2009 has not been a good year for automakers around the world. For Toyota, not only have they been dealing with slow sales, but at the end of September they announced one of the biggest recalls ever. The beginning of 2010 does not see things getting much better. At the end of January Toyota announced "part two" of the recall followed by the suspension of sales and production of eight models.

Originally, the problem was blamed on floor mats getting in the way of the gas pedal, but soon there were complaints about vehicles in which the mats were removed. Toyota said the condition is rare, but can occur when the pedal mechanism becomes worn and, in certain conditions, the accelerator pedal may become harder to depress, slower to return or, in the worst case, stuck in a partially depressed position. The recall, however, includes new 2010 models. Toyota’s accelerator pedal recall includes the following Toyota Division vehicles:

• 2009-2010 RAV4,
• 2009-2010 Corolla,
• 2009-2010 Matrix,
• 2005-2010 Avalon,
• 2007-2010 Camry,
• 2010 Highlander,
• 2007-2010 Tundra,
• 2008-2010 Sequoia

Toyota has had a reputation for reliability for over thirty years. This was especially true with baby boomers who became frustrated with the poor quality of American cars. Last year the Camry and Corolla were the number one and two best selling vehicles. Crisis management experts say that Toyota's growth has outgrown it's management structure as a result didn't have what it needed to deal with the problems before they became so big.

So what will become of Toyota? It depends on how quickly the problem can be fixed, and how well they communicate with their customer. If they lose the trust of their loyal customers, it will be a hard fight to get it back.