JAPANESE CAR MAKER Toyota is extending a recall of millions of its cars to Europe over potential problems with the accelerator pedal.
A spokesman for Toyota Europe said the firm could not say which models would be recalled or how many cars might be involved. “We are working to precisely determine the production periods involved and isolate the cars involved but as yet we don’t have a definite answer,” he said.
The spokesman said customers concerned about the safety of their car should contact their dealer and have it checked. He said the problem was initially noted with a small number of cars from the end of 2008 and they remained confident the number of cars with problems would be limited. Nevertheless, because it might be a potential safety issue it was important to identify and check all the cars that could possibly be involved.
It is the first major recall for Toyota in Ireland since January 2009 when 4,000 Yaris models were recalled over potential problems with seat-belt pretensioners.
In a statement, Toyota said: “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.
“This is caused because the accelerator pedal mechanisms concerned may become worn. This progressive wear, combined with certain operating and environmental conditions, can cause friction in the mechanism to increase and intermittently result in the accelerator pedal being harder to depress, slow to return or, in the worst case, stick in a partially open position.”
Some analysts suggested as many as two million vehicles could be affected across Europe.