Toyota to Spend $5 Billion to Replace Accelerator Pedals

Toyota is far from finding a solution for its biggest recall ever. After trying to start a recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Japanese manufacturer might after all spend as much as $5 billion to replace the accelerator pedals on ALL the 3.8 million vehicles reportedly affected by the glitch. This means that Toyota will grant approximately $1,315 for each model that is equipped with an incompatible accelerator pedal.

Curiously, Toyota initially believed that the malfunction that led to unintended acceleration was caused by incompatible floor mats which could get the pedal stuck and thus raise the speed. However, more and more complaints are hinting that such a scenario is far from reality and the glitch is actually related to a faulty design of the accelerator pedal.

The NHTSA is still unconvinced by Toyota, who urged owners of the affected models to remove the floor mats completely until the parent manufacturer finds a solution to the problem.

"NHTSA has told Toyota and consumers that removing the recalled floor mats is the most immediate way to address the safety risk and avoid the possibility of the accelerator becoming stuck. But it is simply an interim measure," NHTSA said according to consumeraffairs.com. "This remedy does not correct the underlying defect in the vehicles involving the potential for entrapment of the accelerator by floor mats, which is related to accelerator and floor pan design."

But the malfunction is even more complex. It appears that the unintended acceleration is complemented by the lack of brakes. If such a scenario occurs, the driver has only one solution: to try stopping the engine. Still, most cars are equipped with Start/Stop buttons which need around 3 seconds to became active.

A highway patrolman and his family got killed in August after their Lexus ES 350 crashed into a SUV at more than 100 miles per hour. A 911 phone call from somebody in that car warned the emergency teams that the driver had no control over the car and the brakes were not functioning.

Other consumers are issuing similar complaints and revealed that the car keeps accelerating but, at the same time, braking power is down to zero.

"I went all in for the brakes -- no reaction from the car," the aforementioned source quoted a 2009 Prius owner. "Car crashed into a light pole, tilted to its right crashed down in parking spot right next to where I wanted to park. With me hanging by the seat belt, car still accelerating, I went for the power button. No response to that either."

"I have had three accidents or near accidents with my new 2009 Toyota Prius due to a combination of mysterious acceleration and loss of brakes," another consumer added. "My car suddenly seemed to accelerate on its own and my brakes failed. How I stopped my car I will never know."