By WINFRED KAGWE
Toyota East Africa on Friday announced a recall of about 570 units of the New Generation Corolla model in the Kenya roads.
Making the announcement, Toyota East Africa managing director Hylton Bannon said this would affect the specific model and only cars made between November 2007 and January 2010.
“We have sold approximately 570 new generation Corollas out of which we expect that some may need correction,” he said.
The “special service campaign” by the company targeting its NG Corolla model comes at a time when it has recalled millions of cars worldwide due to accelerator pedal problems.
The problem is that there is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position.
The cause of this is that some accelerator pedal mechanisms may become worn and as a result when combined with certain operating and environmental conditions, friction in the mechanisms may increase and intermittently result in the accelerator pedal being hard to press, slow to return or in the worst case stick in a partially open position.
“We will inspect and if necessary install a reinforcement shim in to the accelerator pedal assembly, which will increase clearance in between the internal mechanisms in the accelerator pedal assembly,” said Mr Bannon.
Harder to Press
Drivers were also advised to be on the look out as the warning signs are gradual. The driver may notice that the accelerator pedal gets harder to press and may notice some rough or chattered feeling when depressing or releasing it.
Mr Bannon said in Kenya this affected only the NG Corolla model because “Toyota Motor Corporation has isolated a specific supplier of the accelerator pedal on this specific model”
The New Generation corolla sold in the Kenyan market is made in South Africa.
Mr Bannon said none of the other models sold in Kenya needed to be checked adding they were in direct contact with the customers with those cars.
The company it will offer free check up for both its customers and other Toyota users and corrective service, if found necessary, offered in a 30 minutes operation.
Mr Bannon said he was not authorised to comment on which other countries in East Africa had been affected and the extent of the damage.
Reuters on Wednesday reported that Toyota South Africa Motors would recall more than 50,000 cars, including Corolla, Auris and Verso models to fix accelerators and 216 Prius hybrid cars sold since August for a software upgrade to the electronic brake system.
Daily Nation
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