Toyota advises 3.8 million Lexus and Toyota owners to remove floor mats

Toyota today announced that it is asking 3.8 million owners of seven Lexus and Toyota models to remove factory driver-side floor mats to prevent potential throttle “entrapment” that can equate to uncontrolled acceleration. This is a safety advisory, not a recall, while the automaker works with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on an action plan and long-term solution. Toyota will be notifying owners in its largest safety advisory to date. NHTSA will also be reaching out to consumers and says a safety recall is coming. (The illustration shows proper floor mat installation using floor anchors.)
 
The impacted vehicles:

2005 - 2010 Toyota Avalon
2007 - 2010 Toyota Camry
2004 - 2009 Toyota Prius
2005 - 2010 Toyota Tacoma
2007 - 2010 Toyota Tundra
2007 - 2010 Lexus ES350
2006 - 2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350

 

Toyota would not confirm how many reports have been filed on pedal entrapment, nor how many related deaths or injuries may be attributable. NHTSA has cites reports of accelerator pedal clearance that may stick the pedal in wide-open position. The issue gained national spotlight due to the tragic crash in California late August of a 2009 Lexus ES sedan driven by an off-duty police officer. (Read “Misaligned floor mat may have caused calamity.”)

In 2007, Lexus and Toyota issued a floor mat recall due to a problem with the mats potentially getting stuck under the accelerator pedal in certain cars.

Should your vehicle accelerate after the gas pedal is released, there could be interference from a floor mat. In such situations, Toyota advises:
 

Pull back the floor mat and dislodge it from the accelerator; then pull over and stop the vehicle.
 
If the floor mat cannot be dislodged, then firmly and steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet. Do NOT pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort required to slow the vehicle.
 
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.
 
If unable to put the vehicle in Neutral, turn the engine OFF, or to ACC. This will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost.
 
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.
 
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.

 

While this advisory is for Lexus and Toyota models, it should serve as a reminder to all drivers to check your floor mat installation. If your car has stock floor mats, take the time to make sure they are hooked to their restraint fixtures, if the car is so equipped. If you have aftermarket or accessory floor mats, make sure they are secured and can’t move around in such away as to interfere with pedal travel. Never stack floor mats; there should be only one per person. And always keep travel trash clear of the driver’s foot well.

For customer service questions, contact:

Toyota – 800-331-4331
Lexus – 800-255-3987

See the more recent, follow-up report: "Toyota and Lexus floor mat recall is official."

Learn about safety technologies in our car safety section.

—Jeff Bartlett

Comments

[ClassAct4]

Why did it take Toyota until now to make this recall? They were "on notice" about this issue since 2005. It took the fatal accident of a police officer, while driving a Lexus, to warn the public of this danger, not only to Toyota and Lexus drivers, but anyone else, including young children, who may be in harms way. Oh what a feeling is right. Toyota's actions are criminal!

[IROC]

ClassAct is correct. This has been ongoing for years but NHTSA, the Bush Administration, and Toyota all stated that there was nothing wrong with their vehicles and that they were safe. The Tacoma Pickup was subject to question about this years ago and lo and behold its on the recall list!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Are the 2010 Toyota Corolla's affected by this recall ?

[Maureen]

ClassAct14, you took the words right out of my mouth. Thats exactly what I wanted to say. I just wanted to add that the problem may be more than just floor mats. This is what I found on ABC news follows:
One Toyota owner petitioned NHTSA in April of this year to begin a wider investigation, saying that anecdotal reports of unintended acceleration suggested the problem could not be explained only by the floormat problem.

NHTSA has not ruled on that request. One auto safety advocate said he also suspected that reported problems could have causes other than slipping floormats.

"Their response is that this is all floormats," Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, a consulting and advocacy firm based in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, said of Toyota.

"That's not terribly surprising. They would like it to be floormats because that is an easily identifiable mechanical issue."

The San Diego Sheriff's Department has not completed its investigation into the off-duty trooper's crash. Federal safety investigators are also looking into the accident.

Its not money their worried about, its their reputation. Also, isnt it strange this problem is only in the USA? I think Toyota should be banned from this country. I beleive this may be partly a floor mat problem, but why is it taking them 4 years to correct it. A woman had an experience with unintended acceleration and was almost killed in her Lexus. The floor mat was not near the gas pedal!!!! I will never own (much less sit in) any toyota product.

