Toyota dealers gear up for repairs

TOYOTA dealers are bracing themselves for a flood of repair work over the coming weeks, with thousands of customers expected every day over potentially serious accelerator pedal faults.

A day after the major Japanese manufacturer confirmed that 26,000 of its Irish-based vehicles will have to be inspected, Toyota Ireland has told garages to prepare for a deluge of customers seeking vehicle check-ups.

A spokesperson for the firm explained that Toyota branches across Ireland should expect to see up to a thousand customers a day. The free-of-charge repair work will focus on a flaw in the models’ accelerator pedals, which can become stuck after medium term use.

Within the next 10 days customers will be contacted by letter to inform them of the need to bring their vehicle in for safety checks. Concerned customers are advised to contact their local Toyota dealer or call a dedicated help-line on 01-4190222.

French car firm PSA, which makes the Peugeot 107 and the Citroen C1, is facing similar difficulties as it used the same factory in the Czech Republic to make the products.

However, while PSA is recalling 97,000 vehicles globally, the 600 Irish-based Peugeot 107s are unaffected as they are part of a different production batch, with just two Citroen’s needing examination in this country.

Universal Honda has also confirmed up to 3,000 Jazz ‘super mini’ cars produced between 2002 and 2009 will need to be inspected because of fears an electrical switch in the driver’s window could short circuit and catch fire if liquids are spilled on it.

A total of 11 customers have reported concerns with their Toyota cars in Ireland, with one Honda driver reporting that smoke began billowing from his vehicle’s window last autumn.