the extra expenses. what is the deal with the prius? new, this morning, there's a stunning admission about that make of car. jennifer west hochb is here with more on this. good morning. >> good morning. toyota admitting design problems with the other pedal, the antilock brake system in the prius. there have been complaints about the brakes. drivers say it surged forward or lost braking power temporarily. this morning, they said they fixed the prius models sold since late january. but, it hasn't said what it's going to do with the cars sold before that, the ones on the road. i'll be back with toyota's other big problem, the gas pedal and how it's caused confusion. our government is putting pressure on them. in japan, they are putting pressure on them for the brake problem. >> people with driving them anyway.

questions are being raised now about the brakes on the toyota prius hybrid. there have been eight complaints about the brakes in this country. 77 complaints in japan. the automaker says that problem has yet to cause any accidents. >>> gay marriage in d.c.? another utah lawmaker says not so fast. this time, it's senator bob bennett, he's introduced a bill that would force d.c. to put same-sex marriage on the ballot, before allowing any gay couples to wed. this bill is similar to one introduced in the house. the d.c. council approved gay marriage in december. >>> prosecutors are asking a judge to officially close the case of that deadly shooting at the u.s. holocaust museum. the suspect james von brunn died last month at the age of 89. prosecutors said he opened fire as he entered that museum last june, killing stephen johns. >>> under arrest, 27-year-old michael gordon of brandy wine. investigators said the trouble went down at a shop. they said he exposed himself to two female shoppers and ogle d another teen. >>> in illinois, a man who broke into a shop and

earlier today toyota expanded the recall to include the prius. eanwhile, safety experts in the u.s. say they are investigating a growing number of complaints that there may be problems with the vehicle's electronics. toyota owners are worried and frustrated and demanding answers. chief among them, what did the car maker know and when did it know it? toyota executives may have to answer those questions under oath. >> reporter: driving the road in flint, michigan, this woman is haunted by her mother's last moments. >> she nicked that tree and the car went airborne and it was going 80 miles per hour and it hit the tree on the top and just went down. she died instantly. >> alberto, by all accounts was an extremely careful driver in good health. >> that's the first thing where i knew something had to be wrong, because my mother would never cross the street, because of the two-way traffic. >> reporter: witnesses say the car seemed to speed out of control, and nobody knows why. it fits the description of incidents involving toyota vehicles. toyota recall

toyota admitted yesterday the electronic braking system does not work properly in some 2010 prius. those made prior to january. now observers wonder what affect this will have on the toyota brand. >> it's the brick on brick, you know, bad news upon bad news that just kills your reputation. >> people who believe in this car, and more broadly people who believe in toyota i don't think have had their tree rattled yet. >> and toyota has scheduled a news conference to begin any moment now promising an update on the recalled accelerator pedals. we will follow it and let you know any new developments. >>> turning to sports, the colts could find out today if one of their best players will be able to suit up for the super bowl. pro bowl defensive end dwight freeney, will practice for the first time since turning a ligament in his ankle during the win two weeks ago. the injury can require up to six weeks tofreeney says he is confident he heal can play. you can watch the action as the colts take on the new orleans saints, super bowl 44 here wjz 13 our coverage kicks off sunday evening at 6:00.

we're talking about the toyota prius. a hasty news conference, what we heard from toyota executives is what's happening here is a failure with the abs system. so when you press on the brake of the brand new 2010 prius, the brake doesn't fully function. there's a gap. exactly how long that gap is, toyota executives say it is less than a second. they couldn't quantify beyond that. so the fix is a software glitch. they've clicked the software into place in cars produced after january. so if you own a 2010 prius produced after january and beyond, you're fine. but if you own a 2010 prius before then, that's the question. exactly how toyota is going to remedy that, reach out to those customers. at this point, toyota says, quote, we need more time. toyota also saying they don't believe this glitch is a big enough to be a recall level, that they are not going to issue a recall at this point. it is something that they're thinking about, but right now, christine, they say it is not necessary based on the information that they have.

