MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- John McEleney, chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), issued the following statement today regarding the upcoming congressional hearings on the Toyota recall:

"NADA recognizes the important oversight role of Congress. However, we urge the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, as it works responsibly to look into the facts surrounding the Toyota recall, not to give countenance to any unsubstantiated rhetoric which has the effect of unjustifiably alarming the public about the Toyota brand.

"Recalls are quite common in the auto industry and involve virtually every manufacturer at one time or another. We urge all government officials, whether in Congress or the Administration, to be careful what they say while the investigation goes forward. It's important not to rush to judgment. Ill-advised comments reverberate through the entire American buying public, impacting auto dealerships, their employees and our local and national economy.

"For years Toyota has been a leader in producing quality automobiles, and Toyota dealers are among the best in the industry. It has been our experience over many years that Toyota places customer safety as its first priority, just as we do. We are convinced that this is a problem for which Toyota engineers have developed the proper remedy. Toyota dealers are opening extra hours, 24/7 in some cases, to fix the vehicles involved in the recall."

Editor's note: McEleney is a Toyota, General Motors and Hyundai dealer in Clinton, Iowa.

NADA, founded in 1917 and based in McLean, Va., represents nearly 17,000 new-car and -truck dealers operating about 37,500 separate franchises, both domestic and international.

SOURCE National Automobile Dealers Association

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http://www.nada.org/