that's usually how recalls work, but to be sure, contact the dealer.
For more information, owners can contact Toyota at 800-331-4331 or the NHTSA hot line at 888-327-4236.

 

According to consumerist.com it will be a 3-part deal.

1. Immediately bring in the cars and literally cut 3/4" off the bottom of the pedal.

2. Starting in April, the entire pedal assembly will be replaced.

3. Around the same time a sfw patch will be installed to ensure complete override authority to the braking system in the event of competing inputs.

Floor Mats huh?

Step 1 ought to cover that.

 

>>>...Except that ABC News has reported over 2,000 such incidents, many of which had no floor mats installed at all.

For people disinclined to believe Toyota, I'd be equally skeptical of reporting by the news media.

It's difficult for me to believe Toyota would go through the expense of a 2-stage recall of nearly 4 million cars unless they thought it would solve the problem. Obviously, if they're wrong, we'll know soon enough. The problem will continue. What will they have gained? They could be wrong, but I doubt they'd do this knowing they're wrong.

As to the famous Lexus crash driven by a CHP officer, it was a rental car. Were the mats properly secured? I don't think we know. A passenger phoned 911 and reported the gas pedal was stuck. I think--someone correct me if I'm wrong--that it takes a physical force to override the pedal's natural tension to return to its "off" position.

And one shouldn't forget the Audi episode. After years of damming allegations, a brand almost destroyed, NHTSA and independent investigations concluded that the sudden acceleration problem was caused by "driver error." When Audi installed a shift interlock system to prevent the driver from shifting out of park unless his foot was on the brake, surprise, the problem disappeared.

 

Step 0: Install only the correct floor mat, and make sure the hooks are engaged so it does not slide forward.

This recall isn't about a defect in the machinery. It's about careless drivers. Next, I expect to see claims about defective front bumpers, because they occasionally hit trees. No matter how you design the gas pedal and floor mats, some drivers will continue to place foreign objects on top of the gas pedal.

The software change, so that the brake will over-ride the accelerator, is probably a good idea. Even if the issues are really caused by driver stupidity, that software change will very likely prevent most of the consequences.

 

>>Starting in April, the entire pedal assembly will be replaced.

I'll speculate. They may be repositioning the pedal a little higher off the floor to make it less likely a mat could interfere. Appearance may also be part of the reason. I can't imagine a cut off gas pedal is going to look as finished as one expects in a Toyota interior.

 

Regardless, you can bet some clever marketeer is looking at ways to get you to buy additional parts and services when you bring in your vehicle (2 times) for the "service".

JUST LIKE THE GOVERNMENT - NEFVER LET A GOOD CRISIS GO TO WASTE!

 

THIS! From my short time at the stealership, both recall campaigns and $29.99 oil change coupons provided fertile ground for fishing expeditions and up-sell opportunities.

I would also caution against being the first ones in the door for this recall. I'd give it a month or so. Too many things can go wrong between the issuance of a mandate and when the technicians figure out the best way to implement it. Case in point... the early Volvo S-80's had a recall on the ball joints. The official factory tool to pull down the control arms was scarce and when used, it frequently tore up the rubber bushings reducing their useful life. A couple of clever technicians in our shop figured out how to use a load strap for flatbed tractor-trailers to do the job in 1/3rd the time, with no damage. The factory rep just shook his head and walked away when he saw that because it was so bush league, yet it worked far better than what the engineers specified.

 

Actually, we do know. The NHTSA report says, specifically, both that the mats in that rental car were the wrong mats for the car, and that they were not secured.

I'm sure that is precisely why Toyota is doing this recall. Even though the issue is clearly "driver error", there is something they can do to protect the brand and their reputation, and so they are doing it.

 

While they weren't secured, as per the report, were they lodged on the pedals in a position that would indicate that the mats were the cause...or were they just not secured? (leading to speculation)

 

Not an auto executive, but no one wants to do the recall (that's why they do the 'silent recall'). The cost, publicity and hit to their reputation is something that they'd probably want to avoid.
I believe the NHTSA forces the manufacturer to do the recall, I don't believe they do it voluntarily...
Of course, this is only my opinion, but I believe it to be how it works.