Toyota says it is moving quickly to address a potentially deadly problem: gas pedals that can get stuck.
“We are doing everything we can -as fast as we can- to make things right,” vowed Toyota’s U.S. President, Jim Lentz. He outlined the plan to ship replacement steel parts to dealers and start a crash course of training dealerships on how to repair the problem in the recalled cars and trucks. Toyota owners will be notified by mail this week.
But do the math.
Vehicles recalled: 2.3 million.
Repair time: 30 Minutes each.
It could take weeks or months for all owners to have their cars inspected or fixed.
Toyota says a worn part can cause friction, which could make the pedal stick or respond slowly. “In some cases,” says the carmaker, “friction could increase to a point that the pedal is slow to return to the idle position, or in rare cases, the pedal sticks, leaving the throttle partially open.”
If you suspect a problem as you drive, Toyota advises drivers to apply steady pressure to the brakes, do not pump them,
pull over to a safe area, and shut the engine off.
The repairs involves installing a steel reinforcement bar in the gas pedal assembly to reduce the friction that causes the problem.
The company says the faulty pedals were manufactured by the CTS Corporation, of Elkhart, Indiana. CTS says it has “deep concern that there is widespread confusion and incorrect information,” about its product. The company notes it does not make the pedals for Lexus models and no Toyota models manufactured before 2005.
Nevertheless, owners of the following Toyota models are affected by the recall:
Certain 2009-2010 RAV4
Certain 2009-2010 Corolla
2009-2010 Matrix
2005-2010 Avalon
Certain 2007-2010 Camry
Certain 2010 Highlander
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-2010 Sequoia
Toyota will bear the cost of the repairs, and advises car owners to get more information from its website, www.Toyota.com/recall, or call 1-800-331-4331.
“We are taking care of our customers as soon as they call up,” says Dennis Lauzon of Parkway Toyota, in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. “Customer first, that’s the way it is at Toyota,” he added. Lauzon told me he hasn’t had one vehicle with the problem yet, and he runs two dealerships, adding with dealers having anywhere from 15 to 25 mechanics available, he says any problems can be rectified.
The broader struggles for Toyota started in August, when a Toyota-owned Lexus driven by a veteran California Highway Patrol officer went out of control, the accelerator stuck, as the car careened at 125 miles per hour. A searing 911 call captured the horror, as a panicked passenger said “We’re in a Lexus…our accelerator is stuck..we’re in trouble…there’s no brakes…hold on…hold on and pray…pray”
The call ended with a crash, all four in the car were killed.
That cause of that accident was determined to be a floor mat that was wedged under the gas pedal, and lead to a separate recall, unrelated to the current gas pedal issue, of certain Toyota and Lexus models, in November.
Now Toyota has the new gas pedal problem on its hands.
Critics claim the company has moved too slowly to identify and address the problems, after many complaints. “Toyota’s Slow Awakening to a Deadly Problem,” is how a front-page “New York Times” article puts it this morning, which says several class action lawsuits are already underway.
But the problem has left million of Toyota owners on edge, and despite the company’s actions to rectify the issue, many may not be completely reassured for some time.