By Jillian Farrel -- February 17, 2010
After customer complaints about Toyota's Corolla's steering wheel problems, the Japanese auto maker is considering recalling the automobile.
The world's largest automobile maker is already suffering from a string of safety related issues.
The company's President Akio Toyoda, said he will not be attending the U.S. congressional hearing on the automaker's safety lapses. He would rather focus his attention on improving quality worldwide. This is not to say that Toyoda isn't taking the safety problems of the world's best-selling car seriously.
Shinichi Sasaki, the Toyota Executive in charge of quality controls, said drivers felt they were not in control of the steering, but didn't provide clear reasons. The breaking system or the tires could be at fault.
The automaker said there have been fewer than 100 complaints. Toyota is still considering if a recall is necessary.
This would be another blow to the automomible industry, but Toyota in particular, because they recalled 8.5 million vehicles globally during the past four months becauase of sticking gas pedals, floor mats trapping accelerators, and faulty brake programming.
Death reports in the United States in connection to sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles have surged in recent weeks, with an alleged death toll of 34 since 2000, according to data gathered by the U.S. government.
Under federal law, automakers need to alert the department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration within five days of finding a safety defect exists and quickly conduct a recall.
