Toyota makes progress with recalls, cars back on sale

Feb 18, 2010 5:38 PM

Toyota has faced daunting challenges this year, with overlapping safety recalls involving millions of vehicles, confused owners, headline-hungry media, and government officials offering conflicting advice. While there can be fair criticism leveled at Toyota on multiple fronts, the automaker has addressed the recent sticking accelerator pedal and hybrid brake recalls with blazing speed. But there is still much work to be performed. (Read: "NHTSA announces Toyota probe.")

Toyota officials have told Consumer Reports that "All vehicles listed in the 'sticking pedal' recall (subject to stop sale) in dealer stock are being sold across the country as they are modified with the field remedy. All vehicles coming off the assembly line have the new pedal and are being sold. Only a very few vehicles in dealer stock have not been modified."

Regarding the more recent voluntary safety recall on approximately 133,000 2010 Prius and 14,500 2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrid cars, Toyota says that the Prius software upgrade has been performed either at the factory or on dealer lots, and the 2010 Prius is on sale. The Lexus HS 250h field upgrade became available for dealers to download yesterday and already hundreds of cars have been remedied. The HS 250h production line in Japan is expected to begin building cars again next week.

For new-car shoppers, this means that all Toyota vehicles are once again available for purchase. However, millions of owners still await work on their vehicles, including replacement pedals scheduled to arrive in April. Many dealerships have extended hours to perform recalls, and owners are encouraged to schedule appointments. In the meantime, owners of the vehicles recalled for potential floor mat entrapment should remove the driver's-side mat.We will continue to cover this developing story.

Be sure to follow Consumer Reports Cars blog (RSS) and Twitter (@CRcars) to keep up with the latest information and advice, also see our unintended acceleration guide.

—Jeff Bartlett