NEWS:   Toyota recalls 255,000 Lexus GS & IS in North America

YAHOO NEWS -- January 26,  2011 –   Toyota is recalling 1.7 million vehicles, the bulk of them in Japan, for various defects that may cause fuel leakage — the latest in quality control woes for the world's No. 1 automaker.

Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it was recalling a wide range of models, including the IS and GS Lexus luxury models in North America and the Avensis sedan and station wagon models in Europe.

There were no accidents suspected of being related to the defects, according to Toyota. Toyota said it had received 77 complaints overseas, 75 of them in North America, and more than 140 in Japan.

In one of the problems announced Wednesday, an improper installation of a sensor to measure fuel pressure may cause the sensor to loosen as a result of engine vibration over time, and possibly cause fuel leakage, the company said. That problem also affects 280,000 Lexus cars sold abroad, 255,000 of them in North America and 10,000 in Europe.

Included under that recall are the 2006 through 2007 Lexus GS300/350, 2006 through early 2009 Lexus IS250, and 2006 through early 2008 Lexus IS350 sold in the U.S.

Lexus dealers will inspect the vehicles for fuel leakage and will tighten the fuel pressure sensor with the proper torque, if nothing is leaking. If a leak is confirmed, the gasket between the sensor and the delivery pipe will be replaced, it said.  In December, Toyota agreed to pay $32.4 million in fines to the U.S. government to settle the investigation into its handling of two recalls. The latest settlement was on top of the $16.4 million fine Toyota paid earlier.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Lexus GS
• Lexus IS

JANUARY 2011 - Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Lexus IS and model year 2006-2007 Lexus GS vehicles. Due to insufficient tightening of the fuel pressure sensor connected to an engine fuel delivery pipe with nickel phosphorus plating, there is a possibility that, over time, the pressure sensor could loosen. If loosening occurs, fuel could leak past a gasket used in the connection between the sensor and the pipe and through the threaded portion of the sensor. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will inspect for fuel leakage from the threaded portion of the fuel pressure sensor and if a fuel leak is not confirmed, dealers will further tighten the fuel pressure sensor with the proper torque. If a fuel leak is confirmed, the gasket between the sensor and the fuel deliver pipe will be replaced with a new one, and the sensor will be tightened with the proper torque. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during March 2011. 11V-029

OCTOBER 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 Avalon, model year 2004-2006 Highlander, model year 2004-2006 Lexus RX, and model year 2006 Lexus GS and IS vehicles. Brake fluid containing polymers is used that acts as lubricants for certain brake system components. If replacement brake fluid is used that does not contain such polymers, or that contains only small amounts, a part of the rubber seal located at the rear of the brake master cylinder may become dry, and the seal may curl during movement of the piston. If this occurs, a small amount of brake fluid could slowly leak from the seal into the brake booster. A leak of brake fluid could lead to a change in brake pedal feel and overtime a degradation in braking performance increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the seal with a newly designed one. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2010.  10V-499

NEWS:  Toyota to recall 1.66 million cars over brake fluid leak

YAHOO NEWS -- October 21,  2010 –  Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday it would repair 1.66 million Avalon and other vehicles, mostly in Japan and the United States, in the latest large-scale recall to plague the world's biggest automaker.

The announcement came less than two months after a recall in Canada and the United States of 1.3 million Corolla and Matrix cars carrying defective engine control modules that could cause the vehicles to stall.

Toyota had already recalled over 10 million vehicles in the past year, mostly for unintended acceleration, denting its reputation for quality and attracting intense scrutiny from U.S. safety regulators.

Toyota said it would recall 740,000 Avalon, Highlander, Lexus GS300, IS250 and IS350 cars in the United States to replace a brake master cylinder seal because there was a possibility that some brake fluid could leak from the cylinder, causing the brake warning lamp to light up.

The recall is expected to begin in October.

MORE RECALL INFO:  

• 2005-2006: Toyota Avalon
• 2004-2006: Toyota Highlander (non-hybrid models)
• 2006: Lexus GS 300
• 2006: Lexus IS250 and IS350
• 2004-2006: Lexus RX 330

JULY 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2008 Lexus passenger cars manufactured from August 26, 2005 through August 4, 2008. Micro-foreign objects in the material of the valve spring may degrade the strength of the valve spring, possibly causing the spring to break. The engine could fail and stop suddenly while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during August 2010. . 10V-309

OCTOBER 2009 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. Toyota will notify owners of affected vehicles to remove any driver's floor mat and not replace it with any other floor mat pending the development of model-specific remedies. Toyota will mail a second notification to owners of affected vehicles notifying them of the free remedy when it is available. The first notice was mailed on October 30, 2009 and Toyota will advise NHTSA an estimate of the date when the remedy parts will be available.    09V-388

NEWS:   Toyota to recall 3.8M vehicles over floor mats

September 29, 2009 -- Yahoo News -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the United States, the company's largest-ever U.S. recall, to address problems with a removable floor mat that could cause accelerators to get stuck and lead to a crash.

