Toyota made the wrong kind of headlines two years ago when the
auto giant made a massive recall of cars over a sudden acceleration problem
linked to deaths.
The recall was on a scale I have seldom seen before as a Houston car accident injury attorney and
related to a defect linked to deaths and injuries.
Now the problems have
come back to haunt the company after it announced the recall of more than
150,000 vehicles - 2010-model Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h hybrid SUVs.
Toyota said the new
recall covers about 131,800 RX 350s, and 22,200 RX 450h hybrids.
The
problem is a familiar one - floor mats that can trap gas
pedals leading to sudden acceleration in line with a 2009 recall,
CTV news reported.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reviewed a
number of "consumer complaints and information provided by the
manufacturer" and "requested that Toyota conduct an immediate recall,
according to a statement.
NHTSA said officials noticed "an increase in consumer
complaints and other reports regarding pedal entrapment in these vehicles,"
and Toyota "confirmed last week that it had received a significant volume
of complaints on the same issue."
The new recall adds to the massive recalls in 2009 and 2010 for
defects that could result in unintended acceleration, although it was not on a
comparable scale.
The company recalled about 6.9 million cars amid fears that
floor mats could jam the gas pedal.
It also recalled 2.1 million cars for a gas pedal mechanism that
could stick. The defect has been linked to deaths and wrongful death lawsuits.
When a death or an injury is linked to a defect a product
liability lawsuit can be brought. Recently I reported on a wrongful death lawsuit brought
by the family of a couple who died in a Chrysler Town & Country over
alleged defects in the minivan they were in that was involved in a crash in
Texas.
For a free case evaluation by an experienced Car /Houston Auto Accidents attorney who could assist
you with a potential personal injury case, please call our law firm at (713)
888-8888 or (281)
888-8888.