. >>> toyota may add prius brand to the worst recall ever. the company is now recalling 270,000 2010 prius hybrid. they have not confirmed that yet. the problem with the anti-lock system. joining me now financial reporter frank aarons. what does this mean for toyota and how are car companies at home capitalizing on toyota's blunders. >> hi, norah. this should have been a good day today for toyota, reported third quarter earnings, swung from a loss to a profit, increased sales expect as for this year. it was the same day the u.s. department of transportation said we're going to officially investigate the brakes on the toyota prius. now, the report out of japan on a potential prius recall has not been confirmed. i saw a report saying it's being denied by toyota now. so we're not going with that but it's hanging out in the air. >> what does it mean for american automakers who have been pummeled in the past year. >> ford increased their share from 14% in january of 2009 to about 16.5% in january of this year. most of that had come from gm. over t

toyota's president announced that 437,000 prius and other hybrids areaffected. 8,500,000 are here in britain. this breakdown was unrelated, but these scenes were not the kind of publicity toyota needs. some prius owners believe the response has been hopelessly inadequate. >> i think their communication has en appalling. it's wrong that all the information is c through the press and media. that can't be right. >> there is a false element here. i think toyota should have been more upfront and explained even the technical points to the general public. >> reporter: prius drivers say this affects in cold and bumpy situations. toyota are stressing that there have been no casualties. unless, of course, you count their reputation. toyota estimates the recalls will cost around 720 million pounds. they say sales could be hit by as much as 574 million pounds. toyota share prices down 22% in less than a month. >> it's all part of a frantic public relations exercise here in britain. >> reporter: this is an industry where brands can be irreversibye damaged. they played on the brands' previously dis

toyota announces recall plans for its 2010 prius and other hybrid models. almost half a million toyota prius and lexis, hs 250 h cars affected. the problem, faulty brakes. toyota executives say the focus is to fix the cars, and regain the public's trust. >> >> and toyota's problems don't end there. the national highway transportation safety administration, is now reviewing steering complaints connected to the 2009 and 2010 corolla. >> i am keith daniels, coming up. another winter >> with yet another winter blast blowing through tonight. people are digging out on their streets brace for more snow. >> frustrating moments as the city struggles with another round of clearing the streets. keith daniels live in north baltimore with more on the streets and the snow. keith? >> jennifer live in the 4200 block of elsa terrace trying to get the side streets like this before the second storm blew through. but they have ran out of time. mayor stephanie rawlings-blake said today that they have identified, at least, 17 attack zones in the city. neighborhood streets untouc

toyota is denying reports of a prius recall. toyota's words we have no information that such a decision has been made, and we are working with nittsu with the picture. if there is a recall that takes place or further developments on toyota, we will bring you every piece of the story as it continues. >>> another story, we are following is the bank of america charges laid by the new york attorney general and on the other side of the break, i will tell you what that means to you and who has been charged. than a comparable honda civic. this chevy traverse has better mileage than honda pilot. the all-new chevy equinox has better mileage than honda cr-v. and chevy malibu has better mileage than accord. however, honda does make something that we just can't compete with. it's self propelled. chevy. compare us to anyone and may the best car win. >>> okay. major story we are following right now. if you felt angry and betrayed about how wall street acted before, during and after the biggest financial crisis in history. fraud charges have b

prius. they're looking into this problem and will go by the safety administration. toyotaessica and it's mullen cars. >> she owns a prius with the braking situation. >> i love my prius, except for this braking problem. sometimes when you're driving over an uneven surface or a slippery road, and you hit a grate or pothole, you step on the brakes and they don't respond for a moment. it's as if the breaks can't rea ready. >> reporter: the brakes respond to someone jumping in front of the car, i'm sure it would stop. >> i've been calling toyota about this problem since october, with no resolution. so i decide to do try again today. >> the high call volume we are experiencing at this point of impact. we were unable to take your call. >> it wasn't easy, but i first heard of the complaints went over it before. there were a lot of questions. not even to contact me and say, hey, we know there is a problem, and it's being looked into. so toyota doesn't know there is a braking problem. there wouldn't be a solution because they're not acknowledging the problem, and they're cooperating

and there could be a problem with the toyota prius. >> a possible problem with the 2010 prius. about 100 complaints have been received. new developments in the sticky its elevator program that is sparking massive recalls. transportation officials say they are trying to determine if electromagnetic interference is causing the problem. toyota says the problem has occurred due to materials used in the gas pedal are the problem. the bloomberg maryland index is coming of a high error with black & decker of leading the way up. reporting for wbal-tv. >> another check on weather and traffic straight ahead. >> and hollywood's biggest night announces the nominees for oscars. >> here are the winning lottery numbers from last night. >> we are monitoring the area roads for problems. an incident is coming in on j.f.x. at northern parkway. wash water main blake's -- watch water main breaks at milford road. number one 95 at 175, an accident there. a life of traffic on 95 northbound at 32. getting word of the disabled vehicle in a different area of 95. that is the latest. >> accumulating snow i

