Feb. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp. faces a U.S. defect investigation after complaints over power steering in the Corolla sedan, the world’s best-selling car, a person familiar with the matter said.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration inquiry, known as a preliminary evaluation, will cover about 500,000 vehicles from model years 2009 and 2010, said the person, who asked not to be identified because Toyota hadn’t been formally notified. The agency said Feb. 9 that it was reviewing reports on steering flaws in the Corolla, and according to its online database had received more than 80 complaints.
The agency’s move would come on top of record recalls at the world’s biggest automaker for brake and accelerator-pedal glitches. Toyota is recalling 437,000 hybrids, including the Prius, for brakes, and almost 8 million vehicles on five continents to repair defects linked to unintended acceleration.
“We are aware of complaints regarding 2009 and 2010 Corolla steering systems, are investigating the issue and will cooperate fully,” with NHTSA’s investigation, Cindy Knight, a Toyota spokeswoman, said in an e-mailed message.
Toyota is reviewing the power steering of the Corolla and will recall it if defects are found, Executive Vice President Shinichi Sasaki told reporters earlier yesterday.
At least three U.S. congressional committees plan hearings into how Toyota and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have handled sudden-acceleration complaints.
The Associated Press reported the Corolla steering inquiry earlier.
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