Product Recalls

Toyota Motor Corp. launched a major new recall Thursday, saying a mechanical problem could cause the gas pedals to stick and cause unwanted acceleration in 2.3 million of its vehicles, including recent models of its popular Camry and Corolla sedans. Most of the vehicles targeted by the new recall were also included in a separate recall of 4.3 million vehicles late last year involving floor mats that could jam the accelerator pedal open. In issuing its latest recall, Toyota has for the first time acknowledged that a mechanical problem could cause its vehicles to accelerate out of control.

Federal highway safety inspectors have released new details of a fatal car crash that triggered Toyota Motor Corp.'s largest recall, including a finding that the Lexus ES 350 sedan involved had a gas pedal design that could increase the risk of its being obstructed by a floor mat. Toyota has previously said that the floor mat was improperly installed and may have trapped the accelerator pedal, causing the vehicle to race down Highway 125 in...

Confusion abounded Friday as frustrated Toyota owners scrambled to figure out what to do with their recalled vehicles, and dealers rushed to assess the damage from the automaker's decision to temporarily halt sales of vehicles to address sudden acceleration problems. Toyota owners jammed the automaker's phone lines while others drove to dealerships seeking refunds for newly purchased cars or immediate fixes for older models. "We've gotten everything from 'I can never drive this thing again' to 'How fast can I get the fix and can I pay you to get to the top of the line?

More than 1,000 Toyota and Lexus owners have reported since 2001 that their vehicles suddenly accelerated on their own, in many cases slamming into trees, parked cars and brick walls, among other obstacles, a Times review of federal records has found. The crashes resulted in at least 19 deaths and scores of injuries over the last decade, records show. Federal regulators say that is far more than any other automaker has experienced. Owner complaints helped trigger at least eight investigations into sudden acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the last seven years.

Toyota Motor Corp. recalled and halted sales of eight models because of a design flaw. Here is what the automaker and consumer experts think Toyota owners should know: Which models are included in this latest recall and sales suspension? Toyota stopped sales of the following models: 2009 and 2010 RAV4, 2009 and 2010 Corolla, 2009 and 2010 Matrix, 2005 to 2010 Avalon, 2010 Highlander, 2007 to 2010 Tundra and 2008 to 2010 Sequoia. It also stopped sales of certain 2007 to 2010 Camry sedans, depending on where those vehicles were manufactured; owners of Camrys, RAV4s, Corollas and Highlanders with vehicle identification numbers that begin with "J" are not affected by the recall, Toyota says.

Yes, the Japanese are human too. Evidence that they sometimes make mistakes came Monday, when Toyota announced a voluntary recall of all 8,000 of the Lexus LS 400 luxury cars it has sold since the Lexus line was introduced in September. Officials at Toyota's Lexus division said Monday that they had notified the federal government Friday that Toyota is issuing a recall on the cars to make three repairs.

For 15 years, Tokyo taxi driver Kiyomi Hashimoto has been a loyal Toyota man. Not once has he considered changing brands or even the possibility of car problems. But now, sitting in his black Prius, pondering the news of Toyota's recent U.S. recalls, there are cracks in his once armor-plated confidence in the world's biggest automaker. "I never once thought I'd have a problem before," he said. "Now, I'm not so sure." News that the preeminent icon of Japanese industry had halted U.S. sales of eight popular models because of a design defect -- after issuing recalls of 7.6 million cars and trucks in the U.S. in the last few months -- has had a sickening effect on the national psyche.

Federal safety regulators have sharply rebuked Toyota Motor Corp. for issuing "inaccurate and misleading" statements asserting that no defect exists in the 3.8 million vehicles it recalled after a Lexus sedan accelerated out of control in San Diego County, killing four people. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a statement Wednesday that the recalled Toyota and Lexus vehicles do have an "underlying defect" that involves the design of the accelerator pedal and the driver's foot well.

The maker of Simplicity and Graco cribs on Friday recalled about 1 million of the beds after the deaths of at least two infants, including one in California. "Don't take a chance at all," said Scott Wolfson, a spokesman for the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, which announced the voluntary recall by Reading, Pa.-based Simplicity Inc., one of the nation's largest crib manufacturers.

Toyota Motor Corp. announced a fix to its sticking gas pedal problem Monday, but the Japanese automaker must still convince a skeptical public that its latest action will prevent vehicles from accelerating out of control. Taking the offensive, Toyota escalated a media barrage it began over the weekend, sending a top U.S. executive to appear on NBC's "Today" show and other venues to detail the company's plans to repair pedals on millions of recalled vehicles in coming weeks. Toyota sought to assure its customers that the fix -- a steel shim that can be inserted in pedal assemblies in half an hour -- will resolve its ongoing woes with sudden acceleration.

