NATIONWIDE – Our San Diego car accident attorneys have learned that Toyota Motor Corporation announced yesterday that it plans to recall 3.8 million vehicles. This is the largest U.S. recall in the automaker’s history. The recall has been caused by floor mats that may cause uncontrollable acceleration as in the tragic accident that killed CHP Officer Saylor and his family. Drivers of seven makes and models of Toyota and Lexus were strongly recommended by Toyota to remove the driver’s side floor mat because it could hold the accelerator down. The company recommended that no mat be used in the car until further notice.
The advisory of the pending recall came after the fiery crash that killed CHP Officer Saylor and his family in Santee. The wreckage investigators found a driver’s side floor mat that was the wrong size for the model of the car. They believe it may have played a role in the August 28 crash. While the mat is believed to be a factor in that accident, the exact cause has not yet been determined. Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons said that that accident caused the manufacturers to take a look at all of their vehicles. If you or someone close to you has suffered a serious accident as a result of this described floor mat defect, please contact a California car accident lawyer at our firm today.
Toyota’s recall announcement came after a warning from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that this is an urgent matter and, for everyone’s sake, the Administration as well as our San Diego auto accident attorneys strongly urges owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.
Toyota, which also makes the Lexus brand, is expected to announce a voluntary recall by the end of this work week. The automaker, which is the world’s largest, will contact owners directly and advise them how to fix the problem. According to Lyons, what needs to be done in, for example, a Prius, will be different than what needs to be done in a Camry. Lyons suggested that owners simply remove the mats and put them in their trunks for now.
Current Toyota owners took the news in different ways. Gwendolyn Failey of San Diego said that her floor mat has never come up and she has a hard time even removing it to clean. Sherri Alford of Fallbrook said she probably would follow the recall for her 2004 Prius. The Lexus crash worried her about how her vehicle may respond under similar circumstances. While Alford said she has never had any problems, she was very concerned about what would happen to her in the event she tried to stop her car with a stuck mat. Wallace Brithinee of Coronado said he had a terrifying experience with a stuck accelerator in his 2007 Avalon when he merged onto the Interstate 5 in San Diego on August 22. Brithinee does not believe the problem was related to the floor may but he did report the incident to the highway safety agency. He believes there should be an ongoing investigation into the problem not just the floor mat issue.
According to the NHTSA, Toyota has been monitoring this issue for several years and once recalled the floor mats in two 2007 model cars. The agency has received reports of 102 incidents in Toyota made vehicles from 2004-2009 involving floor mats interfering with pedals. More than a third of the incidents, 42 total, involved the 2007 Lexus ES 350. The accident that killed CHP Officer Saylor and his family involved the 2009 Lexus ES 350.
It was about two weeks after that accident when Toyota ordered dealers to inspect the floor mats because a wrong-sized mat may have played a role in the Santee crash. In yesterday’s nationwide advisory, Toyota warned owners that, if they think their vehicle is accelerating abnormally or at an out of control rate, they should check to see whether their floor mat is under the pedal. If the driver is unable to remove the floor mat, Toyota Corp. advises drivers to step on the brake pedal with both feet until the vehicle slows. When it slows, the driver should try to put the car in neutral and switch the ignition to accessory power only. Toyota says that vehicles with engine start/stop buttons should hold the button down for three seconds to shut the vehicle down. Less than three seconds will not stop the vehicle. Toyota’s biggest recall, which was also voluntary, came in 2005. That recall was to fix a problem on 978,000 trucks and SUVs from the model years 1989 to 1998.
When products, especially vehicles, do not function as they are intended, they can often cause serious injury or even death to those who use them. If the floor mat or another mechanical difficulty was responsible for the tragic accident that killed Officer Saylor and his family, Toyota has taken the right first step by issuing this recall. The California auto accident attorneys and wrongful death lawyers at Berman & Riedel, LLP have the expertise required to handle difficult product defect cases. You can learn more about personal injury law at www.sandiego-personalinjurylaw.com.
Defective floor mats or not, our attorneys can assist you with any type of auto accident claim. Whether you are in need of a San Diego truck accident lawyer due to a collision with a commercial big-rig on a local highway, or have suffered an injury due to an accident with any other type of vehicle, we are here to help. Even if you live outside of San Diego, our California auto accidents attorneys will be happy to assist you with your claim.
If your family has been touched by a defective product or car accident that caused serious injury or death, you need a legal team to help protect your legal rights. Berman & Riedel, LLP can offer you the compassionate, caring legal expertise required to ensure the best possible recovery for you and your loved ones. Contact a California car accident lawyer at our firm for your initial consultation free of charge.
