All About Japan Autos

Daily Auto News

Toyota plans to replace the gas pedals on 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles in a massive recall campaign aimed at reports of unintended acceleration.

Autoblog reports, “The action is the result of fears that loose floormats may cause the accelerator pedal to stick, increasing the risk of an accident. The recall will be the largest in the Japanese automaker’s history, and it will cover a wide range of vehicles from the 2004 model year through 2010.”

Affected models include:

• 2007 to 2010 Camry
• 2005 to 2010 Avalon
• 2004 to 2009 Prius
• 2005 to 2010 Tacoma
• 2007 to 2010 Tundra
• 2007 to 2010 Lexus ES 350
• 2006 to 2010 Lexus IS 250
• 2006 to 2010 Lexus IS 350

Dealers will initially reshape existing pedals, and later, will offer owners a replacement pedal.

Several vehicles will receive an additional fix. Automotive News reports, “Toyota will install a brake override system on the involved Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES 350, IS 350 and IS 250 models ‘as an extra measure of confidence.’ The system will shut off engine power if drivers press the accelerator pedal and brake pedal simultaneously.”

In a press release, the automaker explains, “Toyota intends to notify vehicle owners on a rolling basis, starting with owners of the ES 350, Camry, and Avalon vehicles. While awaiting Toyota’s notification, NHTSA urges owners to remove all removable driver’s side floor mats and not replace them until their vehicles have received the remedies being provided by Toyota. Toyota will begin making the necessary fixes to the recalled vehicles beginning early in 2010, perhaps in January. Initially, Toyota dealers will be instructed on how to reshape existing accelerator pedals. Later, replacement accelerator pedals will be available for installation on vehicles not yet remedied or, if the owner so chooses, even to replace the modified pedals.”

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