Recall Alert: 34,000 2006 Lexus GS, IS Sedans

Today, Lexus announced a recall on 2006-model-year GS 300 and IS 250/350 models. Approximately 34,000 cars are involved in the recall over two fuel pipes in high-stress areas that can crack over time. Only one case has been reported, with no accidents, the company says. 

The recall involves both rear- and all-wheel-drive versions of the GS and IS. Owners will receive notifications in the mail in December and can visit their Lexus dealer to have newly designed fuel pipes installed at no charge.

Comments

Yet another Toyota recall? They're becoming more "American" by the day. Ha!Ha! However, when was the last recall from Cadillac?

Doesn't take long does it for the bashers to come out?

The IS is one of the most reliable cars on the road (I believe this is the first recall for the model, for only the first-run year intro'd in '06). Not to mention IMHO the hottest looking sedan out there (too bad the driving dynamics don't match the looks).

Wish I had an IS...

I don't recall - get it? - any other problems with the IS either, at least off the top of my head. However, the GS has had many issues and has brought down Lexus' overall quality scores quite a bit.

Ok, there was a seatbelt recall in April 2006 and an airbag recall in March 2006 (133 units affected).

BC you asked, in 2006 Cadillac had:
CTS fuel system recall,
DTS steering system recall,
Escalade steering recall,
SRX wheels recall,
STS fuel system and cruise control recall.

That's just 2006. Lexus had a few others as well (LS, GS, RX400h - airbags on the first two and accelerator pedal on the RX).

My guess is that I'd rather have the Lexus recall than the GM recall - Lexus customer service is ranked very well.

Agreed LM. One very hot sedan. I remember seeing them in Japan in '99(?) badged as Toyota's and wondering why they didn't bring them here. I thought about it when I was looking for a commuter/sports car and wound up with the Z3 Coupe instead. A car I still admire the ass of all these 6 years later...

It doesn't matter how you look at it a recall is a recall, and toyota is having them every month. As far as the IS-model, I'll take the new C-class thank you very much!!

LM, RE: (too bad the driving dynamics don't match the looks)
Are you not aware of the upcoming Lexus IS F? 416 hp, 371 lb-ft torque 5.0L V8 and track worthy performance. Talk about Faster, Sleeker, Meaner! www.lexus.com/isf

At least Lexus recalls the cars before injuries happen. Recalls are not bad, it's when they don't recall them that it becomes bad. One incident and Lexus is recalling, amazing.

To IS owners this recall is probably not new, just official. I had my IS in for an oil change last month and the dealer asked if they could have another twenty minutes to inspect the 'down draft fuel line' (I think that's what he called it) as it's been an area of concern. They checked it out and it was fine. To double check I just contacted the dealer and they confirmed that's what it was about so I don't have to go back as my car is cleared. As a former BMW 3 & 5 Series owner it's not necessarily the IS that impresses me, rather it's the Lexus treatment all around, from quality and level of service to communication. I've been to two Lexus dealers for oil changes and inspections and must say, it's a small sampling, but they both had their act together. Something I never experienced with BMW. Glad to see Lexus is owning up to this recall issue. I don't think it's likely I will stray from the Lexus brand with my next purchase.

Lexus is indeed very wise to recall the part after just one insedent. They have been no accidents or injuries yet, so I believe that Lexus was smart and put the issue out there that there may be a problem.

Unlike most manufactures, they recalled it imeadiatly, and ADMITTED the problem. And that is one of the reasons that Lexus is ranked NUMBER 1 in cust satisfaction.

people dont realize that Toyotas and Lexus are not that reliable.

Recalls are just problems that the manufacturer decides to fix on all of the models instead of letting them trickle in to the dealers and call it a reliability problem.

Frankly, all vehicles have the same reliability. Some brands tend to make "recalls" to fix the problems on every car, while others allow the cars to come into the dealer to fix the problems as they occur. Or both.

AV - it's obvious you do not know what you're talking about. Recalls are government-issued either by force on the manufacturer (think Explorer blow-out/rollover) or voluntary by the manufacturer (such as this one). A recall would not be issued for a glove box falling apart or a dome light failing (think VW) but would be issued if that dome light failure could cause a fire. There's a big difference and NO, all companies do NOT have the same number of problems.

So.... Who made the faulty part? That's who's name should be attached to the recall stigma.

