Post by TonyV on Nov 25, 2009 14:29:48 GMT -5
Last Updated: November 25. 2009 2:12PM
Toyota to fix 4M gas pedals in mass recall
Christine Tierney and David Shepardson / The Detroit News
Toyota Motor Corp. will reconfigure the gas pedal on 4 million vehicles it is recalling to prevent loose mats from trapping it and causing unintended acceleration, the company and U.S. safety regulators said Wednesday.
Toyota also will install a brake override system on some of the models as "an extra measure of confidence," they said. That system, which stops the car from acceleration if there's any pressure on the brake, will be applied eventually across the entire model range, Toyota officials said.
The Japanese automaker has been under enormous pressure to respond to hundreds of reports of unintended acceleration of Toyota and Lexus vehicles in recent years.
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Toyota announced the recall, the largest in its history, a month after a highly publicized crash in August of a Lexus sedan that killed all four occupants. One of the passengers called moments before the crash to say the driver could not stop the vehicle. A mat was found jammed near the pedal in the car's wreckage.
The issue is damaging for Toyota, which has stumbling through a series of missteps and misfortunes. It is also recalling prior-generation Tundra trucks to replace corroded parts.
The recall to fix the pedals covers some of Toyota's biggest sellers. It is recalling 2007-2010 model year Camry cars, 2005-2010 Avalons, 2004-2009 Priuses, and 2005-2010 Tacoma and 2007-2010 Tundra trucks.
Toyota also is recalling2007-2010 Lexus ES 350, 2006-2010 IS 250 and 2006-2010 IS 350 cars.
The recall was expanded to 4 million vehicles from 3.8 million to cover additional sales since it was announced in early October.
Toyota dealers initially will shorten the pedals and remove a layer of foam under the carpeting, replacing it with a thinner layer to expand the space between the pedal and the floor.
Its engineers will develop new pedals, which are expected to become available in April. They will be installed even on vehicles with modified pedals.
Toyota also will replace all-weather mats with new ones.
The most far-reaching measure is the decision, advocated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to install a failsafe system that would stop the vehicle from accelerating if pressure is applied to the brakes.
"NHTSA is particularly pleased that Toyota is taking this additional step," the agency said in a statement.
Such a measure is now available mainly on German premium cars.
"This cuts engine power in case of simultaneous pressure on both the accelerator and brake pedals," said Toyota spokesman Irv Miller.
Toyota rejected speculation from safety advocates that the problem might be due to a flaw in the electronic systems -- and NHTSA also has found no defect in several investigations in Toyota's electronic throttle control.
Miller said no evidence had been found to suggest an electronic system or throttle was a factor in the incidents reported. "We're very confident we've addressed this issue," he said.
The brake override system will be installed on the Camry, Avalon and Lexus ES 350, IS 350 and IS 250 models initally.
"We believe that brake override system will add that extra safety measure," Miller said. "All future products will get the safety override feature."
Toyota officials would not disclose the cost of the recall.
NHTSA said the company would notify customers on a rolling basis, starting with owners of the ES 350, Camry and Avalon vehicles. In the meantime, it urged owners again to take out removable driver's side mats and not replace them until their vehicles had been checked by a dealer.
Toyota will start making the changes to the recalled vehicles early in 2010, perhaps in January.
ctierney@detnews.com
(313) 222 1463
Toyota to fix 4M gas pedals in mass recall
Christine Tierney and David Shepardson / The Detroit News
Toyota Motor Corp. will reconfigure the gas pedal on 4 million vehicles it is recalling to prevent loose mats from trapping it and causing unintended acceleration, the company and U.S. safety regulators said Wednesday.
Toyota also will install a brake override system on some of the models as "an extra measure of confidence," they said. That system, which stops the car from acceleration if there's any pressure on the brake, will be applied eventually across the entire model range, Toyota officials said.
The Japanese automaker has been under enormous pressure to respond to hundreds of reports of unintended acceleration of Toyota and Lexus vehicles in recent years.
Advertisement
Toyota announced the recall, the largest in its history, a month after a highly publicized crash in August of a Lexus sedan that killed all four occupants. One of the passengers called moments before the crash to say the driver could not stop the vehicle. A mat was found jammed near the pedal in the car's wreckage.
The issue is damaging for Toyota, which has stumbling through a series of missteps and misfortunes. It is also recalling prior-generation Tundra trucks to replace corroded parts.
The recall to fix the pedals covers some of Toyota's biggest sellers. It is recalling 2007-2010 model year Camry cars, 2005-2010 Avalons, 2004-2009 Priuses, and 2005-2010 Tacoma and 2007-2010 Tundra trucks.
Toyota also is recalling2007-2010 Lexus ES 350, 2006-2010 IS 250 and 2006-2010 IS 350 cars.
The recall was expanded to 4 million vehicles from 3.8 million to cover additional sales since it was announced in early October.
Toyota dealers initially will shorten the pedals and remove a layer of foam under the carpeting, replacing it with a thinner layer to expand the space between the pedal and the floor.
Its engineers will develop new pedals, which are expected to become available in April. They will be installed even on vehicles with modified pedals.
Toyota also will replace all-weather mats with new ones.
The most far-reaching measure is the decision, advocated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to install a failsafe system that would stop the vehicle from accelerating if pressure is applied to the brakes.
"NHTSA is particularly pleased that Toyota is taking this additional step," the agency said in a statement.
Such a measure is now available mainly on German premium cars.
"This cuts engine power in case of simultaneous pressure on both the accelerator and brake pedals," said Toyota spokesman Irv Miller.
Toyota rejected speculation from safety advocates that the problem might be due to a flaw in the electronic systems -- and NHTSA also has found no defect in several investigations in Toyota's electronic throttle control.
Miller said no evidence had been found to suggest an electronic system or throttle was a factor in the incidents reported. "We're very confident we've addressed this issue," he said.
The brake override system will be installed on the Camry, Avalon and Lexus ES 350, IS 350 and IS 250 models initally.
"We believe that brake override system will add that extra safety measure," Miller said. "All future products will get the safety override feature."
Toyota officials would not disclose the cost of the recall.
NHTSA said the company would notify customers on a rolling basis, starting with owners of the ES 350, Camry and Avalon vehicles. In the meantime, it urged owners again to take out removable driver's side mats and not replace them until their vehicles had been checked by a dealer.
Toyota will start making the changes to the recalled vehicles early in 2010, perhaps in January.
ctierney@detnews.com
(313) 222 1463