[sue]

i had a 2007 Camry and the accelerator got stuck as I was getting on a bridge, thank god the traffic was not backed up, as I accelerated to get in the other lane the accelerator went all the way down to the floor and I had both feet on the brake pedal pushing it all the way down and it still wasn't slowing down, it wasn't until I moved the shift back and forth to neutral a couple of times that it finally unstuck. I went straight to the dealership and they told me nothing showed up in the computer so they could not do anything and that they were there if it happened again. Sure they would be there but I might not be and maybe someone else. I even contacted the main toyota service representative and they told me to take it in again, so I did and all I got was the same answer and never heard anything from them again. I traded in on a Honda and will not buy Toyota again. Those floor mats are not that heavy that the brakes could not stop the car and I didn't have a floor mat on my accelerator. I think this is just a cover up because they can't figure what is actually wrong.

[Tony Mottola]

I have a 2005-2010 Tacoma and my throttle stuck on me. I have no floor mats. I strongly believe it is in the cruise control mechanism that lies the problem. I gave it some gas from a stop sign and it just went faster and faster with no help from me. I stomped on the throttle to free it, both feet on the brakes to stop it with no success. I ended up putting it in neutral and turning it off. I restarted it and took off as if no problem had occurred. I did take it to Toyota but they could not find a problem. Whats my point here, well I have to say it is not the floor mats and Toyota is trying to steer the blame to a lesser cheaper fix. This happened about 4 months ago.

[Cale]

Frightening comments from those that state that the floor mats aren't the problem. But saying that Toyota is trying to "steer the blame" to a cheaper fix doesn't ring true. Such comments mock the police investigation where "Preliminary evidence suggests that the wrong model of all-weather rubber mat caused California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor to lose control of a 2009 Lexus ES 350..." Mark Saylor, his wife Cleofe, daughter Mahala, and brother-in-law Chris Lastrella deserve a complete investigation into this horrific accident, not unfounded conspiracy theories.

[david]

This is scary. My girlfriend currently drives a Toyota Matrix. I told her last night about this and showed her the proper technique of putting a car into neutral - using your palm, push the shifter forward. Don't grab with it like you're moving from P (park) to R or from D to P. Takes too much time and you might accidentally go from D to R or P.

I guess I should have asked her to practice it on a empty road with me beside her.

[Rob]

Come on people. If you have a problem, reach down and pull the mat back. I have owned Toy pickups since before the Tacoma, and have owned 4 Tacomas since they were introduced. This could happen on ANY vehicle with mats, not just them.

[Edited]

This is ridiculous...

--->Rob

[Maureen]

Cale, do you believe these previous comments are false? Do you know what it means when they say I didn’t have a floor mat/floor mat wasn’t near the gas pedal? Yes Cale, this is called unintended acceleration with no floor mat. IT HAS HAPPENED!!!!

A Woman almost died driving a speeding Lexus. She was so horrified, she called the dealership and told them she was too afraid to drive it in. Well the dealer came to her home and intended to take the car back to the dealership. On the way back, the car started speeding. He was able to stop it. He called a towing company after that. Its all on video www.autocoverup.com See for your self
In the case of officer Saylor, it could of been the floor mat. Yes I believe a floor mat problem is probable but not in every stuck gas pedal complaint.
. You should be apologizing to those writing about their horrific experiences instead of claiming that they are out to sabotage toyota. The public deserves to know the truth. These are dangerous cars and should all be in the crusher. Mock the police? What a joke

[Martin]

"In 2007, Lexus and Toyota issued a floor mat recall due to a problem with the mats potentially getting stuck under the accelerator pedal in certain cars."

Just read...recall was issued, pay attention.

Why 2005 Tacoma and not 4-Runner which are basically the same?

[david]

"Toyota advises:
Pull back the floor mat and dislodge it from the accelerator; then pull over and stop the vehicle.

If the floor mat cannot be dislodged, then firmly and steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet."

What is CR's take on Toyota's advise? I find the first one, "Pull the floor mat..." ridiculous. First of all, do you really know it is the floor mat? Who has time to figure out what is causing the acceleration? There might be a car a few seconds ahead of you.

Second, an unintended accelerating car is considered an out of control car. Do you really want to take that much time off pulling the floor mat? Your eyes could be away from the road. You want both hands on the wheel if possible. One needs to be done is to put the car in neutral immediately using proper techniques - push forward or flick with fingers without holding on to the shifter button. If manual car (are there any manual Toyotas left?), both feet in (on clutch and brake).

[brian bennett]

My gas pedal git stuck on the highway with no mats under the pedal as I pushed in the clutch to slow down it burned my clutch to the point where it had to be replaced 700.00 dollars!!!!!!!!!