LM,
Actually, a recall can be for very insignificant things- such as the Cadillac SRX that you pointed out in one of your earlier posts (the 4th one)- that recall was for a label.

The cheapo Lexus are really tiny inside. I am not very tall, 6 foot and there are less space there than in any midsize sedan 10k cheaper, like a Fusion or an Accord.

Same for Acura TL.

Hope they do better than with the Camry 07.

Why does Lexus make such nice designs and Toyota makes so boring designs?

Well, all i have to say is that Lexus will do anything and everything to keep their customers out of harms way. I work for Lexus and this recall is a safety decision that Lexus has made. The possibility that even 20% of the vehicles will have problems with the pipe is very low, but they will replace them anyway.

Per Olaf,
If you have not noticed, the IS is a sports sedan competing with the 3 series, so by saying it is cramped inside when comparing to something else, like Camry is like comparing apples and oranges.

The Other Dan,
I believe the one that you are talking about is the Toyota Altezza. It is the first gen, my friend.
I just don't understand why didn't they bring that 2.0L 210hp I4 tuned by Yamaha into the states.

why is it that toyota/lexus is defended and aplauded for having a recall but every other company is criticized harshly for it. Toyotas are assembled by humans just like all of the other cars- people need to stop acting like they are more special than they are and stop sugar coating their problems.

No one is sugar coating anything. But there is a difference in being Pro-Active when issuing a recall and denying a problem exists until the gov't forces a company to issue a recall.

Finally, minor recalls for "labels" are significant as they inform people how things operate or to beware of certain things. Many of us have common sense that an SUV stands a greater chance of rolling over, but many other still don't get it - even with a label.

Well…this isn’t the whole story to it. This means that the Camry Toyota, the Toyota Avalon, and Toyota Corolla are also affected by this recall, since they are the same thing, except manufactured under a different brand.

Lexus is full of sensors. They never issue a recall on the Lexus ES and Toyota Camry that they have a problem with the fuel filler release. It breaks and when the driver runs out of gas, he can’t open it and the car stalls on the road and it causes a crash, which is a serious problem and can cause death of the driver. The Toyota Camry has the O2 sensor in the engine, so you have to take apart half the engine to replace the O2 sensor. No wonder a 2002 Toyota Camry’s exhaust smells like that of a 20 year old car. It has to, since the O2 sensor is hard to be replaced.

By the way, on the back it says Lexus, it doesn’t say Bosch or any other company. So Lexus is held accountable for it, not the company that made it. If it applies to Lexus, to blame the company that made the faulty part, then it goes for them all. I see how it is. It’s a Lexus. When it is some other company, like Nissan, then it is Nissan problem. Say the same thing for all, not just defend your beloved Toyotass.

By the way, Toyotass dealerships have no sense of customer service. The sales people just wear their pants up so high and are so unfriendly. they don’t even wanna admit to the fact that their products are designed with flaws. They don’t wanna fix anything. They don’t even honor the warranty. Toyota doesn’t even admit all the malfunctions their cars have.

Love it. LOL.

It's surprising stupid people have so much free time to write such nonsense. Oh wait, no it's not.

LM,
Why bother?

Do we have to start a topic about how ford's engines can die at lights for no reason and mechanics can't find out why?

J,
Sounds like a good idea. Lets change the subject because everyone is here to read about fords. lol

NO,NO,NO... Lexus IS, Toyota Camry, Avalon, and Corolla are NOT the same thing!!! They are built on completely different platforms! Another thing, the engine DOES NOT have to be disassembled to replace an O2 senor! So, the exhuast "HAS" to smell like that of a 20 year old car because it "is hard to be replaced"?!? What ridiculous logic! Emissions are HEAVILY regulated by the federal government, and monitored CONTINUOUSLY by the on-board diagnostic system. I assure you that if there is even a remote possibility that the emissions are out of spec, the MIL is illuminated! Please do some research and know what you are talking about before posting a comment here! Otherwise you're making a fool of yourself... as you have just proven! However, you may be right about Toyota salesmen wearing "their pants up so high"! I'll have to check on that one.

i am in the process of buying a lexus gs 300. but am a bit discouraged, by some of this comment. right now am in nigeria and we have very poor mechanics am afraid that i might have problems with it. please advice

Cruise Control in my 2008 ES350 does not work going down steeper hills. The brakes do not slow the car to the set speed. Is anyone else having this problem? My service mgr told me that's just the way it's supposed to work with Lexus; time for another recall!