Toyota Sudden Acceleration Recall Lawsuit - Lexus Recall - Floor Mat Recall - Electronic Throttle Control - Toyota Attorney |
Free Toyota -Lexus Floor Mat Recall Case Evaluation |
|
|---|---|---|
Toyota Sudden Acceleration Recall Lawsuit:
|
||
 |
Toyota Sudden Acceleration Recall Lawsuit:
On January 27, 2010 Toyota issued a fourth recall for an additional 1.09 million vehicles in the United States over problems with gas pedals and floor mats — a fresh blow to the world's top automaker as it struggles to salvage its safety reputation. The new recall affects five models — 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Venza, 2009-2010 Matrix, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe which is a sister of the Toyota Matrix.
Toyota Supsends Sales & Production of 8 Models Affected By Unintended Acceleration Problems:
On January 26, 2010 Toyota announced it is suspending sales and production of 8 models. This comes after Toyota on January 21, 2009 announced a second voluntary recall of 2.3 milion vehicles in the U.S. to fix defective accelerator pedals. The following vehicles are being recalled and taken off of showroom floors and dealer lots:
-
• 2009-2010 RAV4
• 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2009-2010 Matrix
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2010 Highlander
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2008-2010 Sequoia
On September 29, 2009 Toyota announced a Safety Advisory related to floor mats on 3.8 million vehicles in the U.S.A. as listed below:
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2008-2010 Highlander
• 2004-2009 Prius
• 2005-2010 Tacoma
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2009-2010 Venza
• 2009-2010 Matrix
As reported in a 2009 Los Angeles Times article, "Toyota Motor Corp. registered far more complaints about sudden acceleration in its 2008 model-year vehicles than any other automaker.”
The article continues, “That prompted Toyota to announce its largest-ever recall, of 4.26 million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Starting in January, the automaker will modify or replace accelerator pedals in seven Toyota and Lexus models, alter carpeting in some models and install new safety software in onboard computers. The recall includes vehicles from the 2005 through 2010 model years.”
All Models Affected:
Certain models of Toyota, Lexus & Pontiac are included in the recall.
• 2007 - 2010 Camry
• 2005 - 2010 Avalon
• 2004 - 2009 Prius
• 2005 - 2010 Tacoma
• 2007 - 2010 Tundra
• 2007 - 2010 Lexus ES350
• 2006 - 2010 Lexus IS250
• 2009 - 2010 Rav4
• 2009 - 2010 Corolla
• 2009 - 2010 Matrix
• 2009 - 2010 Pontiac Vibe
• 2005 - 2010 Avalon
• 2008 - 2010 Higlander
• 2009 - 2010 Venza
• 2007 - 2010 Tundra
• 2008 - 2010 Sequoia
Toyota Recall Investigation: Are Floor Mats To Blame?
The investigation began when the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that they had received 102 incident reports involving Toyota and Lexus vehicles in which the accelerator became stuck.
The investigation took a tragic turn after an August 2009 fatal highway crash in California. In this tragic case, the accelerator pedal of a Lexus ES 350 became stuck, causing the car to reach speeds in excess of 120 mph. Four individuals, including a California Highway Patrol officer, were killed in the accident.
Toyota Motors has blamed the floor mats as the source of the problem stating that If not secured properly using the provided retention hooks, the mats can slide forward causing the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably resulting in serious injury, property damage, and death. This has been questioned by consumers as well as automotive experts as some drivers that experienced sudden acceleration stated that the floor mats were secured properly and that the accelerator pedal did not get jammed under the floor mat.
Toyota Motors then included the accelerator pedals in the recall and proposed the following remedy:
1. The shape of the accelerator pedal will be reconfigured to address the risk of floor mat entrapment, even when an older-design all-weather floor mat or other inappropriate floor mat is improperly attached, or is placed on top of another floor mat. For the ES350, Camry, and Avalon models involved, the shape of the floor surface underneath will also be reconfigured to increase the space between the accelerator pedal and the floor.
2. Vehicles with any genuine Toyota or Lexus accessory all-weather floor mat will be provided with newly-designed replacement driver- and front passenger-side all-weather floor mats.
In addition, as a separate measure independent of the vehicle-based remedy, Toyota will install a brake override system onto the involved Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES 350, IS350 and IS 250 models as an extra measure of confidence. This system cuts engine power in case of simultaneous application of both the accelerator and brake pedals.
Toyota Electronic Throttle Control To Blame?
Toyota denied that it even had a sudden acceleration problem for more than five years. Even when Toyota acknowledge there could be a problem, it did so by making "inaccurate and misleading" statements about the safety of Toyota vehicles and received a strong public rebuke from the regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The findings from the independent investigators at the San Diego County Sheriff's Department further bolster the findings of independent safety experts that the Toyota electronic throttle -- not floor mats -- is to blame for these unintended acceleration events.
