Toyota USA recalling over 2 million vehicles

Xinhua, February 25, 2011

Toyota is recalling more than two million vehicles in the United States to address trapped accelerator pedals in floormats, Toyota USA said on Thursday in a news release on its website.

Toyota said it was adding about 1.4 million vehicles to its November 2009 recall for pedal entrapment in floormats. In total, Toyota has now recalled nearly 7 million vehicles in the United States over the issue.

Toyota spokesman John Hanson said "this latest round" of recalls hopefully puts an end to its accelerator pedal recalls.

The recalls are the latest action of the company that has now recalled nearly 15 million vehicles in the United States since January 2009.

Toyota is also recalling 761,000 2006-10 RAV4; 603,000 2003-09 4Runner models and 17,000 2008-11 Lexus LX 570 models to avoid drivers getting floormats trapped -- but the remedy is different than the November 2009 recall, Toyota said.

Toyota will recall 372,000 2006-07 RX 330, RX 350 and RX 400h vehicles, and 397,000 2004-06 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles to replace the driver's side floor carpet cover and its two retention clips.

The new recalls also cover about 20,000 2006 and early 2007 Lexus GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel-drive vehicles "to modify the shape of the plastic pad embedded in the driver's side floor carpet."

Owners of the involved GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel-drive vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail beginning in early March 2011, Toyota said.