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Toyota Recall Update
CNN Money reports that the number of Toyotas being
recalled now tops 5.3 million vehicles. Some of them are among America's
most popular cars. Here is what Toyota owners need to know as the
carmaker scrambles to find a fix for the problem.
Which cars are involved? This specific recall
affects Toyota's 2009-2010 RAV4, Corolla and Matrix models; the
2005-2010 Avalon; 2010 Highlander; 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010
Sequoia; and some 2007-2010 Camrys (only those with gas pedal assemblies
made by a specific Toyota supplier; your dealer can check). No Lexus
or Scion models are involved.
What's this recall for? Over time, gas pedals
in some of the recalled cars become sticky. At first, they just become a
little harder to push down and, when you lift your foot off the gas,
slower to come back up. In the worst case, the pedal on these cars can
become stuck part way down. That, of course, could mean the car keeps
accelerating, or just keeps going, even after you take the foot off the
gas. This recall is separate from an earlier recall, announced in
November, to fix a problem in which the gas pedal can get stuck in the
cars' removable floormat.
How's Toyota going to fix this? The automaker
is still working on a solution, which will involve replacing all or part
of the gas pedal assembly. It is working with the supplier on a new
pedal design that should solve the problem.
What, exactly, is causing this? A lever that is
part of the accelerator pedal assembly can become worn and begin to
stick. This is especially true if the part becomes moist, such as when
condensation occurs on a cold morning or, in some cases, if the vehicle
is parked in a humid place for a long period.
If there's no solution yet, and the car is
supposedly are safe to drive, why recall them now? Toyota says it
just wants to make Toyota owners aware of the issue so that if they
start having problems, they know what to do. Once Toyota finds a
solution, drivers will be notified and asked to bring their car to a
dealership for repair.
What if I notice problems? If your gas pedal
starts to feel sticky, stop driving immediately, Toyota says. Pull over
in a safe place, then call a dealer and have them come get your car.
What if the gas pedal is really stuck? If it's
stuck part way down, applying the brakes should be enough to slow the
car and bring it under control. Don't pump the brakes, though. That will
just weaken your power brakes. Instead, press and hold the brakes. Also,
at the same time, you can shift the transmission into neutral, which
will stop the engine from driving the wheels.
It's good to know what to do in cases like this no
matter what type of car you drive, said Jake Fisher, senior automotive
engineer for Consumer Reports magazine. Although even in cars affected
by this recall, it's a rare occurrence, he said, it can happen in almost
any car model as it gets older.
What if I'm not having any problems... yet?
Since the problem develops gradually over time, Toyota says, you should
have plenty of warning before the pedal gets really sticky. If you're
concerned, take your car to a Toyota dealer and they can tell if your
gas pedal is still OK. Remember, though, there is still no prescribed
remedy.
Beyond the recall, why stop making and selling all
these cars? Toyota says it wants to ensure the safety of its
customers and restore confidence in their brand. While that may well be
true, Toyota is also under a legal obligation to stop selling cars that
are under a recall, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.
Since Toyota still hasn't figured out a remedy for
this problem, a Toyota spokesman said, they had to stop production until
a fix could be found. Otherwise, Toyota would be filling dealer
inventories with cars that needed to be fixed and couldn't be sold until
they were.
What's all this about floor mats? This latest
recall is unrelated to an earlier, and still ongoing, recall of 4.2
million cars to fix a problem in which the gas pedal could get hung up
on the car's floor mats. Most of the cars -- 1.7 million of them --
involved in this recall are also covered by that one.
What's the remedy for the floor-mat problem? In
that case, Toyota is altering the actual pedal itself to make it shorter
and, therefore, less likely to get stuck on the lip of the mat. Toyota
also is replacing the floor mats in some cars. In some Toyota and Lexus
models, the automaker also is installing a "brake override" system,
which immediately cuts engine power to the wheels when the brake pedal
is pressed. In the meantime, Toyota is advising drivers who haven't yet
had their cars worked on to remove the floor mats.
What else is Toyota doing to prevent problems like
this? Toyota says it is making "brake override" -- a system that
cuts engine power to the wheels as soon as the brake pedal is pressed --
standard equipment on all of its cars.
Is there more Toyota could do? Some experts,
including those at Consumer Reports magazine, have suggested that Toyota
change how the "keyless start" system in its cars operates. In some
Toyota and Lexus models, the driver can start or turn off the car
without using the key by just pressing a button in the dashboard.
If one of those models were to start accelerating
wildly, a driver could turn the engine off while still driving by
pressing and holding that button for three seconds. But a panicked
driver, especially one who wants to keep both hands on the steering
wheel of his speeding car, is unlikely to do that. Instead, he's more
likely to press the button briefly but repeatedly. In a Nissan with
keyless start, for instance, three presses like that would do the trick.
Consumer Reports suggests that Toyota alter how
its keyless ignition works to match Nissan's model. Toyota has not said
it plans to do that.
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