Toyota Agrees Lexus S.U.V. Has Problem With Handling/Recalls Sienna's

[blue2fire]

Looks like this may be a serious issue.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/bu...html?src=busln

A Lexus spokesman, Bill Kwong, said the engineers in Japan had “duplicated Consumer Reports’ results on the GX 460, and they are currently evaluating potential remedies, but at this point there are no details of what the
remedy is.”

On Tuesday, Consumer Reports announced that its tests had uncovered a dangerous handling problem that caused the rear end of the GX 460 to swerve, putting the sport utility vehicle at risk for a rollover. “When pushed to its limits on our track’s handling course,” the magazine wrote on its Web site, “the rear of the GX we bought slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control.”

Mr. Kwong said Friday that the automaker “definitely” considered the tail sliding to be a safety issue and was “very concerned.” He said Toyota hoped to have the problem isolated in no more than a week.

About 12 hours after the magazine publicized the problem, Lexus told its dealers to stop selling the GX 460 and started an investigation. On Thursday, Toyota said it was conducting safety inspections of all its S.U.V. models. Consumer Reports said that on other S.U.V.’s it tested — including models from Lexus and Toyota — the electronic stability control quickly caught the slide.

Separately, Toyota has until Monday to tell the whether it will contest a proposed $16.4 million fine over reportedly failing to disclose information concerning a sticky pedal recall. If Toyota decides to fight the fine, the agency could take it to court.

Elsewhere, the House Energy and Commerce Committee said that it would hold a second hearing on Toyota on May 6 to continue its investigation of whether electronic systems played a role in Toyota’s sticky-pedal recalls. The committee’s first hearingwas in late February.

The committee has invited James E. Lentz, the president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., to testify, as he did at the original hearing. Lawmakers also asked Toyota to provide documents concerning tests by Exponent, an engineering consulting firm, into electronic systems. It is seeking the documents by April 26.

[335fourdoor]

toyota without remorse.

[Raja Ventureshield]

toyota needs a fast break from all these dramas.

[scollins]

Holy crap, is Toyota in a world of hurt right now. Look at these two lists, from Toyota's website:

Vehicles under RECALL:
* 2005-2010 Avalon
* 2007-2010 Camry
* 2009-2010 Corolla
* 2008-2010 Highlander
* 2009-2010 Matrix
* 2004-2009 Prius
* 2010 Prius
* 2009-2010 RAV4
* 1998-2010 Sienna
* 2008-2010 Sequoia
* 2005-2010 Tacoma
* 2007-2010 Tundra
* 2009-2010 VENZA

That's 13 cars.

Vehicles NOT under any recalls:
* Yaris
* 4Runner
* FJ Cruiser
* Land Cruiser
* Camry Solara

That is 5, and also some of their least popular models.

Now let's add a few Lexus models to the list too:
Under Recall:
Lexus IS Certain 2006 – 2010 Vehicles (pedal entrapment)
Lexus ES 2007 – 2010 Vehicles (pedal entrapment)
Lexus 2010 GX 460 Voluntary Safety Recall
Lexus 2010 HS 250h Voluntary Safety Recall


That is an absurd amount of models and vehicles to be under recall for serious safety issues. Wow, just wow.....