Yet another Toyota recall

Automaker Toyota of Japan said on Wednesday it was recalling some 1.3 million vehicles worldwide because of faulty airbags and wipers.

The world's number-one car seller announced the recall affected 907,000 cars, mostly Corolla models, produced between December 2001 and May 2004 and reported to have airbags that could inflate improperly. The company said the airbags in question could inadvertently inflate when the electronic signals damaged a chip in the part controlling them.

Toyota spokesman Naoto Fuse said two crashes were reported in the US related to that specific issue, but the carmaker had not been bale to confirm them.

Never-ending story?

Another 385,000 Lexus luxury cars would be recalled over wiper problems, the company announced. It said the wipers could get stuck in heavy snowfall and added that the vehicles potentially affected by the issue were produced between May 2005 and October 2011.

The automaker's reputation for top quality has repeatedly been undermined in the past few years by massive recalls for a series of malfunctions in brakes, gas pedals, floor mats and other parts.

Toyota executives had promised to enhance quality controls and be quicker with recalls to repair the firm's tainted image.

hg/hc (AP, dape)