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From: C. E. White on 9 Mar 2010 17:14
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100309/OEM/100309870/1143

U.S. joins Toyota, California in inspecting runaway Prius

Automotive News -- March 9, 2010 - 11:58 am ET
UPDATED: 3/9/10 2:28 p.m. ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -- U.S. safety regulators and Toyota Motor Corp.
dispatched investigators to San Diego today to inspect a Prius that sped out
of control on a California freeway a day earlier.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said two investigators from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were sent to join a team from
the California Highway Patrol "to be part of the investigation."

Toyota said its own inspectors were also working to try to find out what
caused the 2008 Prius to surge uncontrollably to over 90 mph as it was being
driven by owner James Sikes, 61.

The incident, which involved a dramatic pursuit by a highway patrol car, has
raised new questions about the automaker's damaging string of recent recalls
and whether Toyota has done enough to address consumer complaints about
unintended acceleration that have damaged its reputation and sales.

The Prius was taken to a Toyota dealership in El Cajon, California, where
Toyota investigators were examining the car, Toyota spokeswoman Celeste
Migliore said.

The Prius has been a "halo" car for the world's top automaker and dominates
the market for fuel-efficient gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles.

Sikes said he had received a recall notice to take his car into a Toyota
dealership; but when he did, he was told that his car was not on recall
lists, he told reporters.

The automaker has recalled the 2004-2009 Prius models due to concerns that
loose floor mats could entrap accelerator pedals, causing unintended
acceleration.

.......


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