Toyota Recalls 2.2 Million More Vehicles for Unintended Acceleration Problems
Embattled Toyota Motor (TM) is recalling nearly 2.2 million more cars to fix problems related to floor mats that can trap accelerator pedals and cause vehicles to accelerate uncontrollably. The massive new recall resolves a yearlong government investigation into whether Toyota recalled enough vehicles in its attempt to resolve the unintentional acceleration issue, The Detroit News notes.
This latest voluntary recall adds vehicles not included in previous callbacks "to address the potential for unsecured or incompatible floor mat entrapment of the accelerator pedal," the automaker said Thursday in a written statement. Those include more than 600,000 2009 4-Runner sport-utility vehicles; about 17,000 Lexus LX 570s from the 2008 to 2011 model years; and about 761,000 RAV4 compact SUVs from the 2006 to 2010 model years.
The world's largest automaker also said it is recalling 20,000 GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel-drive vehicles from the 2006 and early 2007 model years to to modify the shape of a plastic pad embedded in the driver's side floor carpet.
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"In the event that the floor carpet around the accelerator pedal is not properly replaced in the correct position after a service operation, there is a possibility that the plastic pad embedded into the floor carpet may interfere with the operation of the accelerator pedal," possibly leading it to become stuck in an open-throttle position, Toyota said.
Additionally, Toyota said it was recalling about 372,000 Lexus RX 330, RX 350 and and RX 400h (hybrid) models from the 2004 to early 2007 model years, along with 397,000 Highlander and Highlander HV vehicles from 2004 through 2006 to replace driver's side floor mats and two accompanying retention clips.
Should one of the retention clips be installed improperly, the mat could interfere with part of the gas pedal and possibly cause the accelerator to become stuck in an open-throttle position, causing the vehicle to accelerate unexpectedly.
Toyota said it will begin advising owners of the affected vehicles by mail as soon as early March. Owners of affected vehicles can call Toyota at (800) 331-4331 or Lexus at (800) 255-3987.
News of the latest Toyota recall was first reported by The Detroit News via Twitter.
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