The U.S. auto industry rode new models like the Chevrolet Cruze to the largest increase in sales since 2005. Image: CC crazytales562/Flickr

Ford increased U.S. auto sales more than any other automaker in 2010 and passed Toyota to take No. 2 in sales behind General Motors. Every automaker increased U.S. sales except Toyota, which saw a decline in numbers. While automakers such as Ford and GM enjoyed a 2010 resurgence, Toyota was burdened by a plague of recalls that tarnished its once-spotless image.

A snapshot of U.S. auto sales

U.S. auto sales rose 11 percent in 2010 over 2009 and every major automaker except Toyota reported a sales increase. Ford, the only U.S. automaker to forgo a government bailout during the financial crisis, led all automakers with a 19 percent increase. Ford recorded increased sales for the second year in a row, a feat it hadn’t accomplished since 1993. Industry-wide, U.S. auto sales totaled 11.6 million units — an increase from 10.4 million in 2009, the first recorded increase since 2005 and the largest bump since 1984. Highlights included hefty sales gains for GM’s Chevrolet Cruze, Ford’s Fiesta and Chrysler’s Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Why Ford passed Toyota

Ford passed Toyota as No. 2 in U.S. auto sales with 1.97 million vehicles sold in 2010, compared with Toyota’s sales of 1.76 million vehicles. Toyota reported that its sales were down 0.4 percent for the year. Toyota recalled more than 8 million cars and trucks worldwide in 2010, in large part for a phenomenon that became known as “unintended acceleration.” The Japanese automaker temporarily suspended production and sales of eight models in the U.S., including its best-selling Camry and Corolla. While Toyota worked to fix flaws in existing models, GM, Ford, Nissan and Hyundai were busy churning out new and better models.

Auto industry in legitimate recovery

The impressive performance leads analysts to believe that the U.S. auto industry is experiencing a legitimate recovery. The proliferation of new models and higher quality standards also has them declaring that Toyota’s days as the dominant automaker in the U.S. and the world may be gone for good. As Ford and GM demonstrated in 2010, new, well-made products are what matters most as U.S. car buyers return to dealer showrooms.

Sources

Bloomberg

New York Times

CNN

The 2011 Toyota Sienna is being recalled due to a brake light problem. (CC BY/IFCAR/Wikipedia)

Just when Toyota thought it was out of the recall jungle, the (faulty) break lights started flashing. The embattled automaker has reported that there will be a recall of 94,000 2011 Toyota Sienna vehicles because of a problem involving the brake light switch bracket. All Toyota Sienna vehicles in question were produced before November 2010.

Toyota stomps on the Sienna recall

According to a Toyota press release, the Sienna recall was made necessary by the positioning of the brake light switch bracket in relation to the parking brake pedal. When fully deployed, the parking brake can come into physical contact with the brake light switch bracket and cause the switch to bend and possibly malfunction. Specifically, the brake lights can remain on even if the brakes aren’t being deployed, and if the damage is significant enough, Toyota indicates that the brakes could actually become partially engaged because of the warped bracket. Then brake drag can occur, which can eventually impair overall braking performance.

At this time, Toyota has stated that the company is not aware of any accidents or injuries that have resulted from the brake light switch bracket problem, although the potential for impaired braking could easily cause such trouble, given time.

How 2011 Toyota Sienna owners will be contacted

Toyota has plans under way to notify Toyota Sienna drivers affected by the recall to via first-class mail beginning in mid-January 2011. The communication will include instructions for how Sienna drivers should proceed. This information will also be made available via the recall section of Toyota’s website.

By late February, Sienna owners facing recall will be contacted again via first-class mail with information regarding replacement parts for the brake light switching bracket. Sienna owners will also be advised to make an installation appointment at their local Toyota dealer. There will be no charge for this service, which will include the installation of a switching bracket that takes the positioning of the parking brake pedal into better account.

