Toyota Says Remedies Are Working for Sticking Accelerators

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Toyota released the following statement in response to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) report to members of Congress on August 10, 2011, regarding its ongoing research on unintended acceleration and event data recorder readings:

"Toyota's own vehicle evaluations have confirmed that the remedies it developed for sticking accelerator pedal and potential accelerator pedal entrapment by an unsecured or incompatible floor mat are effective. We have also confirmed several different causes for unintended acceleration reports, including pedal entrapment by floor mats, pedal misapplication, and vehicle functions where a slight increase in engine speed is normal, such as engine idle up from a cold start or air conditioning loads.
 
Having conducted more than 4,000 on-site vehicle inspections, in no case have we found electronic throttle controls to be a cause of unintended acceleration. Toyota is committed to listening more attentively to our customers and continuing to investigate unintended acceleration concerns."

In April the NHTSA announced they were seeking the maximum civil penalty of $16.375 million against Toyota Motor Corporation for failing to notify the auto safety agency of the dangerous "sticky pedal" defect for at least four months, despite knowing of the potential risk to consumers. Approximately 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. were recalled in late January for this defect.

In May, a month after the announcement, the NHTSA opened an investigation into whether, in 2005, Toyota Motor Corporation notified the agency of a steering relay rod safety defect within five business days of learning of the defect’s existence, as is required by law.

In 2004, Toyota conducted a recall in Japan for Hilux trucks with steering relay rods prone to fatiguing, cracking, and possibly breaking, causing the vehicle to lose steering control. At that time, Toyota informed NHTSA that the safety defect was isolated to vehicles in Japan and that the company had not received similar field information within the United States. In 2005, however, Toyota informed NHTSA that the steering relay rod defect was present in several models sold in the U.S. and conducted a recall.

Since the investigation began Toyota has identified two specific mechanical causes of potential unintended acceleration in some of its vehicles and has moved decisively to address these issues with effective and durable solutions.

Toyota also welcomed the appointment of six highly-regarded safety and quality experts to their independent North American Quality Advisory Panel as well as expanded their Product Quality Field Office program, highlighted their Star Safety System™ as part of a national advertising campaign, equipped all of their new cars and trucks with more advanced safety technologies, and completed 2,000 vehicle inspections for unintended acceleration complaints with none linked to their electronic throttle control system.