Telephone: 1-850-444-9500 | Toll Free: 1-888-839-3775
LIST OF RECALLED VEHICLES
SUDDEN ACCELERATION:
- 2009-2010 RAV4 (if VIN begins with "J" model is not part of recall)
- 2009-2010 Corolla (if VIN begins with "J" model is not part of recall)
- 2009-2010 Matrix
- 2005-2010 Avalon
- 2007-2010 Camry (hybrid models and models with VIN beginning with "J" not in recall)
- 2008-2010 Highlander (hybrid models and models with VIN beginning with "J" not in recall)
- 2007-2010 Tundra
- 2008-2010 Sequoia
FLOOR MAT ENTRAPMENT:
- 2008-2010 Highlander
- 2009-2010 Corolla
- 2009-2010 VENZA
- 2009-2010 Matrix
- 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe
- 2007-2010 Toyota Camry
- 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon
- 2004-2009 Toyota Prius
- 2005-2010 Toyota Tacoma
- 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra
- 2007-2010 Lexus ES350
- 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350
DEFECTIVE BRAKES:
- 2010 Toyota Prius
- 2010 Lexus HS 250h
- Toyota Sai (sold almost exclusively in Japan)
- 2010 Toyota Camry (4 cylinder)
TOYOTA FAILED TO REPORT PEDAL DEFECT
April 3, 2010. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced that it is seeking the maximum possible fine of $16.375 million against Toyota. The fine is being sought for Toyota's failure to notify safety officials about their known sticking pedals within the mandated five business day period. Federal laws require manufacturers to notify NHTSA within five business days of a known safety defect - an act Toyota failed to do by at least four months. According to documents obtained by NHTSA during congressional hearings, Toyota knew of the pedal defect at least as early as September 29, 2009, but failed to notify NHTSA until January, 2010.
NASA AND NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES INVESTIGATION
March 2010. The prestigious National Academy of Sciences - an independent body using top scientific experts - will examine the broad subject of unintended acceleration and electronic vehicle controls across the entire automotive industry. Separately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is the Department of Transportation's auto safety agency, has enlisted NASA engineers with expertise in areas such as computer controlled electronic systems, electromagnetic interference and software integrity to help tackle the issue of unintended vehicle acceleration in Toyotas.
The National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council will examine the broad subject of unintended acceleration and electronic vehicle controls across the entire industry over the course of 15 months. Thiswill not be limited to Toyota, but will cover all manufacturers. A panel of experts will review industry and government efforts to identify possible sources of unintended acceleration, including electronic vehicle controls, human error, mechanical failure and interference with accelerator systems. The experts will look at software, computer hardware design, electromagnetic compatibility and electromagnetic interference. The panel will make recommendations to NHTSA on how its rulemaking, research and defect investigation activities may help ensure the safety of electronic control systems in motor vehicles.
The NHTSA review of the electronic throttle control systems in Toyotas is to be completed by late summer. NHTSA has brought in NASA engineers and other experts in subjects such as electromagnetic compatibility as part of a shorter-term review of the systems used in Toyota vehicles to determine whether they contain any possible flaws that would warrant a defect investigation. NASA's expertise in electronics, hardware, software, hazard analysis and complex problem solving ensures this review will be comprehensive. Currently there are nine experts from NASA assisting NHTSA, and additional personnel will join the team if needed.
TOYOTA DOCUMENTS SUBPOENAED
February 22, 2010. The Southern District of New York served a federal grand jury subpoena on Toyota for documents relating to the unintended acceleration and other safety issues of its vehicles and braking systems. The subpoena opens the door to criminal prosecution and large fines for the Japanese company. The automaker also received a request and a subpoena for similar documents from the Los Angeles office of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
DOCUMENTS: EVIDENCE OF "PROFITS OVER SAFETY?"
February 21, 2010. Documents produced in advance of the appearance of Toyota's president, Akio Toyoda, before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, may be just the tip of the iceberg in what appears to be corporate misconduct on the part of Toyota. In one document, Yoshi Inaba, Toyota's top North America executive, boasted of saving the company $100 million by negotiating a limited equipment recall for Toyota Camry and Lexus ES cars regarding the unintended acceleration problem. The document also boasted that the company was able to negotiate a "no defect found" status on the sudden acceleration issue. This was shortly before the California Highway Patrol Officer and his family was killed when he lost control of his vehicle due to sudden acceleration.
Earlier this month, Toyota Executive Vice-President Shinichi Sasaki offered advice to drivers who encounter a sudden acceleration emergency--Brake Harder.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: "STOP DRIVING" RECALLED TOYOTAS
February 3, 2010. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told lawmakers Wednesday that Toyota owners should stop driving cars affected by the recall and bring them back to the company. "My advice is if anyone owns one of these vehicles stop driving it and take it to a Toyota dealer because they (Toyota) believe they have a fix for it," LaHood told a House committee. LaHood apparently came under attack for the statement as a short time later he clarified that he recommends consumers take their vehicles to a Toyota dealership if they are at all concerned about the performance of their vehicles.
