Toyota, the world's largest automaker, is suffering a giant blow to its once sterling reputation for safety. There have been numerous concerns with Toyota vehicles that have lead to millions of recalled vehicles and have left consumers with an uneasy feeling when driving their Toyota.

The Sudden Acceleration of Vehicles

In the past decade there have been hundreds of reports to Toyota and The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concerning vehicles suddenly and unexpectedly accelerating on drivers. The majority of these reports ended with collisions causing numerous injuries and over thirty deaths.

Drivers had reported to NHTSA and Toyota that while driving the accelerator pedal jammed in a down position causing the vehicle to suddenly accelerate to high speeds. Drivers instinctively applied the brake but unfortunately with no response from the vehicle. The majority of these episodes had drivers lose control of their vehicles and experience a crash or collision.

Toyota's Reaction and Further Safety issues

In response from late 2009 until early 2010 Toyota issued recalls to address the sudden acceleration problem and recalled over seven million vehicles from 2004 until 2010. In the wake of these recalls and investigations by Congress, Toyota also issued a recall on the braking system of its Toyota Prius and launched an investigation into the steering system of its Corolla.

This reactive approach by Toyota has caused hundreds to get injured as a result of a defective automobile and caused unnecessary harm to innocent drivers. Toyota and all automakers are required to manufacture the safest car possible and do their best to prevent injury to consumers in the wake of an accident. Toyota has failed to produce vehicles that are crashworthy and have injured hundreds of innocent drivers they are supposed to protect.

Toyota Announces Largest Recall in Company History

In October 2009, Toyota announced the largest recall in company history, recalling 3.8 million vehicles. After an investigation into sudden acceleration problems, Toyota issued the recall to remove driver's side floor mats from the affected vehicles. A defect in the mat securing mechanism could cause the floor mat to interfere and potentially jam the accelerator in a down position. Toyota asked drivers of the recalled vehicles to immediately remove the floor mats until a vehicle–based remedy could be implemented.

Vehicles Named in the "Floor Mat Recall:"

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

In November 2009, Toyota announced that a vehicle based remedy was discovered and would be placed in vehicles free of charge starting in January 2010. The remedy would include a reconfiguration of the accelerator pedal and a thinner floor mat to prevent further interference. As an "extra measure of security" vehicles would be outfitted with a brake–to–idle override that would allow drivers to stop the vehicle in a sudden acceleration episode. When the brake and accelerator pedal are pressed simultaneously the car will idle allowing drivers to better control their vehicles.

Toyota's Second Sudden Acceleration Recall

Despite Toyota's assertion that the floor mats were the only defect causing vehicles to suddenly accelerate, NHSTA and Toyota were continually receiving reports of vehicles suddenly accelerating. In the majority of reports, the floor mats were removed from the vehicles but accelerator pedals were still jamming on drivers and causing serious and fatal collisions.

In response to these reports, Toyota announced another massive recall of 2.3 million vehicles in January 2010 and retracted its earlier statement that the floor mats were solely responsible for the sudden acceleration reports. A further examination of the problem found that the pedal mechanism could become worn making the pedal harder to depress, slower to return or in the worst case become stuck partially depressed.

Vehicles Named in the "Sticky Pedal Recall:"

• 2009–2010 Toyota Rav 4
• 2009–2010 Toyota Corolla
• 2009–2010 Toyota Matrix
• 2005–2010 Toyota Avalon
• 2007–2010 Toyota Camry
• 2010 Toyota Highlander
• 2007–2010 Toyota Tundra
• 2008–2010 Toyota Sequoia

In addition to the accelerator recall, Toyota added 1.09 million vehicles to the floor mat recall of October 2009 and added the following vehicles:

• 2008–2010 Toyota Highlander
• 2009–2010 Toyota Corolla
• 2009–2010 Toyota Venza
• 2009–2010 Toyota Matrix
• 2009–2010 Pontiac Vibe

Toyota decided to halt sales of the affected models beginning February 2010. In addition Toyota halted production at six North American plants. These measures were deemed necessary to focus all time and energy on engineering a solution to the devastating recall and to protect consumers from further harm.

Toyota Prius Recall & Steering Problems with the Toyota Corolla

In another blow to Toyota, the Federal Government opened another investigation into a top selling Toyota vehicle. NHTSA began investigating reports of problems with the braking system of the Toyota Prius. Drivers had reported that while driving their model year 2010 Toyota Prius the brake system temporarily failed when driving on slippery and uneven roads or hit a pot hole. Toyota acknowledged that a software glitch was causing a break in communication between the brake pedal and the engine that was causing drivers to temporarily lose braking power. In February 2010, Toyota officially announced a global recall on model year 2010 Toyota Prius.

Weeks after the Prius recall, Toyota announced it was launching an investigation into the world's most popular car, the Toyota Camry. Fewer than 100 complaints had surfaced about the Camry but with Toyota's renewed focus on putting consumers first, an internal investigation was launched into the steering system of the Camry. Toyota does not know why drivers are experiencing a temporary loss of power steering but has vowed to do whatever necessary to fix the vehicle as it continues to attempt to repair its tarnished reputation.

Toyota's Electronic Throttle Control System

Amidst all the recalls and problems with Toyotas, safety experts are asserting that the real problem with Toyotas and Lexus are the electronic throttle control systems (ETCS) that have been installed in vehicles since 2001. Before ECTS, the accelerator pedal and the engine were directly linked mechanically by a cable but now the two are indirectly linked electronically. In a mechanical throttle system, a spring mechanism and friction acted as safe guards against a sudden acceleration episode but Toyota's electronic system has failed in that respect. Toyota has asserted that its ETCS is properly designed and its failsafe systems work properly but safety experts disagree and point to the fact that sudden acceleration reports had skyrocketed after the first ECTS were installed in Toyota and Lexus models.

Contacting an Attorney

Unfortunately, Toyota has failed in creating vehicles that are safe for consumers to drive. As an automaker they have a duty to not only build safe vehicles but to prevent any unnecessary harm or injury to occupants in the event of a crash. Defects such as those recently found in Toyotas have caused severe injuries and sometimes fatal outcomes to consumers.

If you believe that you or a loved one has been harmed as a result of a defective Toyota or a defective Lexus you have the right to be compensated for your loses. Please do not hesitate to contact the experienced crashworthy attorneys at Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck, and P.C. to discuss your potential claim.