NHTSA Offers Safety Tips to Drivers of Recalled Toyota Vehicles
Posted in Auto Insurance
February 17th, 2010
There’s no doubt that the Toyota recall hasmade manydrivers concerned for their safety, which is why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)has offered tips to help driversif their vehicle malfunctions while on the road. If you are the driver of a Toyota or certain other vehicles that have been affected by this Toyota vehicle recall, it’s good to make sure that you taking as many safety precautions as possible before taking your next excursion.
Issues with SpecificVehicles
If you drive one of the following Toyota, Lexus or Pontiacvehicles, you will want to immediately take out the driver-side floor mat to avoid gas pedal entrapment:
- 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
- 2008-2010 Highlander
- 2009-2010 Corolla
- 2009-2010 Venza
- 2009-2010 Matrix
- 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe
After you remove your mat from the vehicle, you should wait for a letter from Toyota for instructions on what to do next.
The following vehicles have problems with gas-pedal depression (also known as sticky pedals):
- 2007-2008 Tundra
- 2008-2010 Sequoia
- 2005-2010 Avalon
- 2007-2010 Camry
- 2009-2010 Corolla
- 2009-2010 Matrix
- 2009-2010 RAV4
- 2010 Highlander
- 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe
The NHTSA advises drivers with sticky pedal problems to park their vehicles immediately and notify their dealers. If the pedal becomes stuck while driving, place your car in neutral, bring it to a stop then call your dealer.
And if you’re having brake issues (momentary loss of braking power or brake fluid leaks) with the 2010 Toyota Prius or Camry, or the 2010 Lexus HS 250h then the NHTSA advises you to park your car and contact your Toyota dealer.
General Vehicle Problem Tips
The NHTSA also offered information on safety precautions to take if you experience unintended acceleration on any vehicle:
- Brake firmly and steadily – don’t pump the brake pedal
- Shift into neutral
- Steer to a safe location
- Shut the engine off
- Do not drive your car – call your dealer to pick up the vehicle
Will My Auto Insurance Rates Increase with this Recall?
The good news is that auto insurers say Toyota drivers won’t suffer higher auto insurance rates due to this recall. However, this doesn’t mean that the Toyota vehicle recall doesn’t affect everyone’s auto insurance or safety while on the road.
In addition to Toyota drivers being in possible danger by driving recalled vehicles, other drivers on the road could find themselves in an accident with one of these drivers. For drivers of Toyota vehicles, it is more important than ever to follow the safety tips above and for non-Toyota drivers, it’s good to make sure you have quality auto insurance to cover any accidents that could occur while on the road with these vehicles.
[...] that climbed to nearly eight million by February.While car owners were busy trying to figure out how to safely operate their recalled vehicles until they were able to get them repaired, some began to wonder what could happen to their auto [...]
[...] the company that has recently suffered backlash for having millions of vehicles recalled that had brake and accelerator issues. The “Top Safety Pick,” which is the highest designation for safety awarded by the [...]