WASHINGTON — Toyota said today its dealers should get parts to fix a sticky gas pedal problem this week as the automaker tries to bring an end to a recall that has affected 4.2 million vehicles worldwide.

The company said in a statement it has begun shipping parts and is training service technicians on the repairs. Some dealers will stay open 24 hours to fix the 2.3 million cars and trucks affected by the recall in the U.S.

Government regulators told Toyota last week they were satisfied with the repair plan.

The automaker also said today it would suspend production of eight U.S. models affected by the recall for this week.

Toyota recalled the vehicles Jan. 21, determining excess friction in the gas pedal assembly could in rare cases cause the pedals to stick.

Engineers traced the problem to a friction device in the assembly that is supposed to provide the proper pedal "feel" by adding resistance, Toyota said in the statement.

The device has a shoe that rubs against a nearby metal surface during normal pedal use. But wear and environmental conditions can over time cause the pedals to not operate smoothly or in rare cases stick partially open.

The company said a steel reinforcement bar will be installed into the gas pedal assembly, reducing the friction.

Toyota told its dealers in an e-mail they should determine how to prioritize their repairs. But the company said it "strongly recommends dealers prioritize consumer vehicles first, followed by dealer owned inventory (during nonpeak hours)." The repairs are expected to take about 30 minutes of work, and drivers should not notice any change in the feel of the pedal.

Owners are expected to receive information by mail beginning this week and dealers are expected to receive technical descriptions on the fix by the middle of the week. The company will cover all repair costs.