Class Action Lawsuit Against Toyota for Sudden Acceleration claims

[hampstor]

Class action suit filed against Toyota over sudden acceleration claims
by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 9th 2009 at 8:58AM

Following a statement from the DOT and NHTSA asserting that the unintended acceleration issue potentially involving millions of Toyota vehicles is "not closed," McCuneWright, LLP, a law firm in Southern California, has filed a national class action lawsuit on behalf of all Toyota and Lexus owners that claim to have experienced this phenomenon. Representing the class will be Los Angeles County residents Seong Bae Choi (owner of a 2004 Camry) and Chris Chan Park (owner of a 2008 FJ Cruiser).

According to the suit, Toyota has known about reports of unintended acceleration for years and has received over 2,000 such complaints. Citing statistics from Safety Research & Strategies, Inc., the lawsuit alleges that there have been 16 fatalities and 243 injuries from Toyota and Lexus crashes attributed to runaway vehicles. Toyota attributes these accidents to improperly installed or incorrect floormats that prevent the accelerator pedal from returning to its idle position.

Wright, though, said in a statement, "[N]either driver error nor floormats can explain away many other frightening instances of runaway Toyotas. Until the company acknowledges the real problem and fixes it, we worry that other preventable injuries and deaths will occur." Hit the jump for the official press release from McCuneWright.

[Source: McCuneWright, LLP]

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/c...-acceleration/

At my dad's shop last year, this guy brought in his camry after claiming that the car was posessed. He said he put it into drive and it suddenly accelerated right into the parking lot wall, then he put it in reverse and it accelerated right into a car. The damage done was quite substantial, so he had to have been flooring it.

I thought he was full of shit, I guess he might not have been

[strong]

I always had an idea it was something faulty in the car or probaly that Drive By wire BS. Cannot wait to hear the verdict

[scat19]

Originally posted by strong
I always had an idea it was something faulty in the car or probaly that Drive By wire BS.

Toyota attributes these accidents to improperly installed or incorrect floormats

[Mixalot27]

Representing the class will be Los Angeles County residents Seong Bae Choi (owner of a 2004 Camry) and Chris Chan Park (owner of a 2008 FJ Cruiser).

Out of 2000 people why would they pick two that are Asian to be the representatives for the lawsuit? I mean given the stereotypes about Asian drivers, it seems like odd legal strategy.

[Xtrema]

This will be Toyota's Explorer/Firestone....

Anyway, floormat is just a scapegoat. The problem is software lacks safeguard of brake overriding engine throttle.

[msommers]

I suspect drive-by-wire complications as well..

[thetransporter]

Originally posted by Mixalot27


Out of 2000 people why would they pick two that are Asian to be the representatives for the lawsuit? I mean given the stereotypes about Asian drivers, it seems like odd legal strategy.

many asian drivers drive those brands.

my 1995 lexus also goes really fast by it self

[FiveFreshFish]

I knew there would be a class-action lawsuit eventually.

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/279977/to...lion-vehicles/

[Redlyne_mr2]

Curious to know how the will be able to determine without a doubt that it's computer error and not driver error.

[gretz]

stupid people driving with cruise control...

[Zewind]

Oh, this is going to be huge.

[Weapon_R]

And Toyota's decline begins.

VW already surpassed it as the largest auto company in the world. This won't help.

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by Weapon_R
And Toyota's decline begins.

VW already surpassed it as the largest auto company in the world. This won't help.

Because of merger, that wouldn't really have anything to do with any success or unsucess of either company.

[Graham_A_M]

^ Since when did you pick up a Ferrari 360 Spyder?

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^ Since when did you pick up a Ferrari 360 Spyder?

Long story man

[Eleanor]

Originally posted by Weapon_R
And Toyota's decline begins.

Toyota's decline started a couple years ago

[Diocletian]

Originally posted by Weapon_R
And Toyota's decline begins.

VW already surpassed it as the largest auto company in the world. This won't help.

Actually that's was a false report, actually when the actual numbers of the two companies are looked at Toyota beats vw by a significant margin and is projected to beat them by even more next year.

[Diocletian]

Anyway in regard to the issue, even though I feel that it's a storm in a teacup and those who have been killed from it deserve this years darwin award, companies have been in trouble for less and the issue does need to be addressed. The latest I heard is that they are going to replace the accelerator pedal in effected cars to correct the issue.

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
Long story man

Come on, tell me or at least give me a link.

[KandabashiDevil]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
Curious to know how the will be able to determine without a doubt that it's computer error and not driver error.

By concluding that the problem regards faulty software through extensive testing under federal jurisdiction outside Toyota labs. Blaming "floormats" or "driver error" is laughable, and beyond ridiculous. Toyota has known the erroneous software existed for some time now. these claims are not new by any means. They will pay dearly for their failure to acknowledge and rectify the problem.

... And do not take the term "pay" literally.
Financial remediation will be the least of their concerns. Damage to brand and reputation will be thoroughly extensive.