It seemed there were more reporters than car buyers at the Toyota dealership in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday afternoon.
The world’s largest auto manufacturer has halted sales and production of 8 vehicles as it tried to figure out why the gas pedal in some instances stuck in the depressed position. Last week Toyota ordered the voluntary recall of the same models.
They are:
2009-2010 RAV 4
2009-2010 Corolla
2009-2010 Matrix
2005-2010 Avalon
2007-2010 Camry
2010 Highlander
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-21010 Sequoia
Throughout most of the day a bright red Corolla sat on the Manhattan’ dealership’s showroom floor, although it could not be offered for sale. No one at the dealership will talk publicly about the situation.
Documents on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that Toyota knew of problems with the gas pedal of the Tundra truck in 2007.
According to a Toyota Defect Information Report on file with the NHTSA the defective component used in the recalled vehicles was manufactured by Elkhart, Indiana based CTS Corporation at a plant in Streetsville, Ontario.
The report said humid conditions could contribute to pedal failure. The document said “… friction when the accelerator pedal is operated may increase, which may result in the accelerator pedal becoming harder to depress, slower to return or in the worst case mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position.”
A CTS spokesman said problems with the pedal have not caused any accidents or injuries. The company in a written statement said it now has a “newly designed pedal that is being shipped to some Toyota factories.”
Despite CTS’s efforts to resolve the problem, that bright red Corolla no longer sits on the showroom floor at the Manhattan Toyota dealership.
It is temporarily relocated until Toyota says it can be offered for sale.