How would you feel about a car that accelerates on its own? I’m not talking about an autonomous vehicle such as the one I wrote about in my last article The Google Car: The Autonomous Car of The Future. I’m talking about a Toyota that without warning accelerates randomly without you even having to press on the gas pedal. That doesn’t sound too fun now does it? It wasn’t fun for many people. It was only natural to expect these Toyota models recalled. Shortly after the recalls, allegations began to surface claiming the defect caused death or injury. As expected, the lawsuits weren’t too far behind.
Photo courtesy of Autoguide.com
Automotive Recalls: The Toyota Way
According to autonews.com In September 2009, Toyota announced a recall of 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles, saying floor mats might jam accelerator pedals. The company, based in Toyota City, Japan, later recalled vehicles over the pedals themselves.
If you’ve paid attention to Toyota in the last ten years then you would know that they’ve had many recalls. Here’s a small list of Toyota recalls:
- · 2000-2004 Toyota Avalon Voluntary Recall
- · 2003-2007 Lexus LX 470 Voluntary Recall
- · 2005-2008 Toyota Corolla/Corolla Matrix Voluntary Recall
- · 2006-2008 Lexus IS 350/2007-2008 Lexus GS 350, GS 450h, LS 460, LS 460 L/2008 Lexus GS 460, LS 600h L Voluntary Recall
Toyota Me Not
This is just a tiny example. There are many more Toyota models recalled. With this many recalls under their belt you have to wonder if Toyota will ever make a car that is not a defect. Now in 2010 they have recalled over 8 million vehicles due to “unintended acceleration”. In fact, Toyota has just failed to dismiss the unintended acceleration class-action lawsuit against them.
Unfortunately, Toyota’s future is looking mighty bleak. Car safety is supremely important to me and I hope everyone else. Over the years Toyota has failed to properly rectify their reputation as a safety hazard. Unintended acceleration at high speeds can be lethal. I can’t imagine being behind the wheel when something like that happens. When a company like Toyota has to make recalls such as this, it makes me lose faith in the company as a whole. How can I trust a company that?
Toyota Recalls Give You a Reason to Sell Your Car
Listen. If you have a Toyota and feel the need to get rid of it, I understand. I don’t blame you. If I were you I wouldn’t just junk it though. Why not get cash for your car? If you sell your car to Big Bucks Auto, you won’t be disappointed. Not only will you leave with more cash in your pocket but you can be rest assured that you did your duty as an upstanding citizen. Think about it. You just helped get a safety hazard off of the street. That means you just helped make the roadway a safer place for all of us. Give yourself a pat on the back. Buddy Evans thinks you deserve it.
