Toyota probe after US accelerator fault

Toyota was today investigating whether cars sold in Europe could be affected by a problem with faulty gas pedals which caused a halt to sales in the US.

The car giant said the issue had so far only been found in parts from a US supplier, and that while one of the models affected, the RAV4, is available in the UK, those vehicles sold here are made in Japan, not America.

However, the company is trying to find out whether European suppliers are affected by the problem with accelerator pedals.

A spokesman said plants in Europe have different suppliers to those in the US, and the firm was investigating whether the same problem had arisen.

Last night Toyota suspended US sales of eight of its most popular models to fix gas pedals that could stick and cause acceleration without warning. Production was also halted at six assembly plants.

Its plants in Japan are not affected, but a similar accelerator part is used in Europe.

Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi said the manufacturer was considering what to do in Europe, including a possible recall.