Toyota, Car Recall | featured news

Toyota dealers in five southeast states have pulled their commercials off ABC TV local affiliates, complaining about the coverage of Toyota safety problems by ABC News and its chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross.

The ad agency representing the 173 dealers told ABC affiliates last week that the shift was due to "excessive stories on the Toyota issues." The dealers shifted their commercial time buys to non-ABC stations in the same markets, "as punishment for the reporting," according to an ABC station manager.

Toyota's president apologized for the automaker's global recalls and promised to beef up quality control by setting up a special committee he would head himself. Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda said the automaker was still deciding what to do to fix braking problems with the popular Prius gas-electric hybrid.

Ray LaHood, the Secretary of Transportation, advised owners of recalled Toyotas not to use them until they are repaired by a dealer.

Toyota Motor Corp. has been hit by over 100 complaints in the U.S. and Japan about brake problems with the popular Prius hybrid, the latest in a spate of quality troubles for the automaker as it grapples with massive global recalls.

The automaker says it has found a remedy that is 'both effective and simple.' The parts are being shipped to dealerships, which will remain open 24 hours a day to make the repairs.

Toyota Motor Corp.

Toyota is gearing up for a publicity offensive Monday morning, with a senior American executive going on television to discuss solutions to the company's recalls, as the Japanese auto maker seeks to allay consumer concerns over sudden acceleration.

The carmaker said up to 1.8 million cars in Europe could be affected and that it had identified a remedy.

Toyota Motor Corp late on Wednesday said it is expanding a recall of its cars and trucks by another 1.1 million vehicles to address the risk of accelerator pedals becoming dangerously stuck.

Toyota is recalling 2.3 million U.S. vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals, the latest in a string of quality problems that have bedeviled the Japanese automaker.