Toyota to fix 4 million vehicles 

Source: Reuters

Toyota Motor Corporation will fix the accelerator pedals in 4 million cars and trucks to address a safety issue linked to sudden acceleration and a number of deadly accidents, according to the company and the US government.

The action, which represents the largest-ever US safety recall by the Japanese automaker, aims to address the risk that floormats in the vehicles become loose and trap the accelerator pedal on some of Toyota's most popular models including the Camry and hybrid Prius.

Toyota had initially urged owners to remove floormats in affected vehicles but has now announced it will reconfigure and replace accelerator pedals after an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In addition, Toyota says it will install a new brake override system on five models starting next year that will cut power to the engine when the brake pedal is applied, even if the accelerator is also engaged.

The massive recall represents a threat to Toyota's safety image at a time when the automaker is struggling to return to profitability after being hit by an industry-wide sales slump and missteps tied to its own rapid expansion.

In August, an off-duty California state trooper and three members of his family were killed in a crash near San Diego when the Lexus ES350 he was driving accelerated out of control.

A floormat pressing against the accelerator pedal is suspected as a factor in the crash.

In September, Toyota said it would be announcing the safety recall it has now detailed.

Toyota says starting in January, drivers who bring their vehicles to Toyota dealerships will have the accelerator pedals cut from the bottom to create more space between the pedal and the floormat.

By April, Toyota will have redesigned and shortened replacement accelerator pedals available at dealerships, according to Toyota spokesman Irv Miller.

The company will also replace the floormats in vehicles covered by the recall, which includes late model Camry and Avalon sedans, the Prius and the Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks.

Three Lexus models - the ES350, IS250 and IS350 - are also included.

Miller says the automaker has not estimated the cost of the safety action.

He says Toyota's investigators have ruled out problems with the electronic controls in the affected vehicles as a cause in the episodes of sudden acceleration.

"We are very, very confident that we have addressed this issue."

The recall is the second in two days for Toyota.

On Tuesday, the company said it would recall about 110,000 older model Tundra pickup trucks due to corrosion problems.