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Calif. lawsuit claims Toyota hid defect evidence

Reuters -- Southern California prosecutors filed the first U.S. consumer protection lawsuit against Toyota Motor Corp on Friday, claiming it had engaged in "fraud" by hiding evidence of dangerous vehicle defects.

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said his office along with private attorneys sued the U.S. sales arm of Toyota, charging that the world's top-selling automaker has endangered the public with defective vehicles, and engaged in deceptive business practices.

"Against this backdrop of fraud and concealment, Toyota has for decades touted its reputation for safety and reliability and knew that people bought its vehicles because of that reputation and yet purposefully chose to conceal and suppress the existence and nature of defects," said the 18-page lawsuit filed on Friday.

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Submitted Mar 12, 2010 By: Mudsprings

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CruisinLinda Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:6,282 Points:1,260,845 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 2:52:05 AM Ignore CruisinLinda Report Abuse If plaintiffs can prove their allegations, they are entitled now to collect damages. In fact, Toyota cannot hide complaints if they are filed with government agencies like NHTSA. Toyota doesn't know how the fix or the cause of unintended acceleration now. How could it have had the answer years ago?
Amplion Champion Author Oregon Posts:1,336 Points:856,025 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 2:02:07 AM Ignore Amplion Report Abuse All auto manufacturers should be expected to build safe product. Anyone guilty of a cover up should be thrown in jail with the manufacturer fined and/or shut down. All unsafe product should be towed to an impound yard until safety can be assured.
Amtrgas Champion Author Oakland Posts:2,090 Points:753,330 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 10:43:56 PM Ignore Amtrgas Report Abuse What action has been taken against the US Automakers, that have had recalls because of deadly accidents. I do not remember ever hearing of lawsuits being filed. I believed that Toyota is getting a worst rap then they deserve.
lgwhitlock Champion Author Chico Posts:2,675 Points:688,820 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 6:53:38 PM Ignore lgwhitlock Report Abuse I am sure there will be plenty of conspiracy theories about Toyota and many lawsuits to follow. However bringing an allegation and proving it are two different things. It will be interesting to see how all this turns out...
signwiz Champion Author Indiana Posts:1,000 Points:904,705 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 6:42:02 PM Ignore signwiz Report Abuse If this site is going to track all of Toyota lawsuits that will be filed in the coming months, they're going to need to add more servers.
BazooQC Champion Author Montreal Posts:4,581 Points:641,980 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 6:29:12 PM Ignore BazooQC Report Abuse Not sure I really understand this claim. You would think that if Toyota was covering up a problem, they would at least try to fix it too. People claim this issue has been around for 5 years. So if there was a design flaw in an electronic accelerator pedal, why wasn't it addressed? Because they didn't actually confirm any problem perhaps. It's called suspicions, not necessarily fraud.
Z51Corvette Champion Author Austin Posts:4,025 Points:776,390 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 6:16:46 PM Ignore Z51Corvette Report Abuse And it took how long to file this claim!!!
Amplion Champion Author Oregon Posts:1,336 Points:856,025 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 6:14:18 PM Ignore Amplion Report Abuse Are the Toyota drivers scamming Toyota or is Toyota Scamming the drivers? Who knows ? BMW is a safer automobile.
04tang Champion Author Ohio Posts:1,644 Points:358,375 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 6:12:54 PM Ignore 04tang Report Abuse Toyota caused there own problems. Now they have to pay for it.
knot2swift Veteran Author Calgary Posts:364 Points:112,085 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:59:09 PM Ignore knot2swift Report Abuse What happened to all the great coverage a few months ago of N1H1? I guess no one figured out a way to sue Mother Nature.
rsm315 All-Star Author Detroit Posts:724 Points:184,535 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:58:26 PM Ignore rsm315 Report Abuse We all know that they knew about this for a long time
CarrottopNe Champion Author Lincoln Posts:1,025 Points:367,365 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:53:00 PM Ignore CarrottopNe Report Abuse More bad news for Toyota.
FBI2991 Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,534 Points:393,020 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:52:52 PM Ignore FBI2991 Report Abuse Not good for Toyota
brus282 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:4,611 Points:939,350 Joined:Aug 2007	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:51:47 PM Ignore brus282 Report Abuse and this is a surprise? of course they hid the facts
ThatHunt Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,433 Points:1,190,480 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:46:53 PM Ignore ThatHunt Report Abuse Media hype.
MidNJ Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,341 Points:213,980 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:46:18 PM Ignore MidNJ Report Abuse The article before this describes the media frenzy about Toyota and about how someone may have played a hoax. In a few weeks the frenzy will be over and we will move on to another story that places fear in our minds and hearts.
Night Owl Champion Author Toronto Posts:2,545 Points:798,390 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:46:13 PM Ignore Night Owl Report Abuse Of course Toyota hid their defect evidence. Their former lawyer wanted to go public with the documents, but Toyota wouldn't let him.
WilW Champion Author Atlanta Posts:7,165 Points:1,692,170 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:45:31 PM Ignore WilW Report Abuse Most people just don't know how to operate a motor vehicle. A drivers license is a privilege, not a right! Let's enact more stringent testing to get a license.
jscdig Champion Author Maine Posts:5,965 Points:544,925 Joined:Apr 2004	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:37:26 PM Ignore jscdig Report Abuse I'm surprised someone hasn't proposed banning the manufacture, sale and use of all Toyota products until this acceleration issue is resolved.
Ken2OD Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:3,907 Points:961,860 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:36:44 PM Ignore Ken2OD Report Abuse Pile it on!
