The recall includes some Acura MDX, Dodge Viper, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda Odyssey, Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Corolla and Toyota Avalon models made in the early 2000s.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the recall is being implemented after carmakers' original attempts to fix the defects didn't work in some vehicles.
The agency says about 1 million Toyota and Honda vehicles involved in the new recalls are also subject to a separate recall related to defective Takata air bags that could deploy with enough force to cause injury or death.