Toyota’s Sudden Acceleration Problems Probed in 2007
More than two years ago, federal investigators in the United States discovered that some Toyota vehicles accelerated unexpectedly, the Washington Post reports.
In an investigation that formally began in August 2007, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that three of every 100 owners in Ohio of the Lexus ES350 reported sudden acceleration problems.
The former chief of research for traffic safety programs at the agency told the Washington Post that an unintended sudden acceleration in 1 out of 100 owners should raise a red flag.
Federal safety investigators gathered drivers’ stories of sudden acceleration and collisions. The accelerator and brake pedal were examined and exposed to magnetic fields. The exact cause of the problem was never resolved. However, Toyota and government investigators finally decided that floor mats with deep grooves were to blame, even though 24 of the 59 owners who reported problems with sudden acceleration did not own the mats.
In October 2009, Toyota announced that it was recalling approximately 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus autos because their floor mats could trap the gas pedal, causing sudden acceleration.
Then in January 2010, Toyota advised the NHTSA that approximately 2.3 million vehicles in the United States have a defect that can cause the accelerator to stick.
As the Washington Post story notes, the ever-changing reasons given for the problem have some lawmakers concerned that the root cause is unknown.
Clarence Ditlow, director of the Center for Auto Safety remarked:
“It's hard to believe that a company with the reputation for engineering excellence that Toyota enjoys doesn't know what is going on. But if they do, they haven't shared what they know.”
We will continue monitoring the investigation into the Toyota sudden-acceleration problem.
If you or someone you love has been involved in an accident involving sudden acceleration of a Toyota, Lexus or Pontiac auto, contact the sudden-acceleration recall attorneys at St. Louis-based Carey & Danis by filling out our online contact form or calling 800-721-2519 toll free.