Contact Toyota for more information

Any 2011 Toyota Sienna owners with more questions regarding the Sienna recall may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 800-331-4331 or visit www.toyota.com/recall.

Sources

PRNewswire

Toyota

General primer on changing a brake light

Yet another Toyota recall has been announced. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

A lot of automotive recalls have happened this year. Perhaps the most high profile of automotive recalls so far this year was the infamous Toyota recall involving a defective accelerator pedal. If the automaker can be credited for one thing, it is consistency, as another Toyota recall is in effect. This recall may not be as pervasive, as fewer vehicles are involved. Only a few model years on two different cars offered by the automaker have the defect in question. However, as Toyota is trying to recover from the earlier recall and fallout, this will be a setback.

Yet another Toyota recall

There have been several recalls from Toyota. New Toyota recalls are starting to become more regular than full moons, and a new Toyota recall has just been announced. The problem being addressed by this Toyota recall is with the engines in more than 1.3 million vehicles. There is a problem with the engine control module. The defect can affect shifting or cause the engine to stall while driving and keep the motor from starting, according to CNN. A small number of accidents may have resulted from this problem.

More than 1 million cars to be fixed

The models in question are the Toyota Corolla and the Toyota Matrix. The model years are from 2005 to 2008. The defect in the 1ZZ-FE engine is in the circuit board in the Engine Control Module, where the circuit board can crack. This defect affects the shifting and can cause the engine to shut off while driving. Engines may also be unable to start. There are 1.13 million vehicles in the U.S. and another 200,000 in Canada that could be affected. According to the Los Angeles Times, this will bring the number of vehicles Toyota has recalled this year to about 10 million. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating these models.

After years of market share Toyota can do no right

Toyota, in the past few years, had captured market share of U.S. auto sales. The lead was tenuous at best, and this may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler would be happy to take some of those customers back.

Further Reading

CNN

Los Angeles Times

The Toyota Sequoia recall is the latest known failure of SUV stability control and the latest addition to the growing Toyota recall list. Flickr photo.

Another Toyota recall has been issued. Wednesday, Toyota Motor Corp. announced a program to upgrade software to prevent a loss of control in turns for about 50,000 Toyota Sequoia SUVs made in early 2003. The Toyota Sequoia recall is yet another fire for Toyota’s public relations department to extinguish. The automaker has been hemorrhaging money and losing market share. The growing Toyota recall list adds insult to injury in an anemic market for new cars and trucks. Toyota Sequoia recall notices will start going out to affected owners next month.

Adding to the Toyota recall list

The Toyota Sequoia recall to fix the vehicles’ electronic stability control follows closely on the heels of a rare “don’t buy” rating for the Lexus GX 460 issued by Consumer Reports. Tests on the Lexus GX 460 performed by the magazine exposed defects in the electronic stability control that could cause a rollover of the SUV in everyday driving. After the Consumer Reports “don’t buy” rating, production of the Lexus GX 460 was suspended. Consumers are reluctant to get auto financing for Toyotas because of a parade of bad PR that started in 2009 with widespread reports of braking and unintended acceleration problems.

Reason for Toyota Sequoia recall

In the Toyota Sequoia recall announcement, Toyota said drivers in vehicles without the upgrade could experience the stability control system briefly activating at low speeds – less than 10 mph – as the Sequoia accelerates from a stop. This could prevent the vehicle from accelerating as fast as the driver expects. No injuries or accidents as a result of this condition have been reported so far. Electronic Stability Control is a computerized system that coordinates the brakes and accelerator to help maintain control in unexpected situations.

Toyota Sequoia recall now official

The Los Angeles Times reports that Toyota has known about the Sequoia  stability control problem for seven years. Toyota fixed the problem on later models financed with auto loans. Dealers have been taking care of individual owners of early 2003 Toyota Sequoias if they complained about the problem. An investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of electronic stability control malfunctions in Toyota Sequoias turned up 163 safety-related failure incidents in the last 18 months. The latest Toyota recall contributes to a total of about 10.5 million Toyota recall notices worldwide in the last seven months for problems ranging from unintended acceleration to braking and corrosion.

