NHTSA to investigate recent complaints against Toyota cars

The car manufacturer has done probably all it could do; it recalled the unsold defective vehicles and got the ones already sold repaired.

However, complaints of sudden, accidental acceleration continue to pour in, pressing the U.S. Department of Transportation into action.

Regulators to ensure vehicle owners’ safety
The federal safety regulator confirmed Wednesday that it will investigate the 10 recent complaints by Toyota owners whose vehicles have been repaired by Toyota but the glitch has not been rectified.

"If Toyota owners are still experiencing sudden-acceleration incidents after taking their cars to the dealership, we want to know about it," said David Strickland, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

NHTSA wants "to make sure Toyota is doing everything possible to make its vehicles safe," added Strickland.

Although the incidents have not been confirmed, the agency will look into the 10 still problematic cases, wherein the gas pedals were supposedly fixed and floor mats removed under two recent recalls of six million vehicles.

Complaints trickle in
One of the complaints put up on the NHTSA's Web site alleges that a 2010 Toyota Camry which had undergone repairs on the gas pedal as part of the floor mat recall "suddenly flew up forward over the cement curb and into the dirt and bushes."

The 81-year-old owner took the car to Phillips Toyota where general manager Randy Ollila declared that there was no problem with the car.

The reputation of Toyota as a safety leader has already been battered. The recent complaints put the credibility of Toyota's assurances that vehicle electronics are not to be blamed for the defect under the scanner.

Toyota maintains earlier stance
Toyota continues to maintain that it has not found "a single case" wherein the electronic throttle system has lead to the sudden acceleration.

Meanwhile, the repeated allegations of sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles have started to draw the attention of lawmakers.

"I'm deeply concerned that NHTSA has received this many reports of possible sudden unintended acceleration after these vehicles have received Toyota's recommended fix," said Rep. Bruce Braley.

"It is critical that we get to the bottom of this problem as quickly as possible," noted Braley.

"Toyota is investigating these issues. We are moving very quickly to take a look at these vehicles," said Brian Lyons, a spokesperson for Toyota.

"We are confident that Toyota vehicles are safe and we're doing everything we can to ensure that our customers are satisfied with the rigorously tested recall remedies," added Lyons.