Lexus Recall Issued Due to Fuel Pipe Problems, Leaks

Toyota Motor Corp. has issued a recall for about 1.7 million Lexus and Toyota vehicles sold worldwide, but the recall only affects about 245,000 Lexus vehicles sold in the United States. The recall was issued due to fuel pipe problems, which may pose a risk of fuel leaks. 

The Lexus recall was announced on January 26, affecting U.S. models of the 2006 and 2007 model year Lexus GS300/350, the 2006 through 2009 model year Lexus IS250 and the 2006 through 2008 model year Lexus IS 350. No Toyota vehicles sold in the United States are affected by the recall.

According to Toyota, the vehicles have a fuel pressure sensor which may have been insufficiently tightened on certain engine fuel delivery pipes. The pressure sensors could loosen over time and cause fuel to leak past a gasket between the sensor and the delivery pipe.

Lexus dealers will inspect affected vehicles free of charge for fuel leakage. If no fuel leak is found then they will tighten the fuel pressure sensor. If a leak is detected, the delivery pipe will be replaced and the sensor tightened.

About 1.3 million vehicles are being recalled at the same time in Japan due to fuel delivery pipe problems, but that defect involves a high pressure fuel pump check valve and does not affect any U.S. vehicles, the company claims. In addition, another 141,000 Avensis sold in Europe and New Zealand are being recalled for yet a third, different, fuel pipe problem that could result in cracks and fuel leaks.

The Japan recall is the second-largest recall in that country’s history.

The Toyota recalls come as Toyota lawsuits over sudden unexpected acceleration move forward in federal court and new lawsuits continue to be filed against the beleaguered auto maker. Earlier this month, seven insurance companies filed lawsuits against Toyota to recover damages they paid out over incidents of uncontrolled acceleration which led to a recall of 8.5 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles being recalled due to acceleration problems.

About 400 Toyota personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits have been centralized and consolidated under Judge James V. Selna for pretrial proceedings in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Santa Ana as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL). All of the lawsuits contain allegations that drivers or passengers experienced an injury or death after their Toyota vehicles accelerated unexpectedly out of control.

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