Toyota to Unveil Plan to Fix Millions of Pedals | Toyota Motor | Toyota, the world's biggest automaker

TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. will give details early Monday in the U.S. on how it plans to fix gas pedals in millions of vehicles being recalled there.

The plan will come in a release at 6:30 a.m EST and will be followed by a conference call for the media at 11 a.m. EST, Toyota Motor Sales USA said. Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco in Tokyo declined comment.

Toyota has recalled 4.2 million cars and trucks in North America, Europe and China to fix accelerator pedals that can get stuck or are slow to return when released, increasing the risk of a crash. The recalls do not involve Toyota models made and sold in Japan.

American dealers have told The Associated Press that Toyota will disclose details of the fix Monday morning. One dealer was told by a Toyota executive that replacement parts could arrive Thursday or Friday.

The automaker told the dealers about the plan Saturday after hearing from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it did not object to the fix, the dealers said.

Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, says the problem in the gas pedals is rare and is caused by condensation that builds up in the gas pedal assembly.

Several dealers have said the fix involves slipping a shim into an area where springs push the gas pedal back to its resting position after a driver has eased off the gas.

Dealers have been eager to fix the cars ever since the recall was announced on Jan. 21.

The recall in the U.S. covers 2.3 million vehicles and involves the 2009-10 RAV4 crossover, the 2009-10 Corolla, the 2009-10 Matrix hatchback, the 2005-10 Avalon, the 2007-10 Camry, the 2010 Highlander crossover, the 2007-10 Tundra pickup and the 2008-10 Sequoia SUV.

The faulty gas pedals were made by CTS Corp. of Elkhart, Indiana. Toyota said last week it has begun shipping new gas pedals systems to American dealers.

Toyota has halted production and sales of the models covered by the recall until they can be repaired. Toyota has not said when production will resume.

The pedal recall is separate from a recall involving floor mats that can bend and push down accelerators.

The two recalls combined affect more than 7 million vehicles worldwide, threatening to tarnish the brand image of an automaker that had prided itself on quality.
Source: FoxNews

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