Associated Press
WASHINGTON --- The government ordered Toyota to turn over documents related to its massive recalls Tuesday, pressing to see how long the automaker knew of safety defects before taking action.
Toyota, concerned about unsold cars, said it would temporarily idle some production in three states.
The Transportation Department is demanding that Toyota reveal when and how it learned of problems with sticking accelerators and with floor mats trapping gas pedals, and the company must respond within 30 to 60 days or face fines. Those defects and problems with brakes on new Prius hybrids have led to the recall of 8.5 million vehicles.
Toyota said it was halting production temporarily in San Antonio, Texas, and Georgetown, Ky., to address concerns that too many unsold vehicles might be building up at dealerships.
Toyota employs 1,850 workers in San Antonio and about 6,600 at Georgetown. None will be laid off.
In addition, the company's plant in Huntsville, Ala., will idle some production at the same time as the San Antonio facility, according to spokeswoman Stephanie Deemer. About 300 workers will be affected but will still be paid.
The demands from the government for information, similar to a subpoena, follow criticism from consumer groups that the Transportation Department has been too soft on automakers.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has defended his department's handling of the investigation. He has said the government is considering civil penalties for Toyota over its handling of the recalls. The maximum fine is more than $16 million. Under federal law, automakers must notify the department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration within five days of determining that a safety defect exists and promptly conduct a recall.
The inquiry extends beyond Toyota's U.S. operations, a request that safety experts said was unprecedented for a federal agency tasked with regulating vehicles domestically. The agency is seeking information on Toyota vehicles that were sold overseas and also subject to U.S. recalls for problems with sticking gas pedals. Toyota told NHTSA in January that the problem appeared in Europe beginning in December 2008.
Toyota said in a statement that it "takes its responsibility to advance vehicle safety seriously and to alert government officials of any safety issue in a timely manner. We are reviewing NHTSA's request and will cooperate to provide all the information they have requested."
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