Toyota recalls 310,000 FJ Cruiser SUVs on seatbelt issue

A visitor walking past cars is reflected on a Toyota car at the company's showroom in Tokyo February 5, 2013.

(Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp is recalling 310,000 of its FJ Cruiser sports utility vehicles worldwide because the seatbelt anchor could become detached through wear, the company said on Friday.

Two-thirds of the vehicles to be recalled are in the United States. The affected FJ Cruisers are from model years 2007 to 2013, Toyota said.

No accidents or injuries have been reported due to the problem, Toyota said.

"The seatbelt retractors for the driver and front passenger seat belts are mounted on the rear doors of the vehicles," Toyota said in a press statement. "Due to insufficient strength of the rear door panel, cracks may develop over an extended period of time if the rear door is repeatedly and forcefully closed."

This may cause the seatbelts to become unanchored.

Letters to owners of FJ Cruisers are to be sent soon, after the automaker comes up with a remedy to the problem, Toyota said.

Of the recalled vehicles, there are 209,000 in the United States; 52,000 in the Middle East; 16,000 in Canada; 13,000 in South America and Central America; 7,000 in Oceania; 5,000 in China; and 3,000 in Africa.

(Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)