Toyota Recalls
Since September 2009, Toyota has recalled more than 8.5 million vehicles due to accelerator, brake and floor mat problems. Several deaths and numerous accidents have been linked to the manufacturing and software problems that prompted these recalls.
In January 2010, Toyota announced that it was issuing an accelerator pedal recall for approximately 2.3 million vehicles manufactured by the company. Toyota issued the recall notice due to problems with the accelerator pedals for several car models that could cause unintended acceleration and lead to car accidents. The company later announced that it was suspending sales of several models involved in the recall and halting production of these vehicles to correct accelerator pedal problems.
According to a press release announcing the recall, Toyota stated that a rubber shoe that is part of the accelerator pedal could begin to stick over time, causing the pedal to release too slowly or hold the car’s throttle in the accelerating position. The federal government has received hundreds of complaints relating to acceleration problems with Toyota and Lexus models in recent years.
In February 2010, Toyota recalled its 2010 Toyota Prius and Lexus hybrid models due to software problems with the vehicles’ anti-lock braking systems. Federal officials say that they have received more than 100 reports of brake problems with the popular hybrid models, including multiple crashes resulting in injuries. The Lexus and Prius recall followed an announcement that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was launching an investigation to determine the cause of the Toyota Prius brake problems.
Many of the Toyota models pulled because of potential accelerator pedal defects were also involved in a September 2009 recall of Toyota and Lexus vehicles due to floor mat problems. The company stated that floor mats in some Toyota and Lexus models could cause their accelerator pedals to become trapped in the accelerating position. Mats for more than 4 million vehicles were replaced as part of the Toyota floor mat recall.
According to a report published in the Los Angeles Times, many experts believe that acceleration problems with Toyota vehicles may be due to defects with the electronic throttles that control their rate of acceleration. Complaints about sudden acceleration in some Toyota models increased 20-times or more after these electronic throttles replaced older mechanical systems. Since 2002, Toyota vehicles accounted for more deaths caused by sudden acceleration than those of all other automakers combined. The federal government is currently investigating safety issues surrounding the electronic throttle systems in Toyota vehicles.
If you or a loved one were involved in a car accident that may have been caused by the accelerator pedal or floor mats in a Toyota or Lexus automobile, contact the law office of Hissey Kientz, LLP to learn more about your legal rights. You can reach us by calling toll-free at 1-866-275-4454, or by filling out a free case evaluation form to the right of this page.