Toyota's safety crisis deepened on Feb. 17 as the company said it was considering a recall of its Corolla, the world's best-selling car, because of possible steering problems.

Toyota also announced that it would fit all new models with a system to cut engine power when the driver steps on the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time, to prevent runaway car crashes blamed for dozens of deaths.

The Japanese maker, which is pulling millions of vehicles worldwide due to faulty accelerator and brake systems, said it was now looking into complaints of steering trouble with Corolla models launched since 2009.

If there is a defect that affects safety, "we will start recalls," Toyota executive vice president Shinichi Sasaki said. "We are in the process of investigating."

U.S. authorities said this month they were reviewing dozens of complaints about the Corolla -- the world's most popular car ever with total global sales of more than 30 million since the first version was launched in the 1960s. There have been reports of the vehicle unexpectedly veering off course at speeds above 64 kilometers per hour (about 40 miles per hour).

The 2009-2010 Corolla is among the models involved in Toyota's earlier recalls to fix problems with unintended acceleration.

In an effort to restore confidence in its brand, Toyota said its president Akio Toyoda would head a task force to improve quality control and enable the group to respond more quickly to reports of defects.

But the Toyota family scion, under fire for his handling of the safety problems, signaled that he would miss a grilling by U.S. lawmakers next week on the mass recalls, sending one of his top North America executives instead. "I am sure they are well equipped to respond well to the questions," he told a news conference, his third this month on the safety issues that have tarnished the company's once-glowing reputation.

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