toyota's problems are multiplying, that's the basic answer, shep. but they have this problem now that is being reported with the brake pedals on the prius. and apparently the failure of those brake pedals to function properly has caused several accidents, including at least one head-on collision. now, toyota will only say right now that it is investigating what it calls this, quote, reported phenomenon. and they say it is too early to comment further. they want to conclude that investigation before they say anything else. no recalls as yet of the prius, shep. >> shepard: at one point today -- and it changed, but the advice really from our government to toyota owners was, don't drive your cars. and toyota went, hang on a minute. >> and then they reeled this back. in this conflicting advice came from transportation secretary ray la hood. first of all he is on capitol hill testifying before a house subcommittee there and he had this pretty stark advice for anybody who owns one of these affected toyota vehicles. listen. >> my advice is, if anybody owns one of these vehicles, stop driving it, take it to toyota dealer because they believe they

new questions about the brakes, on the toyota prius. we will have more on that story coming up tonight on the "late edition" at 11:00. >> a heart surgery raising questions about universal health care. premiere danny williams and labradors in the u.s. for a procedure. his deputy premiere said the surgery was not available in his canadian province. now critics pointed to canada as a prime example of how government run health care hurts quality. >> see how long people have to wait. very, very long waiting period. why do you think so many people from canada come here when they have a problem? >> a newfoundland lawmaker said williams decision to be treated in the u.s. could very well shake the public's faith in canada's health care system is. >> congress has not given up on health care reform plan. and one proposal still is under consideration calls for states to create their own insurance programs. but as john rydell reports. new report said maryland doesn't need that. >> while congress continues to wrestle with health care reform local ins

the japanese auto maker expected to recall 270,000 toyota prius hybrids because of problems with thekes. there are investigating brake problems with two more hybrid models including the ledger reflects a spirit if it comes in the wake of a 4.5 million vehicle recall because of faulty it's already petals. worries over job losses led to a steep decline on wall street yesterday. a key on and plotted report comes out today. jane king has those stories and more in the bloomberg business report. >> investors are hoping for a silver lining from the jobs market this morning. according to economists, the economy probably added 15,000 jobs last month. this would be the second monthly increase in payrolls in three months. one economist at jpmorgan chase says there's not a lot of staff left to cut and deployment may grow through the year. the overall and implement rate is expected to hold at 10%. stocks plunged yesterday on worries about european debt and an unexpected increase in weekly jobless claims year at home. the bloomberg maryland index fell for a second straight day. choice hotels inter

toyota was telling japan's government that more cars will have to be recalled. this time, it is the prius hybrid, and the problem is the brakes. the recall was worldwide. the company is already fixing about 8 million cars. toyota's president, grandson of the founder, was also saying sorry. dozens of customers have complained of a lag between the pedal being pressed and the car slowing down. >> we have looked at the issues in close cooperation with dealers and supplrs. together, we will do everything in our power to regain the confidence of our customers. >> this recall is particularly embarrassing for toyota because it is with the prius that the company had been hoping to leave something of a green revolution. a green revolution in motoring. customers used to prefer to fly this been done in his new prius. but not today. >> the big news happened and then the customers shorted to worry. they're reluctant to use my taxi. i hope they fix it as soon as possible. it is bringing my business down. i do not know how long it will take to get the trust back. >> the problem in the high-tech car could

investigators want to get under the hood of the popular toyota prius. to examine new concerns about faulty faulty brakes. the brakes in 2010 models purchased before then have a design problem. >> it's a weird sensation. it's like you're driving and when you hit a pothole or some kind of bump, all of a sudden, it's like zip. >> reporter: measure 1 -- more than 120 owners have filed complaints, including four reports of crashes. the u.s. department of transportation is launching its own investigation. while toyota is still deciding whether a recall is necessary. >> i'm going to be calling my dealership about the problem. because it's a brand-new car. >> toyota is already reeling from the recall of more than 2 million u.s. vehicles because of sticky gas pedals. and another 5 million with floor mats that can jam under the accelerator. >> while repairs at some dealerships are now under way, consumer groups question whether toyota has the right fix. >> when there's no floor mats in the car, and the accelerator pedal isn't sticking, what do you blame it on? re

