Toyota Finds No Electronic-Throttle Flaw After Testing 4,000 Vehicles
LOS ANGELES - Toyota Motor Corp. said it hasn't found any evidence its electronic throttle control caused unintended acceleration after engineers and technicians investigated more than 4,000 U.S. vehicles whose drivers made such complaints, Bloomberg reported.
“Toyota has not found a single case in which electronics would lead to sudden unintended acceleration,” Steve St. Angelo, Toyota's North American chief quality officer, said in a conference call. Toyota has reviewed 4,200 individual acceleration-related complaints so far, he said.
The world's largest automaker now is working to improve its brand image and quality after global recalls of more than 8 million vehicles for defects linked to unintended acceleration.
Some media reports and safety advocates have suggested Toyota's electronic throttle-control system plays a role in sudden acceleration -- an assertion Toyota has denied from the beginning of the crisis.
Customer complaints of sudden-acceleration incidents have dropped 80 percent since April, Toyota said in a statement.
The automaker said it has added so-called brake-override control to 84 percent of Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles now on sale in the U.S. and will be the first manufacturer to offer the safety technology across its lineup. The software is intended to ensure that should the accelerator become stuck, it will be shut off when the brake pedal is pressed.
About 5 million recall-related repairs to fix sticky gas pedals and replace floor mats at risk of jamming the accelerator have been completed so far, Toyota said today.
The company is working more closely with suppliers in North America to review parts designs and manufacturing processes and to test components more thoroughly, St. Angelo said.
Toyota is cooperating with federal probes that continue to look into potential electronics flaws and how the company handled past recalls, and doesn't know when they'll conclude, St. Angelo said.
More Industry

Ownership Priorities are Shifting
A new survey shows that in the U.S. vehicle quality for generation Z is largely defined by advanced safety features, intuitive technology and premium sound systems.
Read More →
Pump Price Jump Calculated
ISeeCars.com examined fuel costs for different power trains, finding which ones have experienced the biggest hits since the war in Iran commenced.
Read More →
Black Book: Weekly Market Update
Wholesale values fell last week despite the spring season still being in the traditional full-gear mode, analysts said.
Read More →
Arkansas Auto Group Acquires First Indiana Rooftop
Performance Brokerage Services represented both the buyer and seller in the sale of Carver Toyota of Columbus by Carlock Automotive Group.
Read More →
Stellantis to Dive Into U.S. Lending
The multinational maker of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and multiple other brands received conditional approvals for a Utah-based industrial bank.
Read More →
New-Vehicle Prices Rise
With April sales down, higher prices on in-demand large vehicles helped inflate the overall ATP, though increases were under long-term averages, Cox Automotive reported.
Read More →
Black Book: Weekly Market Update
Last week in the wholesale automotive market proved to be a mixed bag, analysts reported.
Read More →
Black Book: Weekly Market Update
Conversion rates were flat last week at 63%, Black Book analysts calculated, as low-mileage and almost-near units outpaced the overall market.
Read More →
EU Auto Association Urges Action
Trade relations between the European Union and the U.S. are at risk, causing the European Automobile Manufacturers Association to push lawmakers to make a decision.
Read More →
Driving into the Super CFC Era
Understanding the risks and benefits of retail accounting and Super CFCs can help you better present options to your dealer partners.
Read More →