TOKYO, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor ( TM ) said on

Wednesday its worldwide production fell for an eighth straight

month in September, as both sales and output declined in its two

biggest markets, the United States and China.

The Japanese automaker's global output for September fell 8%

compared to the same month a year earlier to 826,556 vehicles,

with U.S. production down 14% and that in China dropping 19%.

U.S. output suffered from a production and delivery

suspension of the Grand Highlander and Lexus TX sport utility

vehicles due to an airbag issue.

Toyota ( TM ) resumed production of the suspended models on Oct.

21, it said.

In China, the world's biggest automaker continued to face

heavy pressure from the shift to electric vehicles and plug-in

hybrids sold by Chinese brands.

Toyota ( TM ) reported a 7% drop in global sales in September to

853,149 vehicles, with U.S. sales slumping 20%, those in China

down 9% and domestic sales slipping 6%.

Toyota ( TM ) has sold 7.4 million vehicles during the first nine

months of the year, down 2% year-on-year.

The production and sales figures include its luxury Lexus

brand.