Toyota Recall and Lawsuits - FindLaw

If you have a Toyota car or truck, model years 2005 through 2010, it may be covered by a massive recall and class action settlement related to its accelerator pedals. This article covers the Toyota recall, information about legal actions, and whether your automobile is affected.

See FindLaw's Vehicle Recalls and Defects section for general information about this and other recalls, including Auto Recalls: The Basics and Your Right to Recall Remedies.

Toyota Recall and Lawsuits: Background

Toyota Motor Corp. admitted in 2010 that accelerator pedal defects affected several million Toyota, Scion, and Lexus cars and trucks, covering model years 2005 through 2010. The U.S. government began investigating Toyota brake problems after the carmaker announced that the 2010 Prius had a design defect. In addition to the brake problems, several Toyota drivers reported that accelerator pedals were getting stuck and causing dangerous acceleration. Affected cars and trucks were recalled and remedied free of charge.

In late 2012, Toyota agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for $1.1 billion. Monetary compensation and safety upgrades are available to roughly 16 million owners of Toyota, Scion, and Lexus vehicles, based on the age of the model and the age of the vehicle.

Class Action Lawsuit Against Toyota

Lawsuits by Toyota owners allege that the Japanese automaker engaged in fraud, negligently manufactured cars, and defectively designed the Electronic Throttle Control System ('ETCS-i' or 'ETCS') of some models. Problems with the ETCS have been blamed for the incidents of unintended acceleration claimed by several Toyota drivers, who reached a class-action settlement with the carmaker. According to the Toyota Economic Loss Settlement Website, the deadline for filing a claim for this particular issue was July 29, 2013.

Here are a few of the lawsuits:

• Saylor v. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (complaint) -- Products liability and negligence lawsuit in a California state court against Toyota and Lexus car dealer over the deaths of 4 family members in a Lexus ES350 loaner vehicle that apparently accelerated to 120 mph before killing the car's 4 occupants.
• Miller v. Toyota Motors Sales, USA, Inc., et al. (complaint) — Breach of warranty, negligence, and product liability lawsuit.
• Heilbrunn, et al. v. Toyota Motor Corp. (class-action complaint) — Federal class-action lawsuit accused Toyota of breach of express and implied warranties, fraud, unjust enrichment, and breach of good faith and fair dealing.

Is Your Car Part of the Recall?

Recalled car models include Toyota's RAV4, Corolla, Matrix, Camry, Highlander SUV, and Prius, as well as Tundra and Sequoia trucks. Additionally, Lexus GS300, RX 330, and other Lexus models are included in the recall. Enter your unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in the box provided on Toyota's safety recall look-up page to find out if your automobile is affected by this or any other Toyota recall.

If your car is affected by this or any other recall, contact your local dealer to schedule an appointment.

Get an Attorney's Expert Help With Your Toyota Claim

Despite the recall, many people have opted to file suit against Toyota. The decision of whether to take on Toyota in court is an important one. If your lawsuit proves successful, you could be awarded medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and mental anguish.

It's typically in your best interest to meet with a product liability attorney first.