As I reported earlier here on Road Reality, Toyota is in hot water over stuck gas pedals. A statement this morning from Toyota gives us their solution for the recall, as well as a timeline for its resolution. While it’s too late to save the lives of the California State Trooper and his family, who died as a result of this flaw, it’s a wake-up call to Toyota and the rest of the manufacturers. Any manufacturer that doesn’t incorporate a “smart throttle” which cuts engine power when the brake pedal is pressed needs to think long and hard about how to get that feature into all of their future vehicles. The crash which brought this issue to the forefront of the news also brings with it the question of how to stop a car equipped with an engine start/stop button, versus a traditional key and ignition cylinder. Read the original post for how to stop said vehicles. Continue reading to find out what Toyota is doing to keep drivers safe.
Before the end of 2009, owners of the Toyota Camry, Toyota Avalon and Lexus ES 350 should expect to receive a letter informing them that their car is on the recall list. In 2010, owners of the other affected vehicles (listed at the end of this post) will also receive recall notices from Toyota.
The recall will start in early 2010, and the first step is reshaping the gas pedal of the recalled vehicles. Next, the floor mats will be replaced with a new one, designed to help prevent the stuck gas pedal. Toyota will also offer a new design of the gas pedal, starting in April. The Camry, Avalon, as well as Lexus IS 250/350 and ES 350 models will be modified to add a “brake override” system which cuts engine power if both the gas and brake pedals are pressed simultaneously, and Toyota is confident that these solutions will work to prevent any more problems with the affected vehicles.
The affected models are the following:
- 2007-2010 Camry
- 2005-2010 Avalon
- 2004-2009 Prius
- 2005-2010 Tacoma
- 2007-2010 Tundra
- 2007-2010 ES 350
- 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS 350
by John Suit
Source: Automotive News