Toyota Motor Corp is recalling more than 360,000 vehicles globally to cover at least three separate flaws. The bulk of the recall is said to involve vehicles in Japan and Europe. In the U.S., at least 60 units are said to be involved in the recall.
Affected vehicles are those made between March 2011 and August 2014.
Subject to the recalls are 170,000 Camrys, which needed a fix in the vehicle's ball joint. A faulty ball joint in the Camry could make the driver lose control of the vehicle.
Ball joints connect a vehicle's tire and wheel to the suspension system. A ball joint replacement is usually needed when the joint becomes loose. Another instance that calls for immediate attention is when they begin to make noise, such as creaking due to lack of lubrication.
"The left front suspension lower arm may have an improperly manufactured bolt hole where it connects to the ball joint," said Toyota in a blog post. "This could affect bolt clamping force. If this condition exists, in the event of a severe impact to the lower ball joint, which could result from varying road surfaces during normal driving, the lower arm could separate from the ball joint. Separation of the lower arm can cause a loss of steering control."
Europe accounts for the majority of affected Camrys where the total number has reached 120,000. This is followed by Japan, which has 40,000 affected vehicles.
A different set of recall will be conducted to solve issues with the vehicle's fuel pipe component. The affected models are said to be the Dyna, Regius Ace and Hiace, which have reached a total of 105,800.
In time, fuel pipes can suffer from corrosion, cracks and abrasion. Joints may also come loose and leak. This part of the vehicle must be attended to immediately once a flaw is found out.
Apart from leaking, fuel lines can also suffer from blockage. A total blockage will stall the car while a partial case may result in fuel starvation on high-speed driving.
Toyota is also recalling 86,000 Majesta and Crown cars to repair the vehicles' outer seat belt assemblies. The affected models are those that are sold in Japan.
Toyota said that it is unaware of any information on cases of crash, injury or death that are caused by the issues that prompted the company to conduct a massive recall.
