If confirmed, this would be the heaviest fine ever imposed by the U.S. National Highway Safety Agency (NHTSA) to a manufacturer. This requires the Japanese Toyota fined 16.375 million dollars (12.191 million euros). A record amount justified, she said, by the slow reaction of the manufacturer's faults found and deliberately concealed its vehicles.
The U.S. government accuses him of hiding Toyota for "at least four months' issues of accelerators is jamming in the down position, and this" contempt of risk "led to drivers. According to the Minister of Transport Ray LaHood, the leaders of Toyota "did not take steps to protect millions of drivers and their families."
Toyota has two weeks to pay the fine or contest it.If he refuses to pay and can not agree with NHTSA, the matter will be referred to a court.
Procedural defects
The NHTSA had opened an investigation last February 16 to see if Toyota had been slow to reveal these problems, finds a first time Toyota has not notified within five days after discovery of problems, as the law The imposed.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT), the 70,000 pages of documents presented by Toyota have revealed that the manufacturer "knew his problems pedals are jamming on their own since at least September 29.It was at that date that Toyota "has launched repair procedures with its distributors from 31 European countries and Canada to address issues accelerator stuck, sudden increase and tachometer sudden acceleration of the vehicle, "says the report.
But the documents show that "Toyota knew that consumers in the United States suffered the same problems as those in Europe and Canada.Yet, September 29, the band announced the recall of 3.8 million vehicles in the U.S. claiming only the possibility that the accelerator pedal gets stuck in the floor mat and ignoring the problems of blocking pedals 'themselves in the lowest position online cash advance.
It was not until January 21 that the manufacturer recalls 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S., reported first involuntary acceleration unconnected mats but the pedals are blocking themselves . In the end, Toyota has recalled more than 6 million vehicles in the U.S. on 9 million recalled in the world.Either the largest recall ever recorded by an automaker.
Organizational Change
In a statement, Toyota has defended: "We have already taken a significant number of measures to improve our communication with regulators and clients on security issues and strengthened our commitment to quality." This includes "the appointment of a new director of quality in North America and a greater role dedicated to regional leaders in the decision making process related to quality," says the manufacturer.
But the DOT has not said its last word. He announced as still investigating to determine if the manufacturer had "committed other offenses meriting further sanctions."
Reminders continue
Meanwhile, Toyota continues its recall campaign.The Japanese announced Tuesday its intention to recall 12,984 vehicles sold in South Korea because of mats may impede the accelerator pedal.
The three models involved are the Lexus ES350, Camry and Camry Hybrid. Motorists concerned will receive free repairs from April 19.
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