Evidence of meeting #2 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was toyota.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
I'm not aware of the number of investigators. Their system is significantly different and they are a very large entity.
Liberal
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
That's correct.
Liberal
Bonnie Crombie Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Are we aware of the number of complaints they received in the U.S.?
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
I couldn't give you the exact number, but typically, in the automotive industry, the vehicle population is a ten-to-one ratio. The ten-to-one ratio may be low on complaints, but I'm not certain.
Liberal
Bonnie Crombie Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Right, but I want to understand better whether they put more significance on the number of investigators...whether they use that ten-to-one ratio. That's why I'm asking you how many investigators they have.
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
I can get back to you on that.
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
I ask you to send that through the chair, for distribution.
And I have to advise Ms. Crombie that her time is up. Time flies.
Mr. Jean.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the witnesses for coming here today.
I have a series of questions.
I understand that this sticking pedal phenomenon is not something new. I'm quoting from a consumers article that says that sudden acceleration problems are nothing new, that somewhere around 20,000 consumers in the United States have complained about sticky pedals for some ten years or more. Is that correct?
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
That would be U.S. data, and unfortunately I can't confirm that.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
Is this something that's been taking place over a period of time--in fact, for more than a decade? Have you received complaints in Canada about sticky pedals?
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
Not necessarily sticky pedals. Sudden acceleration and runaway events have been happening since the sixties and seventies. There are actually a number of reports from that time that document it very well.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
What kind of evidence has Transport Canada collected regarding this particular phenomenon?
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
Right now, for any complaint that comes forward that may allege a sticky complaint, we're further investigating those particular situations in light of the fact that we have not seen a sticky pedal.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
So you have these pedals in your shop--is that correct?
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
We have some pedals, yes.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
And you've tried to duplicate the complaint of the sticky pedal and you've not been able to do so.
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
To date, we have not been able to duplicate it.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
I was reading an article in Popular Mechanics last night that noted Toyota's problem with the pedal. The magazine actually indicated that 4.2 million recalls have been issued in the United States for the floor mats, and somewhere in the neighbourhood of 2.4 million recalls to install the shim. Those numbers are not reflective of Canada's market, is that correct?
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
To be honest, I'm not positive on that. I'm not sure how the math works out. I haven't done the math comparing the U.S. versus Canada.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
I haven't heard so far, from the questions or from you, anything to do with magnets. Reading this Popular Mechanics article, it indicates that the magnet in the Toyota case is on the pedal arm and there could be some issue in relation to that. Has Transport Canada investigated anything in regard to magnets and what they can cause?
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
There have been a number of allegations in the media with respect to electrical magnetic interference. To date, there have been no reports to support that, as far as technical findings. Toyota themselves have hired a third party; they've been very open about that. We have seen a copy of the preliminary report from that third party, and they have not been able to replicate electrical magnetic interference. It's speculation, but nobody has been able to show it to date.
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
There are somewhere around 240,000 to 250,000 Toyota vehicles in Canada that match the types of vehicles that may have problems. Is that correct?
Head, Defect Investigations, Defect Investigations and Recalls, Department of Transport
I think the number is close to 400,000 when you look at the combined vehicles in all recalls.