Toyota Stops American Sales on 8 Models

Model-year 2009 Matrix compact wagons are shown at a dealership in Littleton, Colo., in 2008. They are among vehicles listed in Toyota’s latest recall. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press) via LATimesHopeTracker| In a brand management, economic nightmare for Toyota, the company has halted sales and production of eight models — including its top-selling Camry and Corolla — because their gas pedals become stuck, causing runaway acceleration.

The eight models affected accounted for 57% of U.S. sales last year of all Toyota brands, including Lexus and Scion.

Aside from the immediate drop in sales, Toyota’s position as the global sales leader, built on its vaunted reputation for trouble-free cars, is now being called into question.

Industry watchers say the majority of the cases are linked to the computer-driven electronic throttle systems used on all Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Toyota flatly denies those claims.

“This is the mother of all stop sales, it appears,” said Fritz Hitchcock, who owns Toyota dealerships in Santa Barbara, Northridge and the City of Industry. via LA Times