[Donald Jackson]

On 8/17/09 my 2004 Camry Solara was totaled while I was attempting to park at my place of employment. My foot was not on the accelerator, it was on the brake. The floor mats in 2004 had the hooks as Toyota claims. Suddenly I noted the engine R.P. M's increased significantly. I hit the brakes and my auto hit the cement parking abutments in the parking space. My car jumped over the abutment and I cranked the steering wheel hard right to avoid hitting a pedestrian walkway directly in front of my car. I traversed down a sidewalk with my brakes full on and have pictures to substantiate my claim. I veered right and noted a vehicle in another parking space about four spaces to my right that I might broad-side. I swerved left and clipped the front bumper of that vehicle which caused my car to land atop of a cement stairwell and finally came to a complete stop. The floor mats in the 2004 Toyota were just what Toyota describes as safe mats. They had hooks and they were always slipping out of these ( Safer?) hooks. I could feel it when the mat was misaligned or dislodged, I would simply reach down and readjust the mat. This was totally different. The engine was rapidly accelerating sounding like full throttle. This all took place in a mere minute. This small moment in time was all I had to react to this emergency. I feel extremely lucky to be alive. Can someone recreate these situations in a Toyota? Could the floor mats cause rapid unintended acceleration ? The space from the floor board to the accelerator has to be about 3". The floor mat is only about 1/2", I constantly had to pull the mat back because it impeded my ability to depress the pedal.
Sincerely,
Donald Jackson
Orange CA

[Jaime Fernandez]

I bought a new Lexus ES-350 2009 2 months ago. My floor mats are attached with 2 proper floor anchors and the mats it does not move. Can I receive a recall to replace or something else? This is my third Lexus bought in Lexus of Kendall. ES-300 in 2002, ES-330 in 2005 and now ES-350 2009.
Please can you inform me about this matter, because my wife and I, are very worry about this matter.
I wait for your answer.

Jaime Fernandez

[Jeff Bartlett - Consumer Reports]

See our more recent post:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/10/toyota-lexus-floor-mat-recall-is-official.html

For customer service questions, contact:

Toyota – 800-331-4331
Lexus – 800-255-3987

[James Brophy]

I had this same situation occur in a 1989 Cadillac I purchased used. I activated the cruise control and noticed the car kept accelerating. I managed to get the car stopped on the side of the highway. I turned the engine off and then back on after a couple of minutes and proceeded to my destination without using the cruise control without further incident. I took the car to the Cadillac dealer who said they checked it out but couldn't find any problem codes in the computer. The problem never happened again while I owned the vehicle, which was for several years. I know the mat wasn't the problem. I believe it had something to do with the cruise control, but I couldn't prove it.
I know the current problem is with Toyota and Lexus, but I just wanted to make you aware of another vehicle that experienced the same problem.

James Brophy,
Jackson, New Jersey

[K G Ide]

The accelerator pedal catching under the edge of thick floor mats is not just a problem with Toyotas.. My wife's Ford Sportrac took a trip into the wilderness when I floored it on our snow covered driveway.. This was with one of the "mudcatcher" type floor mats. I've seen this on several vehicles of ours, and yes, part of the cause is flooring the gas pedal (which I may do more often than my wife). Why this hasn't drawn more attention till now is mystifying...

[Bill Hunt]

This brought to mind a Taurus that I had years ago. It would frequently accelerate as described right up into the tach's redline! I took it to the dealer several times; nothing could be found although one time it accelerated right in the dealer's garage as I was leaving - they added a heavier throttle spring!

I finally got under the hood myself and quickly determined that the throttle plate shaft was corroded in the bearing holes of the throttle body. I polished up the shaft, applied a bit of Never-Seez and never experienced the problem again.

[AJ. Gendelman]

In 2002 I shipped a new 02 ECHO from Houston Texas to Puerto Rico. Drove it around the Island for seven years. Serviced every 3,500 miles at, and only at TOYOTA, by the book. This year I had the car shipped to Dallas, Texas. The car runs perfectly.
Soon after I started driving the ECHO in Puerto Rico I noticed a carpet issue. The carpet lock hooks popped out of the floor and let the mat slide forward uinder my heel and up "under the gas pedal" limiting my speed control. I pulled the floor mat locks out. Not good for entering highway traffic or relying on the vehicle for defensive driving maneuvers. Since then, I always make sure I pull the floor mat back far enough leaving the gas pedal range free. I have, for safety, and still do, adjust the mat by hand while I am driving. I thought it was my size 14 shoes tearing out the mat locks until this unfortunate situation recently became serious. But look--I can remember design flaws in every automobile and truck I ever owned. The more sophisticated cars get, the more flaws we can expect. We have to be ready to not fool ourselves into thinking these car inventions are perfect, releasing us from the responsibility of paying attention to what is going on. Defensive and safe driving behavior at all times--and I repeat...at all times--is our only way to say to the car designers and manufacturers "Thank You" nice job---but we are ready--just in case. By the way, it was my fault too for not reporting the mat lock issue as soon as it happend, to TOYOTA. TOYOTA maintenance would document it, and order improvements, as I am sure they would have. I would like to see the TOYOTA records of how many TOYOTA owners, how many of us, made TOYOTA aware of what was going on, before it came to tragic proportions.

