Fred Meier

USA TODAY

UPDATE with more details from Toyota.

Toyota is recalling 6.39 million vehicles worldwide -- about 2.34 million in the North America -- in actions for five different defects.

None of the various defects affecting 27 Toyota models and the Toyota-built Pontiac Vibe and Subaru Trezia in various markets is linked with crashes or deaths, Toyota said, but it knows of two fires linked to a defective starter motor.

Some vehicles were recalled for more than one problem and will need more than one repair. the and the models' production spans April 2004 through August 2013.

Toyota said the models affected by one or more of the defects in various world market include: RAV4, Corolla, Camry, Matrix/ Vibe, Scion xD, Yaris, Highlander, Tacoma and Hilux pickups, Urban Cruiser, Trezia/Ractis, Reiz, Fortuner, Innova, Land Cruiser Prado, Vanguard, Mark X, Reiz, ist, Vitz, Belta, Spade,

Corolla Axio, Corolla Fielder and Auris.

The recall in the U.S. of the Vibe, a rebadged Toyota Matrix, will handled by General Motors.

Toyota says two of the recalls affect vehicles in North America, 1.77 million i the U.S., and that neither is linked to any crashes or injuries. They are:

A cable to the driver air bag module can be damaged by the steering wheel, disabling the bag. This recall covers 1.67 million of the 2009-10 Corolla, 2009-10 Matrix, 2009-10 Pontiac Vibe, 2008-10 Highlander, 2009-10 Tacoma, 2006-08 RAV4 and 2006-10 Yaris. Of those, 1.3 million are in the U.S.

Seat adjusters and springs that lock the seat into position could break. If the car is driven with them broken, the seat could move in a crash. This recall covers 670,000 of the 2006-10 Yaris Hatchback, 2007-10 Yaris sedan, 2008-10 Scion xD vehicles. Of those, 472,500 were sold in the U.S.

Toyota said it was simply how the engineering probes evolved that resulted in the recalls being announced at the same time on Wednesday. The recalls follow Toyota's settling for $1.2 billion last month a U.S. criminal into concealing information from safety regulators about defects that led to its massive sudden acceleration recalls in 2009 and 2010 that were linked with five deaths.

After those recalls, Toyota head Akio Toyoda vowed to reform the company's quality control and recall reporting processes.

The three other recalls, affecting Europe and Asia, but not North America, are for an instrument panel bracket for the steering column that could fail, a windshield wiper motor defect and a starter motor for the engine that could create a fire hazard.