BOSTON -- Toyota has been ordered by the Department of Transportation to suspend the U.S. sales of eight models after millions of vehicles that may suddenly accelerate were recalled last week. Several crashes, including some fatalities, have been blamed on the problem.

On Wednesday, a Toyota spokesman told NewsCenter 5 that the company would approach the recall one vehicle and customer at a time.

"We will work with customers who have concerns about their vehicles on a case-by-case basis," said Brian R. Lyons, the safety and quality communications manager for Toyota Motor Sales.

As part of the plan, Toyota is halting production at five manufacturing facilities for the week of Feb. 1 "to assess and coordinate activities."

“Helping ensure the safety of our customers and restoring confidence in Toyota are very important to our company,” Group Vice President and Toyota Division General Manager Bob Carter said in a release. “This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized. We’re making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible.”

There are 2.3 million vehicles involved in the recall, which was announced last week.

The Japanese automaker said the sales suspension includes the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia.

The car maker said none of its Lexus or Scion models are affected.

The recall came months after Toyota recalled 4.2 million vehicles due to gas pedals that could become trapped under floor mats, causing the vehicle to accelerate. Some experts say the problem could be in the electrical system, but pinpointing possible triggers could be difficult.

"Radio frequencies, even from your cell phones, interfere sometimes with the drive-by-wire system and it's very difficult to pinpoint the problem," Rebecca Lindland, an industry analyst with IHS Global Insight.

Meanwhile, the supplier of gas pedals involved in the recall said it knows of only a few cases where drivers had problems with the accelerators.

Supplier CTS Corp. said Toyota told it about fewer than a dozen cases in which drivers struggled with pedals. It knows of no accidents or injuries tied to the problem. The supplier also said it's not aware of any cases where the pedal became stuck after drivers pushed it down, potentially causing unwanted acceleration.

Toyota said it will stop producing vehicles at several North American facilities on Feb. 1, including a plant in Canada where the Sequoia, Matrix and RAV4 are made; a plant in Indiana where the Sequoia and Highlander are made; a plant in Kentucky where the Camry and Avalon are made; Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. where the Camry is produced; and a plant in Texas where the Tundra is made.

No other North American Toyota vehicle manufacturing facilities are affected by the decision to stop production, according to the company.

Car manufacturers don't usually suspend sales of cars already built. While it protects people from buying something that could have a problem down the road, it doesn't do anything for people who already own the models in question.

Toyota sells about 65,000 Camrys and Corollas a month in the United States. Toyota hasn't said specifically what current owners of the cars should do, and many of the dealers with whom Team 5 Investigates spoke said they hope to know more in the coming days.

"They have done nothing to provide assurance to consumers that they have the problem under control. They have provided little to no advice to consumers about how to handle it. And in many cases, they are just turning consumers away after they have a problem," auto safety expert Sean Kane said.

While the sudden acceleration problem can happen without notice, there may be warning signs. Owners should take notice if the gas pedal starts to appear stiff when depressed. Owners should also pay attention if the pedal doesn't respond by bouncing back after remove your foot, and if you feel your car gaining speed for no apparent reason, shift it into neutral immediately.

"You want to be careful not to panic when you drive your vehicles. Drive them normally; drive them in a way you have been driving them. If you see some of those indicators, just don't panic. Try to pull over as safely and carefully as possible. Nothing good comes of a panicked driver," Lindland said.

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said Toyota owners who actually experienced a problem with their accelerator pedal sticking or being slow to return to the idle position should consider their rights and the manufacturer’s obligations under the Lemon Law.