GS69

Toyota to Recall 215,020 Lexus
Wed Nov 28, 1:02 AM ET

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said on Wednesday it would recall 215,020 units of the Lexus GS, Crown and three other high-end car models in Japan to fix a faulty fuel pipe that could lead to a fuel leakage.

The recall covers Crown, Lexus GS350, Lexus IS250, Lexus IS350 and Mark X sedans manufactured between December 2003 and December 2005, Japan's top automaker said in a filing with the transport ministry. No accident has been reported.

Another 49,000 of the Lexus models with the same design defect will be recalled in the United States, Britain and Canada and other markets, a spokesman said.

Shares in Toyota reacted little, falling 2.0 percent to 5,980 yen in late trade, largely unchanged from levels before the news.

Rexus300

iTrader: (1)

What is confusing that the GS350 and IS350 were never made during the periods of year 2003 to December 2005?? This is the old generation GS.

EyeKutr

iTrader: (5)

Actually the new gen gs300 was made, maybe the is as well. I am pretty sure mine will be in that recall, i have the oldest 2006 GS300 ....made Jan 2005

GS69

Lexus Recalls 34,400 GS 300, IS 250/350 in US
TORRANCE, Calif./TOKYO — Toyota Motor Sales USA said it is recalling approximately 34,400 2006 Lexus GS 300, IS 250 and IS 350 models to fix faulty fuel pipes in the engine compartment. The recall involves both two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models.

It is part of a larger global recall by Toyota Motor of some 215,020 units of the Lexus GS, Crown and three other high-end car models in Japan.

Toyota Motor Sales USA spokesperson Nancy Hubbell told Inside Line that "we've seen only one occurrence [of the problem] in the U.S." with no injuries or accidents reported. The recall is being launched in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In a statement on Wednesday, Toyota's U.S. sales arm said, "A possible crack may form over time in two specific fuel pipes in the engine compartment in the affected models.

"The condition is due to high-stress areas that may have been created in two specific fuel pipes in the engine compartment during the manufacturing process," it said. "Combined with other factors such as the presence of corrosive agents in the fuel, a crack may form in the high-stress areas over time that could lead to fuel leakage."

Owners of the affected vehicles in the U.S. will be notified of the recall in early December. Lexus dealers will replace the fuel pipes with redesigned ones at no charge.

The recall casts a pall on what has been the largely sterling reputation of Toyota's upscale brand. It is yet another blow to the Japanese auto giant, which is still smarting from its plunge in October in Consumer Reports' 2007 reliability survey.

The consumer watchdog said it no longer recommends the V6 version of the best-selling 2007 Toyota Camry or the four-wheel-drive V8 version of the 2007 Toyota Tundra because of below-average reliability. The all-wheel-drive version of the Lexus GS sedan also scored a below-average rating and is no longer recommended. Toyota fell from 1st to 5th place in the Consumer Reports ranking for 2007, behind Honda, Acura, Scion and Subaru.

GS69

I think that the author was just kind of lazy & only called the vehicle by its current name. The article I just posted shows that it includes the GS 300.

safricags

where can i see the manufacture date?

Rexus300

iTrader: (1)

Ah, now thats why. The new news above corrects it all.

SilverSprt

Ok, what a lame article. I saw GS350 and my heart skipped a beat, but when i saw "December 2003 and December 2005" I scratched my head. I think we should be ok.

marshmallo

Just got my recall notice today in the mail. My car was built in Aug 2005.

Apparently it is a very serious recall that in the worst case could lead to
a fire...

EyeKutr

iTrader: (5)

my car already had the repair done last week

dunnojack

this recall doesn't include the 350 right?

if they fixed the pipe after dec 2005, why did they take 2 years to issue the recall?

gs9351

Can you please share with me how the repair went? Any problems so far, and did your fuel level in the tank remain the same? Is this an overnight repair?

I need to schedule an appointment but the dealership is very busy now, they cannot take me until after the new year. Also, is most of the work done above or below the vehicle? Any info you may have is greatly appreciated - thanks.

EyeKutr

iTrader: (5)

I had also had the rear view mirror replaced for vibrating too much....they did a repair at the back of the engine compartment, I could tell they had removed the left sided engine cover, so i re-removed it and inspected, things looked OK, I did not notice any scracthes anywhere and short of tighthening the air intake hose clamp, things looked OK LOL.....I am pretty sure they removed the air box and replaced something on that side....it was there for 3 days since I dropped it off on a friday, picked up tuesday. No dings this time around, I am happy.

lxgs4

For those who want to know what goes into replacing the fuel pipes, the intake manifold needs to come off the vehicle to access the lines. At the dealership where I work, it takes about 2 hrs to complete the repair from start to finish if the parts are available and also depends on how busy the shop is that day.

When you ask about the fuel level remaining the same, what do you mean by that? Here at our dealership, we fill the tank up when we are done with the repair.

gs9351

Many thanks to eyekutr and lxgs4 for the info. Besides the obvious cosmetic scratches, dings, etc. I was concerned if there is some loss of fuel when the lines are opened up, and if its replaced. Actually, I am more concerned about air leaks when the intake is removed. Do they reuse air intake gaskets or are they replaced as part of the recall kit? Also I'm concerned about contamination in the fuel lines, hoping that I won't be getting any check engine lights from the repair, given all the sensors in the air and fuel circuitry. I have very low miles on my car and I certainly don't want to deal with error codes induced by bad workmanship during this process, regardless of warranty coverage.