Worried about 2009 Camry

[jeffmorris]

My mother has a 2009 Camry 4-door sedan with 4-cylinder engine and automatic transmission. I found out that Toyota recalled about 8 million cars due to sticking accelerator pedals. I found out from other websites that some cars have "drive-by-wire" system which means that there's no cables or linkages between the pedal and the throttle valves on the engine. I am worried that something will go wrong with the car and my mother may not be able to stop the car.

[Brian R.]

Bring it into a Toyota dealer and tell them your concerns. All Camrys have drive by wire accelerators now.

[Mike Gerber]

Not all Camrys have the pedal assembly that is said to cause the problem. Your mother should have received notification from Toyota by now that she needs to bring her car in for the modifications. If not, I would call Toyota corporate customer service (they call it the customer experience center) at 1-800-331-4331 and speak to one of the reps. Have the vin (vehicle identification number) handy to give to the rep and they will be able to tell you if her car is included in the recall.

Mike

[MagicRat]

Even if the worst happens and the car does accelerate on its own, the brakes will be able to easily stop the car. Even at full throttle, brakes can bring the car to a stop very quickly.

So, if this does happen, your mother should know to step on the brake and steer the car to a safe location, come to a stop and switch off the ignition.

[jeffmorris]

I found out that my mother brought her car to the dealer to have the accelerator pedal fixed and the ECM reprogramed yesterday.