WASHINGTON — In public, Toyota is running apologetic TV ads and vowing to win back customers’ trust. Behind the scenes, the besieged carmaker is trying to learn all it can about congressional investigations, maybe even steer them if it can.
It’s part of an all-out drive by the world’s biggest auto manufacturer to redeem its once unassailable brand — hit anew Tuesday as Toyota’s global recall ballooned to 8.5 million cars and trucks. The day’s safety recall of 440,000 of its flagship Prius and other hybrids, plus a Tokyo news conference where the company’s president read a statement in English pledging to “regain the confidence of our customers,” underscored a determination to hold on to buyers’ faith.
In Washington, facing congressional inquiries and government investigations, Toyota through its lawyers and lobbyists is working full-speed to salvage its reputation. The confidential strategy — Toyota will say little publicly — includes efforts to sway upcoming hearings on Capitol Hill and is based on experiences by companies that have survived similar crises — and those that haven’t.
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich, said Toyota representatives visited his offices seeking to learn all they could.
“They’re probing us. ‘What are you going to ask us? Where are you going with this whole thing?’ ” said Stupak, who is chairman of a House subcommittee looking into Toyota’s problems. Toyota reported spending more than $4 million on lobbying last year.
Honda expands air-bag recall
DETROIT — Honda is adding more than 378,000 cars to an existing safety recall for air-bag inflation problems, the company said Tuesday. The company will replace the driver’s-side air-bag inflator on the cars because they can deploy with too much pressure, causing the inflator to rupture. The recall now affects more than 822,000 vehicles, including certain 2001 and 2002 Accord sedans, Civic compacts, Odyssey minivans, CR-V small sport utility vehicles and some 2002 Acura TL sedans. The Associated Press
