Japanese carmaker Toyota admitted Monday that it faces a criminal investigation in the United States over safety recalls that have tarnished its reputation over the past month.
Prosecutors in New York are seeking documents from Toyota Motor Corp that would offer insights into what - and when - the company knew about problems with its accelerator pedals on eight models and braking issues with its hybrid Prius.
The revelation comes as the world's largest car manufacturer prepares for a critical week in the US, with Toyota President Akio Toyoda set to testify over the safety issues before congressional lawmakers on Wednesday.
Toyota in a statement said a grand jury in the Southern District of New York had issued a subpoena for the documents earlier this month. A similar subpoena was issued by a government regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission, in Los Angeles.
Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide since last month to fix the safety problems, but US authorities are investigating whether the carmaker may have known about the concerns much sooner.
Toyota officials were "preparing their responses" to the subpoenas, the statement said.
Toyota faces US criminal investigation over safety recalls
Japanese carmaker Toyota admitted Monday that it faces a criminal investigation in the United States over safety recalls that have tarnished its reputation over the past month.
