Toyota adds more than 400,000 cars to slew of recalls

LOS ANGELES — Toyota announced another large recall of autos in the United States on Thursday, this time for a steering problem in 373,000 Avalon sedans built for the 2000-04 model years. A separate recall covers almost 40,000 Lexus SUVs.

The automaker said that because of an improper casting, a component of the steering lock system can crack. When the Avalon is steered hard to the right, there is a chance the piece will break, locking up the steering wheel and increasing the risk of a crash.

There have been six reports of the problem in the United States, with three accidents but no injuries, said Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons.

Toyota says it plans to replace the steering-column bracket on the vehicles, a procedure that takes about two hours. Toyota said it would notify owners by first-class mail beginning in late August to take their vehicles to a dealer to have the work done at no charge.

The automaker also said it would recall an additional 39,000 Lexus brand LX 470 SUVs from the 2003-07 model years to fix a steering-shaft condition unrelated to the Avalon problem. Lyons said Toyota was not aware of any accidents resulting from the Lexus steering-shaft problem.

In the Lexus SUV, a part called a snap ring on the steering shaft may disengage when the vehicle experiences a very strong impact to the front wheels, such as striking a deep pothole. Under some conditions, this can cause the steering shaft to disengage over time. Lexus will send a letter in mid-August asking owners to bring their SUVs back to the dealer so new parts can be installed.

Thursday's recall is Toyota's largest since announcing it would fix 600,000 Sienna minivans over rusting spare-tire holders in April.

The latest announcement brings the number of vehicles Toyota has recalled in the past year to about 9 million worldwide. That's almost as many vehicles as were sold by all manufacturers in the U.S. last year. The other recalls involved floor mats that could jam accelerators, gas pedals that could stick, brakes and other components.

Material from The Associated Press is included in this report.