Toyota is planning to recall around 2.8 million vehicles worldwide due to defects with the steering mechanism and the hybrid system water pump. The recall extends to 1.5 million vehicles in Japan, 670,000 vehicles in the United States and 496,000 vehicles in Europe. The problem, seen in cars such as the second-generation Prius and certain Corolla models, is in the steering intermediate extension shafts, which could be damaged at slow speed.
Toyota is also recalling 630,000 vehicles, including 350,000 in the United States and 175,000 in Japan, to fix the water pumps on hybrids.
This is the second major recall for Toyota in as many months. In October, the Japanese automaker recalled more than 7.4 million vehicles worldwide to fix faulty power window switches, the industry’s biggest single recall since Ford Motor Company took 8 million vehicles off the road in 1996.