Earlier today, the folks at Toyota issued a recall of approximately 283,000 Toyota vehicles — Avalon, Camry, Highlander, Sienna, Solara — and 137,000 Lexus vehicles — ES330, RX330, RX400h — over concerns that a potential problem in these vehicles may suddenly make it much harder for the driver to steer. [More]
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Recall Issued For 245,000 Lexus IS & GS Cars
Another big recall for Toyota. This time the car maker is recalling a total of 245,000 Lexus IS and GS vehicles in the U.S.because of a possible problem with the fuel pressure sensor installation. [More]
Toyota Allegedly Conspired To Keep Canadian Exports Out Of US — Get A Piece Of The Class Action
If you bought or leased a new car in the Toyota family from Jan 1, 2001 to April 30, 2003, you could get some cash in a new class action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges a conspiracy between Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. and the Canadian Automobile Dealer’s Association (CADA) to keep Canadian car exports out of the states and raise prices for American consumers. [More]
Toyota: Sorry We Made Your Soon-To-Be-Recalled Lexus Out Of Crap
Just kidding, they didn’t actually apologize. They did say that the new recalls are the result of small valve springs that were made from “low-quality” metal that could crack and cause the engine to stall. Whoops! [More]
Here We Go Again: This Time The Toyotas Have Defective Engines
Toyota says that 270,000 cars worldwide, including Lexus sedans, have potentially faulty engines. NHTSA says that the company has not formally notified the agency of a recall, but a supposedly reputable Japanese newspaper says that the company plans to inform government agencies of the issue on Monday. [More]
Toyota Recalls 17,000 Lexus HS 250h Hybrids Over Potential Fire Risks
No, you’re not having a flashback. This is a new Toyota recall, and it’s not based on sticky pedals, stuck floormats or problems with emergency handling. This time, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the problem is that the Lexus HS 250h hybrid could leak fuel in rear-end collisions, potentially causing fires. Sales of the vehicle have been halted as Toyota works on a solution. [More]
CR: You Can Buy A Lexus GX 460 If You Want
Consumer Reports has lifted its “don’t buy” warning on the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV, after reviewing the results of Toyota’s recall fix. According to CR, that modification solved the emergency handling problem that had been uncovered in earlier tests. So, if you’re in the market for a big, $60K luxury SUV, you can go ahead and add this one to your list. [More]
Toyota Recalls 9,400 2010 Lexus GX 460 Vehicles
Less than one week after our lab coat-wearing brethren at Consumer Reports issued a “Don’t Buy” rating on the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV because of potential rollover issues, Toyota has announced a voluntary recall of approximately 9,400 GX 460s worldwide. [More]
Toyota Stops Selling Lexus SUV After Consumer Reports Says "Don't Buy"
It’s a big deal when Consumer Reports awards a “Don’t Buy” rating to a vehicle, and when it announced earlier today that the 2010 Lexus GX 460 should be avoided because of safety risks, the story started popping up all over the web. Now only 12 hours later, Lexus has announced that it is asking dealers to temporarily stop selling the vehicle while it looks into the situation, and that it’s taking the Consumer Reports claim “very seriously.” [More]
Consumer Reports: Don't Buy This Lexus SUV
Our little buddies at Consumer Reports have determined that a safety risk may be present in the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV. When pushed to its limits on CR’s track, the rear of the GX they bought “slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control.” [More]
Who Will Advocate For Toyota Owners In Japan?
Toyota has been criticized–and rightly so–for its handling of the recall clusterfracas in the United States and Europe. But how many cars have been recalled for possible unintended acceleration issues in Japan, where consumer protections are much weaker than in the U.S., Canada, and the E.U.? According to today’s New York Times, that would be zero. Even though some Japanese drivers have had similar runaway acceleration incidents, consumer protection in Japan is weak and the government tends to side with industry. This means that car owners experiencing problems have nowhere to turn. [More]
Out-Of-Control Lexus Still On Road, Apparently No Longer Out-Of-Control
If you’ve been following the hearings this week about the Toyota recall debacle, you’re probably well aware of Rhonda Smith, who spoke before the House Committee on Energy & Commerce to share her harrowing story of trying to stop her suddenly accelerating Lexus ES350 back in 2006. Well, NHTSA now says that that car is still on the road — and that the new owners haven’t experienced any problems. [More]
Toyota Knew About Sticking Pedals In Europe A Year Before U.S. Accidents
Today’s Toyota hearings featured a lot of amusing defensive yelling by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and, of course, the long awaited testimony by Toyota President Akio Toyoda. In addition, Yoshimi Inaba, CEO of Toyota North America, revealed that the company knew of the sticking pedal issue in Europe a year before accidents in the US. [More]
NY AG Makes Toyota Come To Your House And Get The Damn Car
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced today that his office had negotiated improved “accommodations” for owners of recalled Toyotas. In short, Toyota agreed to come to your house and get the car if you’re too freaked out to drive it. [More]