The Toyota recall list

A few weeks before the Toyota Sequoia recall announcement, the Consumer Reports warning not to get a car loan to buy a 2010 Lexus GX 460  led to a recall of 9,400  of the SUVs. Soon after, a Toyota recall, this time voluntary, was issued for about 600,000 Sienna minivans sold in the U.S. because of possible corrosion in the spare-tire carrier cable. But there’s more. Recently the federal government slapped Toyota with a record $16.4-million fine for failing to inform the public that gas pedals in eight models could stick and cause sudden acceleration. It was the largest fine on an automaker ever levied by the NHTSA.

The recession and the automobile industry

The recession has been chronically difficult on the automobile industry and having this type of recall at its tail end is not good news for the Japanese automaker. According to Toyota’s released statistics, the recall is affecting over 4.4 million cars worldwide, with 2.48 million of them in the US. It includes some of the best selling brands like the Camry and Corolla. The issue involves the floor mats catching the gas pedals to create potentially dangerous situations. Part of the reason for the vastness of the problem is due to the similar parts the Japanese automaker uses for various brands of its cars. To cut costs, it creates similar parts in mass quantities and then uses them for a wide variety of its vehicles.

Did Toyota lag in responding?

Critics believe the company was inefficient with dealing with the recall. Masaaki Sato, author of various books reviewing Japanese automakers, told the Associated Press that he believes company president Akio Toyoda should have immediately given a public explanation of what happened. Sato (see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/02/toyota-recall-could-have_n_445531.html) said, “He should have rushed over to the US or called a news conference in Tokyo. Toyota underestimated the seriousness of the problem.” In fact, looking back Toyoda largely ignored the issue and the media’s persistent request for some response. Since the time the issue was discovered, the company has made an announcement. In Davos, Switzerland, president Toyoda finally addressed the issue in hopes to repair customer perception and increase fast cash with new revenue.

Pressure from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The fix for the pedal-mat issue is to install a steel shim several millimeters thick in the pedal assembly. This should create a buffer and eliminate excessive friction between the two pieces. Though the solution is so far effective, Sasaki acknowledged the company lagged in decision making. He added, “We put our customers first. But what happened as a result may have been unfortunate. But we stuck to our view to the end.” He also confirmed that the decision to have a recall came with pressure from the US NHTSA. The company has known about the recall since 2007, and that is what caused the highway authority to increase its demands.

The recall in 2010

Though it took three years for the recall to happen, it has yet to be seen what consumer perception is now that it finally is happening. Auto manufacturers experienced a particularly difficult recession and monitoring cash now is more important than ever. Hopefully in the future companies will know how to handle issues like recalls more tactfully.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielctw/ / CC BY 2.0)

Need cash now? Apply HERE!

Many Toyota drivers are concerned for their safety. Image from Flickr.

Just days after Akio Toyoda apologized to Congress for the multiple recalls of over 10 million Toyota vehicles, a runaway Prius in San Diego is making headlines. While some buyers are looking into auto financing to get the now-reduced cost vehicles, Toyota has recalled several models of its popular Prius hybrid. Toyota has also recalled Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Highlander, Matrix, RAV4, Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia, and VENZA vehicles. These recalls threaten not only driver’s safety, but is costing the company millions of dollars.

The runaway Prius in San Diego

As reported by the Los Angeles Times article, Toyta Prius owner James Sikes was accelerating to pass another vehicle when “I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car and it did something kind of funny . . . it jumped and it just stuck there.” Mr. Sikes tried to get control of his runaway Prius in several ways, including stomping the brakes, attempting to manually move the accelerator pedal, and putting the vehicle in neutral.

