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

Autos More Appealing
Consumers gave new cars better scores again this year for design, performance and more as mass-market brands kept gaining on premium lineups, JD Power found in an annual poll.
Read More →
Used EVs Defy Overall Market
While the used-car market saw three months of price declines or stagnation, the used EV segment did the opposite – rising for three straight months.
Read More →
Trade-Ins in Negative Equity Reach New Heights
As such trade-ins rise in frequency, so do monthly loan payment amounts and interest rates, according to second-quarter data compiled by Edmunds.
Read More →
Gone to the Dogs
A Stellantis brand decided to have some fun with one of its SUVs’ design to address growing emphasis on family pets.
Read More →
OEM Poll Sees Industry Evolution
Kerrigan Advisors’ survey of automakers finds that tariffs, technology, network tightening and other factors are poised to reshape auto retail.
Read More →
Luxe N.C. Dealerships Change Hands
A collection of Italian and English brand franchises were handed off to the owner’s friend in the business and include the Carolinas’ only Ferrari retail stores.
Read More →
Exposure Drives Interest in Chinese Cars
At a recent demonstration, consumers had the chance to ride in a Chinese-branded vehicle, a firsthand experience that improved their perceptions and purchase intent.
Read More →
Automotive Consumers Sink Further in Debt
Most financing metrics hit records in the second quarter as more buyers locked themselves into long terms and high monthly payments.
Read More →
Agent Advocate
Rob Mancuso, who comes from a long line of auto dealers, values general agents’ place in the industry and makes a case for them taking an even bigger seat at the table.
Read More →
Driving Under Distraction
Though consumers gave higher marks to new vehicles in JD Power’s most recent initial-quality poll, high-tech interference worsened, pointing to craving for simplicity.
Read More →