On Monday, Toyota issued a second recall of several popular models due to safety issues. The number of cars recalled continues to climb, and has already affected some 5.3 million vehicles.

The most recent recall, “Pedal” involves the possibility that some accelerator pedal mechanisms may mechanically stick in a partially depressed position, or return slowly to the idle position. Affected models include the following:

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

Toyota’s engineers have developed a solution for vehicles currently in production, as well as vehicles already on the road, and repair kits have already begun shipping to Toyota dealers.

One of the best sources for technical information on FixYa is our growing Tips & How-To’s section. This is where our Experts aggregate the knowledge acquired during their time in the field into Tips, which are then made available to anyone searching for a related solution. Experts who create high-quality Tips can actually become Premium Tips Experts, and earn money for the Tips they write.

While some Experts are just learning how to make the most of this system, one Expert who is really setting the standard is heatman101, who has already posted an astonishing 132 Tips since joining FixYa in November 09. Not to be overlooked, his 542 solutions and 97% rating are also testaments to his impressive skill as a technician.

It’s tax season! Time for FixYa to take stock of what we’ve done during the last 12 months and make sure we’re squared away with Uncle Sam. We need to collect a little information from our Premium Experts and Premium Tips Experts, which will only take a few seconds to complete.

If you are a Premium Expert or a Premium Tips Expert, please visit the “Premium Expert Information” section of your Edit Profile page. Enter your name and the location where you primarily perform your Premium activities (don’t forget to click “Save Changes”). That’s all you have to do!

Before FixYa looks to the New Year, we want to reflect on the last month of 2009. That’s when three of our Premium Experts wowed us with their technical prowess and superb support skills, earning themselves FixYa’s second Holiday Bonus award.

Congratulations to our first place $500, Ekse! As Ekse approaches the end of his second year on FixYa, we want to make it known how much we value the contributions he has made to our community. Ekse is a consummate professional and has unparalleled insight into the workings of our site, making him a great help to both our customers and our staff.

Our second place winner, tbirdfan1, takes home the $250 prize. He’s a relatively recent addition to FixYa’s community, but he has made his mark as a dedicated tech who continually produces great work. Thank you, tbirdfan1, for bringing fresh talent to FixYa!

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and things just got a lot jollier for the winners of Fixya’s Holiday Bonus Cash Prize Giveaway!

Congratulations to our winning Experts, who wowed us with their amazing assistance, commitment to customer service, and contributions to the community.

First off, our $500 first prize winner, welcomejee! Welcomejee is one of FixYa’s most respected Experts, consistently setting the standard with his first rate Premium Assistance. He owns a successful business, but still finds time to share his years of expertise with people on FixYa. Way to go, welcomejee!

Our $250 second place winner, rulds2008 is unmatched in his enthusiasm for helping people. He takes pains to ensure that each person he assists leaves as a satisfied customer. Congratulations, rulds2008!

The winner of our $100 third place prize is the inimitable emissionwiz. This veteran of all things vehicular is a legend here at FixYa, and has helped more people than any other Expert. Thanks, emissionwiz!