Runaway Prius tailed by California Highway Patrol

Eventually, he called the California Highway Patrol, who sent officers that talked him through cutting power to the vehicle and getting it off the road. The runaway Prius is now going to be examined by a Toyota “field technical specialist” as well as National Highway Safety officials. Mr. Sike’s runaway Prius had been recently taken to the dealer, where he was informed that his Prius was not subject to the Toyota recall.

Runaway vehicles blamed for 56 fatal accidents

The U.S. government has recently launched an investigation into the “timeliness” of Toyota recalls. There have been up to 56 fatal accidents blamed on the alleged acceleration problems with Toyota vehicles. Toyota claims the “sticky” acceleration pedals are due to pedal and floor mat design issues. Toyota claims that the recall fixes these problems, and they are ready for auto loans once again. There are some, though, that blame the problem on Toyota’s electronic acceleration system.

What to do if you are in a runaway vehicle

If you find yourself in a runaway Prius (or any other runaway vehicle) there are a few things that you definitely should and should not do. Thanks to the Washington Post for these pointers.
You should NOT:

• Use your hands to try and adjust the accelerator pedal. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
• Immediately cut power to the vehicle. This seems a logical thing to try, but turning off the vehicle cuts power to the steering and braking system as well, and can lead to accidents.

You SHOULD:

• Put the vehicle in neutral. This will disengage the wheels from the engine, and slow down the car.
• Turn on your emergency flashers. This will let other drivers know there is something wrong.
• Steer carefully to avoid other vehicles.

Toyota recall… Honda recall… GM recall… Nissan recall… will Ford be next?

Who can say, but they all do seem to be falling like dominoes lately. The most immediate safety concern covered by the Nissan recall involves a brake-pin that can “partially come loose and cause a loss of normal braking ability,” The Street reports. The following vehicles from the years 2008 through 2010 fall under the scope of the Nissan recall:

• Nissan Titan pickups
• Infiniti QX56
• Nissan Armada SUV
• Nissan Quest minivans

According to Nissan, no injuries or accidents have been reported that related directly to this most recent Nissan recall.

Are we out of gas or what?

A faulty fuel gauge could certainly be inconvenient, but in most cases it would not place a driver in physical danger. While specific information regarding the exact problem with certain Nissan fuel gauges has not been made specific, it is known that Nissan plans to fix the problem. Vehicles in the Nissan recall with fuel gauge issues include the following cars from 2005 through 2008:

• Nissan Titan
• Nissan Armada
• Infiniti QX56
• Some Nissan Frontier pickups
• Some Nissan Pathfinder and Xterra SUVs

According to The Street, “Nissan shares were shedding 14 cents or 0.9 percent, to $15.86 in recent trading.” That is certainly not a welcome sight for the automaker, but it could definitely be worse. It is unclear whether the automaker is currently in need of credit counseling along the lines of GM, the bailout king of American carmakers.

What should you do if your Nissan or Infiniti is affected by the Nissan recall?

Contact Nissan Consumer Affairs via their Web site or call (800) NISSAN-1, or (800) 647-7261. If for some reason you need the department’s mailing address it is P.O. Box 685003, Franklin TN 37068-5003.

Related Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnWsTY-8L0E

Koua Fong Lee: an innocent man? (Photo: Minnesota DOC)

How is this, you say? As you may know, the recent Toyota recall (click the link to see if your vehicle is on it) has placed the spotlight squarely upon various acceleration and braking issues that have been responsible for property damage, injuries and even death. Now it seems that Toyota’s problems could save an innocent man from spending years in prison. Perhaps some quick cash for his pain and suffering will be in order?

Koua Fong Lee tried to stop

He told the Associated Press that he was certain his foot was off the accelerator and he was applying the brakes as hard as he could. But he couldn’t stop his 1996 Toyota Camry from flying up an interstate ramp, striking a car at a red light in front of him. The crash killed two people in the waiting car (Javis Adams, 33 and his son Javis Jr., 10), while a third died in the hospital (Devyn Bolton, 6). Minnesota police estimate that Koua Fong Lee was traveling anywhere from 70 to 90 miles per hour at the time of impact.

