Toyota Motor Corp has recalled another 2.17 million vehicles in the US over continued concerns of slipping floor mats and sticking accelerators.
In total, 20,000 Lexus GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel drive sedans from 2006-2007 have been recalled to change the shape of the plastic pad in the driver’s side floor mats.
Also recalled are the 2004-2006 Toyota Highlander and Highlander HV (397,000 units) and the 2004-2007 Lexus RX 330, RX 350 and RX 400h (372,000 units) to replace the driver’s side floor carpet cover and its two retention clips.
In addition to the new recalls, Toyota has expanded its recall announced in November 2009, with an extra 1.5 million vehicles included in the recall to address the issue of floor mat entrapment under the accelerator pedal.
Vehicles included in the recall expansion:
- 2006-2010 Toyota RAV4 (761,000)
- 2003-2009 Toyota 4Runner (603,000)
- 2008-2011 Lexus LX 570 (17,000)
Toyota Australia has confirmed no Toyota or Lexus vehicles sold in Australia are affected by the recalls. The recalls only affect certain overseas left-hand drive vehicles.
“The floor carpet cover, plastic pad and all-weather floor mat involved in these recall campaigns were specifically designed and manufactured for left-hand drive vehicles and are not sold in Australia,” it said in a statement.
“Toyota Australia and Lexus Australia have inspected local vehicles and confirmed that the conditions do not affect right-hand drive vehicles sold in Australia.”
The latest recall takes the total number of Toyota Motor Corp vehicles recalled since 2009 to 19.2 million.
Earlier this month, the US Department of Public Transport admitted an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Authority (NHTSA) and NASA had found there was no fault with the electronic throttle control systems in the recalled Toyota Motor Corp vehicles.
The Japanese manufacturer has been fined $US48.8 million over its handling of the recalls and their timing, and still faces a number of civil lawsuits in the US.