d about lipitor. >>> want to check your top stories for you. >>> problems with the 2010 toyota prius nt. federal safety authorities say they have received 124 complaints about the brakes not working. toyota recalled because of sticking gas pedals. that now totals more than 8 million vehicles. >>> his lawyer says dr. conrad murray is negotiating his surrender to los angeles police. the doctor's widely expected to face charges in the death of singer michael jackson. a source tells cnn arraignment is tentatively scheduled for late friday afternoon. >>> two steps forward and, well, a step back. after signs of improvement earlier this year, first-time jobless claims increased last week by 8,000 to 480,000. continuing claims also jumped by a couple of thousand to more than 4.6 million. >>> if you're looking for a job, this could be your growth industry. how one state is turning to pot in hopes of solving its high unemployment in the "cnn newsroom." where are you?! arghhh... (announcer) dr. scholl's massaging gel insoles give you outrageous comfort, all-day-guaranteed. woah. it's not too far

the largest schools have made decisions on classes and toyota will recall 270,000 prius' tomorrow. we'll have details later in the newscast but first, our region is preparing for the big one tonight. two feet of snow could arrive here by saturday night. let's get right for our chief meteorologist, doug and he'll look at wind and how much. >> let's start off with the weather center coverage with the storm scan. we used the tool to track the storm and look at the pressure going across southwest mississippi and look at the rain and moisture being produced by the storm. it really hasn't fully developed yet. that's not going to happen until tomorrow when it moves to the east off the south carolina coast and hits gulf stream waters and intensifies. let's go to the widespread warning. i show you a larger picture and show you the scope through all of maryland and southern pennsylvania and most of verge. and cease those areas, those are blizzard warns. this is going to be a large storm. think about the one we had on the 19th, add gustier winds and possibly of a few more inches and that's wh

it's a toyota prius owner going to purchase a car from general motors or a honda abela there is a marginalfor benefit from general motors, but toyota owners are just as likely to choose a hon die or honda. -- hyundai or a honda. the government does have a clear financial incentive to see general motors duwel, but tokyo has 36,000 direct employees in the u.s., 170,000 people in dealerships. would they seek to damage the company just to help them out a little bit? it seems far-fetched. host: mark, independent line? all right, woodstock, new york. robert, republican line. caller: i wanted to comment that i purchased a toyota camry and five years later i bought the same model two ye. they were remarkably different, which always struck me. 2007 had a more uneven performance. eventually also encountered major problems with it the gas pedal and the car taking off. basically a life-threatening situation. host: you were personally in a life-threatening situation? caller: the strange part is that it occurred within a few months of purchasing the 2007 camry. i had decided that i would be exceedingly

the prius is not part of toyota's massive recall. meanwhile, transportation secretary ray lahood says the government is considering civil penalties against toyota for reacting slowly to safety concerns. and of course, toyota is getting an earful from transportation secretary ray lahood today. let's check in with cnbc's courtney reagan. she joins us live with more on that and the rest of the day's business headlines. good morning, courtney. >> hi, good morning, barbara. right now stocks are mostly lower here, about a little less than halfway through the trading day. that's after the markets moved higher for the second straight trading day. markets overnight in europe also positive. things looking pretty good around the world. today we did get the first of three reports for the week of the labor market. there was a loss, but it was less than expected. and aig is set to pay another round of bonuses today worth about $100 million. this ces a year after the company made similar payments, sparking a firestorm of criticisms from the congres

this time the problem involves brakes with 2010 prius models. toyota announced that it's looking into the brakes of the prius mod. there was a report earlier in the day they may be recalling priuses. a report later says that's not the case. nhtsa is opening a investigation into what's wrong with the brakes. customers are complaining that the brakes do not immediately respond on bumpy roads. there's no doubt this could certainly have an impact on prius's popularity. it's the fourth best selling model for toyota in the u.s. it dominates the category in the industry here and there's been some talk for some time this could be a fourth brand for toyota. they denied that the latest problems are a result of the company pozably cutting corners. >> translator: we would not think of sacrificing quality for the sake of cutting costs. it would not make economic sense. >> reporter: another rough day for toyota investors as the stock was under pressure again. it's down more than 15% in the last two weeks as this company deals with two major recalls and now questions