Toyota Motor Corp. announced a fix to its sticking gas pedal problem Monday, but the Japanese automaker must still convince a skeptical public that its latest action will prevent vehicles from accelerating out of control. Taking the offensive, Toyota escalated a media barrage it began over the weekend, sending a top U.S. executive to appear on NBC's "Today" show and other venues to detail the company's plans to repair pedals on millions of recalled vehicles in coming weeks. Toyota sought to assure its customers that the fix -- a steel shim that can be inserted in pedal assemblies in half an hour -- will resolve its ongoing woes with sudden acceleration.

Toyota Motor Corp. launched a public relations blitz Sunday intended to rebuild its public image amid massive recalls and reports that several models of its cars and trucks could accelerate uncontrollably. The company, which this weekend ran full-page ads in major newspapers including The Times, said it would announce this morning a plan to fix the vehicles. A top executive was slated to appear on television to discuss the recalls. The moves to repair Toyota's once-stellar reputation came as federal officials said Sunday that they had opened an investigation into an Indiana manufacturer that sold accelerators to Toyota and other automakers.

For nearly two decades, John Symes has been a Toyota salesman. His dealership, Toyota Scion Pasadena, is a glass-encased bazaar glistening in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains, with a burnt-red showroom that's half the size of a football field. People loved coming here. And in a state where 1 in 4 cars sold last year was made by Toyota, they loved his vehicles. Now, many of these loyal customers have returned to fill his shop with questions and emotional chatter about the Toyota recalls.

Confusion abounded Friday as frustrated Toyota owners scrambled to figure out what to do with their recalled vehicles, and dealers rushed to assess the damage from the automaker's decision to temporarily halt sales of vehicles to address sudden acceleration problems. Toyota owners jammed the automaker's phone lines while others drove to dealerships seeking refunds for newly purchased cars or immediate fixes for older models. "We've gotten everything from 'I can never drive this thing again' to 'How fast can I get the fix and can I pay you to get to the top of the line?

Toyota Motor Corp. recalled and halted sales of eight models because of a design flaw. Here is what the automaker and consumer experts think Toyota owners should know: Which models are included in this latest recall and sales suspension? Toyota stopped sales of the following models: 2009 and 2010 RAV4, 2009 and 2010 Corolla, 2009 and 2010 Matrix, 2005 to 2010 Avalon, 2010 Highlander, 2007 to 2010 Tundra and 2008 to 2010 Sequoia. It also stopped sales of certain 2007 to 2010 Camry sedans, depending on where those vehicles were manufactured; owners of Camrys, RAV4s, Corollas and Highlanders with vehicle identification numbers that begin with "J" are not affected by the recall, Toyota says.

For 15 years, Tokyo taxi driver Kiyomi Hashimoto has been a loyal Toyota man. Not once has he considered changing brands or even the possibility of car problems. But now, sitting in his black Prius, pondering the news of Toyota's recent U.S. recalls, there are cracks in his once armor-plated confidence in the world's biggest automaker. "I never once thought I'd have a problem before," he said. "Now, I'm not so sure." News that the preeminent icon of Japanese industry had halted U.S. sales of eight popular models because of a design defect -- after issuing recalls of 7.6 million cars and trucks in the U.S. in the last few months -- has had a sickening effect on the national psyche.

Since first importing cars to the United States more than five decades ago, Toyota Motor Corp. has slowly and steadily built itself into the world's preeminent automaker, developing a strong reputation for technical expertise and reliability. Now two major recalls and Tuesday's decision to suspend making and selling eight models because of a safety issue put Toyota's gains at risk. How well the Japanese automaker responds may determine whether it can avoid the inexorable trends that eventually sent former industry leader General Motors Corp.

Toyota Motor Corp. launched a major new recall Thursday, saying a mechanical problem could cause the gas pedals to stick and cause unwanted acceleration in 2.3 million of its vehicles, including recent models of its popular Camry and Corolla sedans. Most of the vehicles targeted by the new recall were also included in a separate recall of 4.3 million vehicles late last year involving floor mats that could jam the accelerator pedal open. In issuing its latest recall, Toyota has for the first time acknowledged that a mechanical problem could cause its vehicles to accelerate out of control.

About 1.5 million strollers sold at major retailers including Wal-Mart, Toys R Us and Target are being recalled after several children had their fingertips cut off, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Wednesday. The strollers, manufactured by Graco Children's Products Inc., have hinges on the canopy that can pose a laceration hazard when being opened or closed. Graco said it received reports that five children had their fingertips severed and two had fingertip cuts.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission on Tuesday announced the recall of about 635,000 cribs after the death of a 6-month-old child and dozens of reports of safety problems. The cribs, distributed by Barbados-based Dorel Asia, feature hardware that can fail, causing the drop-side to detach from the crib. When the drop-side detaches, it creates a space in which an infant or toddler can become trapped and suffocate or strangle, the agency said. In addition, the cribs can pose an entrapment and strangulation hazard when a slat is damaged.