Toyota Sets Own Record For Recalls

One of the world’s largest automakers, Toyota Motor Corp., has announced its biggest recall ever, marking at least the third time in two years it has recalled more than 100,000 vehicles for American customers.

This time Toyota will repair the accelerator pedals of 4.26 million U.S. cars and trucks as well as install automatic brake systems in some of them after their owners complained of sudden acceleration.

The record recall is a black eye for the company that has built its reputation for quality and as recently as last year eclipsed General Motors Co. in sales around the world. Earlier this month Volkswagen edged past Toyota.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the acceleration problem was reported in various Toyota and Lexus models in which floor mats trapped accelerator pedals.

The recall includes:

• 2004 to 2009 Prius
• 2005 to 2010 Avalon
• 2005 to 2010 Tacoma
• 2006 to 2010 IS 250
• 2006 to 2010 IS 350
• 2007 to 2010 Camry
• 2007 to 2010 ES 350
• 2007 to 2010 Tundra

Anyone owning the vehicles is as asked to remove the floor mats until Toyota can reconfigure their vehicles. The problem stems from the gas pedal and the floor plan, not electronic issues.

The automaker plans to make accelerator pedals shorter and reshape the floor surface under the pedal in some vehicles. Certain models should have their replacement pedals ready by April. Vehicles repaired before then still will be eligible for pedals when they are ready.

For those models getting the automatic brake system, the fix will make those vehicles stop if the brake and accelerator are pushed down simultaneously – the same type of situation that occurs when drivers try to use their brakes in vehicles whose accelerators become stuck.

The company doesn’t expect to extend the recall beyond North America. Toyota’s biggest U.S. recall before this year occurred in 2005 when 978,000 vehicles needed to have a steering-related defect fixed.

The latest recall follows one earlier in the week when Toyota said 110,000 Tundra pickups were at risk because corrosion in their frames can cause spare tires to become dislodged as well as damage brake lines.

In August, the manufacturer recalled 95,700 of the 2009 and 2010 Corolla, Matrix and Scion xD vehicles because a flaw could make brakes fail in cold conditions. In April 2008, 539,500 of the 2003 and 2004 Corollas and Matrixes were said to need repairs because a defect could cause power windows to not operate.

The latest recalls couldn’t come at a worse time for Toyota. The recession has taken a toll on its bottom line, with sales in the United States dropping 26 percent this year through October.