The Following is a statement from Toyota in response to comments by Transportation Secretary LaHood on Feb. 3, 2010.


We appreciate Secretary LaHood’s clarification of his remarks today about Toyota’s recall for sticking accelerator pedals. We want to make sure our customers understand that this situation is rare and generally does not occur suddenly. In the rare instances where it does occur, the vehicle can be controlled with firm and steady application of the brakes.
 
Our message to Toyota owners is this – if you experience any issues with your accelerator pedal, please contact your dealer without delay. If you are not experiencing any issues with your pedal, we are confident that your vehicle is safe to drive.
 
Nothing is more important to Toyota than the safety and reliability of the vehicles our customers drive. Our entire organization of 172,000 North American employees and dealership personnel is working around the clock to fix the accelerator pedals for our customers.
 
Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc.
 
Corporate Communications Contacts:
310 468 5297
310 468 7359

        

Toyota Motor Sales has announced it would recall approximately 2.3 million vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals on specific Toyota Division models. This action is separate from the on-going recall of approximately 4.2 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles to reduce the risk of pedal entrapment by incorrect or out of place accessory floor mats. Approximately 1.7 million Toyota Division vehicles are subject to both separate recall actions.

“In recent months, Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats,” said TMS Group Vice President Irv Miller. “Our investigation indicates that there is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position. Consistent with our commitment to the safety of our cars and our customers, we have initiated this voluntary recall action.”

Toyota’s accelerator pedal recall is confined to the following Toyota Division
vehicles:
•    2009-2010 RAV4,
•    2009-2010 Corolla,
•    2009-2010 Matrix,
•    2005-2010 Avalon,
•    2007-2010 Camry,
•    2010 Highlander,
•    2007-2010 Tundra,
•    2008-2010 Sequoia

The condition is rare, but can occur when the pedal mechanism becomes worn and, in certain conditions, the accelerator pedal may become harder to depress, slower to return or, in the worst case, stuck in a partially depressed position. Toyota is working quickly to prepare the correction remedy. In the event that a driver experiences an accelerator pedal that sticks in a partial open throttle position or returns slowly to idle position, the vehicle can be controlled with firm and steady application of the brakes. The brakes should not be pumped repeatedly because it could deplete vacuum assist, requiring stronger brake pedal pressure. The vehicle should be driven to the nearest safe location, the engine shut off and a Toyota dealer contacted for assistance. Toyota owners who have questions or concerns should contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

        

Toyota displayed an innovative Auto Access Seat, designed for use in the all-new 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan, for the first time at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Toyota is the first automaker in North America to offer a factory-installed, rotating, power ascending/descending lift-up seat. Designed internally, the Auto Access Seat will offer a new level of comfort and convenience to anyone who may need assistance getting in or out of a vehicle.

Factory installed at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (TMMI) assembly plant, the Auto Access Seat offers consumers a seamless purchase-process alternative to the current aftermarket installation method, which requires the consumer to purchase their vehicle and then have it modified by an aftermarket supplier. The Sienna minivan equipped with the Auto Access Seat will offer a much needed transportation solution for the caregivers of an elderly parent or spouse with a walking disability, a disabled veteran, or for the parents of child with a disability.

The Auto Access Seat features a one-touch operation and benefits from the all-new Sienna’s spacious interior and wide-opening sliding doors. A seat-mounted ingress/egress switch and a wireless remote control allows for easy and flexible seat operation. The seat rotates 90 degrees and can be lowered to within 19 inches of the ground to further facilitate easier passenger transfers at the exact height required.

        