toyota customers as well. well, with the gas pedal problems, now brake problems on the popular prius, this morning the head of toyota said he's personally getting involved. we're going to tell you what the company plans to do to help consumers. >>> and it's that time of the week. we love it, we love her. barbara corcoran will be along to take us on a house tour across the country. >> that's a nice one. >> yeah. from a texas mansion to a waterfront home, we have homes for every budget starting at around $200,000. >> very good. >> okay, a lot to get to this hour. let's go inside right now. ann's standing by with all the headlines. >> thanks a lot, matt. we have got breaking news this morning. >>> new figures out this morning show that the nation's unemployment rate dropped last month to 9.7%, a five-month low and a drop of 0.3% from a month before. despite the increase, however, the economy did lose 20,000 jobs. >>> today, an apology, as we just heard from al, from toyota. the company executive apologized for toyota's safety problems following recalls for gas pedals and concerns about brakes on some cars. he als

federal government in order to drive your children to school tomorrow you have to do it in o 2010 toyota priusyou'd be very nervous. priuses aren't driving off the road and crashing, there may be a handful of them that have a problem. would you want to put your child into the car tomorrow and drive her to school tomorrow and know if you're not in that car you might not be able to go to school perhaps? that's how the parents feel in the newly pregnant soon to have a baby world. it's not the autism world. we have the guns pointed at our heads by the pharmaceutical industry, the government. nobody wants vaccines to be culpable. i want to protect my kids against every disease. there are instances where there are problems. to slam the doors on families and slam the door on science, that's the bottom line. the science is not complete and we must not fear the science. take my family. i am a perfect example of the potential for a vaccinated, unvaccinated study. take us. study us. that's what families want. more science. not fear and not a door slammed in faces. >> i also talked with dr. william shathn

. >>> latest sign of the worry surrounding brake problems with the toyota prius.ngton state officials have sent out a memo, telling them to yank 2,300 priuses off the road. grandson of the man who started the company issued an apology. phil lebeau joins us from illinois. it has to be the kind of news that hits the dealers and salespeople so hard that they're pulling them off the roads. it's not a good sales pitch. >> reporter: it's more of a pr hit than anything else, contessa. washington case is only six priuses, not a large fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles. nonetheless, those types of stories, as they go out, it brings up the question again and again, are they safe to drive? toyota has said time and again, the vehicles are safe to drive, they're looking into the issue regarding the brakes. there have been 124 complaints filed with the federal government, four accidents reported to washington. that's what the national highway traffic safety administration is looking into. what caused these problems with the prius brakes? many people who filed these complain

because i-- full disclosure, i happen to own a toyota prius and the prius is not one of the vehicles involved in this, although it was involved in the floor mat recall. my prius has a part that is made by denso which is a big japanese part supplier and they actually are 24% owne owned-- owned by toyota. the denso part is different than the part made in indiana by a company called cts. cts uses some plastic pieces involved in this pedal assembly. the denso part uses a bolt. and so you could say why do the american cars get the plastic pieces and why did the japanese cars get this bolt. and i really don't know the answer. but the fact is that the denso parts are not having this problem and the parts that are prescribed for the american cars are. >> woodruff: but toyota is saying they are confident that this is it? >> they are saying that they are confident that this is it. and they say that they-- for their understanding, what they call the embedding of these floor mats in the pedals, the taking out the floor mats and replacing those pedals will fix that problem. and putting this littl

. >>> first toyota recalled millions of cars because of pedals that stick, and now another problem for the prius the car maker considering another recall. the latest spring of bad news for toyota. >> reporter: it looks like the 2010 toyota prius could be recalled. more than 270,000 vehicles would be affected. workers are finding it hard to believe. >> i think because of the other kearns the other pedals it may have caused confusion, with the prius, it's a hybrid and the braking system works differently. >> reporter: toyota has yet to comment on the report. but if it's true, it comes just hours after a toyota spokesperson said the company wasn't convinced that a recall was messy. however an inquiry into the prius might have forced them to reconsider. >> have been taken action. >> reporter: the prius issue is just the latest in the string of bad news for toyota. eight models including the best selling camry have already been recalled. >> i'm a little concerned. basically, you know, safety, my wife drives the car. i'm hoping they're being honest about the fix. and i'm going to give them an opportun

