TOYOTA SUDDEN ACCELERATION RECALL
On January 21, 2010, Toyota recalled 2.3 million U.S. vehicles due to a sudden acceleration danger. This recall is in addition to 3.7 million vehicles recalled by Toyota in late 2009. The January 2010 Toyota recall is due to problems with the gas pedal mechanism, which can cause the accelerator to become stuck. The gas pedal mechanism may become worn, increasing the difficulty of pressing the accelerator, making it slower to return or, in some cases, causing it to stick entirely.
The January 2010 Toyota recall includes the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has called the Toyota acceleration problem “a serious safety issue.”
In September 2009, Toyota announced a recall of 3.8 million vehicles to prevent a sudden acceleration caused by floor mats. The 2009 recall affects the following Toyota models: the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2004-2009 Prius, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2005-2010 Tacoma and the 2007-2010 Tundra, as well as the 2007-2010 Lexus ES 350 and the 2006-2010 Lexus IS 250 and IS 350. |
Has Toyota Identified the Reason Why Its Cars Are Suddenly Accelerating and Crashing? |
More than 1,000 Toyota and Lexus owners have reported since 2001 that their vehicles suddenly accelerated on their own. The crashes resulted in at least 19 deaths and scores of injuries over the last decade. The number of accidents may be far higher, as a 2007 NHTSA survey of 600 Lexus owners that found that 10% complained they had experienced sudden acceleration. The types of sudden-acceleration complaints included many types of incidents unrelated to the floor mat, such as when drivers said they were unable to stop runaway cars using their brakes, incidents of unintended acceleration lasting more than a few seconds, and acceleration during use of the cruise control which could not be stopped by braking. On January 21, 2009, Toyota said the problem may not be the result of shifting floor mats. Instead, Toyota said the accelerator pedal may become stuck due to condensation build-up on sliding surfaces in the accelerator system that helps drivers push down or release the gas pedal. The automaker has stated that it does not yet have a solution to this problem but is working to develop one. Bohrer & Lukeman, together with our affiliate firms is researching multiple fatal accidents involving Toyota and Lexus cars. Persons injured in accidents involving Toyota and Lexus vehicles that suddenly accelerated who would like to learn more about their legal rights are welcome to contact us at abe@flightinjury.com or calling us at 1-888-738-8539 |