Unintended Acceleration
#76
Recall
Toyota Recalls 55,000 Floor Mats
Toyota has recalled 55,000 floor mats as a result of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation. The recall — which includes 30,500 mats in the Lexus ES 350 and 24,500 mats in the Toyota Camry — is due to several complaints filed earlier this year that some Toyota models accelerated unintentionally.
The NHSTA investigation found that the unintentional acceleration was due to improperly installed all-weather floor mats sticking underneath the accelerator pedal, causing the pedal to become lodged.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the NHSTA has also received similar complaints for several other Toyota vehicles including the Prius, Avalon, RAV 4 and Tacoma. “We have also received complaints about the RAV 4 and Tacoma,” said Rae Tyson, a spokesman for NHTSA. “We will continue to monitor all of the other Toyota vehicles not involved in the recall."
Toyota will notify owners next month and will begin replacing the mats in November. Earlier this year, Toyota mailed a warning of the unintended acceleration to all owners.
Toyota has recalled 55,000 floor mats as a result of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation. The recall — which includes 30,500 mats in the Lexus ES 350 and 24,500 mats in the Toyota Camry — is due to several complaints filed earlier this year that some Toyota models accelerated unintentionally.
The NHSTA investigation found that the unintentional acceleration was due to improperly installed all-weather floor mats sticking underneath the accelerator pedal, causing the pedal to become lodged.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the NHSTA has also received similar complaints for several other Toyota vehicles including the Prius, Avalon, RAV 4 and Tacoma. “We have also received complaints about the RAV 4 and Tacoma,” said Rae Tyson, a spokesman for NHTSA. “We will continue to monitor all of the other Toyota vehicles not involved in the recall."
Toyota will notify owners next month and will begin replacing the mats in November. Earlier this year, Toyota mailed a warning of the unintended acceleration to all owners.
#80
Curious as to the design of the replacement all-weather mat, especially given that the most common reason why the all-weather mat was installed improperly was due to it being placed on top of the carpeted mat. Yes, there have been a few instances of unintended acceleration w/ the all-weather mat even when it wasn't placed/installed on top of the carpeted mat, but suffice it to say that the number of those incidences were outnumbered by those that were due in part to all-weather mats placed on top of the carpeted mat.
My guess is that the area around the opening where the hooks go through might be a bit thinner in profile so that the hook does not more easily slip out of the opening. I would be shocked if the replacement mat is designed in such a way so that owners can choose to place it on top of the carpeted mat if desired...
Now don't get me wrong--I applaud Toyota for offering the recall, but IMHO I cannot reason as to why they would offer a recall on a product that quite frankly, was defective primarily because it wasn't being installed correctly...while in the meantime they pretty much have blown off the tranny flare issue (i.e., if there is anything about the ES 350 that deserves a recall, the tranny flare would be number one in my book)--which BTW is/was relatively way more commonplace than the mat/acceleration issue (heck, count how many posts/thread in this forum there were about it, compared to the number of posts/threads about the mat issue), and had nothing to do w/ how the owner was operating the vehicle.
My guess is that the area around the opening where the hooks go through might be a bit thinner in profile so that the hook does not more easily slip out of the opening. I would be shocked if the replacement mat is designed in such a way so that owners can choose to place it on top of the carpeted mat if desired...
Now don't get me wrong--I applaud Toyota for offering the recall, but IMHO I cannot reason as to why they would offer a recall on a product that quite frankly, was defective primarily because it wasn't being installed correctly...while in the meantime they pretty much have blown off the tranny flare issue (i.e., if there is anything about the ES 350 that deserves a recall, the tranny flare would be number one in my book)--which BTW is/was relatively way more commonplace than the mat/acceleration issue (heck, count how many posts/thread in this forum there were about it, compared to the number of posts/threads about the mat issue), and had nothing to do w/ how the owner was operating the vehicle.
#81
The floor mats in Canada are of different design.
The exact words quoted from Lexus Canada:
"...Neither the 2007 and 2008 Camry and Lexus ES 350 sold in Canada nor the optional All-Weather Floor Mat designed for vehicles sold in Canada are involved in this campaign."
The exact words quoted from Lexus Canada:
"...Neither the 2007 and 2008 Camry and Lexus ES 350 sold in Canada nor the optional All-Weather Floor Mat designed for vehicles sold in Canada are involved in this campaign."
#82
Lexus Champion
Are your all-weather mats the soft flexible type or pretty firm? In the U.S.they're somewhat flexible, but on the stiff side.
#84
\
Now don't get me wrong--I applaud Toyota for offering the recall, but IMHO I cannot reason as to why they would offer a recall on a product that quite frankly, was defective primarily because it wasn't being installed correctly...while in the meantime they pretty much have blown off the tranny flare issue (i.e., if there is anything about the ES 350 that deserves a recall, the tranny flare would be number one in my book)--which BTW is/was relatively way more commonplace than the mat/acceleration issue (heck, count how many posts/thread in this forum there were about it, compared to the number of posts/threads about the mat issue), and had nothing to do w/ how the owner was operating the vehicle.
Now don't get me wrong--I applaud Toyota for offering the recall, but IMHO I cannot reason as to why they would offer a recall on a product that quite frankly, was defective primarily because it wasn't being installed correctly...while in the meantime they pretty much have blown off the tranny flare issue (i.e., if there is anything about the ES 350 that deserves a recall, the tranny flare would be number one in my book)--which BTW is/was relatively way more commonplace than the mat/acceleration issue (heck, count how many posts/thread in this forum there were about it, compared to the number of posts/threads about the mat issue), and had nothing to do w/ how the owner was operating the vehicle.
#85
How sad is it that we need to spill blood before a company will agree to recall and fix a flaw in their product (I'm talking about the tranny, not the mats)?
#86
That is business. Recalls cost a lot of money. So, just think of all the money Lexus is saving by having those owners who have no idea their tranny is flaring to continue driving it. Not to mention, even if they wanted to issue a recall, they can't because they have no fix to the problem.
#87
#88
If memory serves me correctly, that mat definitely looks nothing like the recalled mat that's in my US-spec ES. I should take a photo of mine and compare the physical difference(s) between the two...if someone else doesn't beat me to it.
#89
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Congratulate me! I just won the Lottery twice
I appreciate all the info about the redundancy, but I have had numerous instances in the past few days in my 07 GS350 AWD including tonight while I was stopped at a light where my foot was clearly on the brake for over 10 seconds without moving and my floormats are very well secured.
Engine was already warm and the car had been driven a few blocks or on a highway before each instance.
You can report that back to Toyota, before the ^$%$#%$@ problem leads to someone getting hurt or worse.
Engine was already warm and the car had been driven a few blocks or on a highway before each instance.
You can report that back to Toyota, before the ^$%$#%$@ problem leads to someone getting hurt or worse.
Last edited by gs4NY; 12-17-07 at 04:23 PM. Reason: missing model No
#90
Lexus Test Driver
I appreciate all the info about the redundancy, but I have had numerous instances in the past few days in my 07 GS350 AWD including tonight while I was stopped at a light where my foot was clearly on the brake for over 10 seconds without moving and my floormats are very well secured.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dlamb89
ES - 1st to 4th Gen (1990-2006)
8
06-13-15 04:22 PM
350, acceleration, accelerator, clearmats, clublexus, control, cruise, es, es330, es350, lexus, rx, silverstar, unintended, warning, wife