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These are the vehicles affected by Toyota’s accelerator pedal recall issued in January 2010:
Toyota
- 2009-2010 RAV4
- 2009-2010 Corolla
- 2009-2010 Matrix
- 2005-2010 Avalon
- Certain 2007-2010 Camrys
- 2010 Highlander
- 2007-2010 Tundra
- 2008-2010 Sequoia
These are the vehicles affected by Toyota’s floor mat recall issued in September 2009:
Toyota
- 2007-2010 Camry
- 2005-2010 Avalon
- 2004-2009 Prius
- 2005-2010 Tacoma
- 2007-2010 Tundra
- 2008-2010 Highlander
- 2009-2010 Corolla
- 2009-2010 Venza
- 2009-2010 Matrix
Lexus
- 2006-2010 IS 250
- 2006-2010 IS 350
- 2007-2010 ES 350
Toyota Class Action Lawsuit
Are you an owner of a Toyota vehicle that has been named in one of the many recalls issued for unintended acceleration problems or braking problems? Have you or a loved one been injured as a result of an accident caused by a Toyota car or truck that sped out of control due to a sudden acceleration incident or the inability to stop? In either of these cases, you may be eligible to join our Toyota class action lawsuit.
According to media reports, Toyota began receiving an increased number of unintended acceleration reports around 2002. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Toyota registered many more reports of sudden acceleration in its 2008 model-year vehicles than any other carmaker. Yet Toyota has been slow to respond to these reports, putting the lives of countless Toyota owners and passengers at risk. Numerous lives have been lost because of Toyota's foot dragging. Joining our Toyota class action lawsuit is one way you can help to make sure Toyota is held accountable for putting these dangerous cars and trucks on the road.
Toyota Sudden Acceleration
Consumer advocates have been highly critical of Toyota's response to reports of unintended acceleration. Toyota has blamed the problems on everything from driver error to faulty floor mats. Most recently, Toyota told government officials that it thinks a friction problem in its accelerator pedal mechanisms may make the pedal "harder to depress, slower to return, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position." But a statement by its supplier, CTS Corp., said that the friction problem accounts for fewer than a dozen cases of stuck accelerators, "and in no instance did the accelerator actually become stuck in a partially depressed condition."
The problems and recalls, as well as the way they've been handled, have shocked many Toyota customers, especially in light of the carmakers' past reputation for quality. But a Japanese analyst told The New York Times in January that the issue did not surprise some industry insiders, who felt Toyota's recent rapid growth could have an adverse impact on quality. There had been fears that the company was becoming "seriously outstretched" and "lacked the human resources and production capacity" for expansion efforts it had undertaken in recent years, the analyst said.
What has also been shocking is Toyota's slow response to a safety issue that has put it customers' lives at risk, and has already killed several. Some lawsuits allege Toyota has for years ignored reports of sudden acceleration. When it announced a round of recalls in January 2010, Toyota even admitted it learned of problems with accelerator-pedal assemblies from supplier CTS in late 2009, but said they were not enough to warrant a recall.
Toyota Prius/Lexus Hybrid Recall
On February 8, 2010, Toyota recalled more than 400,000 hybrid vehicles, including the 2010 Prius and the Lexus HS250h, to fix their breaks. The NHTSA said it had opened an investigation into the 2010 Prius relating to reports of momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over an uneven road surface, pothole or bump. The NHTSA said it had received 124 reports from consumers, including four reports alleging that crashes occurred. A week after the recall was announced, complaints spiked, with the NHTSA now logging a total of 1,120 complaints alleging 34 crashes and six injuries involving Prius brakes.
Toyota Sudden Acceleration Recalls
Toyota first acknowledged a sudden acceleration problem in September 2009, when it warned its customers to remove the floor mats from their vehicles because of the potential for them to trap the accelerator. In October it recalled 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles in the U.S. because of the floor mat issue. That recall was expanded to include a total of 4.2 million vehicles in November 2009. Finally, another 1.09 million models were added to the floor mat recall in January 2010.
The floor mat recall came after a highly-publicized accident involving the sudden acceleration of a 2009 Lexus ES 350 which took the lives of an off-duty California Highway Patrol Officer and three members of his family. As the vehicle sped out of control, the family desperately called 911, and they can be heard on the 911 tapes asking each other to pray only seconds before their deaths.
But even after that recall, Toyota and federal safety officials continued to receive reports of unintended acceleration and stuck pedals even in cases where the floor mats had been removed. One of the most serious incidents occurred just after Christmas, when four people were killed after the Toyota they were in sped out of control and crashed into a pond. Investigators found the vehicle's floor mats had already been removed.
On January 21, 2010, the company recalled 2.3 million Toyota vehicles in the U.S. because the accelerator pedal can stick, causing unintended acceleration. The automaker maintained that the accelerator pedal issue was not related to the floor mat recall, although about 1.7 million of the vehicles are also involved in both recalls. Models involved are the 2009-2010 RAV4, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2005-2010 Avalon, certain 2007-2010 Camrys, 2010 Highlander, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2008-2010 Sequoia. A week later, Toyota suspended production and sales of those models, and the recall was expanded to include vehicles in China and Europe.
Even after it announced the January 2010 recalls, Toyota did not have a fix ready for the sudden acceleration problem. The company advised drivers who experience sudden acceleration to depress the brake firmly and steadily. The brakes should not be pumped repeatedly because it could deplete vacuum assist, requiring stronger brake pedal pressure. Drivers who have not had a problem should wait for the company to develop a remedy before visiting their dealer, Toyota said.
Since Toyota issued the January recall, complaints to the NHTSA involving Toyota vehicles and unintended acceleration have increased. The agency has now received more than 2,000 complaints of sudden, unintended acceleration with Toyota and Lexus vehicles that involve 34 deaths and hundreds of accidents.
Legal Help for Toyota Recall Victims
It is unconscionable that Toyota allowed problems with unintended acceleration to go unaddressed for so long. The carmaker's slow response has resulted in lost lives and serious injuries. Toyota must be made to pay for its despicable behavior.
If you or a loved one were injured in a Toyota unintended acceleration accident, or you have been unable to use your Toyota vehicle because of these recalls, you have valuable legal rights. Please fill out our online form or call 1 800 LAW INFO (1-800-529-4636) to discuss joining our Toyota class action lawsuit today.
