By now, you’ve probably heard about the massive recall of Toyota vehicles due to unintended acceleration, either through floor mats that trap the gas pedal in the impressed position or from the gas pedal itself not retracting after pressure taken off of it. Autoblog.com has a good checklist about the Toyota recall, and there are a few points that we’d like to highlight here.
Our San Diego firm’s auto accident attorneys never want to see anyone in a crash that is caused by faulty manufacturing or product liability. If you own a Toyota or are thinking of purchasing one, here’s what you should know about the current recall from an auto giant that has prided itself on safety:
1. There Are Two Separate Recalls For One Similar Problem.
Unintended acceleration is the problem that Toyota is facing right now after a fatal accident in Santee sparked national attention about the cause behind the crash. The way most accelerators work is that you press the gas pedal and you go faster; you take your foot off the gas, you slow down. Currently, several Toyota models have a design defect in the spring mechanism of the gas pedal that does not push the pedal back to its standard position. Instead, the pedal stays down as if you were applying a high amount of pressure on top of it.
The other recall involves floor mats that have become wedged between the floor and the accelerator when it is pushed down, not allowing for it to come back to its neutral position.
2. Toyota Has Been Investigating This Issue For Several Years
In September, 2007, Toyota recalled a number of floor mats after investigating several claims of unintended acceleration in their Lexus ES350 and Toyota Camry models. That recall only involved 55,000 automobiles compared to the one in 2009 — prompted by the four wrongful deaths in the Santee crash — in which 3.8 million defective Toyota models were recalled, Toyota’s largest recall to date.
While the car company has stated that unintended acceleration because of floor mats or stuck gas pedals is a rare occurrence and only affects several of their newer models, this problem could date back to a manufacturing defect from 2007. At the moment, Toyota’s official statement is that they have found no definitive cause as to why these instances of unintended acceleration have occurred, but they claim to be honing in on the problem.
3. What To Do If Your Gas Pedal Is Stuck In The Accelerated Position
This applies to not only Toyota vehicles, but to any one driving out on the road. If you are driving and your car accelerates (or continues to accelerate) after taking your foot off the pedal.
- Put both feet on the brake, but do not pump the brake. The brake should take you to a complete stop.
- Pull the car over to a safe area and turn the transmission to neutral (N).
- Turn off the car once you’ve come to a complete stop in neutral and call for assistance.
4. Toyota Is Working Around The Clock To Remedy The Problem
Toyota has officially acknowledged and apologized to consumers for the dangerous products that they released on the market. They have asked all Toyota owners with the following models to come to the nearest dealer, some of whom will remain open 24-hours, so that the problem can be fixed, either with your floor mats or your gas pedal.
The following automobiles are found to be at risk:
- 2007-2010 Lexus ES 350
- 2006-2010 Lexus IS
- 2009-2010 Toyota RAV4
- 2009-2010 Toyota Corolla
- 2009-2010 Toyota Matrix
- 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon
- 2007-2010 Toyota Camry
- 2010 Toyota Highlander
- 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra
- 2008-2010 Toyota Sequoia
- 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe*
* NOTE: Not yet recalled, but General Motors is looking into possible link. *
The auto accident attorneys who work at our firm want everyone to be safe out on the road. Being a defensive driver, having the best auto insurance policy you can afford, and taking part in product liability recalls like this can keep everyone safe on our communities streets. The hope is that Toyota will acquire all dangerous vehicles and fix the problem as fast as they can.
If you’ve been injured by a drunk-driver, then please call us now at 1-800-655-6585 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced auto accident attorney and find out how we can help you. There is no fee if no recovery.
Your Take
What do you think Toyota can do better in the future to make sure problems such as this one do not occur? Have you had any problems with unintended acceleration in a non-Toyota automobile?
Related posts:
- Toyota Recalls 3.8 Million Cars Over Faulty Floor Mats
- Does the Ford Fusion Have a Floor Mat Design Defect?
- Toyota Investigating Other Causes Of Car Accidents
- Toyota Floor Mat Recall After Santee Auto Accident
- Other Factors Can Cause Toyota Car Accidents
Tags: Floormats, Gas Pedal, Toyota recall, Unintended Acceleration
Cars STILL surge even after the floor mat and accelerator fix (which always seems little suspicious.
The woman who testified on congress stated that the car would not GO INTO NEUTRAL. She tried REVERSE. NO effect.
Turning the key off, but not removing it from the ignition seems like an idea worth trying. I’d check it out in my driveway if I were an owner. Confirm that you can still steer and that you have some braking.
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