Warning issued on 3.8 million cars

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that some Lexus and Toyota vehicles could experience unexpected acceleration, and it recommends that drivers take out the removable floor mats.

The agency says that the mats could cause the accelerator to get stuck open under certain conditions.

Toyota said it does not yet know how many incidents may be related. But the company said that in the case of a California accident that killed a family of four, "preliminary information from law enforcement investigators indicates that the cause may have been an all-weather floor mat from a different Lexus model which, if installed incorrectly in the ES350, could cause it to interfere with the accelerator pedal."

The vehicles involved in the warning are the Toyota 2005-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 Camry, 2004-2009 Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, and 2007-2010 Tundra; and Lexus 2007-2010 ES350 and 2006-2010 IS250 and IS350. About 3.8 million cars are affected.

NHTSA said the incidents appear to be related to factors including the use of a variety of unsecured mats, the particular configuration of the accelerator pedals in those vehicles, and the unique steps needed to shut off the engines in some of those vehicles with keyless ignition.

For more information, consumers can contact the NHTSA Hotline at 888-327-4236, the Toyota Experience Center at 800-331- 4331, or the Lexus Customer Assistance Center at 800-255-3987.