TOKYO — Toyota is recalling 1.53 million Lexus, Avalon and other models, mostly in the U.S. and Japan, for brake-fluid and fuel-pump problems, the latest in a string of quality lapses for the world’s No. 1 automaker.
Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday that it will call back for repairs about 740,000 cars in the U.S. and 599,000 in Japan. The remainder are in Europe and other markets around the world. Honda Motor Co. also said it would recall an undetermined number of vehicles because of the same issue.
Over the past year, Toyota has recalled more than 10 million cars and trucks worldwide for various problems, including faulty gas pedals, floor mats that can trap accelerators, and braking problems in its Prius hybrid. In August, Toyota recalled 1.33 million Corolla sedans and Matrix hatchbacks in the U.S. and Canada because their engines may stall.
The majority of vehicles this time around need to be fixed for a problem with the brake master cylinder that could lead to weaker braking power, said spokesman Paul Nolasco in Tokyo. Some models in Japan and elsewhere — but not in North America — have an electrical problem with the fuel pump that 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 past few 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 didn’t 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, suggests that Toyota is trying to be more forthcoming about safety issues. American regulators hit Toyota with a $16.4 million fine for failing to tell the government promptly about its car defects.
The models affected by the latest recall in the U.S. include the 2005 and 2006 Avalon, 2004 through 2006 nonhybrid Highlander and Lexus RX330, and 2006 Lexus GS300, IS250 and IS350 vehicles, the company said in a statement.
The details
NEW RECALL: Toyota Motor Corp. on Thursday recalled 1.53 million cars, including 740,000 in the U.S., because brake fluid could leak. Honda Motor Co. also said it’s recalling an undetermined number of vehicles for the same problem.
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?: Leaky fluid can illuminate the brake warning lamp and affect brake performance. No accidents have been reported.
RECALL TROUBLE: Toyota has recalled more than 11 million cars and trucks worldwide in the past year for safety problems, including floor mats that can trap accelerators.
THE VEHICLES: These are the U.S. vehicles involved in the recall:
• 2005-06 Toyota Avalon
• 2004-06 Toyota Highlander (non hybrid)
• 2004-06 Lexus RX330
• 2006 Lexus GS300
• 2006 Lexus IS250
• 2006 Lexus IS350
• 2005-07 Acura RL
• 2005-07 Honda Odyssey
