Irv Miller Toyota Executive Urged the Automaker to “Come Clean”

Toyota Motor Company

Toyota Motor Corp. U.S. Executive Irv Miller urged the Japanese automaker to "come clean" in January about mechanical failures in accelerator pedals for some vehicles, after other officials suggested a more cautious approach.

Irv Miller then vice president for communications at Toyota's U.S. sales unit, told other officials in a e-mail on January 16th that " the time to hide on this one is over". The world's largest automaker recalled 2.3 million vehicles in the United States for accelerator flaws the following week.

-"We are not protecting our customers by keeping this queit" Miller wrote in an e-mail to Toyota executives in the U.S. and Japan.

Toyota faces a proposed fine of $16.4 million after the U.S. Department of Transportation said this week the company "knowingly hid a dangerous defect". The car maker waited at least four months to tell the agency, Secretary Ray LaHood said April 5th.

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