At least 15 Toyota drivers have complained to U.S. safety officials that their cars sped up by themselves even after being fixed under recalls for sticky gas pedals or floor mat problems.

This is according to an analysis by the Associate Press.

The development raises questions about whether Toyota’s repairs will bring an end to the cases of wild, uncontrolled acceleration or if there may be electronic causes behind the complaints that have dogged the automaker.

Although the allegations were unverified by the agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday it was contacting people who have complained about acceleration problems even after repairs were done under two large recalls. The agency wants to hear from others who have had similar troubles, it said.

“If Toyota owners are still experiencing sudden acceleration incidents after taking their cars to the dealership, we want to know about it,” agency administrator David Strickland said in a statement.

The new complaints raised eyebrows in Congress, which has held three hearings on the recalls in the past week and is investigating Toyota’s safety problems.

“I am deeply concerned that NHTSA has received this many reports of possible sudden unanticipated acceleration even after these vehicles have received Toyota’s recommended fix,” said Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, who serves on one of the committees investigating Toyota.

“It’s critical that we get to the bottom of this problem as quickly as possible.”

Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons said Wednesday the company was investigating the complaints, though it remains confident in its recall fixes. Teams of engineers are being mobilized to check into the complaints, he said.

Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide since October to fix floor mats that can snag gas pedals or faulty gas pedal assemblies that can stick.

NHTSA says 52 people have been killed in crashes linked to Toyota’s acceleration problems. Toyota has blamed mechanical causes or drivers pressing the wrong pedal. However, some question whether the electronic throttle system or a software glitch may be at fault, rather than a mechanical issue involving pedals. Toyota says it is looking into electronics as a possible cause.

Source: The Associated Press

A fatal wreck last Saturday in Southlake, Texas has left four dead and police confused. At about 11:30 a.m. a 2008 Toyota Avalon crashed through a fence into a tree, then flipped into about six feet of water without any obvious cause.

Monty Hardy, Hadassah Vance, Wendy Akion, and Sharon Ransom were all Jehovah’s Witnesses going to door-to-door on return visits for service to their church. All four were wearing seat belts when their car was immersed in water. They all drowned and died within 24 hours.

The 2008 Toyota Avalon was recalled in November when it was discovered that the gas pedal might get stuck on the floor mats and cause sudden acceleration. Unfortunately, the vehicle was too damaged for police to determine if the floor mats had any part to play in the fatal accident.

Police are hoping to examine the car’s internal computer to find the cause of the wreck, but may not have the equipment to do so.

It is very important to heed recalls and warnings issued for your vehicle. If the floor mats did indeed influence this wreck, it is possible that it could have been avoided if a recall had been issued sooner or the owner of the vehicle had acted on it faster.

To find recalls issued for your vehicle, visit http://www.recalls.gov/nhtsa.html today.

Kevin Callahan has been charged with traffic violations for a fatal crash that occurred in Baltimore on October 5th.

Callahan was working for United Postal Service (UPS) when he ran a red light and smashed broadside into a car driven by Baltimore Sun business editor Tim Wheatley. Wheatley was driving his 9-year-old daughter Sarah to her elementary school, but never made it there. He was killed on the scene of the accident. Sarah barely survived the impact with severe head injuries.

Callahan was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. There were no problems with his vehicle. All it took was the unintentional violation of a simple traffic law to end a life of one person and nearly kill another.

Immediately after the accident, Callahan was suspended from his job as a UPS driver. After several weeks of investigation it was determined that he was at fault and he was subsequently fired.

A spokeswoman for UPS admitted that the accident was completely avoidable. Callahan has been charged with failure to stop at a red light and negligent driving.

Callahan had no intent to harm Wheatley and his young daughter. He faces only the fines associated with each of the three citations. While this is good new for him, it admittedly leaves little closure for the Wheatley family.