Concerns about fuel leaks in certain Toyota vehicles have spurred a worldwide recall of nearly 1.7 million cars made by the Japan-based automaker.
The majority of the recalled vehicles are located in Japan, though the company is recalling 255,000 Lexus cars sold in North America.
The North American recall includes the following Lexus vehicles:
- 2006-2007 Lexus GS300/350
- 2006-early 2009 Lexus IS250
- 2006-early 2008 Lexus IS350
The issue with the cars being recalled in North America is a sensor measuring fuel pressure.
The automaker said that if the sensor is improperly installed, it may loosen over time and eventually cause fuel leakage.
As a result, Toyota says the North American-sold cars need to be inspected by Lexus dealers.
If nothing is leaking, the company will tighten the fuel pressure sensor to ensure it stays in place. If a leak is confirmed, Toyota will replace the gasket between the sensor and the delivery pipe in each affected vehicle.
Toyota Crown and Mark X models sold in Japan have also had this same problem.
The automaker says its customers will be notified by mail about the recall.
Customers can read more about the recall on the Lexus website, or they can call 1-800-25-LEXUS.
Toyota says it received 75 complaints about the fuel-leak issue with its North American-sold cars, but no accidents resulted from the problem.
A separate problem involving Avensis sedans and station wagons sold in Europe and New Zealand, as well as 16 models sold in Japan, was caused by irregular work on the fuel pipe that Toyota said could lead to cracks or fuel leakage. This problem was not found in North American-sold vehicles.
Toyota also recalled 6,000 trucks made by Daihatsu Motor Co. that were sold in Japan, after concerns that spare tires were able to come loose and fall on the road.
Koji Endo, an auto analyst with the Tokyo-based Advanced Research Japan Co., said the current recall will cost Toyota about 20 billion yen (US$240 million).
While Toyota is back in the spotlight for a high-profile recall, Endo said the company is working aggressively to enact repairs before they can lead to bigger problems.
"But there is that perception of here we go again, and that hurts Toyota's image, especially in North America," Endo told The Associated Press in a recent interview.
With files from The Associated Press
