Consumer Reports finds flaw with Lexus ES, GS emergency trunk safety release, alerts NHTSA

Consumer Reports has found what it says is a flaw with the emergency trunk release handles in certain Lexus models. During testing, the organization found that the federally mandated emergency handles on new Lexus ES and GS sedans can easily break if pulled toward the user (presumably a person trapped inside the vehicle's trunk). Once broken, the handles no longer function, creating a safety hazard. CR also checked other vehicles in its fleet, but found no such similar defect. As a result, the watchdog alerted both parent Toyota, which has launched its own internal investigation, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to the issue. Both the automaker and NHTSA are currently determining whether further action needs to be taken.

As you may recall, this isn't the first time Consumer Reports has blown the safety whistle on a Lexus model. In 2010, CR discovered a flaw in the stability control system of the Lexus GX SUV that lead to increased rollover risk during evasive maneuvers. In that case, Toyota quickly issued a recall, complete with a software update to take care of the problem


http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/12/c...s-emergency-t/

 

Coincidently I find flaws with Consumer Reports

Mafia/Yakuza immediately puts in orders for ES/GS due to consumer report findings

 

safety flaws?



....humm, so they spent .05 on the handle instead of .06...just acknowledge it, fix it, and move on.
Not recall worthy IMO, but then again I don't have any kids around my house/cars either.

 

lol

I bet this becomes headline news cause its a Lexus

 

Consumer Reports finds anything to make a press release to help with sagging circulation

 

I've taken apart my trunk so many times and never once broke let alone bent the trunk release.

 

Why would anyone need to escape from the trunk in an emergency in the first place? I believe that on all Lexus sedans you cannot fold down the rear seats anyway, so if someone should for whatever reason get stuck inside their Lexus, they simply need to smash the window out in order to exit the vehicle.

 

kids playing around and getting stuck int he trunk maybe?
...or worse...kid getting stuffed in the trunk by bullies?

doesn't apply to IS.

 

apply or not. IS's is till flimsy too but I've never broken it. I call user error but Toyota will address the problem like they always due despite the general public being foolish

 

Must had been a slow day at CR. This is just silly. Has anyone here ever known somone who's actually been locked inside a Lexus trunk?

 

they probably just could not find anything else....

 

"Consumer Report issues recall for all pre-2000 model cars that didn't come with trunk release."

 

it looks like they applied so force to the thin latch... I guess this is anti-mafia law and Lexus made it easy for mafia to go around it :P

 

Lexus or not, it happens

http://www.fox16.com/news/local/stor...e1DTEKHdw.cspx

 

I honestly cannot picture such a scenario happening.

I think Consumer Reports needed to sell a few publications and this "Lexus issue" was the perfect chance to create buzz.