Back in 1986, 60 Minutes aired a report examining claims that the Audi 5000 sports sedan had a problem with unintended acceleration, where the car would gain speed unexpectedly and cause drivers to lose control. The story nearly drove Audi out of business, and now over twenty years later similar charges are again being leveled against an automaker -- this time by drivers of late-model Toyota Tacoma trucks.
After 33 different complaints, the NHTSA has launched an investigation into possible sudden acceleration problems on 2006-07 Tacoma pickups. In one such incident Frank Visconi, a retired vehicle theft investigator, was on his way to a Toyota dealer to have his new Tacoma examined for sudden acceleration issues he had been experiencing. As he ran up on another car he tapped the brakes, but instead of slowing down Visconi claims the truck's engine revved suddenly. He lost control of the vehicle and jumped an embankment, causing the Tacoma to roll several times before finally coming to a stop. Miraculously, Visconi was able to walk away from the incident unhurt.
Before this incident Visconi had sent several letters to Toyota chronicling instances where his Tacoma accelerated without warning, but the automaker denied finding any mechanical problems with their truck. The NHTSA has typically ruled that sudden acceleration issues are the result of driver error, but after retired journalist William Kronholm petitioned the agency, it decided to open an investigation.
The owner of a 2006 Tacoma, Kronholm claims his truck had two separate incidents of sudden acceleration in just two hours. He then discovered that compared to the number of complaints about the Tacoma, only four other incidents of sudden acceleration were reported over the same period on all other pickup models combined. The NHTSA investigation has just begun, and if the agency were to suggest a recall it would not happen for some time. For its part Toyota continues to insist their truck is mechanically sound.
In the case of the 5000 the NHTSA eventually found the unintended acceleration was in fact caused by human error, where drivers accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake pedal. Audi's name was cleared, but it took years for the automaker to recover in the U.S. market. Having already been forced to extend warranty coverage for rust on older Tacomas, this could potentially be a damaging blow to Toyota's reputation for quality if proven to be an issue. Hopefully the true cause of the problem will be determined soon, whatever it may be.
Source: Detroit Free Press