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Toyota Recall Delay Comes Under Scrutiny
WASHINGTON—The time it took Toyota Motor Corp.
and safety regulators to recall millions of cars suspected of sudden-acceleration
problems is coming under scrutiny by a panel of lawmakers demanding
detailed information from both sides.
The panel is focusing on why several years elapsed
after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started
to get complaints about runaway Toyotas before the Japanese auto
maker recalled several of its models to fix a defect that could
cause their gas pedals to stick. The House Energy and Commerce Committee
has scheduled a Feb. 25 hearing on the matter.
Sudden acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles has
led to at least five deaths since 2006, NHTSA statistics show.
In recent months, there have been signs of tension
between NHTSA and Toyota officials. On Nov. 4, the agency issued
an unusual rebuke of Toyota, saying the company released misleading
information about a plan to recall some 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus
vehicles to fix floor mats the company said could interfere with
the gas pedal and cause the cars to speed up even after the driver
lifted his foot.
In its release, Toyota said NHTSA had found no defect
in vehicles with properly installed floor mats, and added: "This
is the sixth time in the past six years that NHTSA has undertaken
such an exhaustive review of allegations of unintended acceleration
on Toyota and Lexus vehicles and the sixth time the agency has found
no vehicle-based cause for the unwanted acceleration allegations."
Two days later NHTSA said Toyota's statement that
NHTSA had found no defect existed was "misleading and inaccurate,"
and that the matter wasn't resolved.
NHTSA officials also pressed Toyota earlier this week
to stop selling models affected by the accelerator problems because
Toyota didn't have an approved solution in place. On Tuesday the
company acted, as required by law under the circumstances, by suspending
U.S. sales of eight vehicle models.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Thursday
he had "no criticism of Toyota on this. They followed the law,
and they're doing what they're supposed to do."
Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the Energy and Commerce
Committee, said, "Like many consumers, I am concerned by the
seriousness and scope of Toyota's recent recall announcements."
"Our hearing will help us better understand how
quickly and effectively" Toyota and NHTSA responded, he added.
Toyota and NHTSA both said they planned to cooperate
with the panel.
This week Toyota said it was adding 1.1 million vehicles
to its recalls. In all, Toyota is recalling about 5 million vehicles.
"Our expectation as an agency is that all manufacturers need
to address automotive safety issues quickly and in a forthright
manner," NHTSA adminstrator David Strickland said Thursday.
"Our enforcement efforts and ongoing dialogue with Toyota helped
to facilitate the expansion of this recall."
NHTSA began getting complaints from consumers about
runaway Toyota cars in 2004, agency records show. In 2007, NHTSA
issued a "consumer advisory" to owners of certain Lexus
and other Toyota vehicles, urging them to make sure driver-side
"all-weather" floor mats were properly secured before
driving. NHTSA cited a plan by Toyota to announce a recall of floor
mats both said could slip forward and trap the gas pedal, causing
the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably. Although not part of the
recall, NHTSA urged drivers of certain other Toyota models to check
their mats too.
Two years later, in 2009, NHTSA issued another advisory
about vehicles affected by the initial recall, informing owners
of certain Toyota and Lexus vehicles about conditions that could
cause the accelerator to "get stuck open."
NHTSA said Toyota had announced it would soon launch
a safety recall of various-model-year vehicles to fix the problem.
As an interim measure, NHTSA "strongly encouraged" owners
of specific models to take out the removable driver's side floor
mats and not replace them. NHTSA warned consumers "a stuck
accelerator may result in very high vehicle speeds and a crash,
which could cause serious injury or death." Toyota issued similar
advice the same day.
On Jan. 21, Toyota formally recalled 2.3 million autos
"to correct sticking accelerator pedals." That action
was separate, it said, from an earlier recall covering 4.2 million
vehicles with potentially dangerous floor mats. About 1.7 million
vehicles were covered by both actions.
Sheldon J. Schlesinger, P.A. represents clients throughout
the state of Florida including the cities of Boca Raton, Boynton
Beach, Carol City, Cooper City, Coral Gables, Coral Springs, Davie,
Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, Hollywood,
Jupiter, Lake Worth, Miramar, Miami, Oakland Park, Palm Beach, Palm
Beach Gardens, Palm Springs, Pompano Beach, and Rivera Beach
Broward County • Miami-Dade County • Palm Beach
County
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