Toyota recalling more than 400,000 cars
Toyota Motor Corp. will recall over 400,000 cars in the U.S. and another 16,000 from Japan because of a potentially dangerous vehicle defect related to the steering mechanism.
Most of the recalled vehicles are the Avalon model and were manufactured between 2000 and 2004. The problem revolves around the steering lock bar. A problem has been discovered with the casting of the bar that could produce cracks and eventually a total failure of the mechanism. In these cases, the steering wheel could lock up and drivers could lose control of their cars causing a serious car accident.
While several incidents have been reported and the problem has been confirmed by Toyota, no serious car accident injuries have been reported in relation to this defect.
If your vehicle is among the ones being recalled, contact your dealer. They will replace parts in the steering column to prevent a total steering lockout.
This latest recall only adds to the list of recalled vehicles for the automaker. Since last fall, Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles, most due to braking issues that reportedly led to numerous serious accident. The company is facing over 200 lawsuits relating to these problems and has already been assessed a $16 million fine from government regulators.
