Toyota receives steering complaints about Corolla

TOKYO - Could the Corolla be next?

Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it is looking into complaints of power steering problems with its popular compact car and is considering a recall as one option. That would be another blow to the world's largest automaker grappling with a spate of safety lapses ranging from sticking gas pedals to braking problems.

Toyota sold nearly 1.3 million Corollas worldwide last year, including nearly 300,000 in the United States.

President Akio Toyoda also said he's not going to Washington to appear at congressional hearings next week, preferring to leave that to his U.S.-based executives while he focuses on beefing up quality controls - though he would consider attending if invited.

The executive in charge of quality control, Shinichi Sasaki, said the company is examining fewer than 100 complaints about power steering in the Corolla. He said drivers may feel as though they were losing control over the steering, but it was unclear why.

- AP