Toyota Used Two Former NHTSA Employees To Fend Off Recall In 2007
In what is shaping up to be an “adversarial” type investigation into the Toyota Motor Corporation it has been revealed that in 2007 Toyota's Washington lobbyists used as material to brag to their new Japanese boss that they have saved the company approximately $100 million by convincing the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) to forgo ordering a recall due to reports of unintended acceleration in certain Toyota models.
The NHTSA was focused on the reports in 2007 that floor mats were becoming jammed under accelerator pedals in Camrys, Priuses, Avalons and Lexus ES350s. However, Toyota, using two lobbyists who had been former employees of the NHTS, successfully fended off government's urging for a recall by developing a "game plan," according to the automaker's e-mails and documents being reviewed in Congress. Toyota got off the hook, recalling only a single floor-mat affecting 55,000 cars.
As the public is now aware a recall could possibly have prevented numerous deaths and injuries Toyota’s accelerations problems. Toyota isn't commenting on its lobbying efforts. NHTSA called the investigation "contentious.”
