There's more to this than a mechanical problem (Score 1)

The Los Angeles Times has taken the lead on breaking this story. They published another article yesterday: Doubt cast on Toyota's decision to blame sudden acceleration on gas pedal defect

Here's a quote: "The way the sudden-acceleration problems are occurring in reported incidents doesn't comport with how this sticky pedal is described," said Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, a Rehoboth, Mass., auto safety consulting firm. "We know this recall is a red herring."

The number of reports of unintended acceleration increased by as much as a factor of 5 for some models after Toyota introduced electronic throttle control systems. While floor mats and defective accelerator pedals may have caused some of the problems, they don't explain many of the reported cases of uncommanded acceleration.