http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541304575099900299990856.html
DETROIT—The U.S. Department of Transportation said Wednesday it is investigating about 10 recent complaints of sudden acceleration by Toyota owners whose vehicles have been repaired under two of Toyota Motor Corp.'s recent recalls.
"If Toyota owners are still experiencing sudden-acceleration incidents after taking their cars to the dealership, we want to know about it," David Strickland, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said in an emailed statement.
The federal safety regulator began conducting interviews with consumers about the issue Tuesday. NHTSA wants "to make sure Toyota is doing everything possible to make its vehicles safe," Mr. Strickland said.
The agency has identified 10 unverified reports about sudden-acceleration issues in Toyota vehicles that have had their gas pedals fixed and floor mats removed under two recent recalls of six million vehicles. A DOT spokeswoman said none of the incidents has been confirmed.
In the past week, Toyota came under the microscope at three separate congressional hearings on the auto maker's sudden acceleration problems that have called into question the company's reputation as a safety leader. New incidents of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles that have received the mechanical fixes could call into question the credibility of Toyota's assurances that vehicle electronics aren't to blame.
To fix the problems identified in two recent recalls for floor-mat entrapment and stick accelerator pedals, Toyota dealers have been trimming gas pedals and inserting a steel shim. So far, the company said one million vehicles of the six million recalled have been fixed.
Consumer-safety advocates have questioned whether Toyota's electronic throttle-control system is to blame. A senior Toyota executive said the company hasn't found "a single case" where the electronic throttle system has caused sudden acceleration but the company continues to investigate electronics.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the safety agency is conducting a full investigation into Toyota's electronics. NHTSA has said that connected 52 deaths to crashes allegedly caused by Toyota's acceleration problems.
The new alleged incidents of sudden acceleration are already concerning lawmakers. "I'm deeply concerned that NHTSA has received this many reports of possible sudden unintended acceleration after these vehicles have received Toyota's recommended fix," said Rep. Bruce Braley (D., Iowa). "It is critical that we get to the bottom of this problem as quickly as possible."
In one recent complaint on NHTSA's Web site, the 81-year-old owner of a 2010 Toyota Camry, which had undergone repairs on the gas pedal as part of the floor mat recall, said pulling into a parking spot at a CVS drugstore on Feb. 16, the sedan "suddenly flew up forward over the cement curb and into the dirt and bushes," which stopped the car.
The vehicle was taken to Phillips Toyota in Lee*****urg, Fla., where general manager Randy Ollila said there were no problems with the vehicle, the owner said in the complaint filed on NHTSA's Web site.
Mr. Ollila referred questions to Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons, who declined to comment the specific situation. "Toyota is investigating these issues," Mr. Lyons said. "We are moving very quickly to take a look at these vehicles."
Mr. Lyons said Toyota was going through the complaints and, where possible, getting the vehicles in question into Toyota dealerships for examination as part of the auto maker's new rapid safety response teams. He said Toyota has confidence in the repairs prescribed in its two recalls.
Reports of the new cases of sudden acceleration in repaired Toyota vehicles were first reported by Safety Research & Strategies Inc. and the Los Angeles Times.
DETROIT—The U.S. Department of Transportation said Wednesday it is investigating about 10 recent complaints of sudden acceleration by Toyota owners whose vehicles have been repaired under two of Toyota Motor Corp.'s recent recalls.
"If Toyota owners are still experiencing sudden-acceleration incidents after taking their cars to the dealership, we want to know about it," David Strickland, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said in an emailed statement.
The federal safety regulator began conducting interviews with consumers about the issue Tuesday. NHTSA wants "to make sure Toyota is doing everything possible to make its vehicles safe," Mr. Strickland said.
The agency has identified 10 unverified reports about sudden-acceleration issues in Toyota vehicles that have had their gas pedals fixed and floor mats removed under two recent recalls of six million vehicles. A DOT spokeswoman said none of the incidents has been confirmed.
In the past week, Toyota came under the microscope at three separate congressional hearings on the auto maker's sudden acceleration problems that have called into question the company's reputation as a safety leader. New incidents of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles that have received the mechanical fixes could call into question the credibility of Toyota's assurances that vehicle electronics aren't to blame.
To fix the problems identified in two recent recalls for floor-mat entrapment and stick accelerator pedals, Toyota dealers have been trimming gas pedals and inserting a steel shim. So far, the company said one million vehicles of the six million recalled have been fixed.
Consumer-safety advocates have questioned whether Toyota's electronic throttle-control system is to blame. A senior Toyota executive said the company hasn't found "a single case" where the electronic throttle system has caused sudden acceleration but the company continues to investigate electronics.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the safety agency is conducting a full investigation into Toyota's electronics. NHTSA has said that connected 52 deaths to crashes allegedly caused by Toyota's acceleration problems.
The new alleged incidents of sudden acceleration are already concerning lawmakers. "I'm deeply concerned that NHTSA has received this many reports of possible sudden unintended acceleration after these vehicles have received Toyota's recommended fix," said Rep. Bruce Braley (D., Iowa). "It is critical that we get to the bottom of this problem as quickly as possible."
In one recent complaint on NHTSA's Web site, the 81-year-old owner of a 2010 Toyota Camry, which had undergone repairs on the gas pedal as part of the floor mat recall, said pulling into a parking spot at a CVS drugstore on Feb. 16, the sedan "suddenly flew up forward over the cement curb and into the dirt and bushes," which stopped the car.
The vehicle was taken to Phillips Toyota in Lee*****urg, Fla., where general manager Randy Ollila said there were no problems with the vehicle, the owner said in the complaint filed on NHTSA's Web site.
Mr. Ollila referred questions to Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons, who declined to comment the specific situation. "Toyota is investigating these issues," Mr. Lyons said. "We are moving very quickly to take a look at these vehicles."
Mr. Lyons said Toyota was going through the complaints and, where possible, getting the vehicles in question into Toyota dealerships for examination as part of the auto maker's new rapid safety response teams. He said Toyota has confidence in the repairs prescribed in its two recalls.
Reports of the new cases of sudden acceleration in repaired Toyota vehicles were first reported by Safety Research & Strategies Inc. and the Los Angeles Times.
選擇“Disable on www.wenxuecity.com”
選擇“don't run on pages on this domain”
