Mike Albert Vehicle Fleet Management’s Ongoing Response to Toyota’s Recall Information
February 11, 2010:
Below are the latest updates to Toyota recall information.
It has come to our attention that some of our drivers have experienced issues when bringing their vehicles into Toyota dealerships for the sticking accelerator pedal recall. Apparently some dealerships have told drivers that they need a physical recall notice in order to repair the vehicle. According to our contacts at Toyota, this is not true. Drivers can bring their vehicles in, or schedule service, with or without the recall notice.
If you are at the dealership and instructed that you need a physical recall notice, have the dealer contact Toyota’s Customer Experience Center at 1.800.331.4331 while you are there. If you still do not receive resolution from the dealership, please contact Mike Albert Customer Relations at 1.800.886.5828 and we will work to elevate the situation accordingly.
For the most up-to-date information please visit Toyota’s newsroom at http://www.toyota.com/recall.
February 9, 2010
Below are the latest updates to Toyota recall information: 2010 Prius/Lexus update to ABS Software.
On February 8, 2010, Toyota announced a voluntary recall on certain 2010 Model Year Prius vehicles and 2010 Lexus HS 250h vehicles to update software in the vehicle’s anti-lock brake system (ABS). No other Toyota, Lexus, or Scion vehicles are involved in this recall.
Only Prius vehicles produced since May 2009 and all HS 250h vehicles are subject to this recall. The production change for the Prius was introduced in January 2010; the HS 250h is being finalized soon.
Per Toyota, “the ABS, in normal operation, engages and disengages rapidly as the control system senses and reacts to tire slippage. Some owners have reported inconsistent brake feel during slow and steady application of the brakes on rough or slick road surfaces when the anti-lock brake system (ABS) is activated in an effort to maintain tire traction. If a Prius or Lexus HS 250h owner were to experience this condition, pressing hard on the brake pedal will stop the vehicle safely.”
Toyota will begin mailing letters for Prius vehicles included in this recall next week and Lexus HS 250h owners will begin receiving letters within the next few weeks, letting them know when to bring their vehicles into the dealership. Owners will only receive a letter if their vehicle is included in this recall.
For the most up-to-date information please visit Toyota’s newsroom at http://www.toyota.com/recall.
February 5, 2010:
Below are the latest updates to the Toyota sticking accelerator pedal voluntary recall (January 21, 2010).
Per Toyota, “dealers nationwide have received the parts, information and training they need to fix accelerator pedals in recalled Toyota Division vehicles… The actual repair requires about 30 minutes of work.”
In a letter posted at www.toyota.com/recall, the President and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. said the following:
- We’re (Toyota) starting to send letters this weekend to owners involved in the recall to schedule an appointment at their dealer.
- Dealerships have extended their hours – some of them working 24/7 – to fix your vehicle as quickly as possible.
- Trained technicians have begun making repairs.
For Mike Albert vehicles, the recall notices sent by Toyota will be delivered to Mike Albert’s corporate offices and forwarded to drivers.
In order for Mike Albert to send this information directly to your drivers, we need to have the most up-to-date driver information in our systems. If you haven't already done so, please take the time to update your drivers' information as soon as possible. This information can be updated by logging into Customer Access at www.mikealbert.com. If you do not have access to Customer Access, please email updated driver information to customerrelations@mikealbert.com. The following information should be included:
- Account Name
- Account Number
- Driver Name
- Driver Address
- Driver Email Address
In addition to the recall letters, Mike Albert customers will receive an e-mail today with a list of their affected vehicles specified by Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The list you receive today is the most up-to-date list released by Toyota. Because of some inconsistencies in previous lists, Mike Albert took the position to not distribute any information until we had a verified list from Toyota. The list you receive today should take precedence over any lists you may have seen previously from other sources.
Please review our past releases for additional information.
For the most up-to-date information please visit Toyota’s newsroom at www.toyota.com/recall.
February 4, 2010:
Below are the latest updates to the Toyota sticking accelerator pedal voluntary recall (January 21, 2010), the floor mat pedal entrapment recall (November 2009), and 2010 Prius brake information.
Sticking Accelerator Pedal Voluntary Recall:
Mike Albert has been working with Toyota to provide our customers with a list of vehicles included in the sticking accelerator pedal recall. Toyota has indicated that we should receive a list of our vehicles included in this recall by tomorrow, February 5, 2010. Because Toyota has informed us that information released up to this point on a vehicle level may be incomplete or inaccurate, Mike Albert has taken the position to not distribute any information until we have a verified list from Toyota. A Mike Albert representative will be reaching out to all of our customers as soon as we receive this final information.
