WASHINGTON — Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it would add another 1.2 million U.S vehicles to a fuel pump recall to address potential vehicle stalls.
The Japanese automaker first said in January would recall 696,000 U.S. vehicles with a fuel pump that may stop operating, which could result in a vehicle stall. About 118,000 of those units were later deemed to be not affected.
Dealers will replace the fuel pumps with a new one. Toyota said the recall now covers 1.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles in total in the United States, including older vehicles from as far back as the 2013 model year.
A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in New York last month alleged the existing recall didn’t cover enough Toyota and Lexus vehicles, according to website Carcomplaints.com.
Toyota began a probe into the fuel pump issue in June.
The automaker told the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in January it was aware of 66 field reports and 2,571 warranty claims that relate to fuel pump failures in the vehicles initially recalled.
Owners have complained of rough engine running, engine not starting and loss of power while driving at low speeds. Toyota said the reports occurred more commonly in areas of the southern U.S. with warmer climates.
