Page 357 - Acceleration News Today

Toyota sthad they have investigated the problem with a computer going on or an acceleration. and we didnt find anything. and we brought in outside agencies and they didnt find anything either. the problem is not caused by the pedals and floor mats. its speculation at this point. >> if you listen, it sounds its more thak speculation. he swus clear about saying that toyota said something different to his staff people than what they said publicly. >> the thing i read was determining the exact cause...

Several investigations into toyota. now it says its going to take a fresh look at the electronics system to see if it could be, in fact, whether in fact that electronics system could be a factor in acceleration. christine? >> deb, one thing thats just amazing to me is cars today are so high tech. in fact, there are data recorders similar to the black box on airplanes. shouldnt those recorders, or can those recorders have any kind of information to help explain why this engine surge is happening?...

In my view, and they took a brief look, a casual look at these issues and opened six investigations and closed them at toyotas request. they kept a lot of information secret. and i think that its refreshing that we have in the new administration, lahood and others being tough on the company and others as well, and this is a case of a severe problem. if have you a breaking loss, sudden acceleration, those are the kinds of cases the agency should jump on immediately and try to resolve as quick as ...

Of the vehicle when a failure happens. >> reporter: during a press conference in japan this week, a toyota executive ruled out any software or electronic issues with the accelerator. >> translator: for the electronic control unit, we could not come across any case where we found there was a misfunction in the control system. >> reporter: mccune says toyotas recalls are disturbing in their limitations because they dont apply to all makes anded month e emodels that haved the acceleration like the ...

Conflict between the accelerating and the braking, that the braking will stop the vehicle. >> and, joan, now we bring in the prius issue, which is on a much smaller scale, but certainly there are american drivers of the prius who bought this car before january of this year, who are very concerned this morning about whether they should get in this car and drive it for a different reason, for a braking reason. are you concerned about quality and safety at toyota in general from what youve heard so...

>> i think the recalls cover less than half of the models and model years that need to be part of the recall. >> reporter: toyota says it bases recalls on defects that were identified and not reports of unintended acceleration. late wednesday there was a motion filed for a preliminary injunction demanding toyota recall the models affected and install an override break system to stop a car accelerating out of control. >> while everybody tries to figure this out, including toyota, i presume, we ne...

And is there one solution to both. it doesnt appear to us from what we have been told that one fix or the sticky pedal is also going to work for the acceleration. >> so there may be other problems here going unaddressed. >> thats what we want to know about. we will hold a public hearing. >> appreciate your time tonight. thank you so much. >> thank you. and let me bring in larry webster now. he is the out motive editor for "popular mechanics." basically if i got it right, he is saying that toyo...

Unintended acceleration. late wednesday, mccune filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, demanding toyota recall all vehicle models allegedly affected and also install a brake override system that would stop a car thats accelerating out of control. >> while everybody tries to figure this out, including toyota, i presume, we need a system so that these sudden accelerations do not become deadly accidents, and thats what the brake override system does. >> reporter: a system that possibly could ...

Driving it, take it to the toyota dealer, because they believe they have the fix for it. >> reporter: but soon after his appearance before a house subcommittee, lahood put on the brakes saying he misspoke and instead told owners to drive immediately to a dealer. >> if you have one of these vehicles, if youre in doubt, take it to the dealership today. >> reporter: those toyota dealers are now frustrated. they have customers afraid to drive their cars. >> got people fearful. but in the end, i beli...

The fix and they are doing all they can to make sure that the pedals can work properly and his job is not to bless it, and that is not an endorsement of how toyota is handling the problem and they are closely monitoring toyota and they said yesterday that they think that the company dragged the heels on the recall and there is a lot of friction between that company and washington. >> and what ray lahood meant to say, if you have a toyota, and you feel there is a problem with the unintended accel...