TOKYO: Japan’s trade minister urged Toyota Motor Corp. to secure the confidence of car buyers in the wake of massive global recalls.
“The scale of the recalls is huge. The situation is serious. It points to the possible dangers a global economy can bring,” Trade Minister Masayuki Naoshima told reporters Friday. “I would like Toyota to respond properly to secure consumer confidence.”
Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, has recalled over 5 million vehicles in the US over problems with gas pedals and floor mats. The figure accounts for models affected by more than one recall.
This week it announced the suspension of US sales of eight models — including the Camry, America’s top-selling car — to fix faulty gas pedals that could stick and cause acceleration without warning.
Toyota issued last week a recall for the same eight models, affecting 2.3 million vehicles.
The sales suspension in the US — Toyota’s biggest market — could dent the company’s fledgling earnings recovery.
In China, Toyota also recalled 75,500 vehicles for the same acceleration pedal problem.
Toyota said on Friday it will recall “up to 1.8 million vehicles” in Europe due to an accelerator pedal problem that has already led to massive recalls in the United States.
“The precise number of involved units is still under investigation but may reach up to 1.8 million vehicles,” the company said in a statement in Brussels, citing “a potential accelerator pedal issue.”
The models involved are the AYGO, iQ, Yaris, Auris, Corolla, Verso, Avensis and RAV4 series, covering a variety of periods going back to February 2005. “No Lexus models and no other Toyota models are affected,” Toyota added.
“We understand that the current situation is creating concerns and we deeply regret it,” said Tadashi Arashima, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe. The company said it has “identified a remedy,” pending “final evaluation and confirmation.”
A safety recall by Toyota vehicles has highlighted the Japanese giant’s growing dependency on components that are not made in its factories.
They may have the Toyota badge, but a big chunk of each vehicle made by the Japanese giant — from screws to pedals and sometimes even the engine — are produced by a vast network of suppliers.
Meanwhile, Honda said Friday it was recalling 646,000 vehicles worldwide due to a window problem, dealing a fresh blow to Japanese automakers’ reputation for quality as Toyota expanded its own massive recall.
Honda said the move covers Fit/Jazz cars made between 2002 and 2008 in Japan, China, Brazil, Thailand, Malaysia and India.
“Under some severe operating conditions, water, rain, or other liquid may enter the driver’s window and reach the master power window switch resulting in impaired function of the switch,” Honda UK said in a statement.