One San Diego Toyota dealership will be contacting thousands of local car owners over the next few days to schedule them for repairs on recalled cars and trucks.
Toyota’s corporate office apologized Monday and said it will be notifying impacted customers by mail but the general manager at Kearny Mesa Toyota suggests that owners don’t wait and give their dealership a call.
“We expect to see parts late this week if not early next week and clear direction from Toyota on how to proceed with the repair,” said Brian Beerman.
Toyota dealerships all over the country will be adding a small metal plate to gas pedals in more than two million affected models. The company says the fix will ease friction, stop the pedal from sticking and stop cars from accelerating after the drivers’ foot is lifted off the gas.
The repair, expected to take about 30 minutes, will mean extended hours at Kearny Mesa’s dealership. Beerman is considering expanding hours on Saturdays and Sundays to help fit customers in.
“We’re only able to book so many a day. We certainly are interested in taking care of as many customers as we can, as fast as we can,” said Beerman. “But we want to do this right.”
In November, after a tragic accident that killed four people in Santee, Toyota issued a separate recall of four million vehicles due to a risk of the driver's side floor mat trapping the gas pedal.
