Here is information from Toyota
regarding the recall related to pedal entrapment caused by out of position or
improper floor mats.
Potential Floor Mat Interference with Accelerator
Pedal [Update 01-27-2010]
Q1: What is the
condition? A1: The defect is the potential for an unsecured or
incompatible driver's floor mat to interfere with the accelerator pedal and
cause it to get stuck in the wide open position. A stuck open accelerator
pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop
the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. Toyota has
determined that this defect does not exist in vehicles in which the driver's
side floor mat is compatible with the vehicle and properly secured.
Q2: Which Toyota or Lexus vehicles are
involved? A2: On January 27, 2010, Toyota amended the Defect
Information Report (DIR) filed with the National Highway Traffic Administration
(NHTSA) to include the following vehicles:
Toyota (DIR Update) 2009 -
2010 Corolla 2009 - 2010 Matrix 2009 - 2010 Venza 2008 - 2010
Highlander - There are approximately 1,090,000 additional vehicles
involved.
Toyota 2005 - 2010 Avalon 2007 - 2010 Camry 2004 -
2009 Prius 2005 - 2010 Tacoma 2007 - 2010 Tundra Lexus 2007 - 2010
ES 2006 - 2010 IS
Q2a: Why were these
additional models added? A2a: Toyota has determined that there is a
potential for an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat to interfere
with the accelerator pedal and cause it to get stuck in the wide open position
on those vehicles.
Q3: How will Toyota
remedy the vehicles? What is the campaign remedy? A3: Toyota is
currently in the process of developing a remedy. We will notify owners as soon
as it is available.
Q4: When will the
remedy be completed? A4: Toyota is currently in the process of
developing the remedies. We anticipate it will take several months to develop
the remedy for all of the models.
Q5:
What should customers do until they have the recall remedy
performed? A5: Toyota has determined that the pedal entrapment can
only occur in vehicles in which the driver's side floor mat is not compatible
with the vehicle and/or is not properly secured. To help reduce the risk of
incorrect floor mat installation and/or application, we request that customers
take out any removable driver's floor mat and NOT replace it with any other
floor mat until the safety recall remedy has been completed on the vehicle.
After the recall remedy has been completed, only floor mats designed
specifically for the vehicle and which are properly secured should be installed
on the driver's floor.
Q6: What if a customer disposed of his/her Toyota
genuine All Weather Floor Mat (AWFM)? Will he/she still receive a newly designed
one? A6: Once the remedy for the specific model is launched, if a
customer has disposed of an older design Toyota genuine All Weather Floor Mat
(AWFM), he/she may receive the replacement AWFMs for the driver and front
passenger seating positions upon proof-of-purchase of the original
set.
Q7: What if a customer chooses not
to remove the floor mat currently installed in his/her vehicle, but would like to verify the installation and
applicability? A7: To help reduce the risk of incorrect floor mat
installation and/or application, we request that customers take out any
removable driver's floor mat and NOT replace it with any other floor mat until
the safety recall remedy has been completed on the vehicle. If the customer
chooses not to take out the floor mat, please direct the customer to his/her
local Toyota dealership's Parts or Service Department to verify whether the
Toyota floor mat is designed specifically for the vehicle and to ensure that it
is correctly installed. The floor mat should be removed before driving to the
dealership. The dealership will ensure that the vehicle is equipped with the
proper floor mat and that it is properly installed. After the recall remedy has
been completed, only floor mats designed specifically for the vehicle and which
are properly secured should be installed on the driver's floor.
Q8: What if a floor mat is an aftermarket rubberized
floor mat? A8: Driver's floor mat interference is possible if the
floor mat is incompatible or incorrectly installed. Therefore, consumers need
to make sure the floor mats are compatible for his/her model and model year.
Also, they need to be sure they are properly secured using the appropriate
retention device (clips). Driver's floor mats should never be stacked.
Consumers should never place any floor mat - aftermarket or not on top of
another driver's floor mat. Floor mats should also not be flipped over
with the bottom-side up.
Q8a: When
will Toyota genuine All Weather Floor Mats (AWFM) be available for
purchase? A8a: The newly designed Toyota genuine All Weather Floor
Mats (AWFM) will become available for purchase again in a few months. Please
check with your Toyota dealership regularly for specific availability
dates.
Q9: What if a driver experiences
accelerator pedal interference. What should they do? A9: Should the
vehicle continue to accelerate rapidly after releasing the accelerator pedal,
this could be an indication of floor mat interference. If this occurs, Toyota
recommends the driver take the following actions:
First, if it is possible and safe to do so, pull-back the
floor mat and dislodge it from the acceleratorpedal; then pull
over and stop the vehicle.