LaHood did not go so far as to say that the automaker should initiate some sort of "buy-back" program on the hazardous vehicles despite the fact that NHTSA is now investigating Toyotas not just for problems with gas pedals, but for also for problems with the vehicles' electrical systems. NHTSA is looking at the possibility that electromagnetic interference might somehow be causing Toyota's electronic throttle control systems to malfunction according to LaHood.
ROLLOVER WARNING FOR 2010 LEXUS GX 460
April 13, 2010. Adding to Toyota's growing list of problems, Consumer Reports has issued a safety warning on Toyota's 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV because of an increased rollover risk during a turn. The magazine says it uncovered the problem during routine tests, and is urging car shoppers not to buy the GX 460 until this problem has been remedied. While Toyota has not yet issued a recall of the vehicles, the special designation given to the GX 460 by Consumer Reports -- "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" -- is rarely given by the magazine. The last time it was used was in 2001, on the Mitsubishi Montero Limited. Reports indicate only 5,000 vehicles are affected by this special warning.
Consumer Reports said the Lexus problem occurred during tests on its track. In a standard test, the driver approached a turn unusually fast, then released the accelerator pedal to simulate the response of an alarmed driver. This caused the rear of the vehicle to slide outward. In normal cases, the electronic stability control should quickly correct the loss of control and keep the SUV on its intended path. But with the GX 460, the stability control took too long to adjust, which could cause a rollover accident if one of the sliding wheels were to strike the curb or another obstacle. The magazine said it is not aware of any reports of the GX 460 rolling over. It tested two separate vehicles, both of which experienced the problem, but neither rolled over.
Update: Toyota asked dealers to temporarily suspend sales of the new 2010 Lexus GX 460 after Consumer Reports issued a safety warning on the SUV. Toyota had said earlier the GX 460 "meets or exceeds all federal government testing requirements."
TOYOTA SUSPENDS SALES AND MANUFACTURE OF VEHICLES. MORE VEHICLES ADDED TO RECALL
January 2010. Accelerator Pedal Sticking in Absence of Floor Mat
Toyota Motor Corporation has finally stopped selling the models involved in the most recent recall of its vehicles suspected of having defective accelerator pedals. The company is also halting production at some U.S. and Canadian assembly plants beginning in early February "to assess and coordinate activities." However, the suspension of sales was not an altruistic act by the Japanese automaker--Toyota had no choice but to stop selling the vehicles while it works out a way to fix what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has called "a dangerous accelerator pedal issue." Under federal regulations, an automaker is not allowed to sell a vehicle with a known safety defect.
The company has been addressing this issue for a number of years. Until January 2010, the automaker claimed the problem was the result of floor mats becoming "entrapped" causing the accelerator pedal to stick. Consumers were told to simply remove the floor mats and that would fix the problem. Toyota's current stance is that the past "floor mat entrapment" problems are totally unrelated to this most recent revelation/recall where accelerator pedals are sticking in the absence of floor mats.
The question that needs to be answered, and quickly, is why did Toyota continue to sell these potentially defective vehicles without warning consumers? What information does the company have confirming that these really are two separate and distinct safety issues and when did it first become aware of accelerator sticking in the absence of a floor mat? The company should disclose to consumers what and when it knew about these hazardous conditions as it continued to sell millions of the vehicles to the public-the same public who are now owners of vehicles they are afraid to drive.
On February 16, 2010, NHTSA demanded documents from Toyota to determine if the automaker conducted its recent recalls in a timely manner. Unfortunately, it will take quite some time to review the enormous amount of documents. This does not help consumers whose faith in the safety of driving their vehicles has been shaken.
PRIUS RECALL: TOYOTA HID BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH PRIUS
FEBRUARY 2010. Toyota's actions in connection with the stuck accelerator are becoming more suspect in light of recent revelations regarding the latest safety concerns over Toyota vehicles--brake failure. Investigations have shown that Toyota knew about brake problems in the Prius and even changed its production in new vehicles to fix the problem with the anti-lock braking system in the 2010 Prius models. However, the company failed to notify consumers who actually owned the defective vehicles that they were operating vehicles that were experiencing brake failure. Despite continued reports of brake failure, Prius drivers were kept in the dark about the hazardous condition of their vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun a formal investigation into the Toyota actions in connection with the brake failure. Toyota subsequently issued a recall on 150,000 additional vehicles, including the Toyota Prius and Sai, along with the Lexus HS250h due to the potential for brake failure in rough or slick road conditions.
Confusion is apparently as rampant on the brake failure issue as it has been on the sudden acceleration issue. The company has now issued yet another brake failure recall, this one involving over 7,000 2010 Camry 4-cylinder model vehicles which are also reported to be experiencing brake failure. The automaker claims that the Camry brake failure involves a power steering hose rubbing a front brake tube which could lead to a hole in the brake tube and a brake fluid leak.
