Updated: Toyota extends safety recall to Europe
It is yet unclear whether the Malta market is affected - Toyota Malta representative
(Adds quote from Toyota Malta representative)
Toyota extended its US car recall over faulty accelerator pedals to Europe today but was unable to say how many cars were affected.
The move was a fresh blow to the world's largest car maker as it struggles to salvage its safety reputation.
The company yesterday suspended US sales of eight models - including the Camry, America's top-selling car - to fix faulty pedals that could stick without warning.
Last week, it issued a US recall for the same eight models, affecting 2.3 million vehicles, and today announced the recall of an additional 1.09 million vehicles in the US.
The company said it would directly communicate with European customers with vehicles that are affected by a problem with worn accelerator pedal mechanisms that may "stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position".
"Toyota is making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible," it said.
The problem is rare, it said, and customers who are concerned should contact Toyota Customer Service for help before recall instructions are issued.
The company is already using different parts in models it is now producing in Europe and says it has "no need or intention to stop production in Europe," it said.
Toyota said a driver whose car is affected may notice that the pedal is harder to depress and slower to return.
"A rough or chattered feeling may also be experienced when depressing/releasing the accelerator pedal," Toyota said.
TOYOTA MALTA
A spokesman for Toyota Malta said when contacted it was not yet clear which models could be involved and before this was known, it was not possible to ascertain whether and how the Malta market could be affected.
"The standard recall process, if it is to be required, results in our company having a list of those cars which could be affected as well as the names of their owners.
"Each of these owners would be contacted and asked to call at our premises for relevant checking and possible rectification," the spokesman said.
See also:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100128/world-news/no-simple-fix-for-toyotas-recall-problems