Akio Toyoda bowed in apology to hundreds of journalists assembled at a Beijing hotel, just days after he said sorry to angry US lawmakers in Washington for faulty accelerator pedals blamed for more than 30 deaths.

Toyota has recalled more than 75,000 of its RAV4 sport utility vehicles made in China over faulty accelerators.

China’s product safety watchdog last week also warned drivers of imported Toyotas to have their cars — including the Tundra, Camry and Corolla models — checked for possible defects.

The Japanese auto giant’s sales in China surged 53 percent year on year in January, but the recalls have already dampened demand, leading Toyota to start discount sales, the Nikkei business daily said.

Shigeru Matsumura, an auto analyst at SMBC Friend Research Center, noted: “After China, he will likely make his next stop in Europe.”

Toyota has been under fire since January over a rash of defects and its delays in informing the public about them.

At least 34 deaths have been blamed on sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles, according to complaints filed with US authorities.

A Toyota China official at the press conference said the company still hopes to sell more than 800,000 vehicles in China this year.

Source : Konaxis

The suspension was a precautionary measure that will allow Ford and its Chinese partner to review the vehicles produced with a pedal made by the supplier of Toyota’s problematic pedals.

“We have not determined whether we have a problem there or not yet,” Ford chief executive officer Alan Mulally said during a conference call discussing the automaker’s year-end results.

Ford has experienced no accidents or problems with the 1,663 vehicles built in China since it began using those pedals in December, spokesman Said Deep told AFP.

No other Ford vehicles have been made with the problematic pedal and production of all other Ford vehicles worldwide will continue as scheduled, he stressed.

Toyota suspended sales of some of its most popular vehicles in the United States on Tuesday after recalling 2.3 million US cars and trucks last week because of problems with sticking accelerator pedals.

On Thursday, Toyota said the recalls would expand to Europe and China and the Japanese giant recalled 1.1 million US vehicles to replace floor mats that could trap accelerator pedals.

Ford’s Chinese partner, Jiangling Motors Company, said its recall affects light buses built in Nanchang and only distributed in China.

Source : Konaxis