If the floor mat cannot be dislodged, then firmly and
steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet.
Do not pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will
increase the effort required to slow the vehicle.
Shift the transmission gear selector to the Neutral (N)
position and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road
and turn off the engine.
If unable to put the vehicle in Neutral, turn the engine
OFF. This will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power
assist to these systems will be lost.
If the vehicle is equipped with an Engine Start/Stop
button, firmly and steadily push the button for atleast three
seconds to turn off the engine. Do NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop
button.
If the vehicle is equipped with a conventional
key-ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC positionto turn off
the engine. Do NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the
steering wheel.
Q10: What
if an owner has additional questions or concerns? A10: Owners with
questions or concerns are asked to please contact the Toyota Customer Experience
Center [1 (800) 331-4331], or consult the information posted at
http://www.toyota.com/floormats. Q10a: What if an owner/operator has experienced
unintended acceleration and his/her vehicle is not involved in either of these safety
recalls? A10a: If an owner/operator of a Toyota vehicle that is not
covered by these recalls believes that he/she has experienced unintended
acceleration in a Toyota vehicle, request that the owner/operator immediately
contact an authorized Toyota dealer. The Toyota dealer will evaluate the
consumer's complaint.
Q11: Will Toyota
clean the vehicle carpet for those owners that followed the Consumer
Safety Advisory and removed his/her floor
mats? A11: Your local Toyota dealership will inspect and clean the
driver's carpet and floor mat as
appropriate.
Torrance, Calif., November 25, 2009 - - Toyota Motor Sales,
U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) announced today details of the vehicle-based remedy to
address the root cause of the potential risk for floor mat entrapment of
accelerator pedals in certain Toyota and Lexus models. Toyota issued a consumer
safety advisory on September 29 on this issue and has, as an interim measure,
commenced the mailing of safety notices to certain Toyota and Lexus owners on
October 30.
The models involved are: 2007 to 2010 MY (model year) Camry,
2005 to 2010 MY Avalon, 2004 to 2009 MY Prius, 2005 to 2010 MY Tacoma, 2007 to
2010 MY Tundra, 2007 to 2010 MY ES 350, 2006 to 2010 MY IS 250, and 2006 to 2010
MY IS 350.
The specific measures of the vehicle-based remedy are as
follows:
1. The shape of the accelerator pedal will be reconfigured to
address the risk of floor mat entrapment, even when an older-design all-weather
floor mat or other inappropriate floor mat is improperly attached, or is placed
on top of another floor mat. For the ES350, Camry, and Avalon models involved,
the shape of the floor surface underneath will also be reconfigured to increase
the space between the accelerator pedal and the floor.
2. Vehicles with
any genuine Toyota or Lexus accessory all-weather floor mat will be provided
with newly-designed replacement driver- and front passenger-side all-weather
floor mats.
In addition, as a separate measure independent of the
vehicle-based remedy, Toyota will install a brake override system onto the
involved Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES 350, IS 350 and IS 250 models as an extra
measure of confidence. This system cuts engine power in case of simultaneous
application of both the accelerator and brake pedals.
Toyota is in the
process of completing development of these actions and for the ES 350, Camry,
and Avalon will start notifying owners of the involved vehicles via first-class
mail by the end of this year. The remedy process regarding the other five
models will occur on a rolling schedule during 2010.
Dealers will be
trained and equipped to make the necessary modifications to these models
starting at the beginning of 2010. Initially, dealers will be instructed on how
to reshape the accelerator pedal for the repair. As replacement parts with the
same shape as the modified pedal become available, they will be made available
to dealers for the repair, beginning around April 2010. Customers who have had
the remedy completed will have the opportunity to receive a new pedal if they
desire.
In the meantime, owners of the involved vehicles are asked to
take out any removable driver's floor mat and not replace it with any other
floor mat until they are notified of the vehicle-based remedy, as notified in
the consumer safety advisory and the interim notice.
The brake override
system will be made standard equipment throughout the Toyota and Lexus product
lines starting with January 2010 production of ES 350 and Camry and is scheduled
to be incorporated into new production of most models by the end of
2010.
The safety of our owners and the public is our utmost concern and
Toyota has and will continue to thoroughly investigate and take appropriate
measures to address any defect trends that are identified.
Owners who
have further questions are asked to visit www.toyota.com or www.lexus.com or contact the Toyota Customer
Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus Customer Assistance at
1-800-255-3987.
