WASHINGTON (AP) - The government has cleared Toyota Motor Corp. in its investigation of electronic problems in the Japanese automaker's vehicles. Now the company needs to convince consumers that its safety recalls are in the rear view mirror.
The Transportation Department said Tuesday that electronic flaws were not to blame for reports of sudden, unintended acceleration that have figured in the recalls of more than 12 million Toyota vehicles globally. The findings bolstered Toyota's contention that the company had directly dealt with the problems through its recalls and is making safety paramount in its lineup.
Toyota was the only major automaker to see a U.S. sales decline last year.