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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Attorneys from the Corpus Christi, Texas-based law firm of Hilliard Muńoz Guerra LLP are announcing a federal class-action lawsuit against Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE:TM) on behalf of a Texas family and all Texas residents who have purchased Toyota and Lexus vehicles with faulty throttle control systems.

Attorney Robert Hilliard represents Sylvia and Alert Pena III in their claims against Toyota and Los Angeles-based Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. The lawsuit, which seeks class action status, was filed late Friday, Jan. 29, 2010, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Corpus Christi Division.

Mr. Pena was involved in a traffic accident last month after the family's 2008 Toyota Avalon unexpectedly accelerated through a stop sign.

According to the lawsuit, Toyota has installed defective "Electronic Throttle Control" (ETC) systems in its Toyota and Lexus vehicles, causing the vehicles to suddenly accelerate while people are driving. The company previously included mechanical failsafe devices to prevent unintended acceleration, but stopped using them in 2001.

"Toyota has long known about the defect with their throttle control, and has done too little, too late to correct it," says Mr. Hilliard. "Much like their cars, this problem is speeding out of control and Toyota is having a hard time slamming on the brakes."

Since the introduction of ETC in the company's vehicles, more than 2,000 complaints of sudden, unintended acceleration have been reported to Toyota or various government agencies. Attorneys for the Penas allege that the faulty ETCs have led to hundred of accidents, 16 deaths and 243 injuries.

For more than 20 years, Hilliard Muńoz Guerra LLP has represented individuals from across the United States in a variety of personal injury, breach of contract, fraud and negligence claims, including cases involving refinery explosions, trucking accidents, toxic exposure, and dangerous prescription drugs. More information on the firm is found at http://www.hmglawfirm.com/.

The case is Sylvia Pena et al. v. Toyota Motor Corporation, et al., No. 2:10-cv-00037.

For more information, contact Alan Bentrup at 800-559-4534 or alan@androvett.com.