In a Thursday announcement, Japanese automaker Toyota said that it was preparing a worldwide recall of nearly 480,000 Avalon sedans and Land Cruiser sport-utility vehicles, due to a steering problem that can lead to a crash.

In a statement, Toyota revealed that almost 400,000 US-manufactured Avalons have a defective steering-column bracket that can cause the locking up of the steering wheel. Toyota said that Avalon’s problem largely results from “the improper casting” of part of the steering interlock system; which can likely lead to a crack in the casting and eventually break the lock bar.

Built during the years 2000 to 2004, the Avalons that are being recalled include 373,000 in the US, along with the versions sold in Japan, Canada, China and Saudi Arabia.

Noting that no accidents or deaths have been reported thus far due to the steering defect, the Toyota City, Japan-based company’s spokesman  Brian Lyons further revealed that the recall of Land Cruisers included 39,000 of Lexus LX 470 SUVs sold in the US – the models are sold elsewhere as the Land Cruiser 100 – between 2003 and 2007.

Commenting on Toyota’s decision to recall the vehicles, an AutoPacific Inc. analyst Ed Kim said: “Toyota now seems to be very much erring on the side of disclosing everything in terms of defects. That’s good, but the more problems and recalls are in view of the public, the longer it takes for its reputation to recover.”