BRUSSELS: Japanese automaker Toyota has started repairs at its European dealerships of cars recalled due to faulty accelerator pedals, a company spokesman told AFP Friday.

"We started an information campaign on Tuesday and contacted clients to invite them to get in touch with the dealerships in order to get the fix done," said Etienne Plas, Brussels-based spokesman for Toyota Motors Europe.

"The procedures are different in each country. In some Toyota alerts the client, in others Toyota alerts the authorities who take charge of communication," he said.

Owners of the potentially faulty vehicles should contact a participating dealership and make an appointment for the work to be done, he added.

"The work takes half an hour, and all our dealerships will be working flat out to respond to the demand," the Toyota spokesman said.

Toyota, the world's biggest carmaker, has had its reputation for reliability tarnished by having to announce a series of recalls for accelerator and brake problems on a whole range of their cars.

Altogether over eight million cars have been recalled worldwide.

In the latest instance this week Toyota called in more than 50,000 of its best-selling Prius hybrid models in Europe to fix a brake problem.

Almost two million cars have been recalled in Europe including also AYGO, iQ, Yaris, Auris, Corolla, Verso, Avensis and RAV4 models, covering various periods going back to February 2005.

The main problem, jamming accelerator pedals, first appeared in Europe back in 2008 but "the problem has caused no accidents in Europe," Plas assured.

Toyota Europe is telling drivers there is no urgency in getting the modification done on the car pedal if no problem has presented itself, but owners are advised to get it done.