Toyota Adds to Recall List in Europe

Toyota said Friday it will add up to 1.8 million vehicles in Europe to the recall list, as the automaker's woes from sticking gas pedals expanded.
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Updated with news on European recallDETROIT (TheStreet) -- Toyota (TM) - Get Report, stung by a worldwide recall said Friday it will add up to 1.8 million vehicles in Europe to the recall list, as the automaker's woes from sticking gas pedals expanded.

Toyota is now recalling up to 9 million cars worldwide, including 2.3 million in the U.S and Canada, and has also halted production of eight cars in the U.S., while it seeks to determine how to fix the problem. On Friday,

Consumer Reports

temporarily suspended its "recommended" status for the eight Toyota cars as well as for the 2009-10 Pontiac Vibe, which may have also have accelerator pedals that can stick and cause unintended acceleration.

"We continue to feel these are fundamentally good cars," said David Champion, director of

Consumer Reports'

auto test center. Auto Test Center. "The instances of sticking accelerator pedals appear to be few compared to the millions of affected vehicles that have been sold. We took this step simply because we did not feel comfortable continuing to recommend them until the accelerator problem is fixed."

Toyota has said it is working to resolve the problem.

Automotive News'

reported Friday that the company will announce a dealer remedy as early as next week, using a procedure that involves inserting a metal shim into a gap in the friction lever of the pedal. Doing so will reduce friction and prevent the pedal from sticking, the publication said, quoting a person familiar with the matter.

Toyota has said it is working to resolve the problem. Officials of supplier CTS Corp. have said they have boosted production at three factories to make redesigned gas pedals, while also seeking to determine if more rapid repairs are possible.

The dramatic recall raised questions about the Japanese automaker's worldwide image as a company focused on safety and reliability. However, it also underscored Toyota's willingness to do whatever it takes to fix a problem.

Some analysts saw a benefit for

Ford

(F) - Get Report

, which managed to improve its products, bolster its image and gain market share during a global recession, and now is positioned to take advantage when a competitor falters. "Clearly everybody realizes that we are competing with the best in the world, including Toyota (and) we anticipate we will see more and more interest in Ford in 2010," Mulally said Thursday, on an earnings conference call.

See vehicles affected on following pages.

2009-2010 RAV4


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2009-2010 Corolla


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2009-2010 Matrix


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2005-2010 Avalon


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Certain 2007-2010 Camry


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2010 Highlander


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2007-2010 Tundra


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2008-2010 Sequoia


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