In case you haven’t yet heard, Toyota said earlier this week that it intends to recall 3.8 million vehicles – the largest recall ever in the United States – because of problems concerning removable floor mats which may cause the accelerator to become stuck and lead to a crash. 

The recall will involve the following vehicles:

2007-2010 Toyota Camry
2005-2010 Toyota Avalon
2004-2009 Toyota Prius
2005-2010 Tacoma
2007-2010 Toyota Tundra
2007-2010 Lexus ES350
2006-2010 Lexus IS250
2006-2010 Lexus IS350

Toyota said it was still working with officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to repair the problem.  Spokespersons for Toyota say that owners could be notified as early as next week. Toyota spokesman Irv Miller said until the company finds a fix, owners should take out the removable floor mat on the driver’s side and not replace it.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are strongly urging owners to remove floor mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it had received reports of 102 incidents in which the accelerator may have become stuck on the Toyota vehicles involved. It was unclear how many led to crashes; however the inquiry was prompted by a high-speed crash in August in San Diego, California which involved an out of control Lexus ES 350 which reached speeds exceeding 120 mph.  Family members made a frantic call to 911, and reported the accelerator was stuck and they couldn’t stop the vehicle.  That accident killed California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor, 45, and three members of his family on State Route 125 in Santee, California.  The runaway Lexus careened into a sport utility vehicle, launched off an embankment, rolled several times and burst into flames.

NHTSA investigators determined that a rubber all-weather floor mat found in the wreckage was slightly longer than the mat that belonged in the vehicle, something that could have snared or covered the accelerator pedal.  An accelerator pedl which is stuck can cause high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. 

Toyota’s previously largest U.S. recall was about 900,000 vehicles in 2005 to fix a steering issue. The company declined to say how many complaints it had received about the accelerator issue.

Toyota has warned owners that if they think their vehicle is accelerating out of control, they should check to see whether their floor mat is under the pedal. If a driver can’t remove the floor mat, Toyota advises drivers to step on the brake pedal with both feet until the vehicle slows and then try to put it into neutral and switch the ignition to accessory power.

For vehicles with engine start/stop buttons, Toyota said the engine can be shut off by holding the button down for three seconds.

Last month, Toyota ordered 1,400 Toyota and Lexus dealers nationwide to ensure that each new, used and loaner vehicles had the proper floor mats and that the mats were properly secured.

In September 2007, Toyota recalled an accessory all-weather floor mat sold for use in some 2007 and 2008 model year Lexus ES 350 and Toyota Camry vehicles because of similar problems.

For information, consumers can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s hotline at (888) 327-4236, Toyota at (800) 331-4331 or Lexus at (800) 255-3987.

Tags: General // Add Comment »