Dubai: Al Futtaim Motors, exclusive dealer of Toyota vehicles in the UAE, said yesterday it is closely monitoring the situation arising out of reports that the Japanese carmaker is considering another recall involving up to 270,000 vehicles.

Toyota officials said in Tokyo earlier yesterday that the world's top automaker is considering "some kind of measure" that may include the recall of eight of its Toyota and Lexus models for possible engine stalling while driving.

No accidents or injuries have been reported, Toyota said, related to the issue.

Since September last year, Toyota has been plagued with a safety crisis that has led to the recall of more than 10 million vehicles globally, most for potential unintended acceleration.

About 7.3 million vehicles have been recalled in the US, the automaker's biggest market.

Appropriate action

"We are monitoring the situation and liaising closely with Lexus in Japan to fully investigate this concern. Al Futtaim Motors will work closely with the UAE's Ministry of Economy to ensure our customers are kept updated as more information becomes available.

"If it becomes apparent that any Lexus vehicles in the UAE are affected we will take the appropriate action," Simon Frith, Managing Director of Al Futtaim Motors, said in a statement to Gulf News yesterday.

"Product quality and customer satisfaction remain our highest priorities and if any of our customers have any concerns they can contact our customer care team," he said.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not received any communication from Toyota regarding the issue as of early yesterday, according to a Department of Transportation (Dot) spokeswoman. The Dot is the parent agency of the NHTSA.

The models involved in the latest possible recall have 4.6-litre and 3.6-litre engines, a Toyota spokeswoman in Tokyo said.

Toyota said decisions by government regulators would determine if a recall was necessary for the eight models, including the high-end Lexus LS460 and Toyota Crown sedans.

Some of these vehicles could have a problem with the valve spring in their engines that may cause idling trouble that could lead to engine failure, although no accidents have been reported, she said.

Last week, Toyota told US and Canadian safety regulators it was halting sales and recalling about 17,000 Lexus HS250h gasoline-electric hybrid sedans regarding a potential fuel leak.

— With inputs from Reuters