While the Brits are hailing Toyota as their top green car, here in the States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has sued the automaker, and is asking for the $16.375 million – the maximum civil penalty, for its failure to inform the automobile safety organization about the “sticky pedal” defect that consumers have been dealing with for the last four months, or longer, and that triggered a 2.3 million vehicle-recall in January, despite knowing that there was a real risk to motorists and their passengers. notify the auto safety agency of the dangerous “sticky pedal” defect for at least four months, despite knowing of the potential risk to consumers. This would be the largest civil penalty ever assessed against an automaker by the NHTSA, says U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Under current laws, auto manufacturers are required to notify the NHTSA within five business days after they determine that a safety defect exists. Through documents obtained from Toyota Motor Corp., NHTSA learned that the company has known about the sticky pedal issue since at least September 29, 2009, on which day the automaker issued repair instructions to their distributors in Canada and 31 European nations, to address sudden increases in engine RPM, sudden vehicle acceleration, and sticky accelerator pedals. The documents also show that Toyota knew American consumers were having the same problems.
LaHood said, “We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations. Worse yet, they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months from U.S. officials and did not take action to protect millions of drivers and their families. For those reasons, we are seeking the maximum penalty possible under current laws.”
While the NHTSA continues to review 70,000 pages of Toyota documentation, it is also pushing to make smart brakes mandatory in all cars sold in the United States. Such safety features earn customers insurance discounts, but also make issues like Toyota’s sticking pedals less likely, the organization says.
