On June 1, 2011, Japanese automobile company Toyota issued a Voluntary Global Safety Recall on 52,000 Prius vehicles sold in the United States between 2001 and 2003.
The automobiles were recalled due to loosening of the nuts in the pinion shaft of the steering gear box triggered by repeated turning of the steering wheel to the full-lock position.
Toyota stated that over time, the loosening of the nuts in the pinion shaft can make steering difficult when making a left turn.
Toyota plans to begin the delivery of notification letters to owners of faulty vehicles in July of 2011. Toyota dealers will install improved nuts to secure the pinion shaft at no charge to car owners. The repairs are estimated to take approximately four hours.
The automaker has also put a recall on 34 Venza AWD and 16 Sienna AWD vehicles due to faulty front right-hand driveshafts.
Toyota owners should contact their nearest dealership or the Toyota Customer Experience Center (1-800-331-4331) with questions.
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