For hiding a "dangerous" gas pedal defect the U.S. government wants to hand Toyota the maximum penalty, a fine of $16.4 million, reports the AP. That's a paltry amount for the world's largest automaker, which has seen surging sales despite its PR crisis. The sudden acceleration problem was blamed in several NY area incidents, including a Westchester nanny who drove into a stone wall (it turned out she didn't brake). Opportunistic drivers aside, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says investigators have determined the auto giant acted badly. "We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations," he said in a statement. "Worse yet, they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months from U.S. officials and did not take action to protect millions of drivers and their families." more ›

Two weeks after a Toyota Prius crashed into a stone wall in Westchester County, the Harrison police say that the crash was caused by the driver who didn't brake. Acting police chief Anthony Marraccini said that information from the car's black box showed that the car was actually accelerating, "The data is black and white." more ›

In the wake of Toyota's manufacturing difficulties, a Westchester couple has filed a lawsuit against the flickering auto company after a freak accident in 2008 killed their five year old son. Nancy Murtha of Cortlandt attempted to apply the brakes in her Lexus RX350 when instead, the vehicle accelerated out of control and smashed into a stone wall. Murtha was knocked unconscious into a coma for six days. Her son, Jacob, who was in the back seat (wearing a seatbelt) sustained critical injuries and died hours later. more ›

Though cops ruled out driver error as a possibility for last week's Prius crash in Westchester, Toyota took it upon themselves to inspect the vehicle and said that could still be the case. A Toyota spokesman told the Post, "In all of our hybrids, when you step on the brake pedal the engine automatically returns to idle, even if the accelerator pedal would be nailed to the floor." Well, at least that's what should happen. Instead, over 300,000 Prius hybrids are being recalled due to faulty brakes. more ›

Toyota investigators haven’t been able to replicate the high-speed ride that so terrified a San Diego Prius owner, leading one official to question whether it really happened. According to a spokesman for California Rep. Darrell Issa, the top Republican on the oversight committee, the car company’s results put “the credibility” of the story into question, but Patty Sikes, wife to the “runaway Toyota” driver is enraged by the suggestion. "We're just fed up with all of it," she said. "Our careers are ruined and life is just not good anymore." Meanwhile, an alleged local victim of pedal acceleration will get a visit from a company engineer. more ›

As it looks into the Tuesday's accident of a 2005 Toyota Prius somehow accelerating into a stone wall, Harrison, NY police now say that the car was on its way for maintenance at the time! The Journal News reports that even though the car seemed to operate just fine, "the owner wanted to have it checked because of all the trouble Toyota has been facing nationally over stuck gas pedals, Harrison's acting police Chief Anthony Marraccini said." more ›

Yesterday, a woman driving a 2005 Toyota Prius crashed into a stone wall in Harrison, NY. The Journal News reports that police say "a stuck accelerator pedal 'shot' the vehicle forward. The floor mat had been tied to the seat base with plastic ties and had pretty much been ruled out as the cause of the accident, acting Police Chief Anthony Marraccini said." The woman, who injured her knee, is a housekeeper and was driving her employer's car. The employer said she had driven it many times before, "It was clearly the automobile and not anything else." Just the other day, police in San Diego had to help stop a speeding Prius whose owner says the accelerator was stuck. more ›

Thanks to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Toyota will provide NYC drivers with a service that picks up recalled vehicles to get them fixed, reimburses them for transportation costs and hands out free rental cars during the repair period (more info at www.nytoyotahelp.com). It's the first agreement between the beleaguered automaker and an attorney general, though it doesn't signal that Cuomo will call off investigations of the company. In NY, 500,000 vehicles have been recalled, reports the AP. “It is unacceptable that New York consumers should face additional burdens when dealing with a safety problem that is Toyota’s responsibility,” Cuomo said in a statement. more ›

With millions of cars recalled, Toyota has played the model apologist, but new documents suggest the auto giant has been putting profit before safety. In papers released today, company officials boast about having saved $100 million by bargaining with the government to recall only a limited number of floor mats in Camrys and Lexuses. It also lists millions saved "by delaying safety regulations, avoiding defect investigations and slowing down other industry requirements," according to the Daily News. more ›

Prompted by Toyota's recall of millions of cars (as well as other recalls: baby carriages, children's jewelry, etc.) Sen. Chuck Schumer proposed that a comprehensive list of all recalled products be posted online, reports the AP. It seems incredibly obvious, but according to the Democrat, under the current laws businesses aren't required to tell customers that an item has been recalled. Really, people should be alerted if a stroller is likely to sever an appendage or if a car is likely to drive itself into a synagogue. "To be forewarned is to be forearmed," Schumer said. "New Yorkers should know what they're getting." more ›

Today Toyota made official its recall of over 400,000 hybrid cars. Meanwhile a Queens man says he felt the affects of automaker's widespread pedal problems first-hand when his out-of-control Camry hit two other cars yesterday, ending up on the steps of a synagogue. "It's quite obvious—I blame Toyota," said Gerald Silver. more ›

Following up its sad, grayscale Superbowl ad, on Tuesday Toyota is expected to announce a recall of 300,000 Prius hybrids with faulty brakes. Japan's Kyodo News broke the news, which has not been confirmed by Toyota. In the U.S. at least 100 drivers have complained that their anti-lock breaks freeze momentarily on bumpy roads, reports the AP, and four accidents are suspected to have been caused by the defect. Last week, the U.S. Government pledged to investigate. If the recall goes through, it will affect drivers of the latest Prius model, who bought their cars after May of last year. Already this year the automaker has recalled over 7 million cars around the world. more ›

Don't call it a recall (yet), but the U.S. government is launching an investigation into braking issues that 2010 Toyota Priuses may have. After the Japanese government ordered Toyota to look into the problem, the car manufacturer issued a statement, "In certain 2010 model year Prius vehicles, Toyota has received reports that some customers have experienced inconsistent brake feel when the vehicle is driven over potholes, bumps or slippery road surfaces. Toyota is currently in the process of confirming these reports and investigating the vehicle driving conditions under which the reported phenomenon occurs. It would be premature to comment until the investigation has been completed." more ›

In addition to Camrys and Corollas, it seems that Toyota may have to recall another top-selling model—The Prius! Just a week after the mega-manufacturer made its biggest recall in history for sticky gas pedals that made cars go on their own, the Japanese government has ordered the company to look into a potentially dangerous flaw in its 2010 Priuses. This time it's not the gas, it's the brakes. more ›

NY traffic casualties are down to their lowest since 1910, but watch out if you drive a Toyota (or are walking near one). Sticky gas pedals are causing the cars to speed out of control—now, after two recalls in the past two months the car company says it will stop making and selling eight models including favorites like the Camry and Corolla. The world's top automaker will temporarily halt operations at five plants "to assess and coordinate activities." Meanwhile, there are 2.3 million vehicles that need to be recalled. Toyota's vice-president called the action "necessary," adding that he's "making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible." more ›