Toyota to begin fixing faulty gas pedals in U.S., resume production+

NEW YORK, Feb. 1 Kyodo -
Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday it will begin repairing its recalled vehicles in
the United States in the coming few days after announcing a remedy for
potentially defective accelerator pedals, in a move it hopes will help to
rebuild its tarnished reputation.
With the remedy finalized, a company official said the Japanese auto giant may
resume suspended production of the affected vehicles as early as next Monday,
as it looks to put a massive worldwide recall behind it. Sales are expected to
be restarted around the same time.
Although Toyota in effect will limit the rare suspension of sales and
production of the recalled vehicles to around a week, the automaker's response
has been widely criticized by the U.S. media as too late.
The negative spotlight on the automaker is also expected to continue with the
U.S. House of Representatives committees planning a series of hearings later
this month on Toyota's recalls.
Toyota has announced recalls for around 2.3 million cars and trucks in the
United States, including its popular Corolla and Camry cars, to repair gas
pedals that can get stuck in a partially depressed position or return slowly
when released.
The recall has spilled over to Canada, Europe and China, but vehicles sold in
Japan are not affected.
As part of its fix, Toyota said it will install ''a precision-cut steel
reinforcement bar'' in the gas-pedal assembly to reduce excess tension that can
cause the pedal to stick, a measure it says has proven to be effective through
''rigorous'' testing.
According to the automaker, the problem involves a ''friction device,'' which
includes a shoe that rubs against a nearby surface during normal pedal use. But
the surfaces may begin to stick and not operate smoothly due to wear and
weather conditions.
Toyota said it has begun shipping parts to reinforce the pedals to dealers and
added its dealers will stay open for extended hours or in some cases 24 hours
to carry out the repairs, which it claims can be completed within a short
period of time.
''Toyota has always prided itself on building high-quality, durable cars that
customers can depend on and I know that we've let you down,'' Jim Lentz,
president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., said in a video clip posted on the
company website.
''Once again, I apologize for this situation and I hope you will give us a
chance to earn back your trust,'' he added.
Subject to the recall in the United States are the 2009-2010 RAV4, 2009-2010
Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 Camry, 2010 Highlander,
2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia.
Toyota said it will carry out a similar remedy in Europe, China and other
countries and regions once details are finalized with local authorities.
Last week, Toyota said it told U.S. dealers to suspend sales of the eight
recalled models. Production of the vehicles at five plants in North America was
also halted starting Monday, to ensure customer safety.
The world's biggest automaker has been dogged by a series of safety issues,
including a separate recall of some 5.55 million vehicles in the United States
and Canada to reduce the risk of gas pedals getting stuck under loose floor
mats and causing sudden acceleration.
A remedy for the floor mat problem, which surfaced last year, was announced
last year, but a large proportion of the vehicles recalled over the faulty gas
pedals are subject to both recalls.
Lentz said the company will ensure that vehicles subject to both recalls can be
repaired during a single visit to the dealer.
The series of the recall event, however, is likely to affect Toyota's presence
in the world auto market.
According to a forecast by a U.S. analyst, Toyota is likely to see a
double-digit decline in new vehicle sales for January in the United States,
while rivals like Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. anticipate growth in
sales.
Ford, General Motors and even Hyundai Motor Co. of South Korea have begun
offering incentives to drivers switching their vehicles from Toyota, as they
seize the opportunity to expand their market share on the back of the Japanese
automaker's plight.
==Kyodo
2010-02-01 23:52:01