Toyota Says 65% of Recall Repairs Are Completed
DETROIT — Toyota said that the rate of complaints about sudden acceleration had fallen 80 percent since April and that dealers had repaired 3.7 million of the six million vehicles in the United States covered by its two biggest recalls, reported The New York Times.
The completed repairs to date represent 65 percent of those needed under the recalls, which were begun in November and January. The total number of repairs made is about five million, including 1.3 million vehicles that are covered by both recalls.
Of 2.3 million vehicles recalled for potentially sticking accelerator pedals, more than 80 percent have been repaired, while 58 percent of 5.4 million vehicles recalled to fix a flaw that could cause the pedal to become stuck beneath the floor mat have been fixed, the company said. For an average recall, 72 percent of repairs are made within 18 months, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Toyota has made significant progress in recent months to help ensure that our customers can have complete confidence in the quality, safety and reliability of their vehicles, and our latest initiatives build on those accomplishments,” Steve St. Angelo, Toyota’s chief quality officer for North America, said in a conference call with reporters.
St. Angelo said he now had “a direct line to Akio Toyoda on safety issues,” referring to the company’s president, as a result of executives’ efforts to identify and respond to quality problems more quickly.
Toyota has recalled more than 8.5 million vehicles worldwide since November to resolve the problems. After the recalls were announced, regulators were flooded with complaints from drivers who said their Toyota or Lexus accelerated suddenly, or from family members of crash victims claiming a defect was responsible.
Toyota said it was still receiving about 150 reports of sudden acceleration each week, mostly through a customer-service hotline. That compared with about 800 each week six months ago.
More Industry

RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint
Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.
Read More →
Agent Acumen
An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.
Read More →
Missed Maintenance Creates Opportunity
As families get back on the road and into daily school routines, service drives have an opportunity to capture customers who are behind on recommended vehicle maintenance.
Read More →
Mitsubishi Unveils U.S. Plan
The automaker announced a strategy that includes an expanded lineup and dealership presence, along with more ‘rugged’ and electric models.
Read More →
Selling to Grow
The question of whether you should sell your agency and if so, when, is up to you. But it’s a question worth asking to ensure you keep the business on the right path for yourself, employees and clients.
Read More →
Recalled Vehicles Hit 5-Year High
Though the number of events has fallen so far this year, impacted units are up significantly. Meanwhile, regulators consider consumer notification changes.
Read More →
Auto Group Acquires Top-Performing Rooftop
Car Pros sold its Kia Huntington Beach location to Sutherlin Automotive Group, marking the buyer’s third location in Southern California.
Read More →
China as Pacesetter
Automotive leaders huddled on where North America stands in the global picture and how it can strengthen its position against the Asian juggernaut’s surging industry.
Read More →
BMW Concept Car Makes Fuel to Burn
The prototype developed in concert with a South Carolina university engineering team generates more solar energy than it uses in a typical daily commute.
Read More →
South Carolina Auto Group Downsizes
Florida-based group Holler-Classic has acquired four rooftops, its first in South Carolina, from Dick Smith Automotive Group.
Read More →