When the drivers of 3.8 million vehicles are placed in a situation of immediate and extreme danger, the manufacturer of those vehicles has no choice but to initiate a recall. That’s exactly what Toyota did today, as problems regarding the removable, rubber all-weather floor mats have led to the accelerator sticking in several different models. Therefore, Toyota recalled all of the affected models in order to take the necessary corrective measures. Additionally, Toyota recall lawyers have begun to field inquiries from drivers who may have been harmed by this issue.
That National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has also been involved with this issue, and its preliminary investigations revealed that these floor mats, all of which are placed on the driver’s side, are too long for the space provided, which is what the agency believes is causing accelerators to stick to the floor and to unexpectedly bring these vehicles to dangerous speeds with little to no forewarning.
The models affected by this recall include:
- Toyota Camry – 2007-10 models
- Toyota Avalon – 2005-10 models
- Toyota Prius – 2004-09 models
- Toyota Tacoma – 2005-10 models
- Toyota Tundra – 2007-10 models
- Lexus ES 350 – 2007-10 models
- Lexus IS 250 - 2006-10 models
- Lexus IS 350 - 2006-10 models
Toyota and the government have advised all drivers of these models to immediately remove the floor mats from the driver’s side, and if the driver of any of these defective vehicles finds him or herself accelerating suddenly, he or she should push down on the brake pedal with both feet until the vehicle slows down to the point where it can be placed in neutral. There are also models that have a start/stop engine button, and if that button is pressed for at least three seconds, it should cut the power to the engine and help to bring the vehicle to a stop.
The NHTSA has received more than 100 reports of problems regarding this issue, although it declined to report how many of these incidents involved accidents. However, there has been one tragic report of a family of four that was killed near San Diego when their vehicle’s accelerator stuck to the floor, causing it to veer off the side of the road, roll over and burst into flames. Four people were killed in the accident.
If you or someone you love has been harmed by a defective Toyota automobile, you need to contact the Toyota recall lawyers at the Phillips National Injury Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Wed, Sep 30, 2009
Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Rollover Accidents