US official's remark fans flames in Toyota crisis

RELATED NEWS Main points from Toyota press conferences Toyota lifts guidance despite recalls clouding outlook Toyota slides after US ups pressure, eyes on f'cast Toyota grapples with PR bungles, tarnished brand Toyota US sales hit by recall; Honda raises outlook

The top US transportation official on Wednesday warned Toyota owners caught up in its massive recall to stop driving their cars, triggering alarm and confusion in a crisis that has engulfed the automaker.

Although Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood later called his remark an obvious misstatement, it drove Toyota shares down by as much as 8 percent and prompted one congressional committee to ask Toyota whether certain models were safe.

LaHood also said he would take the unusual step of calling Toyota President Akio Toyoda to emphasize how seriously the Obama administration is taking investigations into reports of uncontrolled acceleration in Toyota vehicles.

"Our ... people will hold Toyota's feet to the fire to make sure they are going to do everything they said they were going to do to make the vehicles safe," he said.

The developments underscored the increasingly political overtones of a safety crisis that has hit Toyota sales, rocked confidence in a brand built on reputation for quality and made the Japanese automaker the target of late-night humor.

Comedian Jon Stewart used a segment of "The Daily Show" on Tuesday to skewer Toyota, pointing out Toyoda had been seen being chauffeured in an Audi.

Toyota urged consumers to take any vehicles experiencing problems with the accelerator to a dealership. But it also said that the problem did not appear "suddenly," suggesting drivers would experience warning signs before a pedal became stuck.

"Our message to Toyota owners is this -- if you experience any issues with your accelerator pedal, please contact your dealer without delay. If you are not experiencing any issues with your pedal, we are confident that your vehicle is safe to drive," the company said in a statement.

Separately, in another potential knock on its reputation for quality, Toyota said it was examining complaints about brakes in its new model Prius hybrid.

A Toyota spokeswoman said the company was investigating complaints over what drivers characterized as insufficient braking when traveling over bumpy or frozen roads.

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader said the US government's auto-safety watchdog had not been tough enough with Toyota and urged President Barack Obama to strengthen the agency.

Nader, who gained prominence in the 1960s as author of the scathing auto industry expose "Unsafe at Any Speed," called Toyota's recall "a cheap fix" that is "too little too late."