US: No electronic flaws in Toyotas
- Source: CNTV.CN
- [09:07 February 16 2011]
- Comments
The US investigation into Toyota safety problems found no electronic flaws to account for reports of sudden, unintended acceleration and other safety problems.
Government investigators now say the only known cause of the problems are mechanical defects that were fixed in previous recalls.
The US Transportation Department, assisted by engineers from NASA, concluded its 10-month study of Toyota vehicles.
The study, launched at the request of Congress, responded to consumer complaints that flawed electronics could be the culprit behind Toyota's spate of recalls.
Investigators conclude there was no electronic cause of unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas, saying the company's vehicles are safe to drive.
Officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say they reviewed consumer complaints and warranty data in detail and found many complaints involved cases in which the vehicle accelerated after it was stationary or at very low speeds.
In many cases when a driver complained that the brakes were ineffective, the most likely cause was "pedal misapplication," in which the driver stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes.
Toyota recalled more than 12 million vehicles globally since the fall of 2009 to address sticking accelerator pedals, gas pedals that became trapped in floor mats, and other safety issues. The recalls posed a major challenge for the world's No. 1 automaker, which scrambled to protect its reputation for safety and reliability.
Toyota paid the US government a record $48.8 million in fines for its handling of three recalls, despite the company arguing it found no flaws in its electronic throttle control systems. Toyota also said the previously announced recalls addressed the safety concerns.