Skychief Sophomore Author Florida Posts:247 Points:176,020 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:36:42 PM Ignore Skychief Report Abuse I read that the Japanese workers union reported problems in 2006 and were ignored.
96sc1 Champion Author El Paso Posts:5,406 Points:699,905 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:34:34 PM Ignore 96sc1 Report Abuse I believe it.
lembs All-Star Author San Francisco Posts:722 Points:633,915 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:30:49 PM Ignore lembs Report Abuse this sounds bad for toyota
DrivingFool2 Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:3,297 Points:611,235 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:28:57 PM Ignore DrivingFool2 Report Abuse And here I had just bought my first Toyota this past year. (2010 Prius)
swrestler Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:1,015 Points:557,710 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:28:39 PM Ignore swrestler Report Abuse I feel bad for them they got problems......
SpaceAce5 Veteran Author South Dakota Posts:300 Points:66,245 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:28:30 PM Ignore SpaceAce5 Report Abuse on the way to putting toyota out of business
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:7,757 Points:1,359,340 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:26:01 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse between toyota bashing, big oil bashing and the fawning over this dufus administration the media is giving me the blues
hauler43 Champion Author Oakland Posts:4,658 Points:1,820,010 Joined:Sep 2003	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:22:55 PM Ignore hauler43 Report Abuse I hope the US Govt. and others didn't know, cause if so a lot of heads could roll. It could do a lot of damage to the auto industry as a whole.
Rednix Champion Author Miami Posts:1,488 Points:309,240 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:16:41 PM Ignore Rednix Report Abuse I think these lawsuits could possibly cause Toyota to go bankrupt. But as we see GM and Chrysler emerging it won't kill them.
divebomber Champion Author Nebraska Posts:1,057 Points:808,980 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:16:02 PM Ignore divebomber Report Abuse Toyota is the company you would be proud to own and will be villified in the end. Don't blow this out of shape!
Daveyfudd All-Star Author Jackson Posts:868 Points:210,500 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:15:37 PM Ignore Daveyfudd Report Abuse When it rains the bad news pours!
pliskin Champion Author Syracuse Posts:3,078 Points:943,620 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:11:40 PM Ignore pliskin Report Abuse Toyota is going to get buried in all of this especially by the time the lawsuits are done.
YLHandyman Champion Author Orange County Posts:4,408 Points:796,120 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:11:28 PM Ignore YLHandyman Report Abuse Sure didn't see this coming. Always thought Toyota was better than this.
madison8359 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,744 Points:589,690 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:09:59 PM Ignore madison8359 Report Abuse This is going to be fun listening to Toyota's defense. I guess they could always say they are sorry.
goodbuy Champion Author Michigan Posts:3,013 Points:506,835 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:03:54 PM Ignore goodbuy Report Abuse Guess Toyota isn't the company y'all thought.
nightworker998 All-Star Author Maryland Posts:682 Points:281,370 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 5:01:53 PM Ignore nightworker998 Report Abuse It is a witch hunt how many cars have been recalled by the 3 American auto makers in the last 5 years and how many of those recalls did congress investigate or the states prosecute?
Pete12 Champion Author Albany Posts:1,858 Points:773,500 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:55:29 PM Ignore Pete12 Report Abuse It couldn't happen to a nicer foreign car company. Buy American not foreign built in America.
SSchmidty Champion Author Illinois Posts:4,144 Points:786,195 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:51:28 PM Ignore SSchmidty Report Abuse The truth can not be buried under lies for long ... boy, this become REAL rea-faced embrassing!
us412 Champion Author Arkansas Posts:13,100 Points:1,421,435 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:47:47 PM Ignore us412 Report Abuse This seems to have turned into a witch hunt.
copperhead8 Champion Author Boston Posts:10,545 Points:1,816,875 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:42:10 PM Ignore copperhead8 Report Abuse I totally agree with cheap2010skate.
bills55 All-Star Author San Diego Posts:981 Points:265,550 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:39:39 PM Ignore bills55 Report Abuse Sounds good to me.
E-Squirrel Champion Author Orange County Posts:1,539 Points:405,050 Joined:Feb 2005	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:37:14 PM Ignore E-Squirrel Report Abuse The vultures haven't had much lately. They are licking their chops over this one...
Romey08 Champion Author Virginia Posts:1,754 Points:534,445 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:31:35 PM Ignore Romey08 Report Abuse More lawsuits coming
trojanbuck Champion Author Dayton Posts:3,705 Points:763,065 Joined:Aug 2007	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:30:13 PM Ignore trojanbuck Report Abuse What took the shysters so long?
ARROWHEAD Sophomore Author Detroit Posts:112 Points:835,600 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:28:44 PM Ignore ARROWHEAD Report Abuse Wonderful, its about time!
DancingDee Champion Author Gary Posts:2,583 Points:670,520 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:25:50 PM Ignore DancingDee Report Abuse NOT SURPRISED!!!
fire@53 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:6,886 Points:1,791,525 Joined:May 2003	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:24:51 PM Ignore fire@53 Report Abuse And you wonder why California is in trouble.
lennypizzas Sophomore Author London Posts:158 Points:212,240 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:20:39 PM Ignore lennypizzas Report Abuse and the lawyers get richer
naw62 Champion Author Maine Posts:4,365 Points:1,210,170 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:19:02 PM Ignore naw62 Report Abuse You would think there would be some attorney would do pro-bono
cheap2010skate Champion Author Tampa Posts:1,048 Points:114,970 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 4:18:33 PM Ignore cheap2010skate Report Abuse If Toyota concealed the problems, they should pay for it. Good for the attorneys! I am biased, but I come from a family of attorneys. I do think that most of the money should go to victims and not law firms.