Last week, Toyota Motor Corp. executives assured U.S. lawmakers that the company is working to fix known issues that affect more than 8 million vehicles.
But some Toyota owners have reported unintended acceleration from their vehicles even after Toyota dealerships have fixed the pedal problems, according to complaints filed with federal regulators.
Japan-based Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, is mired in a massive global recall that affects more than 8 million vehicles, due to separate issues involving the gas pedal, brakes, floor mats, and steering.
More than 10 of such complaints from Toyota owners made their way to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last week, prompting the regulator to launch a new investigation into the issue—whether the gas pedal problem reported by Toyota is caused by a mechanical issue, or a problem with the car’s electronic throttle control computer system.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda told congressional lawmakers last week that the cause of unintended acceleration was due to the physical pedals, and that the electronic controls of Toyota’s cars had “absolute reliability.”
But continued complaints from owners whose vehicles were fixed by Toyota concern U.S. regulators. On Wednesday, Toyota said it had launched its own independent study into its throttle system.
“If Toyota owners are still experiencing sudden acceleration incidents after taking their cars to the dealership, we want to know about it,” NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said in a statement.
The NHTSA has three additional ongoing probes into Toyota, including one investigation to see whether the company intentionally delayed its recall to avoid negative public exposure and save money.
Safety Research & Strategies, Inc. (SRS), a vehicle safety research firm, cited Toyota owners whose cars exhibited sudden acceleration after dealerships had allegedly fixed the problems.
“I was driving about 5 mph in a parking area with my son. I put my foot on the brake and I felt the car push forward. I put my other foot on the brake as well,” one owner of a 2009 Toyota Matrix wrote to the SRS. “I am very concerned what this means in terms of future safety and my monetary investment in this car.”
Toyota executives, at a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee, reiterated their belief that the company’s electronic controls are sound.
“I want to be absolutely clear: As a result of our extensive testing, we do not believe sudden unintended acceleration because of a defect in our ETCS [Electronic Throttle Control System] has ever happened,” said Takeshi Uchiyamada, executive vice president at Toyota, at the hearing. “However, we will continue to search for any event in which such a failure could occur.”
But some Toyota owners have reported unintended acceleration from their vehicles even after Toyota dealerships have fixed the pedal problems, according to complaints filed with federal regulators.
Japan-based Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, is mired in a massive global recall that affects more than 8 million vehicles, due to separate issues involving the gas pedal, brakes, floor mats, and steering.
More than 10 of such complaints from Toyota owners made their way to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last week, prompting the regulator to launch a new investigation into the issue—whether the gas pedal problem reported by Toyota is caused by a mechanical issue, or a problem with the car’s electronic throttle control computer system.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda told congressional lawmakers last week that the cause of unintended acceleration was due to the physical pedals, and that the electronic controls of Toyota’s cars had “absolute reliability.”
But continued complaints from owners whose vehicles were fixed by Toyota concern U.S. regulators. On Wednesday, Toyota said it had launched its own independent study into its throttle system.
“If Toyota owners are still experiencing sudden acceleration incidents after taking their cars to the dealership, we want to know about it,” NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said in a statement.
The NHTSA has three additional ongoing probes into Toyota, including one investigation to see whether the company intentionally delayed its recall to avoid negative public exposure and save money.
Safety Research & Strategies, Inc. (SRS), a vehicle safety research firm, cited Toyota owners whose cars exhibited sudden acceleration after dealerships had allegedly fixed the problems.
“I was driving about 5 mph in a parking area with my son. I put my foot on the brake and I felt the car push forward. I put my other foot on the brake as well,” one owner of a 2009 Toyota Matrix wrote to the SRS. “I am very concerned what this means in terms of future safety and my monetary investment in this car.”
Toyota executives, at a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee, reiterated their belief that the company’s electronic controls are sound.
“I want to be absolutely clear: As a result of our extensive testing, we do not believe sudden unintended acceleration because of a defect in our ETCS [Electronic Throttle Control System] has ever happened,” said Takeshi Uchiyamada, executive vice president at Toyota, at the hearing. “However, we will continue to search for any event in which such a failure could occur.”
