The company also ran into legal trouble when the State of Washington Dept. of Financial Institutions, Securities Division found that the company was selling unregistered securities and not providing sufficient information about the company to its potential investors.

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To the charge that the company was marketing an unregistered investment, Hawkins said Tuesday he had thought it was covered under a filing with the SEC.

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Mr Hammond added that the company still had work until at least late February because "over 600 largely new and unregistered vehicles" still needed the new steering system fitted.

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