. >> reporter: adding to toyota's problems, the new prius. news today the japanese government has warned toyota to investigate possible problems with the anti-lock braking system for the 2010 prius. fuelling questions about whether toyota took action on safety concerns quickly enough. toyota says it first learned of sticking gas pedals in u.s. cars in october, and launched an investigation. so did the department of transportation. in december, d.o.t. officials flew to japan to urge toyota executives to move quickly on the issue, a message u.s. officials repeated in a meeting withoyota executives last month. leading to the recall of 2.3 million cars and trucks two weeks ago. despite full-page ads and top executives saying they have the problem under control, not everyone is convinced. >> we can't make this stuff up. we can't -- we don't know what's wrong. we don't know if they know what's wrong. >> reporter: we may get more answers overnight when toyota reports quarterly earnings and executives talk with reporters in japan. the impact of this i

taking place, this on a morning when an official with the japanese government says toyota has a mistaken view of the prius brake problem. he says the company does not see it as a major issue, even as toyota says repeatedly it is moving quickly to deal with prius brakes that are slow to work. toyota's latest problem, the prius, its best-selling gas-electric hybrid. the prius is considered toyota's gold standard and a badge of conspicuous conservation for its proud owners. >> there's a lot of consumers out there that are really nervous about driving their toyota products. >> reporter: last november, less than a month after buying her 2010 prius, "today" west coast contributor maria menounos told police her brakes failed after an accident. >> i just felt like the brakes didn't work. >> reporter: federal investigators are looking into more than 100 consumer complaints about the brakes in the 2010 prius. >> it's going to really hurt toyota, definitely in the short term. >> reporter: toyota says it's looking into what may cause the brakes to pause before slowing down, adding, "we're making every effort to addre

toyota possible recall. this time the focus is on the popular 2010 prius because of the brakes. ewspaper in japan reports toyota will recall hundreds of thousands of the newest prius hybrids. moments ago the company said they won't comment. this comes as safety regulators in washington announce the investigation into the issue saying they've gotten more than 120 complaint from drivers who ran into trouble after driving over bumps or potholes. we're getting word over the wires from toyota saying no recall yet or at least we're nothing going to talk about them. >> they said 270,000 in the u.s. and japan. toyota in the u.s. has not made comments or proclamations. what they are saying is this issue is separate and definitive from from -- different from the other two recalls, one where the floor mat causes the accelerator to get stuck and the other it sticks by itself. the prius 2009 to 2010 models are involved. this is separate and above and beyond that, shepard. >> a lot of folks have toyota stock in their retirement plan, it's not doing well. >> it was a better than one year high a

. >> and toyota fueling a whole new round of fears tonight. first the peddle problem now the prius we are staying on top of this still developing story. >> our coverage of this weekend's winter weather alert continues. keep it right here. we are just getting started.  >>> more troubles for toyota, the prius is now under the microscope. earlier todathere were reports they were recalling 270,000 of the hybrids tonight the company and the u.s. government are not confirming that but there is an investigation underway. we have been following these developments. >> reporter: toyota drivers are exchanging information and that is just another example of the confusion making them nervous and frustrated. the government announced an investigation into the brake system of the 2010 prius, some drivers have reported a momentary loss of braking ability while traveling over rough roads or hit inch potholes or bumps. toyota said it had already corrected brake problems and added in those reported problems the brakes do wor if the driver keeps pressing harder on them. >> we know the cars have been

toyota is saying there's need to recall the prius, but several reports indicate that a prius recall could be coming. toyota is now under investigation as well. federal safety regulators want to know what the carmaker knew about the safety problems, when they knew it why they kept it quiet. we hear a news conference will begin in an hour, the first time we've heard from him on the crisis. >> reporter: in just one hour, there is going to be the very first news conference held by the c are eo of toyota, head of this company. that's had so many issues, questions about quality. he says he'll be answering questions about quality. the reason why there's so much noise and hubbub around me is i'm on the train heading there now. but we'll get our very first chance to ask the head of toyota about all these lingering questions about the world's number one automaker. >> i'm hoping they're being honest about the fix and i'm going to give them an opportunity to prove themselves. >> reporter: many loyal toyota owners battered by headlines of recalls and run-arounds nowor wary of a company they've trusted

