* What: "After the bullet leaves the barrel, it's a little late to say you're sorry," said Robert Lloyd of North Georgia Toyota in Dalton, Ga., who reported that worried customers had bombarded the dealership with calls Wednesday following the Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's statement that owners of recalled Toyotas should stop driving the vehicles and get them fixed. Mr. LaHood issued a recall on his own statement later in the day, saying he misspoke. He instead recommended that Toyota owners take their vehicles to dealerships to have the problems fixed.
* Why: The Toyota recalls affect 2.3 million vehicles with faulty accelerator pedals and 5 million with floor mats that could inadvertently trap the accelerator pedal. Toyota has temporarily stopped sales of eight models involved in recalls, until faulty pedals and floor mats have been upgraded.
* Who: Toyota owners affected by the recalls in the Chattanooga area can take their vehicles to Capital Toyota on Lee Highway, Toyota of Cleveland on Village North Blvd, or North Georgia Toyota on East Walnut Avenue in Dalton.
* When: Dealers began receiving parts from Toyota Wednesday for the repairs, and dealers are prepared to stay open late to meet demand, which they say has been light so far. They plan to stay open as late as necessary on an as-needed basis, depending on the number of customers who make appointments to have the problem fixed. Toyota will reimburse dealers up to $75,000 for expenses incurred in the recall.
* Company letter: On A8 of today's paper appears a Toyota ad with Jim Lentz, president and COO of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., detailing what his company is doing to fix its vehicles. "Ensuring your safety is our highest priority," he said. " We'll continue to do everything we can to meet -- and exceed -- your expectations, and justify your continued trust in Toyota."
Source: The Associated Press, Capital Toyota, Toyota of Cleveland, North Georgia Toyota