The recall will involve popular models such as the Toyota Camry, the top-selling passenger car in America, and the Toyota Prius, the best-selling gas-electric hybrid.

Toyota said it was still working with officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find a remedy to fix the problem and said owners could be notified about the recall as early as next week. Toyota spokesman Irv Miller said until the company finds a fix, owners should take out the removable floor mat on the driver's side and not replace it.

"A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop a vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death," Miller said.

NHTSA said it had received reports of 102 incidents in which the accelerator may have become stuck on the Toyota vehicles involved. It was unclear how many led to crashes but the inquiry was prompted by a highspeed crash in August in California of a Lexus barreling out of control. As the vehicle hit speeds exceeding 120 mph, family members made a frantic 911 call and said the accelerator was stuck and they couldn't stop the vehicle.

"This is an urgent matter," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. "For everyone's sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration."

The recall will affect

• 2007-2010 Toyota Camry
• 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon
• 2004-2009 Toyota Prius
• 2005-2010 Tacoma
• 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra
• 2007-2010 Lexus ES350
• 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350.

Toyota's previously largest U.S. recall was about 900,000 vehicles in 2005 to fix a steering issue. The company declined to say how many complaints it had received about the accelerator issue.

The Japanese automaker warned owners that if they think their vehicle is accelerating out of control, they should check to see whether their floor mat is under the pedal. If a driver can't remove the floor mat, Toyota advises drivers to step on the brake pedal with both feet until the vehicle slows and then try to put it into neutral and switch the ignition to accessory power.

For vehicles with engine start/stop buttons, Toyota said the engine can be shut off by holding the button down for three seconds.

In the August incident near San Diego, the fiery crash of a 2009 Lexus ES 350 killed California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor, 45, and three members of his family on State Route 125 in Santee. The runaway car was traveling at more than 120 mph when it hit a sport utility vehicle, launched off an embankment, rolled several times and burst into flames. One of the family members called police about a minute before the crash to report the vehicle had no brakes and the accelerator was stuck. The call ended with someone telling people in the car to hold on and pray, followed by a woman's scream.

NHTSA investigators determined that a rubber all-weather floor mat found in the wreckage was slightly longer than the mat that belonged in the vehicle, something that could have snared or covered the accelerator pedal.

Toyota spokesman John Hanson said the final report had not yet been submitted in the California case.

"We don't know what the actual cause was of that accident other than preliminary reports that have been published so it's impossible for us to comment on that particular incident," Hanson said.

In mid-September, Toyota ordered 1,400 Toyota and Lexus dealers nationwide to ensure that each new, used and loaner vehicles had the proper floor mats and that the mats were properly secured.

In September 2007, Toyota recalled an accessory all-weather floor mat sold for use in some 2007 and 2008 model year Lexus ES 350 and Toyota Camry vehicles because of similar problems.

JANUARY 2009 -- Toyota is recalling 214,570 MY 2006-2008 Lexus IS, MY 2006-2007 GS and MY 2007-2008 LS passenger vehicles equipped with aluminum fuel delivery pipes (fuel rails). Ethanol fuels with a low moisture content will corrode the internal surface of the fuel rails. As this condition progresses, the engine malfunction indicator light may illuminate. Over time, the corrosion may create a pinhole resulting in fuel  leakage. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will inspect and replace the fuel delivery pipes free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during February 2009. Owners may contact Toyota/Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.   09V-020

NEWS:   Toyota Recalls 34,400 Lexus Cars In US For Fuel Pipes

CNN Money -- November 29, 2007 -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it will recall about a quarter of a million cars worldwide, including 34,400 Lexus models in the U.S., due to potential cracks in the fuel pipes.

The defect serves as another speed bump for the world's second-biggest auto maker, which has had to grapple with a surge in recalls and a ding in a recent quality survey as it moves swiftly towards becoming the industry's top dog.

The latest recall covers certain 2006 Lexus GS 300, IS 250 and IS 350 models in the U.S.

In Japan, a total of 215,020 cars, including Crown, Mark X and several Lexus models, built between December 2003 and December 2005 will also be called back for the fix.

Toyota said there have been no related accidents. Newly designed fuel pipes will replace the old when the recall begins in December.     CONTINUE

NEWS:    Toyota to recall 57,000 Lexus models

NOVEMBER 2007 -- Toyota is recalling 34,343 MY 2006 Lexus GS and IS vehicles. High stress areas may have been created in two specific fuel pipes located in the engine compartment. Combined with other factors such as the presence of corrosive agents in fuel, a crack may form over time leading to fuel leakage from the fuel line(s). Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Dealers will replace the two involved fuel lines with newly designed lines free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V545