Toyota halts sales of eight recalled models

Toyota said on Tuesday that it was temporarily halting sales of eight models in North America, including some of its most popular vehicles, involved in a wide-ranging recall related to jammed accelerator pedals.
Five assembly plants in the US and Canada will shut next week “to assess and co-ordinate activities”, the Japanese carmaker said.
The recall, involving 2.3m vehicles, has become a major embarrassment for Toyota, threatening its reputation for quality and reliability in the US market, which accounts for about a quarter of its sales.
Bob Carter, head of the Toyota brand in the US, said that “this action is necessary until a remedy is finalised. Helping ensure the safety of our customers and restoring confidence in Toyota are very important to our company.”
The vehicles in question include some versions of the Camry, the US’s top-selling sedan; the smaller Corolla; the RAV4 sport-utility vehicle; and the Tundra pick-up truck.
Toyota first acknowledged a problem with accelerators in September following the death of a California highway patrol officer and three family members in a high-speed crash. It initially blamed out-of-position floor mats.
Two months later, it said that it would replace accelerator pedals on 4.2m vehicles.
But in issuing the vehicle recall last week, it said that the problem appeared to be the result of condensation build-up in some accelerator mechanisms, which could cause sliding parts to expand and jam.
It added on Tuesday that further investigation had revealed that “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 company has separately recalled some Toyota and Lexus models to correct the out-of-place floor-mat issue. About 1.7m vehicles are subject to both recalls.
Jeremy Anwyl, chief executive of Edmunds.com, an online car-pricing service, said that “Toyota needed to send a clear message they care more about their customers than monthly profits”.
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