Toyota Recall

The recalled Toyota Gas Pedal may be at the center of numerous single and multi- vehicle auto accidents across the United States over the last five years.

When a company, like Toyota manufactures a dangerously defective product, Americans expect that company to take immediate action to correct the flaw in order to protect its customers. Unfortunately, some companies wait to take corrective measures until forced to do so or have no other alternative but to come clean and announce that they have a problem.

According to the L.A. Times, see LA Times article, after over 1,000 incidents of uncontrollable acceleration resulting in numerous accidents and even 19 fatalities since model year 2002 were confirmed, Toyota finally came clean and announced a National Recall of 8 of its Toyota Models.

If you or a loved one have experienced uncontrollable acceleration in your Toyota or Lexus vehicle, call our Law Firm at 800-862-1260. Our lawyers will speak with you for free and without obligation. The personal injury lawyers at Carabin Shaw have protected the injured for 18 years. Let us put our experience to work for you.

It has now been confirmed that Lexis and Toyota vehicles can suddenly and without warning accelerate and in some case crash into other vehicles or leave the roadway. And now Toyota Motor Corporation has confirmed that it will attempt to modify and/or replace potentially defective gas pedals on 4.26 million cars and trucks in order to solve this catastrophic problem. Toyota initially announced the recall in September of 2009 and then finally notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the problem with the Gas Pedal on October 5, 2009.

Toyota decided to formalize the recall after a tragic accident that took the lives of a California Highway Patrolman and his entire family. At that time, the company declared that only 3.8 million vehicles would be recalled. According to Toyota, the vehicles that are being recalled will be modified in order to prevent floor mats from jamming underneath the gas pedal causing the car to accelerate uncontrollably.

Additionally, Toyota announced that many of the recalled vehicles will be fitted with a brake over-ride system which will allow the brake pedal to override the gas pedal if both are pressed simultaneously. This is in response to numerous claims involving sudden acceleration while cruise control was engaged. Drivers maintained that their brakes were unable to stop their vehicles. Toyota intends to standardize the brake over-ride feature for all Toyota and Lexus vehicles beginning in January of 2010 while replacement pedals for existing vehicles will not be available until April of 2010.

The models affected by the sudden acceleration problem include:

• Toyota Avalon (model year 2005-2010)
• Toyota Camry (model year 2007-2010)
• Toyota Prius (model year 2004-2009)
• Toyota Tacoma (model year 2005-2010)
• Toyota Tundra (model year 2007-2010)
• Lexus ES 350 (model year 2007-2010)
• Lexus IS 250 (model year 2006-2010)
• Lexus IS 350 (model year 2006-2010)

Until you have your Toyota vehicle properly repaired, you could be at risk for uncontrollable acceleration. If in the past, you or a loved one have experienced a sudden acceleration loss in your vehicle call our Law Firm at 800-862-1260.

And according an information release by Toyota, if you think your vehicle is accelerating out of control, you should check to see if the floor mat is lodged under the pedal. If the mat cannot be removed, Toyota advises drivers to press on the brake pedal with both feet until the car or truck slows and then attempt to place the vehicle in neutral and turn the ignition switch to accessory power only. And if your car is fitted with a start/stop button, the automaker stated that the engine may be shut off by pressing and holding the button for three seconds.

If you or a loved one have experienced a sudden acceleration loss in your vehicle call our Law Firm at 800-862-1260. Our lawyers will speak with you for free and without obligation.