Please note that this story has been updated; see most current version HERE
In the latest blow for beleaguered Toyota, the U.S. government is advising owners of vehicles affected by the company's epic recall to stop driving them and get them fixed.
"My advice is if anyone owns one of these vehicles stop driving it and take it to Toyota dealer because they believe they have a fix for it," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told a House committee, according to media reports.
Toyota has recalled some 2.3 million vehicles due to complaints over sticky gas pedals and sudden acceleration. Investigators suspect the problem has led to several serious accidents, such as one in late August that killed all four occupants of a Lexus that accelerated out-of-control, crashed and burst into flames. On Dec. 26, four others died when a Toyota Avalon sped into a pond.
His strong comment came just hours after he discussed the issue with reporters at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.
There, LaHood stressed that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating the issues since 2003, the Los Angeles Times reports.
"The recalls involving pedal entrapment and possible sticky gas pedals on Toyota vehicles are some of the largest in automobile history. Every step of the way, NHTSA . . . officials pushed Toyota to take corrective action so that consumers would be safe," LaHood said. "Today, Toyota is apparently taking the right steps to address these safety issues. Unfortunately it took much effort to get to this point."
Consumers, he said, can "rest assured that NHTSA will closely monitor implementation of the recall. ... We're going to keep the pressure on them."
