In a continuation of Toyota’s recent spate of bad news, the world’s leading automobile manufacturer recently announced a recall of the Lexus GX 460 Luxury SUV. This recall was necessitated by a high risk of rollover.
The issue with the SUV was first identified by Consumer Reports magazine after it issued the publication’s first “Don’t Buy” rating to a vehicle since 2001. The high risk of rollover and injury was caused by bad software in the SUV’s Vehicle Stability Control system.
The specific term for the issue with the Lexus is “lift-throttle oversteer.” When a driver removes his foot from the gas during a turn, there is a risk that the rear end of the truck could enter a slide. Most modern vehicles, including the GX 460, have a stability control system which would sense the slide and adjust the vehicle’s dynamics to bring it back into control. The software controlling the VSC on this particular vehicle, though, has a bug which makes it take too long to kick in. Given that this error can occur in a situation as common as entering an on-ramp too quickly, it is a significant issue. The danger, though, comes in the fact that an unstable rear end can lead this tall vehicle to tip and to rollover. This is the same issue that plagued the 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Limited, which was the last vehicle to receive the rare “Don’t Buy” rating.
Almost immediately after the Consumer Reports release, Toyota stopped selling the vehicle. The company began work on a fix and claims to have already developed one. Luckily, the fix can be installed at a Lexus dealer in approximately one hour, and is being offered free of charge.
This recall, affecting 9,400 domestic vehicles as well as an additional 3,600 internationally, is the latest in a series of quality and safety recalls and issues for Toyota. The manufacturer is still dealing with a significant issue involving stuck gas pedals and sudden acceleration which has affected about 8 million cars and trucks.
Adopting a different tone from the potential cover-up of the other models’ acceleration issues, Toyota is openly admonishing owners to return to their dealerships for the fix. The company has done this through both multiple media channels as well as through direct letters to buyers. In addition to this, owners can find more information at a special Web site created by Toyota and Lexus.
If you or a loved one owns one of the affected Lexus or Toyota models and have experienced problems with rollovers, sudden unintended acceleration or stuck accelerators, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with automobile recalls. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.