Toyota’s recall woes will soon come under the scrutiny of Congress. In February, the House Energy and Commerce committee announced it will open hearings concerning the “persistent consumer complaints of sudden unintended acceleration in vehicles manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation,” according to committee chairman Henry Waxman.
Toyota recently announced a string of recalls concerning faulty accelerator pedals that could result in unintended acceleration. These events have culminated in the halting of sales and production for some Toyota models.
According to the committee, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has concluded that 19 deaths this past decade have been attributed to the accelerator defect in Toyota vehicles. One of the many questions that the committee is hoping to get answered is at what point Toyota officials first learned that there was a possible defect in their vehicle’s and what actions the automaker took to investigate this issue. But whatever the outcome, Boston area Toyota dealers remain confident that Toyota will continue to do right by their customers.
Toyota spokeswoman Martha Voss says, “Helping ensure the safety of our customers and restoring confidence in Toyota are very important to our company and we pledge our full cooperation with the committee.”
One thing is certain – not since the Ford/Firestone fiasco of 2000 has an automotive recall received so much attention Capitol Hill. But despite worries, the sales at one St Paul Toyota dealer don’t show signs of slowing down just yet.