Sean Kane, an Independent safety expert of Safety Research & Strategies, has identified more than 2,100 Toyota sudden acceleration events. Many of these events occurred in vehicles with no floor mats at all.
Consumer Reports also confirmed that many of the sudden acceleration events occurred in vehicles with no floor mats stating "There was something else, outside the cabin, that was causing the problem."
While Toyota initially tried to blame the accelerator troubles on a floor mat issue, it became evident that this was not simply a floor mat problem. Independent safety experts continue to point to Toyota's electronic throttle controls, not the floor mats, as the source of the sudden acceleration defect.
Additional Runaway Toyota Recall Information Released:
Should the vehicle continue to accelerate rapidly after releasing the accelerator pedal, this could be an indication of floor mat interference. If this occurs, Toyota recommends the driver take the following actions:
-First, if it is possible and safe to do so, pull back the floor mat and dislodge it from the accelerator pedal; then pull over and stop the vehicle.
-If the vehicle is equipped with an Engine Start/Stop button, firmly and steadily push the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine. Do NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop button.
-If the vehicle is equipped with a conventional key-ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC position to turn off the engine. Do NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the steering wheel.
Toyota announced an additional recall of 2.3 million vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals. The recall was announced on January 21, 2010, after ABC News informed the company that the latest in a long series of ABC News investigative reports into sudden unexplained acceleration in Toyotas was about to air.
Safety expert Sean Kane tells ABC News that since last fall, when Toyota said it had solved the acceleration problem with proposed changes to gas pedals and a recall of 4.2 million cars with suspect floor mats, more than 60 new cases of runaway Toyotas have been reported. He believes this latest recall may still not be a complete fix of a problem that continues to be linked with serious accidents and deaths.
In the most tragic incident, on the day after Christmas, four people died in Southlake, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, when a 2008 Toyota sped off the road, through a fence and landed upside down in a pond. The car's floor mats were found in the trunk of the car, where owners had been advised to put them as part of the recall.
"There's one thing that didn't cause the accident," said Southlake police spokesman Lt. Ben Brown.
Federal safety investigators have joined in the investigation, according to Lt. Brown.
Toyota executives had insisted in November that the recall of the floor mats in certain models and a proposed redesign of the accelerator pedal would fix the problem.
Reports of possible electronic problems or on-board computer glitches were strongly denied by the Toyota executives. "There is no evidence to support these theories," said Bob Daly, a Toyota executive.
But the continued reports of runaway Toyotas since the November recall have shaken the company's firm denials.
In another case, in New Jersey, a Toyota owner was able to make it to a local dealer with his car racing out of control, even though his foot was not on the gas pedal and the floor mats were not involved.
Kevin Haggerty, a salesman from Pittstown, New Jersey, said he had seen an ABCNews.com report about how to control a car experiencing unexpected acceleration -- by shifting into neutral.
With his brakes smoking, and the engine racing, Haggerty summoned a Toyota manager to witness what was happening with his car.
Haggerty says after consulting with Toyota, the local dealer replaced the gas pedal and throttle and their sensors.
'A Real Breakthrough Case'
"We now have that evidence right in front of Toyota, they're witnessing it and they can't walk away from it," said safety analyst Kane, who is with the private firm Safety Research & Strategies .
"The Haggerty case is a real breakthrough case," he said. "It's a real problem and it points to electronic defects in the vehicle."
Dozens of other Toyota owners had made similar claims about electronic problems with their cars, unconnected to floor mates, over the last few years, but they were routinely dismissed by Toyota as unfounded.
The recall, announced Thursday, 01/21/2010, affects the RAV4, Corolla, and Matrix models from 2009 and 2010, Avalons from model years 2005 to 2010, Camrys from 2007 to 2010, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007 to 2010 Tundra and the 2008 to 2010 Sequoias. About 1.7 million of the vehicles cited are also affected by the earlier recall.
The company says this action is separate from fall's recall of 4.2 million cars to replace floor mats and alter accelerator pedals. The company had blamed floor mats for many of the acceleration incidents. An ABC News investigation, however, found that many drivers and safety experts rejected this explanation, asking instead if there was an issue with the electronic components that control acceleration.
Toyota says the recall of the "sticking gas pedals" covers Haggerty's problem, but he says his gas pedal was never stuck.
In its statements, Toyota does not claim the "sticking gas pedal" recall is a complete fix and says it will continue to investigate other incidents of unwanted acceleration, including those cited by ABC News.
If you or a loved one have been injured or suffered a loss due to a recalled Toyota floor mat you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the Toyota Floor Mat Recall Lawyers of Ennis & Ennis, P.A. today by filling out the form on this page or calling toll-free: 1-800-856-6405. Nationwide Free Case Evaluations.
