Privacy Policy

Mobile, Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer Blog | Long & Waite

Friday, January 22, 2010

Another Toyota Recall

In December 2009, near Dallas, a Toyota Avalon driver lost control of the car, sped off the road through a fence, then hit a tree and landed upside down in a pond. This car accident killed the driver and his three passengers. The Toyota was a 2008 model, one of those recalled recently because of the gas pedal becoming stuck under the driver's side floor mat.

The Previous Recall

This space discussed the previous Toyota recall on November 5 and November 30, 2009. At first Toyota officials thought the problem was with inappropriate floor mats. Then they announced that they would replace the gas pedals of 3.8 million recalled cars beginning in April 2010. Toyota dealers began shortening the gas pedals, removing some of the padding beneath the gas pedal, and installing brake-override systems.

Defective gas pedals

In the Dallas accident, police found the floor mats in the car's trunk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been investigating this incident, and a similar one in New Jersey, and Toyota has conducted its own investigation.

The current recall involves another 2.3 million cars where Toyota has found a defect in the gas pedal mechanism. It is not related to floor mats.

"Our investigation indicates that there is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position," stated Irv Miller, a vice president of Toyota Motors Sales U.S.A.

Toyota sent a letter to U.S. federal safety officials this past week, explaining that the problem seemed to be one of condensation potentially building up on sliding surfaces in the accelerator system. These surfaces help the driver push or release the gas pedal.

Models included in this new recall are:

  • 2005-10 Avalon;
  • 2007-10 Camry and Tundra;
  • 2008-10 Sequoia;
  • 2009-10 RAV4,
  • Corolla and Matrix; and the
  • 2010 Highlander.

If you drive any of these models and find the gas pedal becoming stuck, Toyota recommends that you do not pump the brakes, but press firmly on the brake pedal, park in a safe place, and contact the nearest Toyota dealer.

There are many causes of car accidents, mostly stemming from driver negligence one way or another. The public does not need any additional causes stemming from manufacturer negligence or error.

If you have been harmed by any type of defective product, you may have a valid legal claim and one of our defective product attorneys could help. Please contact our law office today for a free case review.

posted by JennyK at 11:42 AM