THE world's best-selling carmaker, Toyota Motor, said yesterday that it was recalling about 185,000 vehicles globally, including the Yaris compact, owing to a glitch in the electric power steering system that could make the steering heavier.

Models of the Yaris, known in Japan as the Vitz, that were made between November 2010 and March 2012, have been recalled. Toyota said it was also recalling the Verso-S, known in Japan as the Ractis, made from August 2010 to August 2011.

Short circuits could be caused in the vehicles by water droplets forming on certain wires in the power steering control module. As a result, the power steering assist could be suspended, making the steering heavier, Toyota said in a statement.

Toyota is recalling around 130,000 vehicles in Japan, more than 7,400 in Italy, some 7,050 vehicles in Germany and about 7,000 in France, as well as in other countries, including Britain and the US, spokeswoman Shiori Hashimoto said.

No accidents or injuries have been reported from the glitch, she said.

Toyota will replace the power steering control module, which will take one to two hours, she said.