The Toyota Auris: One of the models affected by the recall.

The Toyota Auris: One of the models affected by the recall.

Following recent isolated reports of the accelerator becoming stuck on certain models of Toyota, the Japanese manufacturer has announced the recall of 8 models within their range. The problem being experienced in rare cases is the accelerator pedal becoming stiff and hard to operate or in some cases remaining slightly depressed.


According to Toyota’s blog “This is caused because the accelerator pedal mechanisms concerned may become worn. This progressive wear, combined with certain operating and environmental conditions, can cause friction in the mechanism to increase and intermittently result in the accelerator pedal being harder to depress, slow to return or, in the worst case, stick in a partially open position.”

Toyota have identified a fix to the problem and the new parts are in production at the moment and whilst the parts are being made Toyota are in the process of obtaining the contact details for the affected vehicles from the DVLA. The manufacturer is keen to stress that for the majority of owners this problem will never happen and that there has been no cases of this occuring within the UK.

For cars currently in production though the changes in manufacturing have already been implemented and there should be no similar issues in the future. The affected models and their production dates are:

  • Auris (Oct 2006 – 5 Jan 2010)
  • AYGO (Feb 2005 – Aug 2009)
  • Corolla (Oct 2006 – Dec 2009)
  • iQ (Nov 2008 – Nov 2009)
  • Avensis (Nov 2008 – Dec 2009)
  • RAV4 (Nov 2005 – Nov 2009)
  • Verso (Feb 2009 – 5 Jan 2010)
  • Yaris (Nov 2005 – Sep 2009)

If you do need a replacement vehicle if your car has to go into a Toyota dealership then you could select a vehicle from our extensive car hire range.

To ensure that our customers and staff are aware of this problem and to offer advice for drivers who may be in any car when the accelerator becomes stuck we have created the guide below:

 

Coping with a stuck accelerator

  1. Don’t panic and keep calm

    2. If your accelerator is stuck and you find your car is building up speed then the most important thing to do is remain calm.

  2. Don’t switch off your engine straight away

    3. Many people will just simply turn their key to stop their engine from running and try to use the breaks to slow their car down. However, the problem with this plan is that it will also turn off your power steering and can affect the power of your braking.

  3. Check your mirrors

    4. You will be bringing your car to a sudden stop and moving to a safe place off the road, so you need to ensure that there is nobody behind you that could cause an accident.

  4. Brake and shift your car into neutral

    5. Now that you have ensured that it is clear for you to stop, indicate clearly and brake hard. As you come to a stop you should put your car into neutral gear. If you find that braking hard does not slow the car down then you should put your car into neutral earlier and apply the brakes then.

  5. Switch off the engine

    6. Once the car has come to a complete stop you should turn off your car at the ignition as quickly as possible to prevent any further wear to the engine.

Related posts:

  1. Toyota issues another recall and reassures customers
  2. Heavy Feet Will Lighten Your Wallet
  3. Ferrari’s New Car is so Hot it Needs a Recall
  4. Caution Bird Box Ahead
  5. VW L1 Concept Hybrid Could be in Production by 2013