Warning out for lead-footed Aston drivers

BRITISH sports car maker Aston Martin is asking almost 90 Australian owners to come back to its workshops because their lead-footed antics could snap off accelerator pedals.

According to a recall notice posted with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Aston has noticed that it is possible for accelerator pedals in late-model versions of the V8 Vantage, DB9, Virage, Rapide S and V12 Vantage to snap off.

The recall does not affect the Vanquish grand tourer or the Austrian-made Rapide four-door coupe.

“If the throttle lever fractures, the throttle will return to the idle position,” Aston Martin said in the notice.

“The loss of throttle function may pose a hazard to the driver and other road users.” Aston Martin regional manager of Australia and New Zealand, Kevin Wall, said the problem was noticed after two accelerator pedals broke in cars being driven by journalists, and another four instances outside that.

He said Aston Martin had received no reports of accelerator pedals breaking in Australia, and because the faulty batch of pedals came through the factory fairly recently, it was having no problems contacting affected owners.

According to the car-maker, all the affected Aston owners will get a letter telling them about the recall, which we assume will ask them to visit one of five Australian dealerships to arrange to have the accelerator replaced.