Lexus Recalls 34,400 Lexus Units

Anthony Fontanelle
December 11, 2007

As Japanese automaker Toyota gets ready to become the world's largest automaker, more and more units are being recalled. Recently, the automaker announced that they would be recalling 34,400 Lexus units in the United States due to potential cracks in the fuel pipes.

This is the most recent setback that the automaker has faced this year. For months, Toyota which has been known for its reliable vehicles has recalled hundreds of thousands of vehicles due to varying mechanical problems. As a result of their recalls, the reputation of the company is being put at risk. New studies are showing that Toyota and Lexus has both dropped in the rankings when it comes to perceived reliability of their vehicles.

The latest recalls involve 2006 model year versions of the Lexus GS 300, IS 250, and IS 350 in the United States. Apart from the vehicles being recalled in the United States, the Japanese automaker also announced that they would recall 215,020 vehicles in Japan including certain Lexus models. Cars built between December 2003 and December 2005 is the subject of the recalls.

Lexus has always been at the top of the rankings when it comes to consumers' review of their reliability. In several studies, the luxury division of the world's second largest automaker has shown time and time again that it is the leader in the production of quality vehicles.

According to Toyota, no accident related to the discovered problem has been reported. The automaker further announced that new fuel pipes will be used to replace the old ones on the vehicles that they will recall. A cracked pipe line is a very potentially harmful problem that could lead to serious accidents.

Although recalls have been announced by the automaker, they still managed to sell more vehicles for this year. This shows that consumers trust Toyota's product even with the massive recalls. Consumer Reports even went as far as rating Toyota's V6 Camry and the V8 Tundra below the industry average. Jim Lentz, now the head of Toyota's US division, called that an embarrassment for the automaker.

Experts though have an explanation regarding the massive recalls. With Toyota experiencing increased demand year after year, they are forced to react immediately. This means that their assembly plants are not ready for the massive demand which in turn results to sub par quality of parts being produced. Still, many consumers trust that Toyota will be able to cope immediately and return to manufacturing quality vehicles and auto parts such as Lexus radiators.

Source:  Amazines.com