LAWMAKER QUESTIONS RESPONSE OF COMPANY, DOT

 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening statement at a hearing entitled “Response by Toyota and NHTSA to Incidents of Sudden Unintended Acceleration” in the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee:

“Like millions of Americans, I drive a Toyota – a Camry hybrid that has thus far not been recalled.

“Like millions of Americans, one of the reasons why I purchased a Toyota in the first place was its stellar reputation for safe, reliable and fuel-efficient vehicles.

“And, like millions of Americans, I am deeply troubled by the series of revelations that has led up to today’s hearing. And as the recalls continue, I also find myself wondering what went so wrong.

“In the past six months, we’ve learned of a multitude of safety problems with Toyota vehicles, some of which have claimed lives.  As we dig into the details today, I will be asking our witnesses whether Toyota and the Department of Transportation acted aggressively and decisively to inform the public and remedy the problems, and whether Congress should provide the Department of Transportation with more regulatory authority going forward:

“The October 2009 recall of more than 4 million vehicles due to floor mats that were entrapping accelerator pedals raises troubling questions about what Toyota knew – and when it knew it. 

“While the government seems to have first started to investigate this problem in 2007, I have learned of a Lexus recall undertaken by Toyota in the United Kingdom in the year 2000, because, and I quote, ‘There is a possibility that the driver's side carpet mat may rotate around the central fixing and interfere with the operation of the accelerator pedal.’ 

“And then in Canada, in 2003, Toyota Celicas were recalled because, quote, ‘the driver’s floor mat may slide along the interior floor carpet when pressure is applied to the mat by getting in and out of the vehicle.  As a result, the floor mat may come into contact and interfere with the accelerator pedal.’ 

“If Toyota first learned this could happen ten years ago in the UK and then again in Canada seven years ago, why didn’t it do something before additional fatalities and other serious accidents occurred?   If the Department of Transportation knew about these problems before 2007, why didn’t it do something sooner?

“According to Consumer Reports, an analysis of complaints of sudden-acceleration for model year 2008 vehicles showed that there were more Toyota complaints than Chrysler, GM, Honda and Nissan combined.  In fact, 41% of such complaints were about Toyota vehicles even though Toyota’s market share at that time was only about 16%. Again, the question I hope our witnesses will answer is – why wasn’t more done sooner to address what clearly seems to be a serious, relatively widespread and potentially life-threatening problem?

“Toyota’s response to increased scrutiny of its safety record leaves much to be desired – in recent days we have learned of internal documents that cite Toyota’s success at limiting the outcome of the government’s safety investigations, which reportedly saved $100 million dollars.  Saving money should not come at the expense of saving lives.

“Finally, many safety experts who have reviewed complaints regarding sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles do not believe that floor mats and ‘sticky pedals’ can fully account for all complaints, and some have speculated that there may be more problems, particularly in the area of the vehicles’ electronic controls.  While Toyota asserts that its outside experts found nothing wrong with their cars’ electronics, those tests were based on incomplete examinations of only six vehicles, and cannot possibly be relied upon.  Clearly, more needs to be done in this area by both Toyota and the government.

“Ten years ago, after this Committee learned that accidents involving Firestone tires and SUV rollovers could have been prevented had the government learned about them sooner, Congress enacted the TREAD Act which imposed a number of different safety reporting and other requirements on automakers. 

“It is my hope that today’s hearing will shed some light on whether the provisions of the TREAD Act need to be further strengthened, whether Toyota or the Department of Transportation failed to live up to their statutory obligations, and whether the millions of Toyota owners like myself are properly protected.”