TOYOTA ANNOUNCED another huge vehicle recall in the US yesterday in response to regulatory concerns that it had not fixed defective floor mats that can jam accelerator pedals.
The Japanese group is recalling almost 2.2 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles, bringing the number worldwide to almost 14 million during the past 18 months. The recalls are one of the biggest crises ever faced by Toyota, the world’s biggest carmaker by sales, and have undermined its reputation for reliability.
The company has lost significant market share in the US, forcing it to raise discounts and other incentives over the past year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reviewed over 400,000 pages of Toyota documents to determine whether earlier recalls related to jammed accelerator pedals were adequate.
“As a result of the agency’s review, NHTSA asked Toyota to recall these additional vehicles, and now that the company has done so, our investigation is closed,” said David Strickland, the administration’s head.
Toyota has paid a record $49 million in fines to Washington in the past year for improperly notifying regulators of potential defects, including sticky accelerators. It also faces class-action lawsuits. This month, the government exonerated Toyota from persistent allegations of defects in its electronic throttle control system.
Ray LaHood, US transportation secretary, said he advised his daughter to buy a Toyota Sienna Minivan: “I think that demonstrates we think Toyotas are safe to drive.”
After earlier recalls, Toyota installed a small metal plate on accelerator pedals. It made adjusted floor mats and advised drivers not to buy from outside suppliers. Toyota acknowledged on Thursday that its own floor mats could still cause the pedal to “become temporarily stuck in a partially depressed position rather than returning to the idle position”.– (Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011)
