Customers claim Toyota asked them to sign confidentiality agreements to keep them quiet, according to the 1,056-page class action lawsuit filed last week. They claim Toyota’s technicians could indeed replicate acceleration problems and didn’t inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. An NHTSA spokesperson stated they first received reports from technicians earlier in the year. Toyota claims that two vehicles were repurchased and tested, but specialists were unable to replicate the problem.
“As part of our commitment to investigate acceleration concerns, we have voluntarily repurchased other vehicles,” said Toyota spokesperson. “The repurchase was not mandatory or directed through an arbitration or court process.” Technicians for Toyota confirmed that there were cases of vehicles accelerating uncontrollably. Over 200 lawsuits were filed against Toyota after their recall which involved millions of vehicles due to acceleration issues. These reports were compiled into their class action lawsuit filed before a U.S. district judge.
In September, Toyota settled a lawsuit over the death of an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer, his wife, daughter, and brother-in-law in a car accident, which caused Toyota to recall millions of cars due to the potential of the accelerator sticking. As a Los Angeles car accident attorney, I look forward to reading more about the results of the lawsuit and hope the many people who experienced grief due to the Toyota recalls have their rights protected.
