Toyota Subpoena Brings Car Executives To Capitol Hill

By: Bill Waters
02/23/2010 09:16 AM ET

Toyota will answer to a subpoena on Tuesday and are expected to testify at hearings on Capital Hill. Toyota dealerships across the country are growing more concerned and worried as millions of vehicles have been recalled. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will also testify to ensure the safety of Toyota vehicles.

LaHood will tell Congress about a recent investigation that could be the cause for the suddenly acceleration problem on some of the vehicles. His agency believes that it’s an electronic problem. Toyota has always blamed the problem on misplaced floor mats and sticking accelerator pedals.

Congress has started the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s investigative panel. The committee is conducting the first congressional hearing on Tuesday into the acceleration issues. Investigators also want to know why the government was slow to respond to 2,600 complaints of sudden unintended acceleration from 2000 to 2010.

Automaker President Akio Toyoda Vows Company Will Change Its Ways

Toyota’s president, Akio Toyoda, says he is changing the way the automaker does business. He also addressed the safety problems that have led to the recall of 8.5 million vehicles. However, Toyota’s handling of its recent safety issues is now the subject of a U.S. criminal investigation.

“It is clear to me that in recent years we didn’t listen as carefully as we should, or respond as quickly as we must, to our customers’ concerns,” Akio Toyoda, who is the grandson of the company’s founder, wrote in a statement.

Citing his heritage, Toyoda wrote that the past few months have been humbling and painful. He acknowledged Toyota didn’t respond quickly enough to reports about vehicle defects and vowed to impose tougher quality controls. In addition, Toyoda is expected to be grilled by U.S. lawmakers Wednesday when he is scheduled to appear at a congressional hearing.

Lexus Demonstrates Sudden Acceleration That Leads To Crash

Rhonda Smith is one driver that can tell you all about the problems with “sudden acceleration” in vehicles. She experienced six miles of interstate terror when her Lexus accelerated to 100 mph. This story will defiantly set the mood for Tuesday’s hearing.

Most experts say to place the vehicle in neutral if it accelerates out of control. However, it didn’t help Smith. She shifted to neutral, then tried to throw it into reverse, but nothing happened. Then, for some reasons, the Lexus slowed down before it crashed.

Stories like these are very frightening. Smith’s description of her nightmare ride will be told to the committee. Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s investigative panel will be armed with preliminary staff findings that Toyota and the government failed to protect the public.

Problems: 2010 Toyota Prius, Rav-4, Corolla, Matrix, Avalon, Camry, Tundra, Sequoia, Lexus, and Highlander SUV

The 2010 Toyota Prius has a faulty braking system. A steering problem has been identified in the Corolla. The other vehicles, Rav-4, Matrix, Avalon, Camry, Tundra, Sequoia, Lexus, and the Highlander SUV, all have sticky gas pedals or sudden acceleration safety concerns.

More than 8.5 million vehicles are part of the recalls. Toyota has already spent $2.5 billion to fix the problems. They are fixing 50,000 vehicles per day.

However, customers are still worried because these problems went on for years. These recalls are from something simple. Toyota car executives will now have the opportunity to respond to the subpoena and answer safety related questions.

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