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Toyota defends car recall delay Toyota shares fall as woes mount
(about 7 hours later)
Toyota has defended the timing of a recall of 180,865 vehicles in the UK following an accelerator problem. Shares in Toyota have fallen 6% as it continues to deal with the impact of worldwide car recall, and a possible new safety issue over its Prius model.
Although concerns were raised about vehicles in late 2008, they were a quality rather than a safety issue, Toyota's Scott Brownlee told the BBC. The Japanese giant is recalling millions of cars around the world following an accelerator pedal problem affecting seven of its models.
Reports about the latest issue with "sticky accelerators" began in October but a recall has now been put in place. It was then also revealed that it is investigating separate reports of faulty brakes on its Prius hybrid car.
The carmaker said models including the Yaris and the Corolla were affected but the number of incidents was small. US authorities said they were looking at the possibility of fining Toyota.
The company is recalling up to 1.8 million cars across Europe, including about 220,000 in the UK, having announced it was recalling millions of cars in the US and China. Toyota is recalling up to 1.8 million cars across Europe, including 180,865 in the UK, over the problem of accelerator pedals sticking. These are on top of the millions of vehicles it is recalling in the US and Japan.
The seven models recalled are the Aygo, iQ, Yaris, Auris, Corolla, Verso, and Avensis and cover manufacturing dates going back to February 2005. The recall does not affect Lexus models, RAV4 models, and maual Toyota said. The seven models being recalled are the Aygo, iQ, Yaris, Auris, Corolla, Verso, and Avensis, and cover manufacturing dates going back to February 2005.
Toyota said it was not aware of any accidents resulting from the issue and that only a limited number of incidents involving accelerator pedals had been reported in Europe. Toyota said it was not aware of any accidents resulting from the issue and that only 26 incidents involving accelerator pedals had been reported in Europe.
Defence 'Quickly as possible'
Toyota's UK spokesman Scott Brownlee denied that the firm had delayed the accelerator pedal recall in the UK.
UK RECALLED MODELS February 2005 - August 2009 AYGONovember 2008 - November 2009 iQNovember 2005 - September 2009 YarisOctober 2006 - 5 January 2010 AurisOctober 2006 - December 2009 CorollaFebruary 2009 - 5 Jan 2010 VersoNovember 2008 - December 2009 Avensis Q&A: Toyota recallUK RECALLED MODELS February 2005 - August 2009 AYGONovember 2008 - November 2009 iQNovember 2005 - September 2009 YarisOctober 2006 - 5 January 2010 AurisOctober 2006 - December 2009 CorollaFebruary 2009 - 5 Jan 2010 VersoNovember 2008 - December 2009 Avensis Q&A: Toyota recall
He told the BBC that although concerns were raised about vehicles in late 2008, they were a quality rather than a safety issue.
In an interview with the BBC Working Lunch programme, Mr Brownlee said that there had been reports in the winter of 2008 of a stiff accelerator pedal, but then the reports dried up from March.In an interview with the BBC Working Lunch programme, Mr Brownlee said that there had been reports in the winter of 2008 of a stiff accelerator pedal, but then the reports dried up from March.
The pedal was redesigned and began to be fitted in models from August.The pedal was redesigned and began to be fitted in models from August.
"There was no indication at that point of a sticking throttle that was going to cause a safety issue," he said. "The first indication we had of a problem that was going to be a safety issue was in late last year [2009]," he said.
"The first indication we had of a problem that was going to be a safety issue was in late last year [2009]."
The first reports came in the US in October and the UK in November, and Mr Brownlee said the recall had come "as quickly as possible" after that.The first reports came in the US in October and the UK in November, and Mr Brownlee said the recall had come "as quickly as possible" after that.
"We had to investigate to identify the cause of the problem to see if there was a common issue and identify how we could fix it," Mr Brownlee said."We had to investigate to identify the cause of the problem to see if there was a common issue and identify how we could fix it," Mr Brownlee said.
There had been 26 reports of the problem in Europe. 'Feet to fire'
He added that an accelerator pedal could be stiff or heavy to press, and "in the worst case" would stick. If that happened a driver should press firmly on the brake, put the car into neutral, and pull over when safe. Toyota said that anyone in the UK who had suffered a problem with their accelerator pedal should call the company's hotline, and should not get the problem fixed independently.
He said that anyone who suffered a problem should call the Toyota hotline, and should not get the problem fixed independently. The work would take 30 minutes to complete. Scott Brownlee: "This was originally a quality rather than a safety issue"
The first shipments of parts required will begin arriving in the UK next week and Toyota will be in a position to start repairing cars from 10 February.The first shipments of parts required will begin arriving in the UK next week and Toyota will be in a position to start repairing cars from 10 February.
The carmaker is also working with the DVLA and will write to car owners whose vehicles could be affected - a process that could take 10 days. This will also include owners who have bought the cars second-hand. The carmaker is also working with the UK's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, and will write to car owners whose vehicles could be affected - a process that could take 10 days. This will also include owners who have bought the cars second-hand.
A website that would allow owners to check their vehicles registration number was also being developed.A website that would allow owners to check their vehicles registration number was also being developed.
In the US, American Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said safety officials would "continue to hold Toyota's feet to the fire".
He repeated that his agency was studying the possibility of civil penalties against Toyota for safety violations, which could mean fines of millions of dollars for the company.
US-listed Toyota shares ended Wednesday trading down 6% or 4.69 cents to 73.49 cents, continuing the falls of recent days.
Prius complaints
To add to Toyota's woes, it revealed on Wednesday that it had "received complaints" about the brakes on the latest version of its Prius hybrid car in the US and Japan.
It said it was investigating the matter, and it would be "premature" to comment further at this stage.
However, its UK division said there had been no reported problems with the brakes on Prius cars in the UK and other parts of Europe.
The Prius had been unaffected by the sticking accelerator pedal problem.
Have you experienced similar problems with the accelerator of your Toyota? You can get in touch with us using the form below:Have you experienced similar problems with the accelerator of your Toyota? You can get in touch with us using the form below:
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