U.S. To Investigate Toyota Accelerator Electronics
February 2, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports United States officials are investigating the electronic throttle system on Toyota Motor Corp. models. The Toyota models that are under investigation are alleged in at least seven law suits to have caused sudden acceleration. Officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration want to determine whether electromagnetic interference could be the cause of the throttle malfunction according to one official.
According to reports Toyota who ruled out the electronic mechanics as the cause for the sudden acceleration, Monday began shipping steel shims to dealers as a fix for the sticking gas pedals from the recall of approximately 2.5 million vehicles in the United States and Canada.
According to U.S. Toyota sales president Jim Lentz the steel shims are the answer to Toyotas defective accelerator assembly. The recall for the pedals that stick are for the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2010 Highlander, 2008-2010 Sequoia SUV, 2009-2010 Corrolla, 2005-2010 Avalon, and certain models of 2007-2010 Camry sedans, 2007-2010 Tundra pickups and 2009-2010 Matrix hatchbacks. There have also been approximately 5.6 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles and trucks in the U.S. and Canada due to floor mats that can trap the gas pedal and cause unintended acceleration of the vehicles.
To date the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has not found the cause of the unintended acceleration cause, according to one official.
The U.S. vice president of Toyota, Mike Michels of corporate communications in Torrance California stated in an email he has no information on the investigation by the NHTSA on the throttle assembly.
There have been at least 15 law suits filed seeking a class action status against Toyota, while the Toyota American stocks are falling. Seven of the suits allege that the electronic throttle system is the cause, rather than the pedals.
The throttle system known as ETCS-I controls the electronic throttle system. This is done be sending signals from a sensor that detects the amount the gas pedal is depressed. The signal is transmitted to a computer module that then controls the amount the throttle is opened.
Attorneys believe it is an electronic defect rather than sticking pedals or floor mats that causes the sudden acceleration of the vehicles that is the reason for the lawsuits.
Attorneys Seeking Class Action Suit
The family of a Michigan woman that was killed in 2005 when her Toyota Camry struck a tree at an estimated 80 miles an hour is being represented by attorney Edgar Heiskell, from Charleston, West Virginia. The family and Heiskell state the woman did not have a floor mat and the woman depressed the gas pedal from the time the vehicle accelerated over 25 miles per hour. The suit against Toyota was filed in November.
A Texas lawsuit by plaintiff Alfred Pena stated his 2008 Toyota Avalon unintentionally accelerated causing a collision on January 14. Pena was not injured, but his wife Sylvia had a similar episode with their Avalon unexpectedly accelerating according to the attorney Robert Hilliard who represents the Texas couple.
Silvia Pena stated she was sitting still when the car accelerated after she released the break, and prior to stepping on the accelerator. This is one of the reasons why the Pena’s and their attorney do not believe that the Toyotas will be fixed with the new pedals.
Steve Wozniak co-founder of Apple Inc. who owns a 2010 Toyota Prius stated that his vehicle unexpectedly accelerates as high as 97 miles per hour when using the cruise control. Wozniak stated also that he has made complaints for the past two months and to Toyota.
The 59 year old Apple co-founder from San Jose said his case is important because it is electronic and he can make the vehicle to accelerate by just using the cruise control and without touching the gas pedal.
The Toyota Prius is not one of the vehicles that has been recalled.
Last year the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tested throttle electronics after a petition from the owner of a 2007 Lexus that had problems with the vehicle unintentionally accelerating. They completed testing the same model to multiple electronic signals and magnetic fields and denied the petition in October. If you were harmed by a defective Toyota, you should contact a Toyota injury lawyer.
