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Klobuchar Questions Administration Officials on Response to Toyota Safety Complaints

At hearing, Klobuchar examines NHTSA's response to safety problems with Toyota vehicles

March 2, 2010

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing today U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar pressed Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator David Strickland on their handling of consumer complaints about unintended acceleration in Toyota Motor Corporation vehicles. Klobuchar highlighted the cozy relationship between the industry and NHTSA and called on the Administration officials to answer questions about whether they had all the necessary tools to ensure passenger safety.

Klobuchar noted that consumers, small businesses and local auto dealers were all hurt by a lack of checks and balances on industry. She focused on common sense solutions so that going forward NHTSA will respond more quickly to safety issues.

"I believe consumers should be on an equal playing field with industry – and they should have an equal voice," said Klobuchar. "I want to make sure consumers' complaints are given as much attention as the industry’s defense of those complaints."

Beginning in 2003, the agency opened six inquiries into possible Toyota safety problems – and six times it closed them without any significant action. Since 2000, there have been at least 34 deaths and hundreds of injuries linked to sudden unintended acceleration with Toyota-made cars. Two weeks ago, Klobuchar sent a letter to Administrator Strickland, calling for a close look at the cooperation between Toyota Corporation and the regulatory agency that enforces safety standards for auto manufacturers.

Jeff Pepski of Plymouth, Minnesota, Mary Preis-Morrison, of Lindstrom, and other Minnesotans have experienced uncontrolled acceleration of Toyota vehicles. Pepski and Preis-Morrison’s cars surged to speeds over 80 miles per hour. After traveling for several miles at dangerously high speeds, they were only able to stop their vehicles using emergency maneuvers. Toyota insisted to both Pepski and Preis-Morrison that there were no defects with their cars and cited misplaced floor mats – not any engineering defect – as the cause of the unintended accelerations. Pepski even submitted a detailed complaint to NHTSA and after waiting eight months NHTSA responded and denied his complaint.

NHTSA was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 to carry out safety programs previously administered by the National Highway Safety Bureau. Since the beginning of the year, Toyota has recalled six million cars and trucks in the U.S. due to safety issues.

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