toyota usa says no decision has been made. 270,000 prius models made before this year may have brake problems, something toyota knew about and fix indeed recent models this. this can't be good for toyota's image. >> i know they're working as hard as they can to fix this, but the press is not good. >> reporter: bill o'brien is not worried. he may buy one. >> it's a good car. i don't know. i drove it around. and i'm going to consider it. >> reporter: more than 180 prius drivers have complained the brakes don't respond momentarily when the hybrid is switching between its gas and electric system. >> we road tested the cars and the car is actually doing what it's supposed to do. >> reporter: both are investigating. >> what's bad for toyota is bad for anybody driving a toyota. and safety and security are primary concerns. >> reporter: it's a one-two punch it. >> snaps in place. that's about it. >> reporter: it has several things to fix. its cars, its reputation. >> manufacturing issues, dealer issues, regulatory congress. >> reporter: and its finances. tracie potts, nbc news, washington. >>

toyota issued its third recall in less than three months. the priusybrid, toyota says a software fix will take care of its braking glitch in those hybrid cars. the company vowed to pressure announcing the recall that has been expected since last week. it impacts 437,000 prius and other hybrid vehicles around the world. >> together, we will do everything in our power to regain the confidence of our customers. >> toyota already received about 200 complaints from hybrid owners in the u.s. and japan. drivers say there's a delay when they hit the brakes, particularly on bumpy roads or in cold weather. >>> up next, a mad dash to find gas. our peggy fox is out trying to pin down some stations for you. she's coming up live, and see how the district is preparing for this new storm. you're watching 9news now, and as we go to brake, we'll take you to a parade. this is people in new orleans to celebrate the state's super bowl win. this is the who dat nation. and they know how to gather and pretty soon, you'll see their parade and party. we'll be back. ( music pla

después de la retirada forzosa de ocho millones y medio de vehículos del mercado, toyota retira ahora el prius golpe combinado al narcotráfico al desmantelar una red multinacional al servicio de carteles colombianos y mexicanos.más en despierta américa. imp. prh@unip especial, "crisis anunciada" se ha convertido en la zona cero en un conflicto que tiene décadas de existencia y podría profesor cavar gran tensión internacional. nos cuentan lo que sucede en la franja que separa a dos mundos. totalmente diferente. >> (gritos) >> así es la frontera dominicana-haitia dominicana-haitiana. >> no puedes pasar. >> son muslo que se postran frente a las puertas de hierro llenas de polvo y armas utilizando lo que dicen que es entrada al paraíso. >> tengo un pie en la drep dominoing república dominicana no y el otro en haití, derecho a la nacionalidad pero según la constitución de ambos países el lugar que naces no determina la ciudadanía. >> en el lado oriental si los padres no tienen un estatus legal no era considerado dominicano en haití la sangre haitiana no ocurre por sus venas tampoco nace con la naci

. >>> more troubles for toyota this more thans. the prius is now on the hit list. >>> promised to be faithful when he took his vows. did that bother you? >> here we go. barbara walters. she can do it, can't she? a preview of the interview with the wife of south carolina governor mark sanford. >>> good morning, i'm jamie costello. >> i'm megan pringle. hopefully you got everything you need for the big storm. >> we'll be here today and tomorrow morning. you coming in? >> yeah. >> you just assumed i'd not have pop >>> meteorologist justin berk, it's going to be huge. >> can you say that again? >> huge. >> yeah, this is a big storm. there's a couple of ways to overhype it. there have been so many numbers thrown out in terms of snowfall. i know sometimes in the fray it can get mixed up who said what. this is what we're saying from the storm center. the snow will begin between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. we cover a wide range of central maryland. not everybody gets the first start flakes at the same exact time. so we're trying to cover the entire vie

toyota. it is for the popular prius hybrid. toyota recalling more than a quarter mailian prius vehicles in the u.s. and japan over brake problems. there could be more bad news coming as the carmaker is launching an investigation into a problem with brakes on the lexu. hybrid. >>> ten ameran people have been charged in haiti. the lawyer says the leader knew what she was doing and he believes nine of the missionies didn't know what they were doing. some of the children's parent say they gave them away willingly hoping they would have a better life somewhere else. >>> you remember the d.c. police officer who pulled his gun during a snowball fight. sources say kathy lanier is leaning towards firing the veteran detective. mike baylor was off duty and videotaped gun in hand after his hummer was hit by snowballs looking for the person who threw them. >>> the approaching snowstorm means big problems for those trying to get out of town including the airports. that is where sherry is this morning. >> reporter: the mad dash is on this morn