MCLEAN, Va. (Feb. 3, 2010) - The following statement from the chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, John McEleney, is in response to the misstatement today by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on the Toyota recall:

“We are pleased that the Transportation Secretary moved quickly to clarify his views on the Toyota recall. And we agree that the best advice for Toyota owners who are affected by the recall is to continue doing what they have been doing, and that is to rely on the recommendations of their dealer. From the dealer perspective, we are encouraged by the announcement that there is a fix. Toyota dealers will be working diligently to take care of the remedy as quickly as possible. Toyota has a long history of working closely with its dealers. This underscores the importance of having a strong dealer network in place to handle just such situations.”