TIMELINE-Major global auto recalls

Feb 5 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) is preparing to recall up to 300,000 of its latest model Prius hybrid cars due to braking problems, a source said, in a further blow to the reputation of the world's largest car maker.

Following are details on some previous major auto recalls.

1971 - General Motors [GM.UL] recalls 6.7 million vehicles due to engine mounts that separated from the vehicle and impacted the throttle.

1981 - GM recalls 5.8 million vehicles due to loose suspension bolts that affected steering.

1996 - Ford (F.N) recalls more than 8 million vehicles to replace defective ignition switches that could cause electrical shorts and engine fires.

July 1998 - GM recalls close to 1 million Cadillac, Pontiac and Chevrolet cars because of fears the air bags could deploy by accident.

Aug. 2000 - Japanese tyre maker Bridgestone Corp (5108.T) recalls 14.4 million ATX, ATX II and Wilderness tyres installed on Ford's Explorer SUVs and sold separately in stores. The recall applies to all tyres produced at its Firestone U.S. division.

2004 - GM recalls nearly 4 million pickups because of corroding tailgate cables.

April 2005 - GM says it recalls more than 2 million vehicles to fix a variety of potential safety defects. GM says the largest of the safety actions relates to problems with 2nd-row seat belts on 1.5 million full-size pickups and SUVs from 2003-05 model years.

Oct. 2005 - Toyota recalls 1.4 million cars globally, including the Corolla and 15 other models, due to trouble with the headlight switching systems.

Dec. 2007 - Chrysler LLC says it would recall more than 575,000 vehicles as long-term wear on the gear shift assembly could cause a shift out of Park without the key in the ignition. The recall involves 2001-02 model-year Dodge Dakota pickups, Durango SUVs and Ram vans and 2002 Ram pickups.

Aug. 2008 - GM announces recall of 857,735 vehicles equipped with a heated windshield wiper fluid system that could cause a short-circuit.

Sept. 2009 - Toyota says to recall around 3.8 million vehicles in the U.S. because of floor mats that could come loose and force down the accelerator. The problem is suspected in crashes that killed 5 people.

Oct. 2009 - Ford completes a series of recalls affecting 14 million vehicles due to a faulty cruise control deactivation switch. The latest recall effectively closes out a 10-year saga over the switches.

Jan. 2010 - Honda (7267.T) recalls 646,000 Fit/Jazz and City cars globally over a faulty window switch after a child died in 2009 when fire broke out in a car.

-- Toyota's problems impact other automakers, too: France's PSA Peugeot Citroen (PEUP.PA) says to recall nearly 100,000 Peugeot 107s and Citroen C1s made in the Czech Republic at a plant where Toyota and PSA jointly make cars. [ID:nLDE60T0B9]

Feb. 2010 - Toyota announces that 216,000 cars in Germany, Europe's biggest car market, and 180,000 in Britain are included in the mass recall to fix an accelerator pedal problem. Some 8 million Toyota vehicles are now up for repair globally, including the floor mat issue. Overall, the unintended acceleration issue has been linked to up to 19 crash deaths in the United States.

-- Toyota prepares to recall some 300,000 hybrid Prius models after safety regulators in the U.S. and Japan launch probes into braking problems. The car, a pioneer in gasoline-electric hybrids, was Japan's top-selling car in 2009.

For more on Toyota, click [ID:nN27231388] (Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)