The Prius is just one of many Toyota vehicles facing a recall - and questions about possible further safety problems allegedly causing "runaway cars."
With legal pressures mounting, Toyota is working with federal safety regulators to see if another problem may be contributing to what some are dubbing “runaway cars,” a problem that recently spurred the Japanese maker to recall 3.8 million vehicles, including some popular models like the Camry and Prius.
A senior Toyota official, earlier this month, insisted that the problem is caused by floor mats that can be wedged, inadvertently, under the gas pedal. Bob Carter, general manager of the Toyota division, asserted that discussions of other problems are just, “unwarranted speculation.” But federal regulators are now looking at other options, notably including a potentially defective floor plan design. And others involved in the matter continue to point to possibly faulty electronic systems, including vehicle sensors.
The ongoing investigation — and debate — is proving worrisome for Toyota, which has carefully cultivated an image of being the safest, most reliable and most consumer-focused of automotive brands. While company officials insist they are being open with the public, and government investigators, they worry the issue could start tarnishing the brand if it isn’t resolved soon.
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“My only fear, now, it timing,” said Mark Templin, general manager of Toyota’s premium division, Lexus. “I have full confidence in our cars, but it’s a matter of getting a vehicle-based resolution before people get overly concerned.”
But despite earlier comments by Toyota officials that the government investigation has clearly shown the floor mats to be the cause of the problem, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, cautions the case is not closed. NHTSA openly confirms that it is looking at floor pan design as well as carpet mats, which can come loose if not carefully remounted, for example, after a Toyota product is cleaned at a car wash.
That has been cited as the cause of a spectacular crash, in August, that took the lives of a California Highway Patrol officer and three family members. Though reports of accidents had been mounting before that accident, the heavy news coverage prompted Toyota to move to a recall.
It should be pointed out that NHTSA has looked at reports of what is generally called “Unintended Acceleration” involving 100s of vehicles and virtually every manufacturer on the market in the two decades since the Audi 5000 sedan became embroiled in a similar debate. Following a controversy that nearly killed the German brand, government investigators ultimately concluded that the cause was actually “driver error,” though Audi eventually redesigned the layout of its pedals to reduce just such a likelihood.
So, while loose carpets may remain the primary factor once NHTSA wraps up this latest investigation, it – or Toyota – could conclude that the floorpan design could worsen the situation when a carpet comes loose. An integral part of a vehicle, it’s unclear what the maker would be able to do to create a fix on existing products, though a future redesign would be relatively simple.
But could there be other gremlins at work. A Southern California law firm, earlier this month, filed a lawsuit against Toyota alleging that vehicle control systems, possibly including engine computers or sensors, might be playing a factor. That point is being underscored in an article, in the Detroit Free Press, which looks at a separate lawsuit filed by the family of Guadalupe Alberto, a 77-year-old General Motors retiree killed in April 2008.
It claims she “vigorously and desperately” tried to stop her Camry when it surged out of control and hit two trees.
Notably, the suit targets not just Toyota, but Denso International, which produced the electronic engine controllers on her Camry. The suit cites, “the vehicle’s propensity for confusion in the sensors and electronics processors.”
Such claims have been made before, often, in fact, during the Audi 5000 case. What’s notable, however, is the claim by Alberto’s lawyers that her Camry did not have a floor mat on the driver’s side at the time of the accident.
The debate is likely to play out for some time, perhaps even if NHTSA ultimately does rule the problem limited to mats or floor pan design, as plaintiffs attorneys will be laying out their own scenarios in courts around the country. The question is just how much of an impact this will have on the reputation of a company that has staked its image on quality and reliability.