Toyota Motor said Thursday that it would expand a huge safety recall due to an accelerator pedal problem to Europe, a move likely to further tarnish the world number one’s reputation for quality.
“Toyota will implement a recall in Europe,” said company spokesman Paul Nolasco. “We are still not sure about the models and the number of vehicles.”
The move expands a recall announced last week by Toyota of 2.3 million cars and trucks because of problems with sticking accelerator pedals.
The company said that in rare cases, the pedal mechanism could become worn and harder to depress or stuck in a partially depressed position.
According to Japanese media, Toyota is expected to recall two million vehicles in Europe due to the problem, the latest in a series of quality issues to bedevil the Japanese giant.
Toyota on Tuesday suspended sales in the United States of eight mostly new models while it examines problems with sticking pedals.
In a separate move, Toyota is recalling almost 5.3 million vehicles in the United States to replace floor mats that could trap the accelerator.
Toyota ended General Motors’ 77-year reign as the world’s largest auto maker in 2008 but the road has been a bumpy one for the Japanese giant, long lauded for its vehicles’ safety and reliability.
The company expanded rapidly over the past decade to meet strong demand, prompting critics to question whether it might have sacrificed its legendary quality in its quest to become the global number one.
