Epsom-based car manufacturer Toyota Motor Europe confirms plan to recall "sticky pedal" cars
11:50am Wednesday 3rd February 2010 in News By Thais Portilho-Shrimpton
Epsom-based car firm confirms plan to recall cars
A car manufacturer has confirmed plans to recall vehicles in Europe after a fault in the accelerator pedal was uncovered.
The Epsom-based, European arm of Toyota confirmed it would fix the “sticky pedals” of eight models after thousands of accidents and 19 deaths in America were attributed to the fault.
Tadashi Arashima, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe, said: “Toyota's policy is to put its customers first, in all circumstances. We understand that the current situation is creating concerns, and we deeply regret it.
“We would also like to reassure customers: the potential accelerator pedal issue only occurs in very rare circumstances. The recall action is a precautionary measure aimed to guarantee the highest quality standards to all customers.
“At Toyota, we are fully committed to safety, we know what the problem is and how to fix it, so now our focus is to make that fix as quickly as possible. We will make the necessary checks to ensure future customers do not receive an affected vehicle.”
Toyota’s engineers have developed and tested a solution that involves reinforcing the pedal assembly to eliminate the potential risk of excess friction that could cause the pedal to stick.
According to the company, plans to contact the estimated 1.8m customers affected are being made.
The company is also advising motorists that if the accelerator pedal sticks while in a partial open throttle position - or if it moves slowly back to an idle position - drivers should brake firmly.
The vehicle should then be driven to the nearest safe location, the engine shut off and a Toyota retailer or road-side assistance contacted.
Toyota has claimed it is unaware of any accidents resulting from the fault in Europe.
The eight car models being recalled in Europe are: Aygo (manufactured between February 2005 and August 2009), iQ (between November 2008 and November 2009), Yaris (November 2005 and September 2009), Auris (October 2006 and January 5, 2010), Corolla (October 2006 and December 2009), Verso (February 2009 and January 5, 2010), Avensis (November 2008 and December 2009) and Rav4 (November 2005 and November 2009).
