The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration now reports a total of 34 deaths allegedly connected to problems with various models of Toyota vehicles that have been recalled in the last few weeks.
The total jumped by 13 since January 27, when the Toyota recalls for sudden acceleration dominated the headlines. Toyota responded by recalling millions of vehicles and suspending sales of eight models in the US.
NHTSA officials say the allegations are only that and have not been investigated or proven. The incidents involved date back to 2000.
The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, quotes a senior Toyota executive as saying the company has thus far repaired 500,000 of the 2.3 million recalled vehicles that may have a sticky accelerator. That means Toyota dealers have been able to resume selling some of the affected models.
The Journal also reports Toyota has hired an engineering research team to try and replicate the acceleration problem by inducing a disturbance in the vehicles' electronics. The report says they have not yet been able to do so. Early suspicion about the source of the problem has centered on Toyota's electrical system.
Toyota's problems extend back to October when it recalled millions of vehicles because of floor mats that it blamed for pinning the accelerator to the floor. The problems escalated last month with it was forced to concede that floor mats weren't the only problem. That's when it suspended US sales of eight of its most popular models.
Toyota estimates these combined problems will impact the company's bottom line by some $2 billion. The economic impact is being felt in the U.S. at Toyota dealerships and may soon spread much farther.
In Toyko, the Shimbun newspaper cites unnamed sources as saying Toyota will temporarily stop production at two U.S. production plants. The report said production at Toyota's assembly plant in Kentucky will stop for four days and will stop for 10 days in March and April at a pick-up truck plant in Texas.
There has been no confirmation from Toyota, but the company's president, Akio Toyoda, is scheduled to deliver a progress update on Wednesday.
The latest recall, announced over the weekend, affects 8,000 four-wheel Toyota Tacoma trucks that may have defective front drive shafts.
Recent recalls
Recalls to date include:
February 9, 2010 recall to fix brake problem in certain Prius and Lxus vehicles.
• 2010 Prius
• 2010 Lexus HS 250h
January 28, 2010 recall to fix floor mats on 1.1 million vehicles not covered by an earlier recall of 4.3 million vehicles.
• 2008-10 Highlanders
• 2009-2010 Corollas, Venzas and Matrixes.
January 21, 2010 recall to fix sticking accelerator pedals in another 2.3 million vehicles
• 2007-10 Camrys,
• 2009-10 Corollas,
• 2009-10 RAV4s,
• 2009-10 Matrixes,
• 2005-10 Avalons,
• 2010 Highlanders,
• 2007-10 Tundras and
• 2008-10 Sequoias.
September 30, 2009 recall to fix floor mats on 3.8 million vehicles.
• 2007-2010 Camry,
• 2005-2010 Avalon,
• 2004-2009 Prius,
• 2005-2010 Tacoma,
• 2007-2010 Tundra,
• 2007-2010 ES 350,
• 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350
