Toyota Knew Of Problems Years Ago

CBS News has learned Toyota engineers believed as early as 2005 that computers, not floor mats or driver error, were causing some cars to surge unexpectedly. That's crucial because publicly Toyota has denied for six years, through eight federal investigations, that electronics are to blame when its cars surge - sometimes out of control.

Instead, Toyota faults drivers, floor mats and--more recently--sticky gas pedals.

An internal document obtained by CBS News appears to contradict Toyota's claims. Dating back five years, it tracks Toyota's "monthly progress" in addressing "Surging back and forth sensation at constant throttle" in '06 Lexus hybrids (RX400h). Toyota engineer Masahiro Ideda notes surging "between 39-44 miles per hour." The "fix"? Redesigning software for the car's Electronic Control Unit or ECU. "Software planned for first week in August."

The software fix was quietly installed in the new Lexus hybrid coming off the assembly line.

For cars already on the road, Toyota offered a recall to replace two floor mat clips. And the company apparently never clued in federal officials who'd been investigating sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles beginning in 2004.

Today, Toyota told us the fix was for "customer comfort" not because there were any electronics problems.

Experts say a glitch in Toyota's "Electronic Throttle Control System" would be much more expensive and problematic than faulty floor mats.

So far, Toyota has recalled 7.4 million vehicles for supposed sticky pedals and floor mats. But those vehicles, and millions more on the road, have the electronic throttle control system at issue in the company's own report in 2005.