Report: Toyota continues to work on floormat fix for 2004-09 Prius

In the wake of yesterday's "runaway Prius" in San Diego, Toyota says it's still working on a fix for the thousands of hybrids included in the 4.36 million vehicles recalled last November. The source of the unintended acceleration on these affected Prius models is the same as the other vehicles involved in the recall: A floor mat that gets jammed up against the throttle. Unfortunately for Toyota, the owner of yesterday's "runaway Prius" claims the floormat wasn't his car's problem.

Regardless, Toyota says that new, smaller pedals and redesigned floor mats are in the works for these vehicles, but modifications haven't begun because the automaker is still working on a more specific solution. Yeah, we're a bit confused as well.

Contrary to a report by the Wall Street Journal, a new recall isn't in the cards for the last-gen Prius and Toyota spokesperson Brian Lyons told The Detroit News that while he can't disclose exactly when this floormat fix will happen for affected Prius models or how the correction will be implemented, the changes will take place "sometime this year." Here's hoping it's sooner rather than later.


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[Sources: Detroit News, Wall Street Journal - Sub. Req.]

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