Global Biz
Toyota faces federal, congressional probe
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-02-23 14:16
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When owners complained about unwanted acceleration, Stupak said Toyota representatives "commonly responded ... by concluding that the events the consumer described could not have happened." Stupak also accused Lentz of misleading the public in television interviews in which he said Toyota studied the problem and the cause was the sticky pedals and floor mats.
Dozens of Toyota dealers from around the US plan to lobby members of Congress Tuesday and Wednesday to stress the automaker's safety efforts and remind lawmakers that the company is a source of jobs in every congressional district. The visits, coordinated with Toyota, will also involve factory employees.
Separately Monday, Toyota said it would install a brake override system in its 2005-2010 Tacomas, 2009-2010 Venzas and 2008-2010 Sequoias. The backup safety system overrides the accelerator if the gas and brake pedals are pressed at the same time. Toyota previously said it was installing the systems in five other existing models and in all future models worldwide.
Quinn Gillespie & Associates, a prominent lobbying firm, meanwhile, said it had stopped representing Toyota because of a conflict that posed with another client. Quinn Gillespie officials would not identify the other client, but an auto industry official speaking on condition of anonymity to reveal private information said it was State Farm, the giant auto insurer that told federal regulators in 2004 and 2007 about reports of unexpected acceleration in some Toyotas.
Strumpf reported from New York. Associated Press writers Larry Margasak and Alan Fram in Washington, AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit and AP writers Kelly Olsen and Malcolm Foster in Tokyo contributed to this report.
