What should I do about the Toyota Recall?
Posted by adminJun 30
I have a 2007 Camry I just bought in December with 35k miles on it…what luck I have as right after they announce a recall. I haven’t experienced any direct problems yet that I’m aware of. But it sure makes me nervous, esp given my car is 3 years old now even though its brand new to me.
I called the dealer, and they said there’s no fix yet for it. I called the Toyota 800 number but they couldn’t take my call due to high call volumes. So what am I supposed to do? Ive read tips on what to do should this pedal thing happen to me on the road, but i’d really like to avoid getting to that point.
‘sell and get a honda’ isn’t advice. I mean its not as simple as that given loans and such. I’m hoping somewhere out there has some real advice…
8 comments
Comment by blanderswake on June 30, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Put the transmission in neutral. Hopefully the engine will continue to rev far beyond the redline and self-destruct. End of acceleration problem.
Comment by Sue on June 30, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Sell it and get a Honda
Comment by eddie1974_spike on June 30, 2010 at 8:27 pm
drive it untill they get the parts for it and then take it into the dealer and get it fixed
Comment by TeenageDove28879 on June 30, 2010 at 8:27 pm
You can’t sell as it might be a legal challenge for you. You might have to disclose all known issues. Don’t panic. Learn to shift the car to neutral (very easy) if it happens to you.
Comment by don r on June 30, 2010 at 8:27 pm
If the car is in neutral, it can’t go anywhere. That’s one thing you can do to settle yourself while waiting at a light. If you’re already underway down the road and get into a runaway situation, put the shift in neutral to avoid hitting anything in front of you if you can do that safely and get out of traffic. Use your 4-way flashers. Have you noticed how few of these complaints there actually are? They really are terrifying to hear about, but they are quite rare. Next time you’re on the highway, notice how many Toyotas you see, and also notice that they aren’t out of control.
That highway patrolman who got killed in his runaway toyota did everything, including making a phone call, but put the car in neutral or shut the engine off ( but not lock the steering), and he would not have killed himself and all his passengers had he just done the simple thing thing. Also his toyota had an additional rubber mat on top of the stock mat- another hazard he could have cleared by reaching down with one hand.
I suspect the problem is not mechanical, but electronic and possibly external, such as radio interfereance.
Comment by SOADKIKSASS!!!! on June 30, 2010 at 8:27 pm
If you are that scared about it, which I would be too, sell it and buy something else or trade it in for a similar car such as an accord or malibu.
Comment by CaptnMike on June 30, 2010 at 8:27 pm
You should ask the dealer for a loaner vehicle that has not been recalled. This vehicle could kill you.
Comment by Kayla E on June 30, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Okay, I work for Toyota’s service department, and keep getting phone calls all day about this.
Toyota is currently investigating how to fix the problem. They are going to be sending out notifications in February for you to call your closest dealership to make an appointment to get it fixed. What it is, is that the gas pedal decreases slowly to go back to it’s original position, and in rare cases, gets stuck.
If you ever experience this, there are 3 things my work has told me to tell our customers.
1) With both feet, steadily press the brake pedal.
2) Shift it into the neutral position.
3) If, for some reason, you are unable to put the vehicle into neutral, turn the vehicle off.
The only thing you can do at this time is to wait for the notification.
If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to ask.
Hope this helps, and drive careful!