The death toll stemming from Toyota Motor Corp.'s sudden acceleration problems is on the rise, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released Tuesday.
NHTSA said it has received almost 6,200 complaints from Toyota drivers in the past decade over the acceleration problems that may have led to as many as 89 deaths and 57 injuries.
The federal agency previously reported that 52 fatalities may have been tied to the defects. The troubling figures have smudged the auto maker's stellar reputation and have had a direct impact on its monthly sales tally.
A NHTSA spokesperson explained that the customer generated complaints alleging unintended acceleration have not been verified by NHTSA