Toyota Recalls 6.4 Million Vehicles Worldwide, Including 2009-'10 Toyota Corolla in U.S.

TORRANCE, California — Toyota is recalling 6.4 million vehicles worldwide for a variety of problems, including the 2009-'10 Toyota Corolla in the U.S.

Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. said Wednesday it will recall approximately 1.3 million 2009-'10 Corolla, 2009-'10 Matrix, 2008-'10 Highlander, 2009-'10 Tacoma, 2006-'08 RAV4 and 2006-'10 Yaris vehicles because of a problem that could cause the driver's airbag to deactivate in a crash.

"The driver's airbag module in the involved vehicles is attached to a spiral cable assembly with electrical connections that could become damaged when the steering wheel is turned," Toyota said in a statement posted on its U.S. Web site. "If this occurs, the airbag warning lamp will illuminate. In addition, the driver's airbag could become deactivated, causing it not to deploy in the event of a crash."

Toyota said it is not aware of any injuries or fatalities linked to this recall.

Toyota dealers will replace the spiral cable with an improved one.

In another U.S. action, Toyota said it will call back 472,500 vehicles, including the 2006-'10 Yaris hatchback, 2007-'10 Yaris sedan and 2008-'10 Scion xD vehicles to fix a seat problem.

"In the seat rail of the driver seat of the involved vehicles and also the front passenger seat of the three-door models, the springs used for the mechanism which locks the seat rail in its adjusting positions could break," Toyota said. "This can happen if the seat is adjusted forward and/or rearwards with high frequency.

"If a seat rail spring breaks, the seat may not lock into the adjusted position. If the vehicle is operated with a broken seat rail spring, the seat could move in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant."

Toyota said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries linked to this recall.

Toyota dealers will replace the seat track assembly.

It is expected that the 2009-'10 Pontiac Vibe will be recalled as well, since Toyota and GM made cars at the same plant in California and the recalled model is the same as the Matrix.

No information about the recalls has been posted on the Web site of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which oversees vehicle recalls in the U.S.
Owners can contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Edmunds says: In the case of the U.S. recalls, Toyota said it is currently preparing the remedy and posted no timetable for repairs. Once preparations are complete, owners will get official notification by mail. In the meantime, if you own one of these vehicles and are experiencing a problem, get in touch with your dealer.