Guangzhou Toyota began Friday to recall 259,119 Camry sedans in China to fix faulty brake systems, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

The cars were produced between May 15, 2006 and March 3, 2008, the agency said. Guangzhou Toyota started selling the cars in China in 2006, priced at about 200,000 yuan (29,294 U.S. dollars) to 250,000 yuan.

The agency's statement said brakes on these cars could fail, due to a design flaw in the vacuum pump. Under normal use, the defect could impede brake-pad function and the stopping distance might exceed limits, said the statement.

The company is offering customers a free replacement for the pump at Toyota 4S shops in the cities where they live.

(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2009)