Just days after issuing a recall on 2.3 million of its vehicles suffering from a sticking accelerator, Toyota Motor Corp. announced on Tuesday, January 26, that it has halted sales and production on eight models of cars and trucks that combined account for 57% of its sales in the United States.

The pedals causing the problem are supplied by CTS Automotive Products, which is not the company that provides the accelerator pedals for Toyota's popular Camry hybrid. The plant in Kentucky that produces the Camry Hybrid will continue normal operations.

Prius models made since 2004 were included in the initial recall in late November 2009. The same recall affected the Avalon, Camry, Tacoma, and Tundra, as well as the Lexus models ES 350, IS 250, and IS 350.

The total list of models now affected by the most recent January recall and by the sales and production halt include: 2009-2010 RAV4, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 Camry (some models only and not the hybrid), 2010 Highlander (but not the hybrid), 2007-2010 Tundra, and 2008-2010 Sequoia.

Toyota is telling drivers who experience the issue with the accelerator sticking to shift into neutral, shut off the engine, and steer the car to a safe location.

Toyota's ongoing problems are causing concern in Japan, a nation that has suffered a long economic slump, but maintained pride in its automaker's dominance oversees, particularly in the production of gas-electric hybrids

The Tokyo Shimbun, a daily newspaper, said, "The discrediting of Toyota could even destroy the world's trust in Japanese manufacturing, which relies on its reputation for high quality."