U.S. authorities urge Toyota to issue mandatory recall over floor mat+

NAGOYA, Oct. 16 Kyodo -
U.S. authorities are urging Toyota Motor Corp. to issue a mandatory recall over
loose floor mats in some of its cars, stepping up the pressure for the Japanese
automaker to admit that the vehicles in question have a safety defect, sources
familiar with the matter said Friday.
Earlier this month, Toyota issued a ''safety recall'' for 3.8 million vehicles
in seven models, including the Prius hyrid and Lexus cars, warning that an
unsecured driver-side floor mat could slip forward and jam the accelerator
pedal.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda also expressed regret for the deaths of four
people in a fatal crash in August involving a Lexus ES350 in San Diego,
California, that is suspected of being linked to the problems with the floor
mat.
But in a recent letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
Toyota emphasized it ''has not determined that the vehicles contain a
'safety-related' defect'' as it is apparently hoping to keep the situation
under control with voluntary measures, the sources said.
Toyota has already issued a safety advisory and will start sending out letters
to vehicle owners, urging them to remove the floor mats. But it is still in the
middle of negotiations with the NHTSA on what countermeasures to take,
including the availability of a free remedy common in official recalls.
In addition to recalling and replacing the floor mats, both sides are
discussing whether there is a need to alter the structure of vehicles,
including the shape of accelerator pedals, or whether the recall should cover
accessory mats that are not sold by Toyota.
''There are differences in opinion, but we are maintaining favorable relations
with the NHTSA and we will be able to resolve the matter through talks,'' a
senior Toyota official said.
If implemented, the recall involving 3.8 million cars would be the largest for
Toyota in the United States since it entered the market in 1957. It may also
have a serious impact on the automaker's earnings if it concludes that the
vehicles, along with mats, will also need to be recalled to address the safety
risks.
==Kyodo
2009-10-16 22:56:19