Defective Gas Pedals to be Fixed in 3.8 Million Lexus and Toyota Vehicles

Toyota Motor Corp. will either fix or replace the gas pedals in 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles following reports of the pedals becoming pinned beneath ill-fitting floor mats, causing the vehicles to speed out of control.

In one such incident, an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer and three members of his family were killed in August 2009 when the accelerator in his Lexus ES350, a loaner from a San Diego area car dealer while the officer’s vehicle was being repaired, was pinned to the floor board by all-weather floor mats. Investigators later determined the floor mats were not the proper size for the car, causing the accident.

Toyota later ordered all its dealerships to inspect the floor mats in vehicles on their lots to ensure they were properly installed.

As a result of that incident and other similar reports, beginning in January, Toyota dealers will start reconfiguring the gas pedal in millions of vehicles to prevent floor mat entrapment, according to a report today in the Los Angeles Times.

Various Toyota and Lexus Models Involved

The following Toyota and Lexus vehicles are affected by the gas pedal recall:

• 2007-2010 Toyota Camry

• 2004-2009 Toyota Prius

• 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon

• 2005-2010 Tacoma

• 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra

• 2007-2010 Lexus ES 350

• 2006-2010 Lexus IS 250 and IS 350

Safety Repairs to be Made

In addition to reconfiguring the gas pedal, on the affected Lexus ES350, Camry, and Avalon models, the repairs also will involve reshaping the floor surface beneath the pedal to create more room between the accelerator pedal and the floor, Toyota said.

Also, a brake override system will be installed in the Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES350, IS350 and IS250 models involved in the recall to cut engine power in the event the accelerator and brake pedals are pressed at the same time.

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