Washington/Tokyo: In an unusual reprimand,
the US highway safety body has rapped Toyota Motor Corp., the
world's largest automaker, for giving out "inaccurate and
misleading information" over a massive safety recall involving
3.8 million of its vehicles in the country.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) took issue with a press release by Toyota earlier this
week that stated the NHTSA had concluded that "no defect
exists in vehicles in which the driver's floor mat is
compatible with the vehicle and properly secured."
The NHTSA has been investigating problems in connection
with the recent recall of 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus
vehicles in the American market.
In the latest statement, the NHTAS said it has told
Toyota that removing the recalled floor mats is "an interim
measure" and does not correct the underlying defect in the
vehicles involving the potential for accelerator pedals to
become trapped by the mats, Kyodo news reported.
"This matter is not closed until Toyota has effectively
addressed the defect by providing a suitable vehicle based
solution," the NHTSA said.
Safety is the number one priority for NHTSA and this is
why officials are working with Toyota to find the right way to
fix this "very dangerous problem," it said.
In Japan, a senior official of Toyota Motor Corp.
yesterday denied there was a disagreement with the NHTSA over
problems with driver-side floor mats in Toyota vehicles after
the statement issued by the US authorities.
Toyota Executive Vice President Yukitoshi Funo told
reporters in Tokyo, "We have no disagreement about this issue
with the NHTSA."
He said both sides were holding "open and frank
discussions."
"We expect to have an agreement as soon as possible," he
added.
The recall, Toyota's largest in the United States,
involves seven models including the Prius hybrid, Camry and
Lexus cars.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda has also expressed regret
for the deaths of four people in a fatal crash in August
involving a Lexus ES350 in San Diego, California.
Bureau Report