Oklahoma City Toyota Recall Attorneys
Toyota Recall Defect
The Oklahoma City auto product liability attorneys at Maples Law Firm are currently investigating claims from individuals who have been injured in defective Toyota car models. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Toyota car accident and you believe it may have been the result of a defective accelerator mechanism, contact us today for a consultation of your situation at (888) 226-6159.
In September 2009, the Toyota Motor Corporation began a series of auto product recalls to address a faulty accelerator pedal design issue in their vehicles that caused unintended acceleration in some Toyota and Lexus model cars. At first, Toyota identified the problem as an external issue and warned that its floor mats were sticking under the accelerator pedal and advised consumers to remove the mats. As more individuals came forward with stories of injuries and accidents involving Toyota model cars, Toyota was forced to continue investigating the issue and finally admitted that there were design and manufacturing defects that were contributing to the problem.
This was confirmed on January 21, 2010 when Toyota announced that they would be expanding the recall to an additional 2.3 million vehicles to fix any issue with defectively designed gas pedals. To date, the models Toyota has recalled include:
- Toyota Prius (2004-09 Models)
- Avalon (2005-2010 Models)
- Toyota Avalon (2005-10 Models)
- Toyota Tacoma (2005-10 Models)
- Lexus IS 250 (2006-10 Models)
- Lexus IS 350 (2006-10 Models)
- Lexus ES 350 (2007-10 Models)
- Toyota Camry (2007-10 Models)
- Toyota Tundra (2007-10 Models)
- Camry (2007-2010 Models)
- Highlander (2010 Model)
- Tundra (2007-2010 Models)
- Sequoia (2008-2010 Models)
- Toyota Rav4, Corolla, Matrix (2009-2010 Models)
- RAV4 (2009-2010 Models)
- Corolla (2009-2010 Models)
- Matrix (2009-2010 Models)
- Highlander (2010 Model)
In the new recall, Toyota claims there is a rare possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may become mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position. Toyota consumers were informed that they would have to wait three weeks to find out if their recalled vehicle was one of the defective models and then have to wait additional time as arrangements were made to repair the auto product defect.
Common complaints Toyota consumers have with their defective vehicles include:
- Accelerator pedals sticking
- Vehicles suddenly speeding forward
- Unable to stop or slow the vehicle
Toyota issued instructions on how to handle loss of vehicle control, advising consumers to press and hold the 'power' switch on their autos for more than three seconds to make an emergency stop. Toyota's safety instructions appear to have come too late for many, as new federal reports have shown a startling increase in the number of recent Toyota auto accident injuries and deaths. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that there have been at least 34 reported fatalities in the last decade involving Toyota accelerator issues and as many as 13 reported fatalities between the dates of January 27, 2010 and February 15, 2010.
People who drive Toyotas and who have suffered injuries in Oklahoma accidents or, much worse, have lost loved ones, are left to question if these defects have played a role. If Toyota had taken proper precautions and investigated initial complaints more seriously, lives in Oklahoma City and throughout the United States could have been spared, and the emotional and financial toll on those that were needlessly injured could have been avoided. The skilled Oklahoma product liability attorneys at Maples Law Firm have dedicated several years to protecting the rights of those seriously injured in accidents involving defective vehicles. Our firm has the legal experience and knowledge in auto product liability, personal injury, and wrongful death litigation that you need to be successful with your Toyota injury accident case. Contact the attorneys of Maples Law Firm 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling (888) 226-6159.
