Massive Toyota Recall: 3.8 Million Vehicles

Toyota Motor Co. is initiating a massive recall of millions of Toyota and Lexus vehicles to immediately remove driver’s side floor mats. It seems that the mats can get wedged under the accelerator, causing the vehicles to surge forward.

UPDATE: There has been another big Toyota recall in 2010.  Get details here.

Strangely, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning drivers of the affected vehicles to not replace the floor mats in the affected models.

The models affected by the Toyota recall are as follows:

• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2004-2009 Prius
• 2005-2010 Tacoma
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2007-2010 ES 350
• 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350

Initial estimates indicate that approximately 3.8 millions vehicles are affected by the Toyota recall, the largest U.S. vehicle recall in the company’s history.

Toyota recalled approximately 55,000 vehicles back in 2007 for this same issue, affecting Camry and Lexus ES 350 models due to complaints of accidental acceleration caused by floor mats sticking under the accelerator pedal. NHTSA said consumers continued to report instances of uncontrolled acceleration in Toyota models after that recall.

“This is an urgent matter,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “For everyone’s sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.”