Toyota recalls another 1.1 million vehicles to fix floor mats

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

Toyota recalls another 1.1 million vehicles to fix floor mats

Hans Greimel

Automotive News -- January 27, 2010 - 10:44 pm ET

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TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp., battling an escalating crisis over the safety of its vehicles, said it will recall another 1.1 million autos in the United States to fix floor mats that may jam accelerator pedals and cause unintended acceleration.

The action is an extension of last fall's recall, in which the world's largest automaker called back 4.3 million vehicles in its largest ever U.S. safety action.

Today's amended recall involves 2008-10 Highlanders and 2009-2010 Corollas, Venzas, and Matrixes, Toyota said in a statement. The action also covers 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibes made in a joint venture with General Motors Co.

The move comes a day after Toyota said it would halt sales and temporarily suspend production of 2.3 million U.S. vehicles recalled last week for sticking accelerator pedals. That issue is separate from the floor mat concern, though both may result in vehicles accelerating unintentionally out of a driver's control.

“We added these vehicles after some reports were received by the federal government of pedals getting trapped on secured floor mats,” said Brian Lyons, a Toyota spokesman for recall issues. “We heard it's a very small number.”

The carmaker's remedy calls for modifying or replacing accelerator pedals and possibly changing the floor surface to reduce the possibility of pedal entrapment.

Dealers will be instructed how to reshape the pedal as a quick fix, and replacement pedals will be shipped to them as the components become available. Toyota will also replace all-weather floor mats with a newly designed mat.

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