A former lawyer for Toyota Motor Corp. has asserted that sticking gas pedals and floor mats are not to blame for unintended acceleration problems that caused the automaker to recall millions of cars in recent months.

Toyota’s reputation for quality has taken a big hit in recent weeks, thanks to several recalls issued by the automaker. On January 21, Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles due to accelerator pedals on those vehicles becoming stuck in a depressed position, causing unexpected and unsafe acceleration. Just a few months prior, in September 2009, Toyota announced it was recalling and replacing floor mats on approximately 4.2 million vehicles which were allegedly causing accelerator pedals in the vehicles to become stuck in the depressed position, leading to uncontrollable and rapid acceleration of the vehicle. More What’s Really Behind Toyota Sudden Acceleration Problems?

Toyota may have another safety headache on it hands, this time involving the popular Corolla model. According to various media reports, the. U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reviewing a number of complaints involving steering on the 2009-2010 Toyota Corolla, and may open a formal probe.

According to a report in Automotive News, the Corolla has been the subject of 83 power-steering complaints to the NHTSA. At least 76 of those reports involved the Corolla unexpectedly veers to the left or right at 40 miles an hour and up. More Toyota Corolla Steering Complaints Under Review

Yesterday, we wrote about a massive power plant explosion that took place Sunday at a plant under construction in Connecticut that has, to date, injured 12 and killed five. Now, reports Forbes, the governor of Connecticut is seeking a state safety code review. The blast destroyed walls at the Kleen Energy Systems power plant, the Associated Press (AP) explained prior.

Governor M. Jodi Rell just announced she will be creating two panels, said Forbes. One will determine the cause and origin of the explosion and will look at what could have contributed to the blast, for instance, “construction problems, worker safety issues, and licensing or permitting matters,” said Forbes. The other will be comprised of state agencies, local officials, and what Forbes described as other “experts” who will review the first panel’s reports to see if state or local laws or regulations and building or fire codes require change, according to Forbes. No schedule was discussed; however, Governor Rell said panel reviews need to be “impartial and swift,” quoted Forbes. More Connecticut Governor Wants Safety Review After Blast

A huge explosion at a power plant under construction in Connecticut injured 12 and killed five, said the Associated Press (AP). The blast destroyed walls at the Kleen Energy Systems power plant in Middletown, which is about 20 miles south of Hartford, Connecticut, the AP explained.

The blast occurred during the testing of natural gas lines yesterday; five workers are known to have been killed in the explosion, said the AP. Crews and search dogs were working their way through the rubble in search of others who might be injured or killed, added the AP, which noted that, according to Deputy Fire Marshal Al Santostefano, somewhere between 50 to 60 people were believed to have been in the area when the blast occurred. Because multiple contractors were working at the plant, it remains unclear how many people were actually at the locale. More Gas Blast Kills Five, Injures One Dozen; Five Unaccounted

Toyota’s chief executive apologized today for the problems behind the company’s recent decision to recall millions of vehicles because of reports of sudden acceleration, and said he would be heading up a committee to improve quality control at the besieged car company. However, Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda said his company is still trying to decide what to do about thousands of Prius hybrids with potentially faulty brakes.

In the past several months, Toyota has recalled roughly 8 million vehicles around the world because of sudden acceleration problems. In September 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that Toyota was recalling and replacing floor mats on approximately 4.2 million vehicles which were allegedly causing accelerator pedals in the vehicles to become stuck in the depressed position, leading to uncontrollable and rapid acceleration of the vehicle. The vehicle models recalled in September included the he 2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2004-2009 Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2007-2010 Lexus ES350 and 2006-2010 IS250/IS350. More Toyota Chief Apologizes for Recalls, Says No Decision on Prius Yet

Toyota will soon issue a recall of 270,000 Prius hybrid vehicles in the U.S. and Japan, according to various media reports. It was only this morning that Toyota acknowledged that the brakes on some Prius vehicles had a design flaw.

According to the Associated Press, the Prius recall will involve the third-generation Prius launched in May. According to The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), it has received 124 reports from consumers about the Prius brakes, including four reports of crashes. As we reported previously, brakes on some Prius hybrid vehicles had temporarily stopping working on bumpy or slippery roads.
More Toyota To Recall Prius Hybrids Over Brake Defect, Reports Say

Toyota has admitted that brakes on its Prius hybrid have a design flaw, and another recall could be coming. Meanwhile, U.S. safety regulators investigating the unintended acceleration problem that prompted Toyota to recall million of cars and trucks last month have turned their attention to the vehicles’ electronic throttle systems.

Yesterday, we reported that Toyota had said it was investigating “dozens” of reports that brakes on some Prius hybrid vehicles had temporarily stopping working on bumpy or slippery roads. One such report involved a crash. Japan’s Kyodo News Agency reported that the U.S. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) had received more than 100 complaints over the problem concerning Prius models released last year, while Dow Jones Newswire quoted Japan’s transport ministry as saying it had received 13 complaints in two months about the brake problem. More Toyota Updates: Automaker Admits Prius Brake Design Flaw; U.S. Probe of Unintended Acceleration to Look at Electronic Throttle System

Toyota is facing more trouble today. According to various media reports, U.S. regulators are considering imposing civil penalties against Toyota over its response to reports of unintended acceleration with some of its vehicles. Meanwhile, the automaker announced today that it has received “dozens” of complaints about problems with brakes on its popular Prius model.

As of January 2010, Toyota had recalled a total 5.3 million vehicles due to incidents of dangerous, unintended acceleration. On January 21, Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles due to accelerator pedals on those vehicles becoming stuck in a depressed position, causing unexpected and unsafe acceleration. Vehicles included in this recall are 2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2004-2009 Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2007-2010 Lexus ES350 and 2006-2010 IS250/IS350. In addition to the recall, Toyota suspended sales and production of the eight models. More Toyota Faces Recall Fallout, Reports of Prius Brake Problems

Toyota said today it would begin fixing accelerator pedals on millions of recalled vehicles this week. According to The New York Times, Toyota said the parts for the accelerator pedals are already on their way to dealers, and workers are being trained on making the repairs. Some Toyota dealers will be staying open around the clock to expedite the repair process.

As of January 2010, Toyota had recalled a total 5.3 million vehicle due to problems with accelerator pedals sticking, leading to incidents of dangerous, unintended acceleration. More Toyota To Start Fixing Recalled Vehicles

Toyota’s recall of cars and trucks for an unintended acceleration issues has now extended to Europe and China. And now two congressional committees have announced that they will hold hearings to address the sudden acceleration issues reported with Toyota vehicles.

Earlier this month, Toyota announced it was recalling 2.3 million Toyota vehicles in the U.S. because the accelerator pedal can stick, causing unintended acceleration. The recall involved 2009-2010 RAV4, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2005-2010 Avalon, certain 2007-2010 Camrys, 2010 Highlander, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2008-2010 Sequoia. A week later, Toyota suspended production and sales of those models to deal with the issues that caused the problem. More Toyota Recall Extends to Europe and China, Attracts Congressional Scrutiny