Update: The company that produced my car, Toyota, released a full list of recalled cars. They also have suspended sales of these vehicles. If you own one of these cars and experience problems with your acceleration pedal, here’s what Toyota suggests you do:
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 assist to these systems will be lost.
steadily push the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine. Do
NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop button.
• If the vehicle is equipped with a
conventional key-ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC position to turn off
the engine. Do NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the
steering wheel.
I was watching the news Thursday night and the anchor announced my car had been recalled due to a sticky acceleration pedal. The recall was voluntary and my automobile manufacturer is working on a resolution.
Product recalls happen every day and Recalls.gov is your primary government resource to find out about them. If you have an automobile, you have more specialized options to look for recalls. The Federal Citizen Information Center’s automobile recall page will tell you about recent automobiles and related recalls.
Safercar.gov is your best resource. The web page is maintained by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and part of its mission is to test cars for safety defects and issue recalls. It relies mostly on the public to notify it of potential safety issues in cars, car seats and other automobile related products. You can file these complaints online.
Have you ever had to file a safety complaint for a car?