Toyota Executive Vice-President Shinichi Sasaki did offer advice to drivers while the company ponders the problem: Brake Harder.
NHTSA: POTENTIAL DEFECT IN COROLLA STEERING
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into possible steering defects in 2009 and 2010 Toyota Corolla vehicles. Complaints from consumers include drifting at high speeds and severe vibrations in the steering wheel. Toyota acknowledged it was aware of the reports and is investigating the problem. The Corolla is Toyota's second most popular model, after the Camry. No recall has been announced.
TOYOTA CLAIMS DEFECT IDENTIFIED/REPAIRS TO BEGIN: Within days of the January recall, Toyota announced it had identified the cause of the sticking accelerators. The automaker says the problem "involves a friction device in the pedal designed to provide the proper 'feel' by adding resistance and making the pedal steady and stable. The device includes a shoe that rubs against an adjoining surface during normal pedal operation. Due to the materials used, wear and environmental conditions, these surfaces may, over time, begin to stick and release instead of operating smoothly. In some cases, friction could increase to a point that the pedal is slow to return to the idle position or, in rare cases, the pedal sticks, leaving the throttle partially open."
The company claims its engineers have identified the defect and will start repairing vehicles by reinforcing the pedal assembly to eliminate excess friction. Whether this is actually the cause of the problem remains to be seen. Other potential causes have been discussed, including electrical and sensor defects. Obviously it is crucial that the defect is properly identified and repaired before consumers feel they can safely operate their vehicles.
November 2009. Accelerator Pedal/Floor Mat Entrapment
On top of its newest revelation about the safety of its vehicles, the automaker added a new set of vehicles to its recall involving "floor mat entrapment." The larger recall in late 2009 has been expanded and now involves over 5 million vehicles. The vehicles added to the "floor mat entrapment" recall (gas pedals becoming trapped under floor mats, causing sudden acceleration) include:
- 2008-2010 Highlander
- 2009-2010 Corolla
- 2009-2010 VENZA
- 2009-2010 Matrix
- 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe*
* General Motors' Pontiac Vibe is included in the recall because the Vibe and Toyota's Matrix are similar vehicles that were produced under a partnership between the two companies
The vehicles previously recalled due to "floor mat entrapment" include:
- 2007-2010 Toyota Camry
- 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon
- 2004-2009 Toyota Prius
- 2005-2010 Toyota Tacoma
- 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra
- 2007-2010 Lexus ES350
- 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350
Floor mat entrapment was the cause of several crashes, including some fatalities. The company at that time advised consumers to simply remove the floor mats from their vehicles.
The November 2009 announcement: The maker of Lexus and Toyota vehicles has issued a recall for nearly 4 million of its vehicles following reports involving floor mats interfering with the accelerator pedal and causing the gas/accelerator pedal to become stuck in the full open position. Floor mats in the vehicles are causing the accelerator to become stuck, or forced-down, creating an extremely hazardous and potentially fatal situation.
This is an extremely "urgent matter" according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Owners are being told not to put the mats back in the vehicles. "A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death," said Toyota in its statement.
A California Highway Patrol officer and his family were killed in a recent crash which was potentially caused by the gas pedal sticking open.
Toyota faced this same problem a few years ago. The company recalled the floor mats in 2007, but the recall apparently was not effective at warning the public of the dangerous situation caused by the floor mats. Reports continued to be received of vehicles accelerating rapidly and uncontrollably even after the release of the accelerator pedal.
Until Toyota develops a remedy for this dangerous condition, it is asking owners of specific Toyota and Lexus models to take out any removable driver's floor mat and NOT replace it with any other floor mat. Models affected by the recall include:
- 2007-2010 Toyota Camry
- 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon
- 2004-2009 Toyota Prius
- 2005-2010 Toyota Tacoma
- 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra
- 2007-2010 Lexus ES350
- 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350
The Japanese automaker has yet to advise the public of its plan to insure consumers that the vehicles already sold and in use across the U.S. are safe to drive. The company's recommendation is to continue to use the potentially hazardous vehicles.
Toyota's Advice to Consumers if the accelerator pedal sticks:
Should the vehicle continue to accelerate rapidly after releasing the accelerator pedal, Toyota recommends the driver take the following actions if it is determined that the floor mat is interfering with the accelerator:
- 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 floor mat cannot be dislodged, then firmly and steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet. Do NOT pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort required to slow the vehicle;
- Shift the transmission gear selector to the Neutral (N) position and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road and turn off the engine. If unable to put the vehicle in Neutral, turn the engine OFF, or to ACC. This will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost;
- 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.
If you one or a loved one have been injured or otherwise damaged as a result of a defective automobile, please contact our automobile recall lawyers online or call our office toll free at 1-888-839-3775.
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Telephone: 1-850-444-9500 | Toll Free: 1-888-839-3775
