Toyota Motor Corp said yesterday it would recall 4,500 Lexus vehicles in Japan to fix a computerized steering problem, with 7,000 more vehicles overseas also likely affected.
The automaker has received 12 complaints about the problem within Japan, but knows of no accidents that it has caused worldwide, spokesman Paul Nolasco said.
After being hit with a record US$16.4 million fine in the US and facing strong government criticism both at home and abroad for slow responses to safety problems, Toyota is working to react more quickly. The company on Tuesday paid the fine in the US, where it still faces hundreds of state and federal lawsuits.
The latest issue affects Toyota’s luxury Lexus “LS” line, and involves a computerized system that oversees how the steering wheel controls the tires.
The Lexus line is Toyota’s top-priced luxury sedan brand, and includes the “LS 600h” hybrid.
In addition to the 4,500 cars sold in Japan, about 7,000 have been sold abroad, including about 3,800 in the US, 150 in Europe and 800 in China, with others sold in areas such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Australia.
The steering system comes as standard in Japanese models, but is optional in some other regions. It varies the amount that the steering wheel turns the tires, allowing drivers to turn the wheel less at low speeds when attempting to navigate or park in tight spots and providing finer control at high speeds.
The system can take “a few seconds” to return the steering to normal after it has been adjusted, which led to complaints from drivers, Nolasco said.
He said Toyota was preparing to conduct a recall in Japan soon, but wasn’t sure of the exact timing.
Toyota recalled about 10,000 Lexus SUVs in April in the US after Consumer Reports magazine put a “Don’t Buy” recommendation on them for failing an emergency handling test. The magazine lifted the warning after the recall.
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