Toyota Maintains Recall Not Linked to Electronic Systems

Published December 23, 2015

Toyota officials continued to insist Tuesday that consumer complaints regarding unintended acceleration in their cars has nothing to do with the vehicle's electronic systems as some have suggested.

"I want to be absolutely clear,” Takeshi Uchiyamada, an executive vice president for the Toyota Motor Corporation, testified before a Senate committee, the third congressional hearing on the automaker's problems.

“As a result of our extensive testing, we do not believe sudden unintended acceleration because of a defect in our ETCS (Engine Throttle Control System) has ever happened. However, we will continue to search for any event in which such a failure could occur."

His testimony came as federal safety officials increased the number of reported deaths linked to the acceleration issue in Toyota vehicles to 52 through the end of last month.

As Toyota executives again tried to assure lawmakers they were taking steps to rectify the problem that led to the recall of 6 million vehicles in the United States, they used their appearance in front of the Senate Commerce Committee to unveil plans to give U.S. safety regulators special Japanese electronic data readers that will allow them to read the "black boxes" from Toyota vehicles involved in sudden acceleration accidents. Until now, the event data recorders, similar to the black boxes on airliners, could only be accessed by Toyota Motor Corporation.

"Toyota has rigorously tested the solutions for our recent recalls, and we are confident that with the repairs our dealerships are making, Toyota vehicles are among the safest on the road today,” a Toyota executive in charge of quality told the committee.

Earlier in the day, Sen.John Rockefeller,D-W.Va., chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee blasted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, suggesting NHTSA officials accepted Toyota's explanation that floor mats were the problem because they lacked a comprehensive understanding of the unintended acceleration issue.

"I think NHTSA investigators would rather focus on floor mats than microchips because they understand floor mats. They don't understand microchips," Rockefeller said.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, one of several witnesses appearing before the committee, did not dispute the contention about the agency.

"I don't know if NHTSA turned a blind eye because they didn't understand chips or electronics," but added, "We're going to get to the bottom of the electronics."

LaHood also told lawmakers of plans that would require all automobiles to contain a brake override system intended to prevent the sudden acceleration episodes, telling the committee.

"We're looking at it...we think it is a good safety device, and we're trying to figure out if we should be recommending it," he said.

The override system would deactivate the accelerator when the brake pedal is pressed, allowing the driver to stop safely even if the car's throttle sticks. Frequently referred to as a "smart pedal," the feature is already employed by BMW, Mercedes-Bens and Nissan worldwide.

The Capitol Hill showdown unfolded as newly released sales numbers showed Toyota Motor with a 9% sales drop in the month of February, while Ford, Nissan and Honda all reported a double-digit sales growth.

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