Toyota recalls more than 116,000 Hi-Lux vehicles

Toyota Wednesday announced a safety recall of more than 116,000 four-wheel-drive HiLux vehicles in Australia, following concerns that the vehicles might be damaged if used frequently on rough roads.

The recall is to check support brackets on 116,507 petrol and turbo-diesel HiLux vehicles produced between January 2005 and February 2010, Toyota Australia said in a statement.

"In rural areas, if the vehicle is frequently accelerated or decelerated quickly on rough roads that feature extreme conditions, the rear tailshaft centre bearing support brackets may give way," Toyota Australia said in a statement.

Nineteen cases of the problem, which could be worsened by constant use over cattle crossings, have been reported in Australia but only one involved the break down of the support brackets and nobody was injured in the incident.

Toyota spokeswoman Laura Hill said owners could continue to drive their HiLux as the safety recall was a preventative action.

"It's a very rare case only happening under certain conditions; it's very specific," she said.

Toyota has seen its reputation badly damaged after it recalled about 10 million units worldwide because of dangerous defects, many involving "sticky" gas pedal problems that could cause vehicles to speed out of control.

mfc/dan