Lentz: Toyota hasn’t fixed all unintended acceleration issues

Jim Lentz, sales chief for Toyota USA said before a congressional committee today that the recent recalls for the acceleration issues leave more to be addressed on the issue. This statement before the House Energy and Commerce Committee is in contrast with Lentz”s earlier statements on Feb. 1 when he told TV interviewers that Toyota believed that the recalls of 5.4 million vehicles would thoroughly and adequately resolve the issue. “We need to continue to be vigilant and continue to investigate all of the complaints from consumers that we have done a relatively poor job of doing,” Lentz said.

Lentz also addressed the need for the company to address all avenues of possible causes to the recent issues, as the NHTSA has also mentioned that it has yet to determine all of the potential problems of sudden acceleration. To Toyota”s credit however, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has said that the NHTSA has not been able to establish a cause for the problems that hasn”t been addressed by the recalls, with one minor exception.

Toyota plans to add 80 engineers to their U.S. operations with the addition of three engineering centers; they currently have two.

Central to the goings on at the hearings, is the fact that many of the 2,600 complaints since since 2,000 – including the 34 deaths – are not all explained by trapped and/or sticky pedals. Lents has affirmed and reaffirmed to his interrogators however, that Toyota is committed and end eager to remaining transparent and will work with due diligence to resolve issues.

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Detroit News