Another Toyota Recall Shakes Confidence in the Brand
Toyota announced today a voluntary recall involving approximately 245,000 2006 through 2007 Lexus GS300/350, 2006 through early 2009 Lexus IS250, and 2006 through early 2008 Lexus IS350 vehicles sold in the U.S. to inspect the fuel pressure sensor installation. It also announced a separate recall involving 1.3 million vehicles worldwide to remedy a different condition on a different fuel delivery pipe and a high pressure fuel pump check valve.
Owners affected by the recall in North America will receive a safety recall notification by first class mail. Lexus will also post this information on its website. Detailed information about this recall is available through Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1-800-25 LEXUS or 1-800-255-3987 or at www.lexus.com/recall.
Lexus dealers will inspect the vehicle for fuel leakage and if no leakage is found, will tighten the fuel pressure sensor with the proper torque. If a fuel leak is confirmed, the gasket between the sensor and the delivery pipe will be replaced and the sensor will be tightened with the proper torque. The owners will not be charged for these repairs.
Although there’s not much wrong with the cars, the recall ads to the wave of negative PR already experienced by Toyota last year, when the company also had to pay the maximum legally allowed fine of 32.4 million US dollars for a series of high-profile recalls to the US Transportation Department, when it failed to notify the safety agency within five days of learning of the defects.
This time, Toyota reacted timely, and informed customers and the Transportation Department, and even the media seems to ease up on the car manufacturer. But the question of reliability still stands, and more and more customers turn to other companies, which experience less trouble with their cars.
