Stories of runaway automobiles are scary. Toyota, with a well-deserved reputation for reliability, has apparently been reluctant to face the facts. Federal investigators are now said to looking into whether the problem with Toyota gas pedals goes beyond the fix announced by the company Monday and involves the vehicles’ electrical system. Sources state that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NTSHA) is looking at the possibility that electromagnetic interference might somehow be causing Toyota’s electronic throttle control systems to malfunction. Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles on January 21st due to problems with sticking gas pedals that cause the vehicles to accelerate out of control. Then Toyota halted the sale of the eight vehicles involved in the recall. On Monday, company officials announced they had found a solution that involved reinforcing the pedal assembly with a part that is being rushed to dealerships.
Toyota, however, has known about problems with the gas pedals since 2007. A friction lever at the base of the movable portion of the pedal was prone to swell in high humidity. Toyota changed materials, but did not recall the pickup trucks involved. Nearly a year ago, further investigation disclosed similar problems with several different models, but no recall was initiated.

If you have had a runaway Toyota incident resulting in serious injury, seek competent legal advice immediately. Do not let Toyota take custody of the vehicle or repair it. The evidence must be preserved until it can be evaluated by independent experts.