A recent floor mat problem that caused Toyota to recall 3.8 million vehicles does not appear to have solved their problem. Unfortunately, the floor mats, which were first thought to be the problem, caused focus to shift to another area – problems stopping the vehicles.
The NHTSA indicates that owners of certain Toyota vehicles may have a difficult time bringing their cars to a stop in emergency situations, according to USA today. The report issued by the NHTSA indicates that numerous features found on the Lexus ES-350, which is the same model of car that was involved in a fatal California crash that took the lives of a California Highway Patrol officer and three others. This problem also exists in other Toyota models.
According to the report, it would likely take 150 pounds of force for drivers of the Lexus ES-350 to stop their car, which is approximately five times the usual foot pressure present in an adult. Motorists may also find it difficult to find the neutral gear in case of an emergency situation. In addition, these vehicles often come with a power stop-start button that allows the driver to start the vehicle without the use of a key. This means that in an emergency, the motorist would have to press this button continuously for three seconds or longer to get the vehicle to stop.
Many people who drive Toyota vehicles are not aware of the three second requirement, which isn’t even mentioned in the owners manual. A survey demonstrated that out of every 10 Lexus ES-350 owners, one has experienced an acceleration incident. California personal injury lawyers find it curious that Toyota has not felt the need to include instructions concerning the stop-start button emergency usage.
San Diego Product liability lawyers who represent victims who have been involved in accidents involving Toyota vehicles state that the floor mat recall will not do much to alleviate the problem with uncontrolled acceleration because there is an additional issue that has not been addressed: the vehicle’s defective engine throttle control system. Some investigations have concluded that the electronic throttle control system has been the cause of several incidents where motorists experienced sudden and unexpected acceleration, according to these lawyers.
The San Diego Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing personal injury victims, including victims of motor vehicle defects. Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.