FLINT, MI -- A Detroit area judge has ordered Toyota to turn over documents related to a fatal crash attributed by the victim's family to sudden unintended acceleration. The family is looking for evidence that tin whiskers may have played a role in causing a key sensor to fail, thus preventing the auto from slowing as designed.

 

The 2008 crash involved Guadalupe Alberto, who was killed after the car she was driving suddenly accelerated to speeds up to 80 mph through city streets. She then hit a tree, then another tree, and died.

Toyota recalled more than 7.4 million cars and trucks worldwide after a series of reports involving similar circumstances. The automaker has blamed a pedal-related problem for the sudden acceleration.

A US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report of unintended acceleration found Toyota was not to blame, but NASA investigators claimed the federal report whitewashed their actual findings.

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