NHTSA slams Toyota for ‘inaccurate, misleading’ recall statements

Posted on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 12:57 PM EST.

The government sharply criticized Toyota Motor Corp. Wednesday for issuing what the agency called an “inaccurate and misleading” statement about its planned recall of 3.8 million vehicles linked to sudden, unintended acceleration that may be due to more than improperly fitting floor mats, The Detroit News said.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s criticism of Toyota’s statement is the latest hit to the automaker’s reputation from what will be the largest safety recall in its history, the paper said. NHTSA said Toyota inaccurately suggested in a press release this week that the agency had concluded “that no defect exists in vehicles in which the driver’s floor mat is compatible with the vehicle and properly secured,” the agency said in a statement, the News said.

Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons said the company hadn’t meant to mislead anyone, the paper said. “It was never our intention to mislead or provide inaccurate information. Toyota agrees with NHTSA’s position that the removal of the floor mats is an interim measure and that further vehicle-based action is required,” Lyons said in the story. “We are in the process of developing vehicle-based remedies to help avoid the potential for an unsecured or incompatible floor mat to trap the accelerator pedal.” (The Detroit News)

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