Toyota Recall Follows Village Voice Investigation Into Vehicle Acceleration Risks

April's cover detailing acceleration issues in the Toyota Prius.

​Toyota yesterday announced that it would halt the sale of eight models of cars and trucks and recall some 2.3 million vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals.

Yesterday's announcement follows a somewhat similar recall last fall when the car maker advised drivers of its Prius and Lexus hybrid models to remove floor mats that could pose an acceleration risk. (In April of last year Riverfront Times and other papers in the Village Voice Media chain published an investigation looking into claims design flaws led to several accidents and deaths involving Priuses.)

Yesterday the car company stated:

Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats. 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.

The vehicles affected by yesterday's recall and sales suspension include:

• 2009-2010 RAV4,
• 2009-2010 Corolla,
• 2009-2010 Matrix,
• 2005-2010 Avalon,
• Certain 2007-2010 Camry,
• 2010 Highlander,
• 2007-2010 Tundra,
• 2008-2010 Sequoia

All of the above vehicles are assembled in Canada or the United States.