The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations continues to examine the persistent consumer complaints of sudden unintended acceleration in vehicles manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation.

Chairmen Request Briefing from Toyota USA

June 29, 2010

Chairmen Henry A. Waxman and Bart Stupak sent a letter to James Lentz, President and CEO of Toyota, USA, requesting a briefing on the availability of brake override features on older model Toyotas and documents related to Exponent, Inc’s investigation into the possible causes of sudden unintended acceleration.

Documents

• Letter to James Lentz, President and CEO, Toyota, USA

Hearing on Update on Toyota and NHTSA’s Response to the Problem of Sudden Unintended Acceleration

May 20, 2010

Witnesses

• The Honorable David L. Strickland, Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• James E. Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Documents

• Opening Statement of Chairman Waxman
• Opening Statement of Chairman Stupak
• Briefing Memo

Testimony

• Testimony of David L. Strickland
• Testimony of James E. Lentz
• Interim Status of Exponent’s Investigation of Toyota ETCS-i
• Letter from Steve St. Angelo (Toyota) to Subbaiah Malladi (Exponent)

Hearing Documents

• Toyota tracking poll findings, March 5, 2010
• Test messages for Toyota poll, March 6, 2010
• Findings from Toyota messaging poll, March 8, 2010
• Email regarding timing of the messaging poll, March 6, 2010
• Letter from Exponent to Bowman and Brooke, Dec. 12, 2009
• Interview of Takashi Ogawa and Hirohisa Kishi, March 18, 2010
• Interview of Shukri Souri, May 12, 2010
• Continued Interview of Shukri Souri, May 13, 2010
• Documents Provided to Rep. Braley
• Email from James J. Ficenec Regarding 2010 Exponent Billing

Video

WMV
Part 1: Download or Stream
Part 2: Download or Stream

Chairmen Request Additional Information from Toyota and Exponent

April 16, 2010

Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak sent letters today to James Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, and Paul Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Exponent, seeking additional information on Exponent's work for Toyota on unintended acceleration.

• Letter to James Lentz
• Letter to Paul Johnson

Energy & Commerce Committee Seeks Additional Information from Toyota

March 5, 2010

Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak today wrote to James Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, regarding Toyota's repeated assertions that no electronic defects contribute to incidents of sudden unintended acceleration.  To date, the documents provided to the Committee fail to show that Toyota has systemically investigated the possibility of electronic defects.

More...

• Letter to James Lentz

Hearing on Response by Toyota and NHTSA to Incidents of Sudden Unintended Acceleration

February 23, 2010

The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing titled, "Response by Toyota and NHTSA to Incidents of Sudden Unintended Acceleration," on Tuesday, February 23, 2010. The hearing examined the response to persistent consumer complaints of sudden, unintended acceleration in vehicles manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation.

Opening Statements

• Chairman Waxman's Opening Statement
• Chairman Stupak's Opening Statement

• Testimony of Eddie and Rhonda Smith
• Testimony of Sean Kane
• Testimony of David Gilbert
• Testimony of James E. Lentz
• Testimony of Raymond H. LaHood

Additional Documents

• Toyota Electronic Throttle Control Investigation, Preliminary Report
• Preliminary Transcript

Video

Panel I
Download or Stream
Panel II
Download or Stream
Panel III, Part 1
Download or Stream
Panel III, Part 2
Download or Stream

Chairmen Send Letters to Secretary LaHood and President of Toyota USA Prior to Hearing

Feburary, 22, 2010

Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak wrote to James E. Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. and Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in advance of tomorrow's Subcommittee hearing.

More...

• Letter to James E. Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.
• Letter to Ray LaHood, Secretary of U. S. Department of Transportation

• Exponent Report - Testing and Analysis of Toyota and Lexus Vehicles and Components from Concerns Related to Unintended Acceleration, February 2010
• Unwanted Acceleration Investigations on Toyota Vehicles
• Toyota's Lexus ES350 Investigation E-mails, August 2007
• U.S. Bound Vehicle Models and MY with ETCS-i
• Toyota Claim File 2005-08-38808
• Toyota Report on June 24, 2004 Briefing to NHTSA
• Detailed Timeline and Background of NHTSA Actions Regarding Toyota Sudden Acceleration
• Timeline of Major Events Involving Allegations of Sudden Acceleration in Toyota Vehicles
• Email from Chris Tinto Regarding NHTSA Briefing, June 28, 2004
• Email from Scott Yon to Chris Santucci with attachment, June 3, 2004
• Email from Scott Yon to Chris Santucci, May 12, 2004
• Email from Scott Yon to Chris Santucci, June 3, 2004
• Scott Yon Meeting Notes, April 2004
• Letter from Carole Hargrave, 2006 Toyota Tacoma driver, Nov. 9, 2006
• Letter from 2003 Camry driver to Jim Lentz, Mar. 5, 2007
• Letter from Troy Higa, 2007 Toyota Tacoma driver, June 28, 2007

Chairmen Request Information From Auto Insurers About Toyota Complaints

February 9, 2010

Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak sent letters today to five automobile insurance companies requesting information regarding persistent consumer complaints of sudden unintended acceleration in vehicles manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation, and warnings the insurance companies may have provided to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about defect trends in Toyota vehicles.

• Letter to Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate Insurance
• Letter to Robert Woudstra, Farmers Insurance Group
• Letter to Tony Nicely, GEICO
• Letter to Glenn M. Renwick, Progressive Group
• Letter to Edward B. Rust, State Farm Group

Chairmen Send Letter to North American Toyota President Regarding Prius Braking Issues

February 3, 2010

Chairman Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Stupak sent a letter to Yoshimi Inaba, President and COO of Toyota Motor North America, requesting a briefing on 2010 Prius braking issues in advance of the hearing on the Toyota recall on February 25.

• Letter to Yoshimi Inaba

Energy & Commerce Committee Requests More Information on Toyota Recall

February 2, 2010

Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak today requested clarification regarding several recent statements made by James E. Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, regarding the automaker's recent recall announcements.  The Committee is seeking clarification of Mr. Lentz's statements in light of information shared by Toyota officials during a January 27, 2010, meeting with Committee staff.

• Letter to James E. Lentz, President and COO, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.

Energy & Commerce Committee to hold hearing on Toyota Recall

January 28, 2010

Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak today announced the Committee will be holding a hearing on February 25, 2010, to examine the persistent consumer complaints of sudden unintended acceleration in vehicles manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation.

More...

• Letters to David L. Strickland & Yoshimi Inaba