Toyota, Honda and Subaru issue recalls
The company said 2011-12 models don't have the proper vehicle placards and could lead to tire overloading and possibly tire failure that would increase the risk of a crash.
Toyota will mail owners new vehicle placards that disclose the proper maximum cargo for the minivans.
The recall came after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told Toyota on Nov. 4 that it had tested the Sienna and it did not pass the standard.
Subaru of America temporarily halted the sale of its Impreza, Outback and Legacy vehicles as it recalled nearly 32,000 2012 models for a faulty brake pedal.
Subaru spokesman Michael McHale said because of a design defect, the brake pedal can require a couple of inches of additional pressing.
No crashes have been attributed to the problem, and only a few thousand vehicles are on dealer lots, he said.
"The driver might misjudge the amount of brake pedal travel required to achieve the desired stopping distance, possibly resulting in a crash," Subaru told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Subaru told NHTSA it is preparing the replacement parts. Dealers will inspect and replace the master cylinder assembly.
Subaru hopes to have the new master cylinders to dealers in a few days so they can complete the recall and sell the vehicles.
The stop-sale only applies to the Impreza — not the Impreza WRX and STI models — or vehicles built outside the recall time frame.
Subaru said repair parts are being procured from a supplier. "Quantities of the parts are starting to arrive at our dealers and will continue to ship over the next few weeks," spokeswoman Sheriece Matias said
Honda Motor Co. is recalling 876,000 vehicles in the United States for airbag problems — the fifth separate recall for the issue since 2008.
In total, Honda has recalled 2.53 million vehicles in the United States — and 2.7 million worldwide — over faulty airbags that could injure drivers in what is Honda's largest-ever recall.
Honda said it will replace airbags in 272,779 2001-2002 vehicles because some airbags may inflate with too much pressure.
That pressure can cause the inflator to rupture and metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion, causing injury or death to vehicle occupants, Honda said.
Honda is also recalling another 603,421 vehicles to find 640 replacement parts.
The new recall includes about 30,000 vehicles worldwide and the recall of another 270 replacement parts.
This recall now includes 2001-02 Accord, 2001-03 Civic, 2001-03 Odyssey, 2002-03 CR-V, 2003 Pilot, 2002-03 Acura 3.2 TL and 2003 Acura 3.2 CL vehicles.