Most The majority of vehicles this time around need to be fixed for a problem with the brake master cylinder, which could weaken braking power, said spokesman Paul Nolasco. Some models in Japan and elsewhere — but not in North America — have an electrical problem with the fuel pump which could cause the engine to stall, he said.
No accidents have been reported from the two defects, he said.
Nolasco said the recall decision was made under Toyota’s new quality control regime instituted over the last several months in response to criticism that the company was slow in dealing with the slew of safety problems earlier this year. Changes include naming a chief quality officer to head up regional quality control teams that have more autonomy and can contribute directly to decisions on whether recalls are required.
Toyota received initial complaints about both problems five years ago, but that did not mean there was documentation of a pattern that would trigger a recall, Nolasco said.
“It takes a while to compile the evidence for a recall,’’ Nolasco said. Once the evidence pointed to a need for a recall, the company moved immediately to announce one, he said.
Analysts said the recall decision, coming just two months after the Corolla and Matrix recall, seems to suggest that Toyota is trying to be more forthcoming about safety issues. American regulators hit Toyota with a $16.4 million fine for failing to promptly tell the government about its car defects.
“Toyota’s image suffered because it was slow and so it is trying to be quick with its response,’’ said Ryuichi Saito, auto analyst with Mizuho Investors Securities in Tokyo.
The models affected by the latest recall in the United States include the 2005 and 2006 Avalon, 2004-2006 non-hybrid Highlander and Lexus RX330, and the 2006 Lexus GS300, IS250, and IS350 vehicles, the company said in a statement from its US headquarters in Torrance, Calif.
Toyota will notify owners around the world by mail to come for repairs at no charge, Nolasco said.
Honda said it would recall certain 2005-2007 model year Acura RL sedans and Honda Odyssey minivans from the 2005 to early 2007 model year due to brake fluid leaks. The company did not immediately know how many vehicles would be covered by the recall.
In a letter to US regulators, Toyota said it first received reports of leaking brake fluid in February 2005, and found they involved aftermarket fluid that was different from the Toyota fluid installed in new vehicles.
