Toyota Canada says Canadian floor mats are different from United States
Published Thursday November 26th, 2009
TORONTO - Toyota Canada Inc. said Thursday that an investigation into potential problems with its floor mats that forced a recall of four million vehicles in the United States, does not affect its Canadian vehicles.
"There is no risk of accelerator pedal entrapment when compatible Toyota and Lexus Canadian-designed all-weather floor mats are properly used in the affected models as they are different in design and material composition from the Toyota-supplied mats in the U.S.," the company said.
"Properly installed and secured compatible carpet floor mats also do not give rise to pedal entrapment."
However the company said it will still make changes to the gas pedals and floors of some of its vehicles and install a brake override system on some.
The vehicles affected include the 2007-2010 Camry, Tundra truck and Lexus ES350 vehicles. The 2005-2010 Tacoma and Avalon models, 2004-2009 Prius cars and 2006-2010 Lexus IS 350 and IS350 models are also affected.
In a situation unique to Canada, the company recommended Toyota Venza owners take out any Toyota-brand drivers' side all-weather floor mats.
The company said the Toyota-brand carpeted floor mat is OK if properly installed and secured.
Toyota plans to replace the gas pedals on four million vehicles in the United States because the pedals can get stuck in the floor mats and cause sudden acceleration/
In plans outlined Wednesday, dealers will offer to shorten the length of the gas pedals beginning in January as a stopgap measure while the company develops replacement pedals.
New pedals will be installed by dealers on a rolling basis beginning in April, and some vehicles will get a brake override system as a precaution.
The massive recall is the largest in the U.S. for Toyota Motor Corp. The Japanese automaker had earlier told owners to remove the driver's side floor mats to keep the gas pedal from becoming jammed.
Popular vehicles such as the midsize Camry, the top-selling car in America, and the Prius, the best-selling gas-electric hybrid, are among those to be fixed. The recall also includes the luxury Lexus ES350, the vehicle involved a fiery fatal accident in California that focused public attention on the danger.
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