Toyota drivers are being urged not to panic over safety fears

TOYOTA drivers in Jersey have been urged not to panic after the Japanese car maker announced that it was recalling millions of its vehicles because of concerns over a faulty accelerator.

The manufacturer is to recall up to 1.8 million cars across Europe, including more than 220,000 in the UK, following concerns over a defect which could cause the accelerator pedal to stick. Millions of cars in the United States are also being recalled following a series of accidents allegedly caused by a faulty pedal.
There have been no reported incidents in the UK or the Channel Islands.

Owners of the affected models will be contacted by the manufacturer or by Freelance Toyota – Jersey’s only Toyota dealer – in the coming weeks. But experts are stressing that only a small number of cars are actually faulty and that any sticking can be dealt with by skilful driving.

Stephen Mead, assistant chief examiner at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: ‘Motorists should keep calm. Surprisingly, the perception of the average driver with a stuck accelerator is that they can’t brake either, but this is a misconception brought on by panic.

‘Press the brake firmly, then the clutch, disengaging the power. In an automatic, drivers should brake, wait for a reaction from the vehicle and then put the car into neutral. You can still steer, too, so a stuck accelerator isn’t actually the disaster it sounds.’

• The Toyota models which will be recalled are the Aygo MMT made between February 2005 and August last year, the IQ made between November 2008 and November 2009, the Yaris made between November 2005 and September 2009, the Auris made between October 2006 and December 2009, the Corolla made between October 2006 and December 2009, the Verso made between February last year and 5 January 2010 and the Avensis made between November 2008 and December 2009