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Toyota Sticky Throttles - Another Recall

By Greg Webb

Toyota recently announced that it plans a recall of nearly 2.3 million vehicles because of problems with accelerator-pedal assemblies that occur due to premature wear. The parts were supplied by CTS late last year. Toyota says it knew the assemblies had problems, but there weren't enough to warrant a recall.

Included in the recall are an unspecified number of '09 – '10 Pontiac Vibes that were designed and built by Toyota for General Motors.

Right now Toyota does not have a proposed fix for the problem due to the speed with which everything has come together. As a result, General Motors has confirmed that the Vibe will be included in the recall, but has not made a formal announcement. GM stated that it typically likes to wait to announce a recall until a solution to the problem has been determined.

Toyota has said that there have been no reported deaths or injuries related to the issue, and that it could be weeks before a solution was found and approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Toyota says this problem is separate from the one that warranted a recall back in November, where gas pedals in a select number of Toyota and Lexus vehicles were getting caught under floor mats and sending the vehicles out of control. There are 1.7 million vehicles that crossover into both recalls.

Toyota says drivers who experience their throttles sticking should shift into neutral, pull off the road and call the nearest Toyota dealer. Dealers have been instructed to deal with calls on a case-by-case basis until the problem is fixed. Toyota has not commented on how much leeway dealers have in helping owners of vehicles with the problem, whether it be installing new pedal assemblies or issuing long term loaner cars.

The first sign of a problem with the throttle is when the driver goes to accelerate and the gas pedal feels rough instead of smooth. The second is when the throttle doesn't return properly upon foot removal, and lastly, when the pedal doesn't return at all and the throttle stays open. Toyota encourages drivers to report to dealers immediately upon experiencing the first sign.

Toyota is continuing to sell models involved in the recall because they are new and the throttles don't seem to be sticking until the vehicle ages.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Webb

Full post as published by Charlottesville Personal Injury Lawyer on January 26, 2010 (boomark / email).