Toyota dealer feels the effects of halting sales

Posted: Jan 27, 2010 6:27 PM by Ariel Wesler
Updated: Jan 27, 2010 6:27 PM

We're learning more about an unprecendented move by Toyota to stop selling some popular vehicles. The eight models include the best-selling car in the country... the Camry.
There's also the Corolla, Rav 4, and Tundra.

Toyota says it needs to fix a sudden acceleration problem. First, it recalled more than two-million vehicles last week for the same reason. Now, it's no longer selling them.

One of America's top-selling automakers has grounded eight of its top models-- Camry, Corolla, and Tundra to name a few.

"It's the first time I've seen something of this magnitude," said Carl Deriso, the general manager at Santa Maria Toyota

The car manufacturer is trying to fix faulty gas pedals that could stick and have led to accidents nationwide.

The Santa Maria Toyota dealership says it's received hundreds of phone calls from concerned customers, following last weeks recall.

"We're letting them know that we're doing this for the safety of our customers first and foremost and until they've fixed what could be a safety concern, we're not able to sell that vehicle, which is the best thing for everybody," Deriso said.

Christie Carroll owns a 2009 corolla--one of the vehicles on the list.

It's definitely good that they're not selling them right now if they don't know what's wrong with them, but it's a little scary for people who own them right now, said Christie Carroll, who owns at 2009 Carolla, included in the recall.

Overall, more than 100 vehicles at the dealership are affected.

This lot is filled with cars the Santa Maria dealership can't sell until Toyota. That wipes out nearly half of its inventory, but not the dealership's top seller.

"We sell more priuses than we do Camry's and priuses are not affected," Deriso said.

Toyota says owners with recalled vehicles will be notified in the upcoming weeks.

To find more information on the Toyota recall and the complete list of recalled vehicles, click here.