Toyota - Lexus Accelerator Pedal Recall Lawsuit News

Consumer Reports urges Toyota owners to remove unsafe floor mats

 

-Consumer Reports

02/04/2010 - While media and public attention has largely focused this week on the Toyota recall associated with sticking accelerator pedals, an earlier issue also poses a serious safety risk to consumers. Floor mat entrapment of accelerator pedals, which was identified in an October 2009 Toyota recall and affects some 4.8 million cars, has been connected to several acceleration-related injuries and deaths. Consumer Reports wants to ensure Toyota owners and others are aware of this issue, and strongly advises consumers to immediately remove unsafe floor mats and take their cars to a dealer for further work if needed.

This video from a NHTSA defects investigation of the 2007 Lexus ES 350 dramatically shows how an accelerator pedal can become dangerously entrapped by a floor mat, causing severe acceleration issues.

The video was obtained via a Freedom of Information request by the Center for Auto Safety, a non-profit organization that informs consumers about auto safety issues. (The organization’s Executive Director, Clarence Ditlow sits on Consumers Union’s board.)

As we’ve previously reported, the Toyota’s October 2009 floor mat recall was expanded in December 2009 and January 2010, and currently covers all the models highlighted below:

2007-2010 Lexus ES 350

2006-2010 Lexus IS 250 and IS350

2005-2010 Toyota Avalon

2009-2010 Toyota Corolla

2007-20 10 Toyota Camry

2008-2010 Toyota Highlander

2009-2010 Toyota Matrix

2004-2009 Toyota Prius

2005-2010 Toyota Tacoma

2007-2010 Toyota Tundra

2009-2010 Toyota Venza

2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has confirmed that five individuals, in two separate incidents, have died as a result of pedal entrapment in the recalled vehicles above. If you have one of these vehicles, Consumer Reports advises that you immediately remove the floor mat and not drive your car with it. “This is something you can do yourself,” notes David Champion, Deputy Director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Division. “Get rid of all the floor mats in the driver’s foot well area and that will eliminate the risk.”

Vehicle owners must also take their cars into dealers for a fix. Dealers have been instructed on how to reshape the pedal to reduce the risk of entrapment. For some models, Toyota may also modify the floor surface to create more clearance under the pedal. Starting in April, replacement pedals will become available to all owners of these models, including those who have already had the modification performed.

It’s important to note that instances of floor mat entrapment extend beyond the Toyota 2009 recall. In 2007 Lexus and Toyota also issued a floor mat recall due to a problem with the mats potentially getting stuck under the accelerator pedal in certain cars, including the Lexus ES 350 shown in the video above.

Consumer Reports urges all drivers to check their floor mats to make sure they are safely installed. Floor mats should not in any way obstruct or interfere with the operation of your accelerator pedal. If your car has stock floor mats, make sure they are securely installed and, if applicable, hooked to the restraint fixtures. If you have aftermarket or accessory floor mats, make sure they can’t move around in such a way as to interfere with pedal travel. Never stack floor mats. And always keep travel trash clear of the driver’s foot area.