Awwal 05, 1432, Feb 08, 2011, SPA --The Obama administration is poised to announce the results of a 10-month investigation into whether faulty electronics played a role in Toyota vehicles' sudden, unintentional acceleration and other safety problems, according to AP. The Transportation Department said it would issue on Tuesday the findings of its study, which has examined whether electronics or electromagnetic interference played a factor in the Japanese automaker's safety recalls. Toyota has recalled more than 12 million vehicles globally since fall 2009 to address sticking accelerator pedals, gas pedals that became trapped in floor mats, and other safety issues. The recalls have posed a major challenge for the world's No. 1 automaker, which has scrambled to protect its reputation for safety and reliability. A preliminary part of the study, released last August, failed to find any electronic flaws based on a review of event data recorders, or vehicle black boxes. The study has been conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and NASA engineers with expertise in electronics. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood declined to comment Monday in advance of the report's release, saying the department would «talk in great detail about this» Tuesday. Toyota said in a statement that it looks forward to reviewing the NASA and NHTSA report regarding its electronic throttle control systems. In Tokyo on Tuesday, Toyota reported a 39 percent slide in quarterly profit but raised its full-year forecasts for earnings and car sales. It's a mixed picture for the automaker, which is enjoying booming sales in high-growth markets in Asia, Africa and South America, while facing lingering worries about quality lapses in the U.S. Toyota paid the U.S. government a record $48.8 million in fines for its handling of two recalls. The company has said it has not found any flaws in its electronic throttle control systems and said the previously announced recalls have addressed the safety concerns. -- SPA
