Toyota head to hold China briefing today on quality

A mechanic in an authorized Toyota 4S dealership uses a small metal shim to repair the accelerator pedal in a recalled RAV4 sport utility vehicle in Nantong, Jiangsu Province. Photo: CFP

Toyota Motor Corp said its president would hold a news conference in Beijing today as the automaker looks to limit the damage from a massive global recall on the fast-growing Chinese market.

Akio Toyoda will brief the media at 6 pm in Beijing today, with the aim of explaining to the public about its recent quality issues, said Hitoshi Yokoyama, a spokesman for a China unit of Toyota.

The briefing will follow Toyoda's appearance last week in Washington, where he was grilled by US lawmakers for a series of recalls that have tarnished the carmaker's brand and reputation for quality.

Toyota has recalled more than 8 million cars globally for unintended acceleration and braking problems, in a widening safety crisis that broke about a month ago. The bulk of the recalls are in the United States.

Toyota said last month that it had submitted an application to recall more than 75,000 units of the RAV4 sport utility vehicle in China, the world's largest auto market.

The cars were made at Toyota's joint venture plant with China's FAW in Tianjin.

Reuters