What Caused the Toyota Acceleration Problem?

The deadly vehicle defect reported in some Toyota vehicles that resulted in sudden, unexpected acceleration has finally been settled in court.

What Is the Toyota Acceleration Problem?

For around the last decade, Toyota vehicles have been plagued with concerns that the vehicles can start to accelerate unintentionally – leading to uncontrollable speeds and deadly collisions.

One incident reportedly caused the death of several consumers. On the final day of 2015, California resident Berta O. reportedly picked up her seven-year-old grandson in her rented 2015 Toyota Yaris and headed out on a road trip to Las Vegas with her grandson and two of her children.

Berta allegedly started to experience shaking of the vehicle and a buzzing noise upon acceleration but blamed these on the relative newness of the car. Because of the holidays, the rental company had already closed so she continued with her trip.

While driving on the interstate, Berta allegedly started to experience an unexpected surge in speed. Bystanders reportedly saw the Toyota Yaris traveling at up to 100 miles per hour. While trying to fix the problem, despite even the emergency handbrake having no effect, the uncontrollable vehicle reportedly jumped a curb at the end of an exit ramp and collided with a Toyota Solara.

The car accident reportedly killed all four people in the Solara along with Berta’s grandson.

What Is Unexpected Acceleration?

If a vehicle accelerates unexpectedly, it can put drivers, passengers, or even pedestrians at risk for a potentially deadly collision – such as the one in Berta’s case.

There may be several causes of unexpected acceleration in vehicles. Investigations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and other agencies have found that driver error may contribute to these accidents. However, issues with vehicles can also cause unexpected acceleration. For example, multiple floor mats or bulky floor mats can contribute to accidental acceleration. Throttle linkages or throttle plates which stick together may also cause unexpected acceleration and other acceleration problems.

In cases of accidental acceleration, Dobbs Auto Center recommends taking the following steps:

• Keep the engine on to retain power brakes and power steering.
• Brake hard on the brake pedal – do not push the acceleration pedal.
• Put the transmission in neutral or depress the clutch.
• Only use emergency brakes if the service brakes have failed. When using emergency brakes, apply them gently to avoid the risk of a spin or rollover.
• Maneuver the car to a safe spot as it slows down, stop it safely, and then shut off the engine.
• Put the car in park and exit the vehicle.

What Caused the Toyota Acceleration Problem?

Reports of sudden Toyota acceleration problems have reportedly been lodged since 2009. Numerous deaths were pinned on the acceleration issue and the problem started to garner public notice.

Some people theorized that the problem was caused by a defect in the vehicles’ electrical systems, although Toyota denied these assertions. In 2009 and 2010, Toyota reportedly recalled millions of their vehicles to resolve problems associated with sticky pedals and sliding floor mats. The floor mats could reportedly slide from their position onto the accelerator pedal – allegedly leading to uncontrollable acceleration.

ABC News explains that many consumers argued that the floor mats were not to blame. Rather, they said that the problem might be less easily solved. ABC says that Toyota admitted that there might have been other issues behind the alleged acceleration problems, including problems in which the accelerator can get stuck partially pushed down.

Has Toyota Faced Consequences for the Acceleration Problem?

In order to get to the root of the Toyota acceleration issue, federal investigators launched a criminal probe into the problem. The FBI reportedly argued that Toyota knew about the acceleration problem but deceived federal authorities and the public into thinking the vehicles were safe.

In March 2014, Toyota agreed to pay $1.2 billion in an agreement with federal prosecutors. The agreement reportedly ordered Toyota to admit that the company had “misled U.S. consumers by concealing and making deceptive statements about two safety related issues affecting its vehicles, each of which caused a type of unintended acceleration.”

In addition to this massive payment, which was the then-record for an auto industry fine, Toyota has reportedly settled 537 legal claims against them since 2014. The settlements with families of injured and deceased consumers were reportedly confidential – meaning that it is unknown how much Toyota has paid to resolve these claims.

A September 2019 court document noted that Toyota had settled 97 percent of the claims pending against them in a multi-district litigation with the remaining 3 percent being negotiated. Of these settlements, Toyota has reportedly agreed to resolve claims related to the 2015 incident which killed the four Solara passengers and Berta’s young grandson.

Does Unintended Acceleration Affect Other Vehicles?

Toyota is not the only company to experience alleged unintended acceleration problems, but the Toyota acceleration problem was perhaps the most striking. After allegations against Toyota came to light around then years ago, the NHTSA began to explore how to address the issue.

According to Consumer Reports, the administration invested requiring vehicle manufacturers to implement technology that would reduce the risks of the problem. Reportedly, the proposed technology would allow drivers to contend with an unintended acceleration by overriding the throttle if the driver slammed their foot on the break.

Consumer Reports explains that this plan did not come to fruition, because car manufacturers reportedly had taken steps to implement safety systems on their own.

Unfortunately, the Toyota acceleration problem is only the latest in a string of similar automotive safety issues. In the 1980s, Audi vehicles came under scrutiny for acceleration issues after their Audi 100 (sold as the Audi 5000 in some markets) was linked to six deaths and around 700 accidents. These incidents were allegedly caused by sudden unexpected acceleration, prompting Audi to recall the vehicles during model years 1982 to 1987.

More recently, Tesla has come under scrutiny for having possible unintended acceleration problems. Though Tesla reportedly does have some safety measures like those proposed by the NHTSA, the vehicles may still be susceptible to the unintended acceleration defect.

Though Tesla’s possible issues with unintended acceleration have made more recent headlines, Consumer Reports says that over 40 percent of complaints of sudden-acceleration involve Toyota vehicles. According to Consumer Reports, the instance of these reports went up after one instance that occurred in California was publicized to the public. 

What if My Vehicle Is Defective?

If your vehicle is defective, you can check with your vehicle’s manufacturer to determine if there has been a recall issued. If not, it is important to report the issue. You can report vehicle safety defects to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on their website. Over the last half-century, the NHTSA has recalled more than 390 million vehicles due to safety defects.

If your vehicle has a safety defect, placing you and your loved ones in danger, you may also be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation.

Can I File a Lawsuit Over the Toyota Acceleration Problem?

You may be able to qualify for a class action lawsuit investigation into the Toyota acceleration problem if:

• Your vehicle has a safety defect that has not been included in a recall;
• You or someone you love has been injured in a vehicle with a safety defect, even a vehicle that was already included in a recall;
• Your vehicle has a safety defect but is no longer in the warranty period; OR
• Your vehicle has a safety defect that should be covered under the warranty, but isn’t.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially in the wake of a car accident or injury, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

Join a Free Vehicle Safety Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you own a vehicle that you believe has a safety defect and you are outside of the warranty period or you believe the defect should be covered by the warranty and it’s not, or you or a family member have been injured by a safety related defect, you may qualify to join this vehicle safety defect class action lawsuit investigation.

Get a Free Case Evaluation Now

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.