Toyota’s troubles accelerate
Toyota has been dogged for years by reports of vehicles that suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated, but it took a tragic accident involving an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer in August to focus the public’s attention on the problem -- and the company’s. Now, the problem’s impact on Toyota is accelerating too. Having already recalled about 4.3 million cars and trucks, the automaker announced two new recallstragic accident this month and halted sales of some of its most popular models in the U.S., Europe and China. In response, at least three rental car agencies have temporarily pulled Toyotas from their fleets, and a House panel has launched an investigation.
The new recalls reflect Toyota’s expanding explanation for the cause of the uncontrolled accelerations. Last year, the company said that the driver’s floor mat in eight models could jam the gas pedal, preventing the throttle from closing. This month, it said eight models had accelerator assemblies that could wear out prematurely, causing them to stick -- an admission that led federal regulators to order sales to stop.
Some auto safety advocates, however, say that these breakdowns don’t explain all of the incidents of sudden acceleration. Therein lies the challenge for Toyota. It needs to get to the bottom of the problem before the drumbeat of recall announcements ruins its well-earned reputation for reliability and quality.
That’s easier said than done. Cars and trucks are complex hybrids of mechanical and electronic systems, and failures can stem from a combination of many small factors rather than a single bad component. And often faulty drivers, not faulty vehicles, are to blame. All the same, Toyota’s response to this issue has been too slow and conservative for its own good -- or its customers’. The number and variety of reports about sudden acceleration in the years leading up to the crash in August pointed to broader problems than the automaker was willing to acknowledge. Instead, it shrugged off complaints, arguing that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (whose methods were also suspect) had found no cause for concern.
Toyota executives say they continue to investigate the reports and search for other potential trouble spots. They’ve also sped up the addition of an important safety feature: “smart brake” technology that overrides an open throttle. And they’re studying whether to make their keyless ignitions easier to turn off in the event of an emergency. These are welcome improvements, but they won’t be much help to Toyota’s bruised reputation if the company finds itself issuing another recall in six months with yet another explanation for sudden acceleration.
