Toyota to Recall 270,000 Lexus Cars Due to Stalling Problem

Toyota Motor (TM) will begin recalling 270,000 luxury Lexus cars on Monday to fix a problem that causes the vehicles' engines to stall, the company said Friday in Japan, adding to its already lengthy list of recalls this year.

The company will inform Japan's transport ministry that it intends to recall 90,000 vehicles in Japan, a Toyota spokeswoman told Dow Jones Newswires. A recall of 137,000 cars in the U.S. will follow, as will recalls of 53,000 sold in other regions, she said.

On Thursday, Toyota issued a written statement that said it had discovered faulty engine valve springs in certain Lexus models sold in the U.S., but that it wasn't clear when a recall would begin.

The problem may cause abnormal engine noise or idling, the statement said. In rare instances, "the engine may stop while the vehicle is in operation," it said.

Models that may be affected by the recall in the U.S. include the IS 350, GS 350, GS 460, GS 450h, LS 460 and LS 600h L. Current model year vehicles aren't affected, Toyota said. The company hasn't received any reports of accidents or injuries related to this issue, it said.

Beleaguered Toyota has recalled more than 8 million cars worldwide to fix problems related to unintended acceleration, braking and other issues. A week ago, the company announced it was recalling 17,000 Lexus HS 250h hybrid sedans, after federal auto safety documents showed that fuel spilled from the vehicle during a crash test.

Toyota has been the subject of ongoing congressional scrutiny, and lawmakers earlier this week asked the company to disclose additional information related to the brake override feature that the company has begun installing on new cars and trucks to prevent incidents of unintended acceleration.

Toyota, along with other automakers, released June sales figures Thursday. Toyota's sales rose 6.8% compared to a year ago. But the world's largest automaker sold fewer cars than it did in May, and finished third behind General Motors and Ford Motor (F) in overall sales for the month.