Toyota has unveiled the FT-CH dedicated hybrid concept at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The FT-CH is a concept that meets Toyota’s strategy to offer a wider variety of full hybrid choices to its customers, in addition to the introduction of plug-in hybrids (PHVs) and battery electrics (EVs) in model year 2012, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCHVs) in 2015 in global markets. The CH stands for compact hybrid as in compact class and it’s a concept that can best be defined by comparing it with the mid-size class Prius. The FT-CH captures the spirit and functionality of a car that thrives in the inner-city environment; sized right to be nimble, responsive and maneuverable. Compared to the Prius, it is 22 inches shorter in overall length, yet loses less than an inch in overall width. In spite of its compact external dimensions, FT-CH was designed for maximum passenger comfort and interior roominess, with an imaginative sense of style. Lighter in weight and even more fuel efficient than Prius, the concept specifically targets a lower price point than Prius, thus appealing to a younger, less-affluent buyer demographic. In the early 2010s, Toyota plans to sell a million hybrids per year globally, a majority of those in North America. To accomplish this, Toyota will launch eight all new hybrid models in the USA over the next few years. These will not include next generation versions of current hybrids; instead, they will be all new dedicated hybrid vehicles, or all new hybrid versions of existing petrol engine models. Toyota also plans to introduce plug-in hybrids (PHVs) and battery electrics (EVs) to global markets in 2012, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCHVs) in 2015.

        

In 2008, the No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota Tundra team – anchored by superstar driver Kyle Busch – finished third in the owner standings. This year, again with Busch as the central figure, the No. 51 team came home second in owner points. But Busch announced last week that he is running his own Truck Series program in 2010. Nevertheless, Ballew is confident in Aric Almirola, who didn’t join the team this year until June and will be a full-time driver for the team in 2010 if everything goes according to plan. And if everything falls into place, Ballew believes it’s realistic to be thinking championship.

The stats were pretty impressive for the whole team in 2009. Busch led the Truck Series in wins, with seven from his 15 starts in the No. 51 Tundra, up from three wins in 11 starts with the team in ’08. He had 11 top fives this year, up from four in ’08. But Busch was only part of the story in the No. 51 this year, as a total of five different drivers combined to score 3,886 points, coming up just 73 points short of the owner’s title.  It was a strong season for Ballew’s No. 15 team as well.

If there was one race that was the highlight for Billy Ballew Motorsports, it had to be that Talladega race, where Busch took the victory and Almirola came home second to give Ballew his first 1-2 finish as an owner. In the end 2009 was the best year ever for Billy Ballew Motorsports.  It will definitely be different in 2010, when Ballew finds his team’s Tundras racing against those from Kyle Busch Motorsports. A protégé of Busch’s, Ickler will follow his mentor to the new program as well. But Ballew only wishes Busch well for deciding to operate his own program. Whoever comes out on top it will be an exciting year for Toyota Truck Series performances.

        

Toyota Motor Corp. expects a 17 percent increase in its 2010 global production, excluding units Daihatsu and Hino Motors, from this year to about 7.5 million units. The move comes as recovery signs of the economy emerge. In comparison to other years, the numbers are at a level similar to Toyota's output in 2005 and represents a decline of one million units from 2007. A Toyota spokesman said the company had informed its suppliers of its plans for production for next year, but the figure was still a rough estimate. He added that Toyota would announce a finalized forecast as soon as it was compiled, most likely in January.

        

Toyota has released pricing details for the 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan and as expected it will indeed start lower than the 2009 model. Whereas the cheapest version of the current model rang in at $24,600, the newly available four cylinder allows Toyota to offer the significantly upgraded '11 model at a starting price of just $24,260 plus delivery. For consumers, any money saved is good news.

The Toyota Sienna offers great road manners, clever use of space, smart safety and infotainment features. The SE trim steps up to this stiffened, carbon-fiber trimmed with  the asking price up to $30,550, while the range-topping Limited with AWD starts at $39,770.

When Siennas start reaching dealerships next February, V6 models will only be available initially, with the four-cylinder base Sienna and LE joining the lineup in April, along with the SE. It looks like the V6 will add between $1,250 and $3,555 to the price of the base Sienna and LE, the only models available with the Venza's four-banger. In fact, the four-cylinder LE undercuts the V6 base Sienna by a few bucks.

If you are ready to trade in your used car lexington, the new Sienna may be just the right vehicle for you. For any families, or drivers who need plenty of passenger space and convenience features, the Sienna minivan stays towards the top of the competition. All wheel drive is available on LE, XLE and Limited models with a premium of $2,230, $2,340, and $1,270 respectively, over the front-wheel drive versions.

        

Certain 2000 through 2003 model year Tundra vehicles operated in cold climate areas with high road salt use, may exhibit excessive corrosion on the frame rear cross-member. In the worst case, the spare tire stowed under the truck bed may become separated from the rear cross-member. Spare tire separation will create a road hazard for following vehicles and increase the likelihood of a crash.

