In an encouraging motion of product liability, Toyota Motor Co. announced in December that it will pay out over $1 billion to settle a lawsuit regarding accidental acceleration in some of its vehicles.
Although the terms of the suit only acknowledge problems with the accelerator pedals, Toyota has recently been the focus of numerous recalls concerning defective components, including:
- Floor mats. On September 26, 2007, Toyota recalled roughly 55,000 sets of rubber floor mats from the Toyota Camry and ES 350, citing reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that some unsecured mats could shift forward and trap the gas pedal.
- Accelerator pedals. On November 25, 2009 Toyota amended its floor mat recall to include the accelerator pedals in Toyota and Lexus vehicles.
- Anti-lock brakes. On February 3, 2010, the NHTSA contacted Toyota after multiple reports of problems related to the braking system on the newest model of Toyota Prius. Five days later, Toyota initiated a voluntary global recall of all affected models, citing faulty software in the anti-lock braking system.
In addition to paying owners millions in settlements, Toyota has agreed to install a brake-override system in over 3 million of their vehicles. This system will cut the power to the engine when it detects that the brake and accelerator are being pressed simultaneously, stopping the vehicle and hopefully avoiding an impending crash.
If a manufacturer’s defect caused a death in your family, we can help you get closure and justice for their unnecessary suffering. Call the experienced Louisville car wreck lawyers at Gray and White today at 800.634.8767 or click the contact link on this page to begin your FREE consultation. The call is FREE, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case.