Glen Millar
01-26-2010, 09:22 PM
TORONTO — Toyota Canada Inc., will temporarily stop sales of eight models because of problems with the gas pedal, the company announced Tuesday evening.
How long sales will be suspended and plants remain down is still to be determined, Toyota spokeswoman Sandi Di Felice said.
"What we're trying to do right now is meet the needs of the customers by making sure we make parts available to fix their vehicles, so they can feel confident driving them," Di Felice said. "Then we have to look at the inventory we have on dealer lots and fixing those vehicles. Clearly, we want to make sure they're fixed before we retail them, and then implementing a production fix."
The suspension comes on the heels of a recall 270,000 Toyota vehicles in Canada and 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S., in order to fix accelerator pedals that could get stuck in the down position.
"Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats," the company said in a release.
"There is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position."
Toyota Canada said last week it knew of five incidents where the accelerator pedal malfunctioned.
The company said the suspension of sales will "enable (Toyota) to co-ordinate activities and expedite the accelerator pedal repairs for customers as quickly as possible."
Sales will be suspended in both Canada and the U.S.
A plant in Cambridge, Ont., that makes the Corolla and Matrix and another in Woodstock, Ont., that assembles the RAV4 are among those that will halt production. News reports say that the plants are to be idled for a week starting Feb. 1. The other plants are in Indiana, Texas and Kentucky.
"Toyota had a bulletproof reputation for quality, and now it's been tarnished," said Jim Hossack, an industry analyst at AutoPacific Inc. "It's a dramatic move and an expensive move."
Halting sales of some of Toyota's best-selling models in Canada and the U.S. may mean hundreds millions of dollars in lost revenue, said Hossack, who is based in Fountain Valley, Calif., and is a former engineer for Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp.
"This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized," Bob Carter, Toyota U.S. group vice president, said in a statement. "We're making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible."
Owners of vehicles covered by the recall should go to their dealers, Di Felice said. They can also get information by going to www.toyota.ca (http://www.toyota.ca) or calling 1-888-869-6828.
The following vehicles are affected:
2009-2010 RAV4
2009-2010 Corolla
2009-2010 Matrix
2005-2010 Avalon
Certain 2007-2010 Camry
2010 Highlander
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-2010 Sequoia
How long sales will be suspended and plants remain down is still to be determined, Toyota spokeswoman Sandi Di Felice said.
"What we're trying to do right now is meet the needs of the customers by making sure we make parts available to fix their vehicles, so they can feel confident driving them," Di Felice said. "Then we have to look at the inventory we have on dealer lots and fixing those vehicles. Clearly, we want to make sure they're fixed before we retail them, and then implementing a production fix."
The suspension comes on the heels of a recall 270,000 Toyota vehicles in Canada and 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S., in order to fix accelerator pedals that could get stuck in the down position.
"Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats," the company said in a release.
"There is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position."
Toyota Canada said last week it knew of five incidents where the accelerator pedal malfunctioned.
The company said the suspension of sales will "enable (Toyota) to co-ordinate activities and expedite the accelerator pedal repairs for customers as quickly as possible."
Sales will be suspended in both Canada and the U.S.
A plant in Cambridge, Ont., that makes the Corolla and Matrix and another in Woodstock, Ont., that assembles the RAV4 are among those that will halt production. News reports say that the plants are to be idled for a week starting Feb. 1. The other plants are in Indiana, Texas and Kentucky.
"Toyota had a bulletproof reputation for quality, and now it's been tarnished," said Jim Hossack, an industry analyst at AutoPacific Inc. "It's a dramatic move and an expensive move."
Halting sales of some of Toyota's best-selling models in Canada and the U.S. may mean hundreds millions of dollars in lost revenue, said Hossack, who is based in Fountain Valley, Calif., and is a former engineer for Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp.
"This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized," Bob Carter, Toyota U.S. group vice president, said in a statement. "We're making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible."
Owners of vehicles covered by the recall should go to their dealers, Di Felice said. They can also get information by going to www.toyota.ca (http://www.toyota.ca) or calling 1-888-869-6828.
The following vehicles are affected:
2009-2010 RAV4
2009-2010 Corolla
2009-2010 Matrix
2005-2010 Avalon
Certain 2007-2010 Camry
2010 Highlander
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-2010 Sequoia