TOYOTA RECALLS 3.8 MILLION VEHICLES IN THE US
The Associated Press has reported that Toyota will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the United States. Toyota and the U.S. government have warned owners of Toyota and Lexus vehicles about safety problems linked to removable floor mats that could interfere with the vehicle's accelerator and cause a crash.
Toyota admitted that it had been receiving complaints from consumers about uncontrollable acceleration due to the floor mats dating back to 2004. The company was moved recently to act on the complaints because of an accident in San Diego last month where a man and three passengers were killed in a high-speed crash of a Lexus ES sedan. Before the crash, the driver called 911 to report that his gas pedal was stuck causing his car to go 120 mph. Investigators are currently trying to determine whether the driver's floor mat actually caused or contributed to the accident.
This is the Japanese company's largest recall ever in the U.S. The company claims it will be the largest recall in its history. The recall will affect 2007-2010 model year Toyota Camry, 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon, 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra, 2007-2010 Lexus ES350 and 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350.
More information about the recall should be forthcoming in the near future. However, in the meantime, owners of these vehicles should remove the floor mats on the driver's side and not replace them.
