Reeling from Prius problems, Toyota reassures Swiss

As problems with Toyota vehicles multiply, the company is attempting to reassure Swiss owners of the Japanese brand.

The world’s largest producer of automobiles now faces complaints about brake problems with its hybrid Prius in the United States and Japan after being forced to recall millions of other cars.

A total of 1.8 million Toyota vehicles dating back to 2005 are being recalled in Europe over problems with the accelerator pedal.

Drivers found that the accelerator pedal can get stuck in an engaged position, meaning the car is difficult to stop swiftly.

The complaints put forward by Japanese and American consumers could occur in Swiss models, as the European range is built along similar lines.

Toyota’s Swiss spokesperson Mark Straehl is trying to reassure vehicle owners in Switzerland that most of the Toyota horror stories appearing in the press are related to markets outside the Alpine country.

“There have been no accidents in Switzerland,” Straehl told Swisster.

The company is advising Swiss owners to drive to their local dealership for a free check up.

Toyota sold a told of 13,955 vehicles in Switzerland last year, according to Auto-Suisse, the association of car importers.

The number of units dropped 8.3 percent from 15,224 in 2008.

Toyota owners who do not want to risk using their vehicles can call a hotline (062 788 86 66) or perform rudimentary checks at home, using guidance posted on the company’s website.

A shipment of new parts to help fix the problem will arrive in Europe next week, after which mechanics can begin restructuring the accelerator system, Straehl said.

Straehl acknowledged that there have been complaints about Prius brakes in North America and Japan, but said a lot of misinformation clouds the problem, which is not helpful to concerned drivers.

Toyota – which prides itself on the reliability and quality of its vehicles – is now facing a public relations challenge with mounting concerns about its manufacturing systems.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is the latest celebrity to speak to reporters about problems with his Prius.

Most of the new complaints come from Japan, where 14 drivers contacted the car maker about the same faulty component in the braking system. The Japanese government has waded in to ask Toyota to sort out the mess.

Dozens of American drivers have also complained to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, two of which reportedly involved crashes which injured passengers.

But so far Swiss consumers have not spoken out and the Prius is not part of the original recall linked to accelerator problems, which Toyota announced last week.

Car drivers were unnerved as the Japanese company recalled eight models in Europe, including the popular Yaris and Corolla brands.

Speaking to Swisster, a spokesperson for Toyota Europe described the 1.8 million recall figure as “our first estimate.”

Toyota lists the European models, and their production years, up for recall on its website: Aygo (February 5 – August 9);  iQ (November 8 – November 9); Yaris (November 5 – September 9); Auris (October 6 – January 10); Corolla (October 6 – December 9); Verso (February 9 – January 10); Avensis (November 8 – December 9); RAV4 (November 5 – November 9).

The accelerator pedal problems followed a first wave of recalls in the US due to loose driver foot well carpets, which were interfering with the accelerator pedal.

Members of the Toyota Drivers Club Switzerland are defending their favourite brand despite the public’s safety concerns.

“Toyota are the most reliable and (just now) very safe cars,” said Sergio Santiago, president of the Aargau-based club.

“I don’t know anybody who was affected by the brake or gas pedal problems,” he added.

The club still plans to attend a number of international meetings for Toyota enthusiasts and to keep up its monthly dinner where members chat about their cars.

Drivers interviewed on Swiss television also said they had not experienced safety problems.

But while Europe is accident-free for Toyota and production lines at European plants are still running, US factory operations have been suspended.

Production and brand problems are expected to cost the company two billion dollars in expenses and lost sales, according to a statement by Toyota, whose shares on the Tokyo stock exchange hit their lowest level for 10 months after the malfunctions were reported.

The company did however manage to report healthier-than-expected profit figures for the final quarter of 2009.