NHTSA Rebukes Toyota for Misleading Statement about Defects in 3.5 Million Recalled Vehicles
As Indiana product liability lawyers, we have been concerned about the uncontrolled acceleration defect in Toyota vehicles that has already led to the death of 4 people in a Lexus crash, and the recall of 3.5 million vehicles. The automaker this week issued a statement that sought to suggest that the NHTSA had found no defect relating to the accelerator in some of its cars, and was almost immediately rebuked by the NHTSA for suggesting that the agency had given it a clean chit over the defect.
The agency has at least eight times investigated Toyota over complaints that the cars were prone to sudden and unintended acceleration. In at least two of those investigations, the agency announced recall of several Toyota models. In the remaining investigations, the agency cited insufficient evidence to show that the vehicles were prone to unintended acceleration. But it did conclude that there were design problems including throttle control issues, in several models that could contribute to unintended acceleration.
All these concerns were amplified in August of this year, when four members of the same California family died when their Lexus accelerated to excessive speeds and crashed. 911 calls made from the car showed that the gas pedal had jammed in the minuets before the crash. Then followed a massive recall of 3.5 million vehicles for, what Toyota called, floor mat compatibility issues. Toyota blamed the accident on the use of floor mats that were not compatible with the Lexus. It this week released a statement saying the agency had confirmed that there were no defects in the recalled vehicles. The agency has rapped Toyota saying that the automaker needs to figure out the cause of the problem, and devise solutions for this.
Millions of people in Indiana drive Toyota's vehicles. The automaker needs to figure out where the problem lies - floor mat incompatibility, push button ignition, or electronic throttle – and come clean about these. There are far too many incidents of uncontrolled acceleration for Toyota to dismiss these anymore.
The Indiana product liability attorneys at Theodoros & Rooth represent victims injured fro defective products in Merrillville and around the state of Indiana.
