http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100127/.../toyota_recall
"The Obama administration said it pressed Toyota to protect consumers who own vehicles under recall and to stop building new cars with the problem.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told WGN Radio in Chicago that "the reason Toyota decided to do the recall and to stop manufacturing was because we asked them to."
Serves them right for holding big recalls against the American Big 3. At least many of the american recalls were voluntary.