Floor Mat Pedal Entrapment Recall:
Some of our customers have inquired about excessive wear and tear on carpets related to the floor mat pedal recall. Toyota has begun sending recall notifications out for these vehicles. The recall remedies for all vehicles will continue to be rolled out through 2010. If your vehicle is included in this recall and you have excessive wear and tear concerns, please address this with the dealership when you bring the vehicle in for the repair. Click here for detailed information on the floor mat pedal entrapment recall.
Prius Brake Information:
There has not been a recall issued for the 2010 Prius. Toyota states, “Toyota is aware of NHTSA’s intention to begin Preliminary Evaluation centered on owner complaints of a braking issue with the 2010 model year Prius. Toyota will cooperate fully with NHTSA’s investigation.”
Please review our past releases for additional information.
For the most up-to-date information please visit Toyota’s newsroom at www.toyota.com/recall.
February 3, 2010:
Below are the latest updates to the Toyota sticking accelerator pedal voluntary recall announced January 21, 2010.
Mike Albert Vehicle Fleet Management is working diligently with Toyota to obtain a list of vehicles impacted by this recall. When this information is received a Mike Albert representative will personally contact each client to review the vehicles impacted.
We continue to receive questions surrounding Toyota’s Voluntary Sticking Accelerator Pedal Recall.
Toyota’s position states, “No action is required at this time unless you feel you are experiencing this condition [a sticking accelerator pedal while driving].” If a driver has noticed that their accelerator pedal is hard to depress, slow to return or is unsmooth during operation, Toyota states, “the vehicle be driven to the nearest safe location and the engine shut off and a Toyota dealer contacted for assistance,” per Toyota’s “Frequently Asked Questions for the Sticking Accelerator Pedal Recall” issued on 1/28/10. Despite what you may have heard in the media, Toyota’s position has not changed. This was reaffirmed by Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on February 3, 2010, stating if owners are concerned about their Toyota vehicles, they should bring them to dealers and have them examined.
As posted previously, the following is a list of vehicles affected by this recall:
Certain 2009-2010 RAV4
Certain 2009-2010 Corolla
2009-2010 Matrix
2005-2010 Avalon
Certain 2007-2010 Camry models (except hybrid models)
Certain 2010 Highlander (except hybrid models)
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-2010 Sequoia
Per Toyota, “Camry, RAV4, Corolla and Highlander vehicles with Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) that begin with “J” are not affected by the accelerator pedal recall.”
Please review our past releases for additional information.
For the most up-to-date information please visit Toyota at www.toyota.com/recall.
February 2, 2010:
Below are the latest updates to the Toyota sticking accelerator pedal voluntary recall announced on January 21, 2010.
For orders pending delivery: If your Mike Albert vehicle is currently at a dealership pending delivery, Mike Albert is working aggressively with Toyota dealerships to ensure your vehicle is authorized for release as soon as possible. Dealerships will contact drivers when their vehicles are available for delivery.
For vehicles in production: According to Toyota, production will resume for lines temporarily stopped the week of February 8th.
For additional information please review our past releases.
For the most up-to-date information please visit Toyota at www.toyota.com/recall.
February 1, 2010:
Below are the latest updates to the Toyota sticking accelerator pedal voluntary recall announced 1/21/10.
Toyota announced in a February 1 press release that it will begin fixing accelerator pedals this week. According to Toyota’s website on 2/1/10, “Toyota’s engineers have developed and rigorously tested a solution that is both effective and simple. A precision-cut steel reinforcement bar will be installed into the accelerator pedal assembly, thereby eliminating the excess friction that has caused pedals to stick in rare instances.”
In terms of the production lines that have temporarily stopped, a www.cnn.com report published 2/1/10 states that the affected production lines will re-start February 8th.
Toyota has also updated the list of vehicles affected by this recall:
Certain 2009-2010 RAV4
Certain 2009-2010 Corolla
2009-2010 Matrix
2005-2010 Avalon
Certain 2007-2010 Camry models (except hybrid models)
Certain 2010 Highlander (except hybrid models)
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-2010 Sequoia
Per Toyota, “Camry, RAV4, Corolla and Highlander vehicles with Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) that begin with “J” are not affected by the accelerator pedal recall.”
