U.S. News Rankings & Reviews (Enlarge photo)

12/06/2008 01:46. The Detroit Free Press reports, "Some 431 customers from around the country have reported unintended or sudden acceleration in their Toyota Tacoma pickups, resulting in 51 crashes and 12 injuries, but the automaker said there are no flaws in the trucks and that many reports were 'inspired by publicity.'"

When we last reported on this issue in February, government investigators had received only about 30 complaints.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating claims of sudden accelerating in 2004 - 2008 model year Tacomas since February, and is "still weighing whether to upgrade the investigation" to a more formal status.  The Free Press notes that "no pickup model other than the Tacoma has garnered more than a few complaints of unexpected acceleration... // U.S. News Rankings & Reviews