Toyota will write checks to dealers to help them through the crisis Read more: http:

[AVANTI R5]

LOS ANGELES -- Toyota will hand out cash to its dealers this week to help them cope with the growing recall crisis.

The automaker will write checks ranging from $7,500 to $75,000 based on the number of Toyota and Scion vehicles the dealership sold last year. Dealers who sold 4,000 or more new vehicles last year will receive $75,000.

Toyota hopes dealers will use the money for goodwill gestures toward customers affected by the unintended-acceleration recall.

“We continue to have full confidence and trust in our dealers’ ability to take care of Toyota owners, and this is where we want to help,” Toyota Division General Manager Bob Carter wrote in an e-mail to dealers dated Tuesday, Feb. 2.

“Within the next several days,” Carter wrote, “you will receive a check from us (no strings attached) with a simple request -- ‘do the right thing on behalf of Toyota customers.’ ”

Carter cited examples of what some dealers are doing throughout the United States during the recall. Among them: “extending service hours, adding greeters to their service drives, dedicating body shop capacity to expedite repairs, providing carwashes, increasing owner communication (and) providing complimentary maintenance service.”

“Dealers know the most appropriate and effective actions to take within their markets to begin restoring the confidence and trust customers place in us,” Carter wrote. He added: “Many of these actions cost money.”

Rene Isip, owner of a Toyota store in Lewisville, Texas, said he had not seen Carter’s e-mail but said he would use the money on customer retention.

“I’m really impressed with Toyota,” he said. “I’ll use the money to give customers certificates for things like free oil changes.”

Another dealer, who did not want to be identified, confirmed the existence of Carter’s e-mail. The dealer said: “We will work nonstop for the next few weeks.”

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#ixzz0eYD4FGX8

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[AVANTI R5]

What we're doing:

Recently, Toyota announced two safety recalls that cover some of its models. Both recall campaigns address conditions related to the accelerator pedal. The first recall, "Floor Mat Entrapment," regards the potential for an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat to interfere with the accelerator pedal and cause it to get stuck in the wide-open position.

The second recall, "Pedal," is being conducted because there is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position.

As part of the recall campaign, new car sales of vehicles subject to the pedal recall have been temporarily suspended until the problem is remedied.

In addition, we've temporarily halted production at some of our North American plants to focus our resources on remedying the vehicles we've recalled. Why have we taken this unprecedented action? Because it's the right thing to do for our owners.

Is your Toyota subject to one or both of the recalls? Select your model from the list at left to learn whether either or both of these recalls apply to your Toyota vehicle and what you should expect regarding the recall remedies.

If you have additional questions or concerns that have not been addressed here, please contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331. The Toyota Customer Experience Center hours are: Mon.–Fri. 5:00 am-6:00 pm PST, Sat.–Sun. 7:00 am-4:00 pm PST.

http://www.toyota.com/recall/?siteid...905_CID4251042