Toyota has stated they will begin contacting customers as early as this week. Parts are currently being shipped to dealers and many Toyota dealers will be open extended hours, some staying open 24 hours a day. According to Toyota, “the actual repair involves about 30 minutes’ of work.” Mike Albert will direct any recall notices to the driver on file as soon as we receive information from Toyota.
Finally, per Toyota’s website, “no action is required at this time unless you feel you are experiencing this condition. We [Toyota] will begin contacting customers to let them know when to bring in their vehicles for the fix, and some of them will be notified as early as this week.”
For additional information please review our past memos.
For the most up-to-date information please visit Toyota at www.toyota.com/recall.
January 29, 2010:
Below are changes or updates to the original memo from Mike Albert Vehicle Fleet Management on 1/27/10.
In regards to the Sticking Accelerator Pedal recall on 1/21/10, Toyota has now identified the cause of the problem and is working to develop and thoroughly test remedies. Toyota announced they are stopping production of vehicles on certain production lines.
Toyota has updated the list of vehicles affected by this recall:
Certain 2009-2010 RAV4
Certain 2009-2010 Corolla
2009-2010 Matrix
2005-2010 Avalon
Certain 2007-2010 Camry models except hybrid models
Certain 2010 Highlander except hybrid models
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-2010 Sequoia
Per Toyota, the vehicles involved in this recall are equipped with CTS accelerator pedals. Toyota has stated that they believe a remedy may be announced as early as next week, and that necessary parts may become available in February.
Per Toyota’s “Frequently Asked Questions for the Sticking Accelerator Pedal Recall” issued on 1/28/10, “No action is required at this time unless you feel you are experiencing this condition [a sticking accelerator pedal while driving]." If a driver has noticed that their accelerator pedal is hard to depress, slow to return or is unsmooth during operation, Toyota states, “the vehicle be driven to the nearest safe location and the engine shut off.” If you are a Mike Albert customer who is experiencing this condition, please contact your nearest Toyota dealer for assistance.
For additional information please visit our Web site at www.mikealbert.com.
January 27, 2010:
In addition to last week's voluntary safety recall of eight Toyota models due to reports of sticking accelerator pedals, Toyota has announced it will temporarily suspend sales of the affected models and Toyota is expected to stop producing vehicles on certain production lines for the week of Feb. 1.
Toyota has indicated the following vehicles are affected:
2009-2010 RAV4
2009-2010 Corolla
2009-2010 Matrix
2005-2010 Avalon
Certain 2007-2010 Camry models
2010 Highlander (except hybrid models)
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-2010 Sequoia
Per Toyota’s “Frequently Asked Questions for the Sticking Accelerator Pedal Recall” issued on 1/22/10, “Toyota is working quickly to prepare a correction remedy and will issue notifications in the future. No action is required at this time unless you feel you are experiencing this condition [a sticking accelerator pedal while driving]. If you are experiencing this condition, immediately contact your nearest Toyota Dealer for assistance.”
If a driver has noticed that their accelerator pedal is hard to depress, slow to return or is unsmooth during operation, Toyota states, “the vehicle be driven to the nearest safe locations, the engine shut off and a Toyota dealer contacted for assistance.”
Mike Albert is following this situation closely and working diligently with Toyota to obtain the most up-to-date information for our customers. We will post updates at www.mikealbert.com. In the meantime, please use the following Toyota resources for further information on this ongoing situation.
At this time Toyota has not issued recall notices. As Mike Albert receives recall notices from Toyota we will distribute them via US Mail to the driver listed for that vehicle in our system.
When recalls are issued by any automobile manufacturer, they are tied to the vehicle's Identification Number (VIN). In order for Mike Albert to send this information directly to your drivers, we need to have the most up-to-date driver information in our systems. If you haven't already done so, please take the time to update your drivers' information as soon as possible. This information can be updated by logging into Customer Access at www.mikealbert.com. If you do not have access to Customer Access, please email updated driver information to customerrelations@mikealbert.com. The following information should be included:
- Account Name
- Account Number
- Driver Name
- Driver Address
- Driver Email Address
Our goal is to keep you and your drivers safe and informed, and to minimize any inconvenience you may face. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions at 1.800.886.5828 or via email at customerrelations@mikealbert.com.
|