Toyota Motor Corp.’s accelerator pedal problem isn’t likely to have much of an impact on its bottom line this year, but the damage to its image will undermine it in the long term, analysts said Thursday.

“The impact on Toyota’s business performance will be limited,” an auto analyst at a Japanese securities house said on condition of anonymity. “But Toyota’s image of safe and high quality is damaged.”

The world’s top automaker said Thursday it will recall an additional 1.09 million vehicles in the United States to rectify potential problems with gas pedals and floor mats.

The announcement came a day after Toyota said it would suspend U.S. sales of eight models — including the top-selling Camry — because the accelerator pedals could get stuck.

Analysts were forecasting a rebound in earnings for the business year to March 2011 because the failure of U.S. rivals General Motors Co. and Chrysler Corp. were expected to boost Toyota’s sales in the North American market.

That scenario is no longer likely, they said.

In 2008, Toyota became the world’s biggest automaker in production terms after going all-out to chase GM for the title. But that achievement, signaling GM’s first fall from the top in 77 years, may have come at a dear price.

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