Toyota says it is recalling approximately 373,000 2000-2004 Model Year Toyota Avalons sold in the United States because the vehicle's steering lock bar could break under certain conditions.
No other Toyota or Lexus vehicles are involved in this recall, the carmaker said.
Toyota says there was improper casting of the steering lock bar, which is a component of the steering interlock system. That defect, it says, creates the possibility that a minute crack may develop on the surface.
Such a crack may expand over a long period of repeated lock and unlock operations, and eventually the lock bar could break. If this occurs, the interlock system may become difficult to unlock when stationary.
Possible lock-up
If the vehicle -- while being driven -- is steered to the right with sufficient lateral acceleration, a broken and loose lock bar may move toward the steering shaft. If the engagement hole in the shaft happens to line up at the specific time the broken lock bar has moved, this could cause the steering wheel lock bar to engage, locking the steering wheel, and increasing the risk of a crash.
The carmaker said it is aware of three accidents because of the steering problem. None of the accidents, it said, caused any injuries.
"Toyota is continuing to work diligently to address safety issues wherever they arise and to strengthen our global quality assurance operations so that Toyota owners can be confident in the safety of their vehicles," said Steve St. Angelo, Toyota chief quality officer for North America.
As part of the recall, Toyota will replace the steering column bracket on involved vehicles, a procedure that takes about two hours to complete depending on the dealer's schedule. Toyota will notify owners by first class mail beginning in late August 2010 to bring their vehicles to their local Toyota dealer for replacement of the steering column bracket at no charge to the customer.
It's the latest in what has been a year of recalls for Toyota. Most recently the carmaker recalled nearly 40,000 Lexus LX 470s for an unrelated steering problem. Since October, Toyota has recalled more than 8 million cars worldwide to address a variety of issues, most notably sudden acceleration.
