No accidents have been reported related to
these two problems announced Wednesday, according to Toyota.
Some 1.51 million vehicles are being
recalled for the steering defect in Japan and 1.25 million vehicles abroad —
including 670,000 in the U.S. Affected models include the Prius hybrid, Corolla,
Wish and other models produced from 2000 to 2011 in Japan, and from 2000 to 2009
overseas.
Of those vehicles, some 620,000 spanning
five hybrid models,
including the Prius, have a defective water pump in addition to the steering
shaft defect. Those vehicles were produced from 2001 to 2010 in Japan, and from
2003 to 2011 overseas. Another 10,000 vehicles with only a pump problem are also
being recalled.
The latest recalls — affecting Toyota's
prized Prius hybrid, a symbol of its technological prowess — come on top of a
recall last month for 7.43 million vehicles for a faulty power-window switch
that could cause fires.
Toyota has been trying to fix its
reputation after a series of massive recalls of 14 million vehicles over the
last several years, mostly in the U.S., affecting faulty floor mats, braking and
gas pedals.
Before that, Toyota had boasted a
reputation for pristine quality, centered around its super-lean production
methods that empowered workers to hone in on quality control. Toyota executives have
acknowledged the escalating recalls were partly caused by the company's overly
ambitious growth goals.
Executives had shrugged off last month's
recalls as coming from products made before stricter quality controls kicked in
following the soul-searching that came after the recall scandal in the U.S.
But the latest recall underlines how
quality problems continue to dog Toyota, especially as it has gone back to
pursuing aggressive growth.
Toyota is now headed to record vehicle
sales around the world, offsetting a sales plunge in China with booming demand
in emerging markets such as Indonesia, India and Thailand.
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