A Minnesota jury didn’t buy his defense, and Koua Fong Lee was sentenced to eight years in prison. But it is the information that has come to light following news of the Toyota recall that has talk of reopening Koua Fong Lee’s case. Prosecutor Phil Carruthers supports the idea.

“We don’t want an innocent man sitting in prison,” he told the AP.

This news of stuck accelerators and failing brakes has also prompted relatives of the deceased to redirect their ire toward the embattled Japanese automaker. They’re going to sue.

Toyota’s acceleration problems “more extensive” than originally believed

Lawsuits are mounting and Congress is breathing down the collective necks of Toyota’s upper management. The cause of the sudden acceleration that has done so much damage is still unclear. While the 1996 Toyota Camry Koua Fong Lee was driving wasn’t named on the initial Toyota recall list, some 1996 Camrys have been recalled due to defective cruise control that could cause sudden acceleration.

Now the judge must be persuaded to start a new trial

Once Koua Fong Lee’s vehicle is reinspected – it’s currently in police impound – the case may be that much close to re-opening. Your payday loan blogger will concede that nothing can replace those lives that were lost, but justice must shine upon the innocent. The Toyota recall seems enough to get this reopened. Koua Fong Lee should get another chance.

Related Video:

Smokey says, "Only you can prevent Honda Jazz forest fires. Only you." (Photo: tsikot.com)

Another Japanese automaker is facing a recall, which comes as no shock to anyone who buys into the whole GM conspiracy theory that’s floating around out there. Josh Oliver at TheGMSource writes that in light of the recent Toyota recall, some people began speculating that the U.S. government – the same government that has gone to great pains to prop up the sagging General Motors (GM) – is trying to hammer the competition so that GM has a better shot at increasing their share price. Of course the whole theory breaks down when you consider that the Japanese government is also forcing Toyota to recall vehicles over there. Your cash advance blogger simply doesn’t smell what conspiracy theorists are cooking, but I have had a cold lately.

Now Honda recalls airbags

According to the Washington Post (See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/09/AR2010020903896.html), Honda will recall 438,000 cars worldwide due to a problem with the airbag deflator. It can cause the rap to rupture and fling shrapnel at the driver. One fatality and 11 injuries have been recorded in the U.S. due to the Honda airbag malfunction.  If Pat Benatar ever pondered the greater implications of Fahrvergnügen, I’m sure airbag shrapnel wasn’t on the set list.

Honda had just recalled 646,000 cars

Only two weeks before, Honda had to act on news that a faulty window switch had caused a Honda Jazz to burst into flames and kill a South African child. That prompted a 636,000-vehicle Honda recall. In recent years, Honda had already gone through airbag recalls totaling 510,000 cars. “Insufficient stamping pressure” during airbag inflator propellant production had been the problem then, according to the Post.

Kangaerarenai koto da, Takata

Oh, so the airbags were made by the U.S. unit of Japan’s Takata Corp? The conspiracy theorists are hungry again. Takata was unaware of the airbag problem, according to Honda. Now the following U.S. and Canadian-made Hondas are being recalled, totaling 379,000:

2001 and 2002

• Accord
• Civic
• Odyssey
• CR-V
• Pilot

2002

• Acura TL
• Acura CL

If the Honda airbag recall affects you, call (800) 382-2238 or visit this Web site for more information.

Honda recalling airbags: A yen for giving up the yen

Honda estimates that the recalled airbags will cost the company around 24 million yen in Japan. At 89.91 yen per dollar, that’s about $267,000 – that’s where the $67 per car estimate comes from. Globally, however, they’re looking at around $30 million. As of the Washington Post‘s report, Honda’s share price was down 0.2 percent in Tokyo; Takata’s was down 1.6 percent.

