Drivers of some vehicles modified as part of the Toyota gas pedal fix, are telling federal regulators that the changes may not have resolved the uncontrolled acceleration issues with Toyota vehicles.
According to the National Highway Transportation Authority (NHTSA), investigators are contacting Toyota drivers who are complaining that the fix, meant to solve problems with sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles, is not working. Toyota Motors Corp. officials said last week they had been made aware of the reports by U.S. authorities.
Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles since September 2009 due to problems with unexpected, sudden acceleration. The NHTSA says at least 52 people have been killed in crashes caused by Toyota gas pedal problems.
During the first wave of Toyota recalls in September, Toyota officials blamed the problem on thick floor mats that could jam under the pedal. However, the Japanese automaker later recalled millions more vehicles when it was discovered that, in some cases, the gas pedal itself was getting stuck without the floor mats. Consumers and some critics say they believe the problem is actually an electronics issue, but Toyota has dismissed such claims, saying that its own investigations have shown no sign that the acceleration problems are electronic in nature.
More than 60 people who received a gas pedal fix for their Toyota vehicle say that they are still experiencing unintended acceleration. However, most of the reports are unverified.
“If it appears that a remedy provided by Toyota is not addressing the problem it was intended to fix, NHTSA has the authority to order Toyota to provide a different solution,” the NHTSA said in a statement to news agencies.
The Toyota gas pedal problems have been associated with dozens of accidents and a number of serious and fatal personal injury claims. The incidents have touched off a wave of Toyota product liability lawsuits, including several wrongful death claims, and a number of Toyota class-action suits.
Later this month, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation will decide whether to consolidate all federal lawsuits against Toyota into a multidistrict litigation (MDL), where the cases will be centralized in one federal court for pretrial litigation.
Last month Toyota became the target of probes by both federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Both federal investigators and the SEC are looking into how the company reacted to complaints about Toyota accelerator problems, and are questioning whether the company attempted to cover up or downplay the seriousness and number of incidents being reported.
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