Toyota - Lexus Floor Mat Recall - Stuck Accelerator Pedal Lawsuit News
Toyota may shorten gas pedals in acceleration recall
-ConsumerReports
11/17/2009 - Toyota will reportedly offer to shorten gas pedals in up to four million of its vehicles, following the company’s largest recall in history for unintended acceleration. This latest solution, following a recall last month asking owners to remove the floor mats in their vehicles, was reported by the Kyodo News and further covered by Reuters.
In a Consumer Reports interview, Toyota Communications Manager for Safety and Quality Brian Lyons called the reports “unsubstantiated.” He said, “We are still developing vehicle-based remedies and still in open discussions with NHTSA, but we’re not ready to announce anything.”
After the floor mat recall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) insisted that Toyota do more to address the design flaws in the vehicle that were contributing to the problem. Such criticisms included designs that NHTSA says make it difficult for drivers to stop the car in the event of unintended acceleration.
In the 1980s, Audi found itself scrutinized for a series of unintended acceleration incidents. Its recall solution was to move the gas and brake pedals farther apart and to install the first brake-shift-interlock, a device that prevents the transmission from being shifted out of park unless the brake pedal is depressed.
Toyota has blamed floor mats getting stuck and jamming the accelerator pedals to the floor in some accidents. If this is a primary cause for the reported sudden acceleration complaints, raising the gas pedal higher off the floor (up toward the driver’s toes) may help alleviate that problem. However, NHTSA said that the investigation into the cause(s) isn’t over.
If you or a loved one have been injured or suffered a loss due to a jammed accelerator pedal or a recalled Toyota floor mat you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the Toyota-Lexus Recall Lawyers of Ennis & Ennis, P.A. for a free case evaluation by filling out the form on this page or calling toll-free: 1-800-856-6405. Our experienced attorneys can answer any questions you may have about the Toyota Floor Mat Recall or Toyota Lawsuit.
