Update for GX 460 Recall Now Available at Lexus Dealers
A statement from Mark Templin
Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager
April 29, 2010

“I’m happy to announce that an update for the 2010 GX 460 vehicle stability control system is now available at Lexus dealers nationwide. Our dealers began contacting customers yesterday offering to make arrangements to perform the update, and we expect them to get in touch with most GX owners within one week. With the revision now in place, we are also resuming sales of the 2010 GX 460. We are confident that the update will make the performance of the GX even better for our customers.

“Since it was launched more than 20 years ago, Lexus has built its reputation on customer respect and concern for safety. When Consumer Reports announced on April 13 that the 2010 GX 460 did not pass their “Throttle Lift-Off” test, we immediately stopped selling the vehicle and commenced a vigorous investigation. Thanks to the quick response and hard work by our engineers, we were able to identify and correct the issue in just about two weeks. This is our assurance to Lexus customers that their safety and satisfaction are our top priorities.

“As previously announced, we will continue to provide a courtesy vehicle to anyone who has purchased a 2010 GX 460 and has concerns about driving it until the recall work has been completed.

“Customers who have any questions or concerns should contact their local Lexus dealer or Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1-800-25LEXUS or 1-800-255-3987.”

Contacts:
Ming-Jou Chen – (310) 468-4782 or ming-jou_chen@lexus.com
Bill Kwong – (310) 468-3764 or bill_kwong@lexus.com

Lexus GX 460 Passes Retest
Consumer Reports' "Don't Buy" Label Lifted

YONKERS, N.Y., May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer Reports is lifting the Don't Buy: Safety Risk designation from the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV after recall work corrected the problem it displayed in one of their emergency handling tests.

CR's engineers originally experienced the problem in a test that they use to evaluate what's called lift-off oversteer. In this test, as the vehicle is driven through a turn, the driver quickly lifts his foot off the accelerator pedal to see how the vehicle reacts. When testers did this with their GX 460, its rear end slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways. Although the GX 460 has electronic stability control, which is designed to prevent a vehicle from sliding, the system wasn't intervening quickly enough to stop the slide. CR considers this a safety risk because in a real-world situation this could cause a rear tire to strike a curb or slide off of the pavement, possibly causing the vehicle to roll over. Tall vehicles with a high center of gravity, such as the GX 460, heighten CR's concern. CR is not aware, however, of any reports of injury related to this problem.

Lexus recently duplicated the problem on its own test track and developed a software upgrade for the vehicle's ESC system that would prevent the problem from happening. Dealers received the software fix last week and began notifying GX 460 owners to bring their vehicles in for repair.

CR contacted the Lexus dealership from which they had anonymously bought the vehicle and made an appointment to have the recall work performed. The work took about an hour and a half.

Following that, CR's engineers again put the SUV through the full series of emergency handling tests. This time, the ESC system intervened earlier and its rear did not slide out in the lift-off oversteer test. Instead, the vehicle understeered -- or plowed -- when it exceeded its limits of traction, which is a more common result and makes the vehicle more predictable and less likely to roll over. Overall, CR did not experience any safety concerns with the corrected GX 460 in CR's handling tests.

CR urges all affected GX 460 owners to have the recall work performed as soon as possible. Meanwhile, repaired GXs have gone back on sale.

With the fix, the GX 460's handling is ultimately secure but is still ponderous and ungainly, as is common with traditional body-on-frame SUVs. In addition, the vehicle rides comfortably, has a plush, quiet, interior, and provides quick acceleration, but its third-row seat is cramped. Overall, there are better choices if you're looking for a seven-passenger SUV, including the Acura MDX and Buick Enclave. To help buyers see how the GX 460 compares with competitive vehicles, CR is also posting its ratings and full road test of it today (available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers).

SOURCE Consumer Reports