Indiana Lemon Law Blog

The latest to join the Toyota Recall Club is Toyota’s top-priced luxury cars, and it includes the “LS 600h” hybrid. Lexus LS is the only vehicle from Toyota that is priced in excess of $100,000 and it has now joined the casualty ward because of steering problems.

Toyota Motor Corporation does not appear to be allowing itself a breather from recalls of its prestigious cars when it has decided to recall its high profile sedans. The company has sold about 7,000 Lexus “LS” sedans in the U.S., Europe, China, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Australia. The recalls to fix this steering problem will apply to the LS 460, LS 460 L, LS 600h, and the LS 600h L. and affects 3,800 2010 “LS” in the United States.

The recall figures of Lexus LS may not be overwhelming but it would be a cause of embarrassment to Toyota considering its promise of a flawless and outstanding car to its consumers. Sadly, the steering problems have let this supreme vehicle down, adding to the spate of Toyota recalls.

This was after a series of complaints from consumers in Japan about steering problem.

The issues:

• Steering wheels in the affected cars came off center and out of alignment with the direction of the car’s wheels

The issues involve a computerized system that oversees how the steering wheel controls the tires

The steering system oversees the steering wheel that turns the tires on a car. The drivers can turn the wheels at a very low speed while attempting to navigate as in small parking slots and at very high speeds. Drivers complained that during both these processes, the wheels of their Lexus LS failed to quickly return to their original position but took “a few seconds”.

According to a Toyota spokesperson, the problem is due to mechanical components and software issues.

This debacle of recall of the luxury car Lexus LS from Toyota would do no good to the morale of the auto giant and the trust of the consumers. Toyota has agreed to pay a record fine for failing to maintain acceptable safety standards in its vehicles. The series of recalls and the congressional hearings are only adding insult to injury. Tuesday Toyota had paid a record $16.4 million fine in the U.S and still has to clear scores of state and federal lawsuits.

Toyota has ordered a recall of over 8 million vehicles since November 2009, mostly for the well publicized floor mat and accelerator pedal issues and unintended accelerations. Toyota believes that faulty electronics are not to be blamed for unintended accelerations in those vehicles. Toyota has recalled about 10,000 Lexus SUVs in April in the U.S. after Consumer Reports magazine put a “Don’t Buy” recommendation on them for failing an emergency handling test. The magazine relented and lifted the rating only after 34,000 vehicles were recalled worldwide.