Toyota spokesman Brian R. Lyons said in "severe front-end collisions," the mechanism that tightens the vehicle's seat belt expels a gas that could cause a sound-insulating foam pad nearby to ignite. In a worst-case scenario, the problem could cause a fire, he said.
However, Lyons said no cases of either have been reported where this actually happened in the U.S., and no other vehicles are affected.
The recall affects about 1.28 million vehicles worldwide that are based on Toyota's Yaris platform. Elsewhere, the car is sold as the Vitz and the Ractis. Lyons could not comment on whether problems related to defect have been reported outside the U.S.
Toyota Motor Sales USA will mail letters to consumers who own the affected cars next week, Lyons said. Toyota will pay the cost of the repair, which should take an hour at a Toyota dealer, he said.
U.S.-traded shares of Toyota rose $1.53, or 2.3 percent, to $67.83. Shares of Toyota are flat since the start of the year. The automaker, along with the rest of the industry, reports U.S. sales on Tuesday.
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