Abdul Latif Jameel Co. Sunday announced the launch of a special maintenance campaign starting March 1 for specific US-produced Avalon and Sequoia models. The ALJ, however, clarified that it has not received any complaints related to the sticking accelerator pedal. An official at ALJ said the company would invite within two weeks owners of Toyota Sequoia and Avalon models to get their cars checked. The company says the recall is based on the possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position. This is probably caused by condensation on part of the pedal as a result of using the heater in the vehicle in very cold weathers. However, in spite of the fact that this is unlikely to happen here in the Kingdom, especially in our climate and high temperature, says a press release issued here. During the maintenance, it added, a small metallic part will be installed to the accelerator pedal. The campaign aims at covering Toyota Avalon manufactured between January 2005 and January 2010 and Toyota Sequoia produced between November 2008 and January 2010. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Consumer Protection Association (CPA) urged authorities to force ALJ to recall and check for defaults in cars it sold locally. CPA's call, made in a statement sent to media, is the first by a consumer protection group in the Gulf Arab region – where Saudi Arabia is the biggest auto market – after Toyota recalled some eight million cars worldwide on safety glitches. ALJ has been Toyota's sole distributor in Saudi Arabia for more than 50 years and claims to be Toyota's largest independent distributor in the world, according to its website.