[Barbara Atkinson]

I agree with Rob.... Why the big to-do??? Come on.... Aren't people SMART enough to keep the mat pulled back from the gas pedal????? Survival of the fittest is in play here..... I pulled my mat back.

[AJ. Gendelman]

I just read Donald Jackson wild story.
Donald you are one skilled, but lucky fellow.

Strange as it may seem, yes with less drama thank goodness.

Two weeks ago after a TOYOTA service, driving home and the next day my wife reporting similar strange car engine behavior, I made a serious check out ride. The transmission In drive, foot off the brake pedal, the car would run up to, and continue down the road at twenty miles per hour. The engine running rough. I never had that experience with this car before. Immediatley back to the TOYOTA dealer maintanance I said--fix it or give me my money back.
They brought out the Chief Mechanic and two other mechanics for me to explain what was going on. Without another word they took it into the shop. Thirty minutes later the car was ready and acting normal. It seem they did not put a vacuum tube back on correctly during the maintenance service. But now I can rest assured everything is just fine. I did tell them I would never be back for service or to buy a new car at that delaership. They did offer an apology with free service next time. I thank them and refused it of course, saying " listen fellas" my wife and I lived to tell you about this one, I am not gambling on the next. I did locate another TOYOTA dealer for maintenance I believe will pay more attention to the details than the turnover. We too have to do our best to kick the tires, open, look under the hood, checking the level of the liquids and oil on the dipstick, open the trunk, and if need be have them take it up on the lift and show you what they did. If they don't like that--go to another dealer, your life depends on it.

[robert]

Are 2003-2004 avalons included?

Were any or all of the affected vehicle equipped with a cruise control system and was it on in any of these incidents?

Had a remote starter/security system been installed - factory or third party? If so, what brand and/or type?

[Don]

I have a different problem with a 2007 Tacoma that hopefully someone can shed some light on!! On two different occasions, from a parked position I move the gear shift from park to drive and it wanted to go into reverse. I tried several time, from park to drive, reverse to drive, park to 2nd, etc. and it didn't want to go forward. When I shut off the ignition and restarted it I had no problem. I took the vehicle into the dealer and they couldn't find the problem or duplicate it. The district rep said the computer should have picked up the problem if it had malfunctioned but it didn't. I asked him to check with the regional rep and they said nobody had had that same problem. I call the 800 number for Toyota and reported the problem but to no avail. Surely if it has happened to me it has happened to someone else. Anybody out there have some ideas or similar situations. Help--meengsdon@msn.com

[John N.]

Please bear with this entire story since it relates to unwarranted accelaration and possible Toyota mechanical incompetence and irresponsibility. A few months ago Toyota maintenance 'replaced a faulty valve (service bulletin) in my sister's Lexus ES350 that I am driving, that 'might keep the gas flowing to the engine after taking the foot off the accelerator. I'd mentioned that I'd noticed the engine occassionally 'speeds up' in similar situations and the cruise control is disengaged/off. They said nothing about the floor mat but I will remove it ASAP and see if this continues because it's happening again. This 'floor mat' condition may have somehow contributed to the accident that killed my brother-in-law and almost killed my sister when her car did not 'shut off' and filled their house with carbon monoxide. We will forward this information to the proper authorities. I am now driving the car in order to visit/support her in the rehabilitation nursing home.
This may be related in the sense that some Toyota mechanics and service representatives may not be adhering to Toyota standards. Several years ago I brought my old Camry into the Manhattan dealership for a NY state inspection and servicing and was told the "engine mounts were broken". I declined replacement but they 'passed' the car anyway! While visiting my daughter, to whom I'd given the car, a few days later in upstate New York we brought it to the 'Albany area' Toyota dealership who told us there was nothing wrong with the engine mounts.
I think the government has to take a more active role in investigating these very important safety issues that are costing citizen's lives.