The issue affects certain iQ vehicles, produced between 11 September 2008 and 22 October 2010. According to the carmaker, the EPS warning light may be set off when driving on certain roadside safety side strips or "rumble strips", requiring the driver to put extra effort into steering the vehicle. Toyota added that no accidents related to this issue have been reported.

As a result, Toyota says it's working with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to contact registered owners and keepers by letter to advise them of the procedure for taking their vehicle to an authorised Toyota repairer for the necessary repair work to be done.

The repair involves the update or replacement of the EPS control unit software, which will take around two hours to complete and will be carried out free of charge.

Jon Williams, managing director of Toyota GB PLC, said: 'We are committed to putting the customer first and have a total focus on the quality of all our products. We will liaise with our customers to carry out the repair procedures as efficiently as possible, with minimal disruption.'