|
On August 28th, 2009, California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor and three members of his family tragically lost their lives on a highway near San Diego California, while driving a 2009 ES 350 loaned to them by a local Lexus dealer.
Our deepest sympathies go out to the friends and family of Mark, Cleofe, Mahala, and Cleofe’s brother Chris Lastrella.
Preliminary information from law enforcement investigators indicates that the cause may have been an all-weather floor mat from a different Lexus model which, if installed incorrectly in the ES 350, could cause it to interfere with the accelerator pedal.
All-weather floor mats are installed by dealers or customers as an accessory item.
Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. takes public safety very seriously and will fully cooperate with any investigation. We believe our vehicles to be among the safest on the road today.
In 2007, Toyota and Lexus conducted a Safety Recall on all-weather floor mats for the 2007 and early 2008 Camry and ES 350. During our investigation prior to the recall, it was noted that driver’s floor mat interference with the accelerator pedal is possible in any vehicle make with any combination of floor mats when the floor mat is not properly secured or if it is not the factory designed floor mat for your vehicle.
We are instructing all of our Lexus and Toyota dealers to immediately inspect their new, used, and loaner fleet vehicles and we urge all other automakers, dealers, vehicle owners, and the independent service and car wash industries to assure that any floor mat, whether factory or aftermarket, is correct for the vehicle and properly installed and secured.
PRess release via Toyota/Lexus
|
|