Eventually, excessive corrosion of the rear cross-member may also affect the functionality of the rear brake line at the proportioning valve. If this occurs, it can lead to the loss of the rear brake circuits which will increase vehicle stopping distances and the risk of a crash. Beginning in December 2009 through early 2010, owners of the involved vehicles will receive a Safety Recall notification via first class mail asking them to take their vehicles to a Toyota dealer for an initial inspection of the rear cross-member. During this inspection, the rear cross-member including the surrounding components such as, the brake line at the proportioning valve (which is mounted on the cross-member assembly) will also be inspected. Based upon the inspection, Toyota will do one of the following at no charge:

*If there is no significant corrosion of the rear cross-member assembly or the rear brake line at the proportioning valve, owners will be notified of that fact and requested to subsequently bring their vehicle back to the dealership so that a corrosion-resistant compound can be applied to the rear cross-member. Toyota will notify the owner when the corrosion-resistant compound is available.

or

*If significant corrosion is detected such that the rear cross-member can no longer safely support the spare tire and replacement components are available, the cross-member assembly will be replaced. In the event replacement components are not available, a temporary solution, such as the removal of the spare tire and securing it to the truck bed, will be performed until parts are available. Read a complete report from Toyota for more details.

        

Scion displayed its latest limited-production vehicle, the 2010 xB Release Series 7.0 (xB RS 7.0) in the Scion booth at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Dec. 2-13, 2009. The xB RS 7.0 will begin arriving in dealerships this month.

The xB RS 7.0 comes fitted with a four-piece DAMD body kit including front and rear lower lips along with side skirts. The xB comes exclusively painted in a distinctive color appropriately named Murasaki, which means "purple" in Japanese.

One of the most distinctive features of the xB RS 7.0 is the TRD sport muffler that exits out the center of DAMD rear lip. The exhaust system features twin double-walled tips and is specifically designed in conjunction with the DAMD rear lip to give the xB a sporty appearance and a sound that can only be found on this particular Release Series. To complete the stylish exterior, the xB RS 7.0 is equipped with TRD lowering springs that bring the ride height down over an inch and offer sporty handling. A color-keyed rear spoiler will be available as an option.

The interior of the xB RS 7.0 features exclusive black fabric seats with color-tuned highlights that complement the car's exterior. The sides of the driver and front passenger lower seat cushions are embroidered with the "RS" logo. The driver is also treated to a leather-wrapped RAZO GT Formula Spec shift knob that delivers a sporty feel.

Only 2,000 units of the xB RS 7.0 will be built, and each vehicle comes with a unique, individually numbered stainless-steel badge. The xB RS 7.0 model will carry a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $18,320 with a manual transmission, and $19,270 with an automatic transmission. A limited supply of the available color-matched rear spoiler will be available to xB RS 7.0 owners and carries a MSRP of $320, not including installation.

        

Happy Thanksgiving!

We all know this is one of the busiest times of year for car travel. And with the economy, more and more Thanksgiving travelers are opting for getting to their destination by road.

The majority of Thanksgiving travelers leave for their destinations on Wednesday or Thursday. From Wednesday morning on, the roads will get increasingly crowded, until later on in the day Thursday, when families are likely to be sharing their Thanksgiving meal together. If you want to avoid the crowds, take Wednesday off and leave on Tuesday evening or Tuesday afternoon. The return trip is just as busy for road travel. Many people who visit their families on Thanksgiving either leave for home on Thursday night, or stay for the weekend and return on Saturday or Sunday. If you want to avoid traffic on your return trip, the best time to leave is Friday. While many make their journey home on Friday, some wait until Saturday or Sunday.

When you plan your departure time for the Thanksgiving holiday, think about the major cities that you'll be traveling through. Try to time your route so that you're not driving through a major city during rush hour. Many cities have alternate freeway routes that skirt around the city, and often are less crowded. These can still have plenty of traffic on them during rush hour, so try to time your driving time for the middle of the day or late in the evening. So, just remember, be prepared for traffic backups and drivers that may have a rather short temper. If you are patient than in all likelyhood, others will be too.