The media has been all over these auto recalls

Yes, they’re important for the safety of those who own the cars in question. But analysts like Yoshihiko Tabei of Kazaka Securities – among others – are going on record with the media as saying that “While the way automakers handle recalls is important, I think people should be careful not to overreact to every single recall.” Critics of the cash advance industry lose their heads when one person enters a debt spiral after using the product, even though ample evidence exists that cash advance is a safe product if used properly. The Honda recall for airbags is serious; so was the Toyota recall. However, auto recalls as a whole are a quiet business not worthy of such attention (or not so much attention for American automakers, according to the conspiracy-minded).

Related Video:

Last week, you no doubt heard that Toyota embarked on a vehicle recall that could approach five million cars. Stuck accelerator pedals lead to accidents, and the company was left with no choice. The Prius hybrid gasoline-electric car wasn’t on the list at the time, but it is now. The Prius recall has been made official, and this one has much to do with a braking problem that can also cause serious accidents. Plant workers in Japan may need payday loans as business curtails.

Loss of brakes on bumpy, slippery roads

Those are of course the exact kinds of roads where brakes are most necessary, so you can understand the gravity of Toyota’s Prius recall situation. Hundreds of complains have been lodged, according to CTV’s Canada AM. Among those in the United States, at least two involve crashes that led to injury, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Error… error… error… beeep

Rather than floor mats being an issue, the Prius recall appears to come down to a braking sensor that can malfunction if it receives a strong shock. That was reported by Kyodo News Service in Japan. The result of such a shock can be reduced braking power when the Prius driver attempts to slow down on a less than smooth road. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who owns several Prius hybrids, speculated to the Associated Press that it is a software issue.

A “very scary” problem

And I’m sure Wozniak isn’t the only Prius owner who feels that way. According to the AP, he was at an unrelated conference when he went on record with his Prius recall comments. What will Toyota and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration have to say about this? Owners shouldn’t wait to see. If you own a Prius, click here for the contact information. Your payday loans source reminds you that it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Related Video:

This is spongy metal foam. If Haitian buildings had this in their foundations, thousands more people could perhaps have been saved. (Photo: inventables.com)

The tragedy of the Haiti earthquake hasn’t been lost on people worldwide. The poor infrastructure of the country included substandard building materials that were not earthquake safe, which resulted in the collapse of countless buildings in and around Port-Au-Prince and many more deaths. The payday loans family at Personal Money Market wonders whether something like metal foam could have made a difference and saved lives. Of course money would have been involved, which Haiti does not have in surplus, monetary contributions aside.

Spongy metal foam?

Yes – and recent advancements in science have produced the strongest metal foam to date. It can absorb large impacts without damage by compressing itself as much as 80 percent while still maintaining its original shape. North Carolina State University’s Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei hinted to media that not only could this spongy metal foam eventually be used to help avert disasters like the collapse of homes in the Haiti earthquake, but there are cornucopias of other applications.  Think the sudden acceleration accidents that may have led to the Toyota recall were bad? With metal foam in bumpers and car body construction, injuries could potentially have been lessened or reduced.

How can metal form a sponge?

Basically, it’s a cellular structure with lots of empty space contained. According to Inventables, Dr. Rabiei has made the pockets more uniform than previous metal foams, which makes it both stronger and more elastic (compressible). Rabiei says that her metal foam “has a much higher strength-to-density ratio than any metal foam that has ever been reported.”

A practical example

Installing metal foam in the foundations of buildings in third-world economic level countries would be ideal, but complications would no doubt arise. Thus, obtaining data of how such buildings would stand up to earthquakes is difficult. But Dr. Rabiei theorizes that if her metal foam were used in the bumpers of colliding vehicles, impact at 28 mph would be perceived by the drivers in much the same was as a collision at a mere five miles per hour.

But let’s not stop at building materials and car bumpers

Rabiei’s metal foam could, she suggests, be used in such products as body armor and artificial limbs. As I’ve said, the applications appear almost endless. If toppled buildings during the Haiti earthquake or deaths from car accidents can be averted, then metal foam would prove its worth to the world. Your payday loans source is excited about this spongy metal future.

