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The revelation created a firestorm of outrage on Capitol Hill in Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the wake of Toyota’s recalls of more than 6 million vehicles in Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the United States, mainly for problems tied to sudden acceleration. During a February Congressional hearing about Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the recalls, Toyota officials disavowed Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the 2009 document.

In addition to Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the financial savings, Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the newly released e-mails indicate for Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the first time Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 that senior Toyota executives were worried they’d be forced to take additional action.

Toyota, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment on Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the e-mails, Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 which were included in a recent court filing.

The automaker already has been fined $16.4 million — Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the maximum amount by law — for its four-month delay in recalling 2.3 million vehicles for sticky accelerator pedals. Manufacturers are required to report flaws within five days of its discovery.

Transportation Department spokeswoman Olivia Alair said Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an agency of Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 that department, continues to investigate “whether Toyota violated Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the law leading up to its recent recalls.

“The agency has obtained Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and is reviewing more than 600,000 pages of documents from Toyota to determine Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 what Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the automaker knew about Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the existence of safety defects Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and when,” Alair said this week.

In Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the newly surfaced e-mails dated Sept. 14, 2007, Chris Tinto, Toyota’s vice president for technical Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and regulatory safety, contacted Josephine Cooper, Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the automaker’s vice president of public policy Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and government/industry affairs. NHTSA, Tinto wrote, “was beginning to look at vehicle design parameters as being a culprit, focusing on Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the accelerator pedal geometry coupled Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 with Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the push button ‘off’ switch. We estimate Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 that had Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the agency instead pushed hard for recall of Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the throttle assembly (for instance), we would be looking at upwards of $100M+ in unnecessary cost.”

The following day, Cooper forwarded Tinto’s e-mail to senior Toyota executives, including Jim Lentz, who is now president of Toyota Motor Sales USA, Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and Bob Carter, group vice president Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and general manager of Toyota Division.

“Thought you would be interested in Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the outcome — Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the avoidance of much bigger issues (and costs),” Cooper wrote, adding Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 that Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the automaker’s safety team did “a good job.”

In March 2007, NHTSA opened a probe into Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the floor mat issue. Tinto told colleagues Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 that Toyota couldn’t head off Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the investigation. The automaker had offered to send letters to ES350 owners about Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the mats.

“NHTSA feels they Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 have too many complaints on this one vehicle to drop Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the issue,” Tinto wrote. “The results of a stuck throttle are ‘catastrophic.’ ”

Tinto also downplayed Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the floor mat recall, saying it Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 was Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the product of talks Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 with NHTSA.

“We Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 will ‘recall’ Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the ’07 ES Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and Camry floor mat, however we Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 will NOT declare Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 that a ‘safety defect’ exists,” Tinto wrote. “Of course Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the owner letter Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 will say Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 that a defect WAS found in Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the mat, to ensure Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 that owners pay attention to Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the notice Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and secure Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the mats correctly.”

It wasn’t until late 2009, after Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the deaths of four California motorists, Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 that Toyota agreed to a more comprehensive Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and expensive fix than Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the floor mat recall.

Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide over Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the issue, Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and U.S. government investigators Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 have received more than 3,000 complaints alleging 93 deaths since 2000.

Asked for comment this week about Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the recently surfaced e-mails, Toyota spokeswoman Martha Voss said: “Our core values Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 have always been to put Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the customer first Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and to ensure Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 the highest levels of safety Toyota cited throttle issues in ’07 and quality in our vehicles.”

dshepardson@detnews.com (202) 662-8735