WASHINGTON - The government is warning owners of Toyota and Lexus vehicles about safety problems linked to removable floor mats. They say the mats could interfere with the vehicle's accelerator and cause a crash.
The Transportation Department says owners should take out the floor mats on the driver's side and not replace them. A large vehicle recall is expected later Tuesday.
Toyota did not immediately comment.
The consumer alert affects 2007-2010 model year Toyota Camry, 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon, 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra, 2007-2010 Lexus ES350 and 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350.
Toyota ordered dealers to inspect their cars for mismatched floor mats after a mat was suspected of snagging a gas pedal on a runaway Lexus in California. The August crash killed four family members.