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It is becoming almost a part of life for Toyota owners; the Toyota recall. And this past week Toyota did announce yet two more recalls,one on the Toyota Avalon model years 2000 to 2004, and a separate recall on the Lexus LX 470 model years 2003 to 2007. Both models are affected with steering problems, but for differing reasons. The number of Toyotas under recall in the U.S. has now reached 9.5 million, according to the Associated Press.

The car company says that the problem causing concern in the Avalon is that the car's steering lock bar can crack. Once cracked, a break in the bar could make it difficult to unlock the car when it is not moving, according to a report by USAToday. Further, a broken steering bar could actually lock the steering while the car is in motion, if the driver steers to the right with what the company calls "with sufficient lateral acceleration." USAToday interprets this car-speak to mean turning quickly to the right. No injuries have yet been blamed on this defect.

The steering problems causing the recall of the Lexus LX 470 come from an entirely different defect. According to Toyota, a snap ring on the steering shaft may "disengage" after a hard impact to the front wheels, such as hitting a curb, or a pothole. If the wheel is turned repeatedly in either direction, the shaft could eventually disengage. At this time, no accidents have been reported due to this issue either.

USAToday reports that Toyota plans to address the steering problems by replacing the steering column bracket in the recalled vehicles. This should take about two hours, depending on an individual dealer's schedule.

Toyota plans to notify affected owners by mail, beginning in late August. Owners can then bring their vehicles to a dealer for replacement of the bracket.

Related Resources:

• Toyota to Recall 480,000 Vehicles for Steering Flaws (Bloomberg, BusinessWeek)
• Toyota Recall and Lawsuits (FindLaw)
• Toyota Drivers Advised to Stop Driving Toyota Cars Subject to Recall (FindLaw's Common Law)
• Toyota Recalls 2010 Lexus GX 460(FindLaw's Common Law)
• Injuries from Dangerous or Defective Products (provided by Law Offices of Howard & Reed)
• Products Liability FAQ (provided by Hefferon & Hefferon, P.A.)