Some Tacomas eligible for upgrade

HERTFORD, N.C. (WAVY) - Toyota has recalled more than 6 million vehicles in the U.S. because of acceleration problems in multiple models and braking issues in the Prius.

A local man contacted 10 On Your Side because he insists there is also a problem with his Tacoma model.

During our investigation, we found the company has made an announcement about the Tacoma and a few other models.

"There's a bigger picture out there than just cars running wild. Maybe there is hope for me and my vehicle," Nick Nixon said Friday afternoon. He had just learned the Toyota Corporation might help him with his truck.

Nixon owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. Toyota issued a voluntary recall last fall because pedals could get stuck in improperly installed floor mats.

Nixon's mats checked out fine in January, but a month later he said, "I couldn't stop it. I mashed the brake harder, it just kept going."

His Tacoma never appeared on Toyota recall lists for brake or acceleration problems like those seen in Toyota's Camry, Avalon and Lexus models, and most recently the Prius.

When 10 On Your Side first met Nixon in February, he had just had an unusual accident.

"I had my foot on the brake and was reaching down to put it in park and the truck engine revved and lunged forward," he said. "It jumped the sidewalk, hit the column and ended up in the flower bed."

There was little damage to the building on Harvey Point Road in Hertford, N.C. Nixon called his insurance company, police, and then Toyota. He said an inspector told him, "I'll be hearing from Toyota corporate lawyers in 30 days."

In the meantime, Toyota executives and National Highway Traffic Safety administrators testified to Congress about current recalls, potential fixes and safety regulations. Nixon's minor crash never reached the radar in those federal hearings.

But this week he received a letter from the Toyota Corporation. It said after an inspection of his Tacoma, they found the "...accelerator pedal operated smoothly. There were no defects to the brakes, and the brake system functioned properly."

Nixon said he took this away from the letter: "Sorry for your accident, we can't help you."

10 On Your Side took a closer look at his situation.

Through an internet search, we discovered that between the time Nixon crashed on February 3, 2010 and the time Toyota sent him a letter dated March 3, 2010, the company posted an important announcement on its website.

Toyota expanded brake override system installations to three models: 2002-2010 Venzas, 2008-2010 Sequoias and 2005-2010 Tacomas. The website explains the upgrade will automatically reduce engine power when the brake and accelerator are applied at the same time.

Toyota maintains the brake override system "is not an integral part of the recall remedy, but is instead being added as an extra measure of confidence for Toyota owners."

We printed the information and took it took Nixon in Hertford.

Nixon's letter did not mention the development, and he said neither employees at local dealerships, nor corporate case workers, ever mentioned it.

"Every one of them from top to bottom said my model Toyota Tacoma was not on a recall. 'There was nothing wrong with it.' So you show me this and I'm kind of floored that obviously... the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing," he said.

Nixon said he never received a letter or email about the brake override system. He wondered aloud whether he should "have to check the Toyota website daily for information about my truck."

Nixon called the Virginia dealership where he bought his truck. He read the Toyota information to someone in the service department who then set an appointment for him to receive the upgrade on Monday.

A representative from the Toyota Corporate office in California refused to comment on this story.