I love Toyota. Actually my first car was Toyota Coralla SLE 2007. It’s a family car and I was a late bloomer when it comes to driving. I started in my mid-20’s. I love driving that Corolla. It’s compact and economical in gas. I can zip in and out of traffic. It was a really good car.

Now my dad changed it to Toyota Camry 2008. It’s heavier and slightly larger than the Corolla. I didn’t like it because it eats up gas quicker and it’s slightly larger built makes it hard for me to maneuver the car as I wanted to.

Now there is this big hoopla of recalling certain Toyota car models, Camry included. Toyota is recalling a list of it’s car models because of a problem with the gas pedal. The list of involved models are:

Certain 2009-2010 RAV4*,
Certain 2009-2010 Corolla*,
2009-2010 Matrix,
2005-2010 Avalon,
Certain 2007-2010 Camry*,
Certain 2010 Highlander*,
2007-2010 Tundra,
2008-2010 Sequoia

According to the Toyota pressroom,

“The issue involves a friction device in the pedal designed to provide the proper “feel” by adding resistance and making the pedal steady and stable.

This friction device includes a “shoe” that rubs against an adjoining surface during normal pedal operation.  Due to the materials used, wear and environmental conditions, these surfaces may, over time, begin to stick and release instead of operating smoothly. In some cases, friction could increase to a point that the pedal is slow to return to the idle position or, in rare cases, the pedal sticks, leaving the throttle partially open.”

I partially understood what they meant. And I think it happens in our car too. When I stop, it takes a long time to halt completely even though I’m pressing on the brake pedal. Sometimes there’s a slight increase in speed even though I’m hitting the brakes. My dad says that it happens most especially when you use the Cruise Control. When you switch off the Cruise Control, instead of slowing down, the car still accelerates.

Whatever the issue is, this will of course pose a big worry for the driver since there is no guarantee or confidence that the car will always be perfectly running. Because this issue has exploded, Toyota is now totally recalling the affected vehicle models. They will completely pay the repair and actual repair will only take 30 minutes. That’s good news because I have to drive to to work. At present, Toyota is suspending its sales on the affected models.

If you’re a Toyota car owner and your vehicle is any of the models stated above then your car is affected by the recall. Take note certain Prius models are now also included.  In the meantime, when you experience a sticking accelerator pedal when driving, here are recommended actions to take:

1. If you need to stop immediately, the vehicle can be controlled by stepping on the brake pedal with both feet using firm and steady pressure.  Do not pump the brake pedal as it will deplete the vacuum utilized for the power brake assist.
2. Shift the transmission gear selector to the Neutral (N) position and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road and turn off the engine.
3. If unable to put the vehicle in Neutral, turn the engine OFF. This will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost. 
     a. If the vehicle is equipped with an Engine Start/Stop button, firmly and steadily push the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine.  Do NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop button.  
     b.  If the vehicle is equipped with a conventional key-ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC position to turn off the engine.  Do NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the steering wheel. 

Click here for more information about the Toyota recall issue.

Drive carefully!

Related posts:

1. I love our Prius