USA Inc. announced a recall of hundreds of thousands of vehicles that could potentially have issues with gas pedals becoming stuck in floor mats, the believed cause of the .
The recall affects 20,000 2006 and early 2007 model year Lexus (the upscale Toyota brand) GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel drive vehicles, about 372,000 2004 through 2006 and early 2007 RX 330, RX 350, and RX 400h vehicles, and approximately 397,000 2004 through 2006 Highlander and Highlander HVs.
Not only did Toyota announce this new recall, they also amended a November 2009 recall to include approximately 603,000 2003 through 2009 4Runners, about 17,000 2008 through 2011 Lexus LX 570s, and around 761,000 2006 through 2010 RAV4s.
The recall will involve Toyota mechanics replacing a plastic pad embedded in the floor mat of the GS 300 and GS 350, and other pads and retention clips on the other models, that could potentially get caught on the gas pedal.
Shortly before the Santee crash, Officer Mark Saylor, 45, dropped off his regular car at Bob Baker Lexus in El Cajon to be serviced, and drove away in a rental.
As the car barreled down the hill, out of control at the end of the 125, it struck an SUV at more than 100 mph at Mission Gorge Road and crashed through a fence before exploding on the bank of the San Diego River. Saylor's 45-year-old wife, Cleofe, and 13-year-old daughter were killed in the crash.
Toyota Motor Corp. agreed to pay relatives of the Saylors $10 million in a settlement announced last December. A lawsuit by the family against the Lexus dealership is pending. Toyota still faces about 200 lawsuits over reported sudden-acceleration
incidents.
The auto-maker has not admitted wrongdoing, but were recently forced to pay over allegations that the company failed to notify federal officials in a timely manner about safety defects in their vehicles.
Government officials earlier in the month that shows no electronic flaws were found to be the cause of reported sudden and uncontrollable acceleration in Toyota vehicles.
To find out if your vehicle is involved in the recall, enter your Vehicle Identification Number here.
City News Service contributed to this report.
