Gov't warns drivers to check floor mats in cars

Wonder why Toyota isn't doing this in Japan? Interesting.....

No brainer, punitive damages in civil cases are punt in Japan. Class actions are almost non-existent, it is a business decision.

Prompt action.......not.

But more information is suggesting that the electronic throttle control (no direct cable link) is the cause, not the floor mat or pedal.

It could also be a technical reason. I had a Mazda RX-8 and for floor mats bought in Japan there was a hole that goes over a clip in the footwell ensuring the mat would not move. Whereas, RX-8 floormats bought in Australia did not have this and could therefore move around. Or was it the other way around.

The real question for me is, there is a cheap and simple solution in place in some markets, why isn't it being used in all markets worldwide?

Mechanical accelerator pedals are pulled back to the off/up position by a spring that must be strong enough to move a long cable, and perhaps even throttle. The spring to return an accelerator pedal to the off/up position in an electronic system can be any strength. Freed of any mechanical limitation, Toyota may have made the pedal easier to push, and easier to snag on matting.

Um. I choose to ignore this warning because there is no information about what I am supposed to be "checking" for.

The "government" deserves fifty lashes with a wet noodle for trying to limit manufacturers' liability with this meaningless warning without making consumers one bit safer. AP should be given 30 days in the hole for crummy editing.

I never get floor mats with my cars. Waste of money. I want my carpets to look the age of the car when I trash it, not bran new.

Yeah, I was wondering how to check the mats are properly installed when there is no information on how they should be installed.