By Alexandra Burlacu | Nov 14, 2012 12:44 PM EST
Just one month after recalling seven million vehicles with faulty windows, Toyota is now issuing another major recall of 2.77 million cars worldwide.
The Japanese carmaker said the latest recall affects nine models, including the Toyota Avensis, Corolla, and Prius. Roughly 75,000 will be recalled in the UK, 496,000 cross Europe, 670,000 in the U.S., and 1.5 million in Japan. The recall comes as Toyota has detected faults in the steering and water-pump systems of its gasoline and hybrid vehicles.
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The company said it has not received any reports of crashes or injuries resulting from the faults. The issue with the steering wheel stems from "insufficient hardness of the steering shaft," Toyota spokesman Joichi Tachikawa told the BBC.
Due to this, the spokesman explained, the spines which connect the extension shaft to the gearbox may deform in time if the steering wheel is "frequently and forcefully turned to the full lock position while driving at a very slow speed."
"This may create an increased backlash and the splines may eventually wear out over time, which could result in loss of steering ability," added Tachikawa.
Toyota, Japan's biggest automaker, said that some of its Prius models also have a fault with a water pump in the cooling system. This fault could eventually blow a fuse in the electricity power circuit and, in turn, stall the vehicle.
Owners of Toyota vehicles are encouraged to visit the company's Web site, enter their registration number and check whether their car is affected by these faults. Toyota will also reach out to owners of all affected vehicles within six weeks and advise them to take their vehicle to the nearest Toyota dealer. According to the company, most problems could be fixed within an hour-and-a-half.
Toyota has been trying to improve its reputation and regain customer trust after a series of recalls involving 14 million vehicles over the last several years have dented the company's image. The recalls were mostly in the U.S. and included various issues, including faulty floor mats, windows, braking, and gas pedals.
Last month Toyota recalled a whopping 7.4 million vehicles after discovering faulty window switches in 12 models, marking the biggest single recall in more than a decade, since Ford recalled eight million vehicles in 1996.
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