According to CNN.com a little over eight million toyotas have been recalled for defective accelerator pedals. Likewise CNN.com states that Larry Webster of Popular Mechanics magazine says that "in the last decade, there have been tens of thousands of reports of sudden unintended acceleration in cars made by all the manufacturers."
Sudden and Unintended Acceleration
Sudden and unintended acceleration occurs when a car continues to move forwards sometimes at higher speeds without someone having stepped on the gas pedal. Toyota indicates that the sudden and intended acceleration in the recalled models are due to sticky metal accelerator pedals and the possibility of "floor map entrapment."
According to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration website many other manufacturers including General Motors, Honda, Ford, Chyrsler and Nissan, BMW, Volkswagen, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Mazda, Land Rover, Suzuki and Volvo have all had complaints of sudden and unintended acceleration.
The Toyota manufacturer, including the Lexus has had 41%, the highest percentage of all of the manufacturer's complaints on the faulty gas pedals. Ford shares 28% of the complaints, and is second to Toyota.
The Toyota accelerator pedal is not made directly by Toyota but by CTS Automotive in their Streetsville, Ontario plant. CTS Automotive also sell accelerator pedals to other car manufacturers such as Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi but these manufacturers state that they use separate pedal systems from the ones that are causing sudden and unintended acceleration.
The Toyota Pruis model is also being investigated by the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration for faulty brakes.
Toyota Models That are Being Recalled
Toyota has announced that it is suspending the sale of eight of it's models until they have a better idea of how to fix their accelerator pad problem. For a complete list of Toyota models that are being recalled, consumers can go to www.toyota.com. Some of these models include the Avalon, Highlander, Pruis, Camry, Corolla and Tundra.
What to Do if Experiencing Sudden and Unintended Acceleration
According to Aaron Bragman, an analyst at IHS Global Insight, referenced in the article "Toyota Suspends Sales of 8 Models," at AOL Auto.com by Reilly Brennan, if owners experience sudden and unintended acceleration and "you need to stop immediately, the vehicle can be controlled by stepping on the brake pedal with both feet using firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the brake pedal as it will deplete the vacuum utilized for the power brake assist. 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 to assist to these systems will be lost."
What Consumers Can Do if a Car is Recalled
It is important if a car is being recalled for the owner to call the dealership if they have not already received an official recall notice and find out if they are prepared to fix the vehicle. If planning to take the car immediately to the dealership they may not have solved how to fix the problem yet. However, it is important to call to find out more information.
Furthermore, on their website www.toyota.com, Toyota is advising consumers who own models that have faulty car mats to take out any removable floor mats and not replace them until the Toyota dealership can replace them with safer mats. For more information and to follow the latest news on the Toyota recall visit CNN.com or Toyota.com.
references: CNN.com "Toyota Recall," Toyota.com, AOLAuto.com, Bragman, Aaron, "Toyota Suspends Sales of 8 Models", the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration website
Rebecca O'Sullivan - Rebecca O'Sullivan is a high school English teacher with a BA in Comparative Literature. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and is a member of ...
