New figures show that car maker GM has gained ground on its rivals with a 4% rise in US sales last month, but Ford sales slumped 21%, while Toyota fell 1%.
Overall US September car sales steadied after adjusting for the number of sales days, bucking Wall Street expectations for a decline in the figures, which are closely watched as an indicator of consumer demand.
The adjusted 1% annual rise in sales came despite a housing downturn and tighter credit blamed for driving lower income buyers out of the market for new cars.
For Toyota, now second in the US market, the sales decline marked its most protracted slump since early 2003. Toyota warned last month that its September sales might fall, after they jumped more than 20% a year earlier.
Ford's retail market share slipped to near the 13% level targeted by the company under a sweeping restructuring plan.
