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A new website dedicated to providing information about the most recent Toyota recall has united Toyota owners from all over the country who are looking for answers to many of their questions.  With millions of Toyota vehicles recently recalled, Toyota owners are turning to this website to find answers to their questions and express their feelings and opinions with fellow consumers. 

The dedicated Toyota recall website, http://www.toyotarecall.org, is an independent, consumer to consumer website that is not affiliated with Toyota or the government. It was launched as a way to collect the massive amount of questions and answers that exist online and bring it all to one simple destination for consumers. 

The website provides an outlet for Toyota owners through various forums through which consumers can share their comments, opinions and experiences. Current forums being discussed now include:

•  2010 Toyota Prius Braking Problems?
• Confusion About Toyota Recall Letters
• How Will This Recall Impact Toyota’s Reputation?
• Share Your Experience with Toyota Recall Repairs

One of the most active areas of the Toyota recall website is the Q&A section where an outpouring of emotions and frustration has been seen.  One consumer wrote in, “My and my family’s lives are not worth it. In the interest of public safety, none of these cars should even be on the road. The question is whether Toyota is going to do the right thing and allow people out of their contract or is it still going to stonewall everyone and claim that they’re going to work it out.”  Another consumer posed the question, “What is a consumer to do when the dealerships tells me that a letter will be sent out sometime next week/next month to address this problem? Do we keep driving this death trap?”

The website demonstrates visible anger and frustration on the parts of millions of Toyota owners.

Toyota owners who would like to share any information they have received can take part in the online forums by visiting http://www.toyotarecall.org/

Consumers who would like information from Toyota directly can call the Toyota customer care phone number at 1-800-331-4331.

The Toyota Customer Experience Center hours are:

Mon – Fri, 5:00 am – 6:00 pm PST

Sat, 7:00 am – 4:00 pm PST

Toyota announced details of the vehicle-based remedy to address the root cause of the potential risk for floor mat entrapment of accelerator pedals in certain Toyota and Lexus models. Toyota issued a consumer safety advisory on September 29 on this issue and has, as an interim measure, commenced the mailing of safety notices to certain Toyota and Lexus owners on October 30.

Toyota dealers are starting to schedule service appointment and consumers can visit www.toyotarecall.org to have your appointment request routed to a local dealer.  This service is free and organized by local Toyota dealers across the USA.  The website is also a forum to allow consumers to ask questions about their car and the recall program.

Recall Models Listed

The models involved are: 2007 to 2010 MY (model year) Camry, 2005 to 2010 MY Avalon, 2004 to 2009 MY Prius, 2005 to 2010 MY Tacoma, 2007 to 2010 MY Tundra, 2007 to 2010 MY ES350, 2006 to 2010 MY IS250, and 2006 to 2010 MY IS 350.

The specific measures of the vehicle-based remedy are as follows:

1. The shape of the accelerator pedal will be reconfigured to address the risk of floor mat entrapment, even when an older-design all-weather floor mat or other inappropriate floor mat is improperly attached, or is placed on top of another floor mat.  For the ES350, Camry, and Avalon models involved, the shape of the floor surface underneath will also be reconfigured to increase the space between the accelerator pedal and the floor.

2. Vehicles with any genuine Toyota or Lexus accessory all-weather floor mat will be provided with newly-designed replacement driver- and front passenger-side all-weather floor mats.

In addition, as a separate measure independent of the vehicle-based remedy, Toyota will install a brake override system onto the involved Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES 350, IS350 and IS 250 models as an extra measure of confidence. This system cuts engine power in case of simultaneous application of both the accelerator and brake pedals.

Toyota is in the process of completing development of these actions and for the ES350, Camry, and Avalon will start notifying owners of the involved vehicles via first-class mail by the end of this year.  The remedy process regarding the other five models will occur on a rolling schedule during 2010.

Dealers will be trained and equipped to make the necessary modifications to these models starting at the beginning of 2010.  Initially, dealers will be instructed on how to reshape the accelerator pedal for the repair.

As replacement parts with the same shape as the modified pedal become available, they will be made available to dealers for the repair, beginning around April 2010.  Customers who have had the remedy completed will have the opportunity to receive a new pedal if they desire.

In the meantime, owners of the involved vehicles are asked to take out any removable driver’s floor mat and not replace it with any other floor mat until they are notified of the vehicle-based remedy, as notified in the consumer safety advisory and the interim notice.

The brake override system will be made standard equipment throughout the Toyota and Lexus product lines starting with January 2010 production of ES350 and Camry and is scheduled to be incorporated into new production of most models by the end of 2010.

The safety of our owners and the public is our utmost concern and local Toyota dealers have and will continue to thoroughly investigate and take appropriate measures to address any defect trends that are identified.

Owners who have further questions can visit www.toyotarecall.org to locate a local Toyota dealer than has been trained to remedy this situtaion.