Toyota says no problem with electronics: reports

Toyota Motor has submitted a letter to the US Congress denying there is a fault with the electronics in millions of vehicles it has recalled over accelerator problems, reports said yesterday.

In its letter submitted to the US House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is investigating the Toyota recalls, the automaker said it "is convinced that there is no problem" with the electronics in its vehicles, Japanese dailies Yomiuri and Nikkei reported, without disclosing sources.

The news come as embattled Toyota president Akio Toyoda was reportedly prepared to testify at US congressional hearings if formally asked to do so, with the automaker facing intense pressure in the US over the rash of recalls. US executives of Toyota would meet with the company's top management in Japan over the next several days amid a deepening product safety crisis, a US executive said.

Yoshi Inaba, president of Toyota North America, and US sales chief Jim Lentz, were on their way to Japan to brief senior executives before US congressional hearings scheduled for later this month, said Don Esmond, senior vice-president of Toyota Motor Sales.

The two executives' trip comes at a time when the world's top automaker is reeling from massive safety recalls that have cut into sales and financial results and tarnished its once-stellar reputation for quality.

US Representative Darrell Issa, the top Republican on the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Committee, is pressing his case to get Toyoda to testify before a congressional committee. Congress has scheduled three hearings to probe Toyota's handling of the matter, for February 24 and 25 and March 2.

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