Toyota Motor Co., the largest car manufacturer in the world, says it has suspended sales of eight recalled vehicles as the company moves to fix a problem with unreliable accelerator pedals.
To carry out the plan, Toyota said it will suspend production at a handful of manufacturing plants, including those that produce Corolla, Matrix and RAV4 vehicles in Canada. The stoppage will take effect during the week of Feb. 1, "to assess and co-ordinate activities," Toyota said.
It鈥檚 unclear how long production will stop for.
"We don't know yet how long this pause will last but we will make every effort to resume production soon," company officials said in an email to employees.
Toyota said the stoppage will affect plants in Cambridge, Ont., and Woodstock, Ont., where the company employs some 5,900 people. South of the border, workers at facilities in Kentucky, Indiana and Texas will be affected.
"This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized," said Toyota's group vice-president and general manager, Bob Carter.
The recall was announced last week and affects roughly 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. and 270,000 in Canada.
"Toyota will recall approximately 270,000 vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals on specific Toyota Division models," Toyota Canada said in a press release.
"Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats. 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."
The models affected by the recall are:
- 2009-2010 RAV4
- 2009-2010 Corolla
- 2009-2010 Matrix
- 2005-2010 Avalon
- 2007-2010 Camry
- 2010 Highlander
- 2007-2010 Tundra
- 2008-2010 Sequoia
Earl Stewart, who owns a Toyota dealership in North Palm Beach, Fla., expressed concern that the decision would impede sales and said he hoped that parts to fix the problem would be distributed soon.
"They're going the extra mile to reassure people that they really care about the customers," Stewart said. "It is something that's going to be at least a short-term hardship on the dealers, and especially on Toyota."
Suspending production may affect the company's reputation for quality as well as its bottom line, according to Aaron Bragman, an auto analyst with consultancy IHS Global Insight.
鈥淭hey need to go and get a solution to this fast,鈥� Bragman said.
The Camry was the best-selling midsize sedan in the U.S. as of December, with 34,000 units sold. Combined sales of the Corolla and Matrix there totalled 34,220 in December.
Last week, Toyota recalled vehicles in the U.S. and Canada in order to deal with accelerator pedals at risk of becoming stuck due to mechanical problems.
The company issued another recall in November. In that case, it was to keep gas pedals from becoming wedged under floor mats and affected some 4.2 million vehicles.
The floor-mat problem was believed to have caused several serious crashes, some of which were fatal.
The November recall did not apply to Canadian models. But the company advised Canadian owners of the Toyota Venza to remove drivers鈥�-side all-weather floor mats.
With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press