Related Video:

A new Toyota is great – but not if it's on the Toyota recall list 2010.

Automakers have taken a pounding lately, and the recent Toyota recall list certainly doesn’t help matters. 2.3 million cars had already been recalled of late, but now eight model lines are being taken off the U.S. market so that a gas pedal problem can be worked around. Talking about needing payday loans! Various sources indicate that Toyota lost $7.1 billion in 2009. Their reputation for reliable cars had been solid, and who knows how much more money they’ll lose now.

Sudden acceleration is a bad thing

Apparently the design of the gas pedal mechanism can cause the gas pedal to stick, causing dangerous, unanticipated acceleration. Imagine: Toyota uses these defective parts in both the United States and Europe. They will likely have to recall two million cars in Europe, which I’m sure they’re ecstatic about.

What if your gas pedal sticks?

Jeff Bartlett of Consumer Reports says that the first thing to do is not panic. Then immediately shift the car into neutral to get it out of gear and quell the additional acceleration. You’ll still be able to steer and brake, so you’ll still be able to save your own live (and perhaps the lives of others).

What cars are on the Toyota recall list?

If you happen to have one of these Toyota models in your garage, here’s what you should do: Call your dealer so they can assess the situation with your accelerator. Toyota has a hotline at (800) 331-4331 if you’d like more details. The models on the Toyota recall list are as follows:

• Highlander crossover (2010)
• Tundra pickup (2007-10)
• Sequoia large SUV (2008-10)
• Matrix hatchback (2009-10)
• Avalon large-size sedan (2005-10)
• RAV4 (2009-10)
• Corolla (2009-10)
• Camry (2007-10)

If you see your car on this list, act now. Your payday loans source recommends that you don’t delay – the inconvenience isn’t worth your life.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mujitra/ / CC BY 2.0)

Related Video:

Floor mat problem? A personal loan will get you some super glue. (Photo: archie99.wordpress.com)

When the world’s largest automaker recalls 3.8 million cars, you know something serious is going on. That’s exactly what the recent Toyota recall has done because of floor mats that present a risk of causing accidents. Removing the mats and obtaining new ones (even if you need a personal loan to help you get just the right ones) present a much better course of action than endangering lives.

What models are affected by the Toyota recall?

Toyota:

• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2004-2009 Prius
• 2005-2010 Tacoma
• 2007-2010 Tundra

Lexus:

• 2007-2010 ES 350
• 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS 350

What problem do the floor mats cause?

Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have released a statement in which drivers are cautioned that the removable floor mats can easily shift while the vehicle is in motion, presenting a scenario where they can become stuck on the accelerator pedal. It can literally stick the accelerator to the floor, and in the case of at least one incident, has led to fatalities.

It could “cause a crash, serious injury or death”

Toyota was very clear of this in their statement regarding an open accelerator caused by a removable floor mat. Interestingly, this problem led to a ban of all-weather mats back in 2007, but the NHTSA noted that reports of rapid acceleration are still occurring “after the release of the pedal.” Is there another problem Toyota or Lexus owners should be concerned about?

A fatal crash in California got the Toyota recall rolling

According to CNN, investigators discovered that the fatal crash of a 2009 Lexus ES350 loaned to a family by a San Diego Lexus dealer “could have been caused” by slippage of the all-weather floor mat into the vicinity of the accelerator pedal.

Ray LaHood of the NHTSA rightly calls this “an urgent matter.” He continues in a statement to proclaim that “For everyone’s sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.”

[apply_button float="right"]

Take action immediately

If you are a Toyota or Lexus owner and your vehicle is one of the ones listed above, remove the floor mats immediately and contact your dealership for further information. If a replacement program exists, take advantage. If you must buy your own in order to protect the upholstery, do so. If you’re short of cash, get a personal loan – don’t risk your life in assuming your mats won’t be a problem.

Related Video: