Lexus Steering: Electric Power Assist System

Lexus is recalling about 3,800 vehicles over a problem with the steering. Improper activation of the steering system protection logic can cause the steering wheel to become off-centered up to 90 degrees.

Campaign
10V218000
Manufacturer
TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reported
21 May 2010
Vehicles
3,800
Built between
Aug 2009 – May 2010
Models
4
Recall type
Vehicle
Initiated by
Manufacturer
Owners notified
12 July 2010
Repaired
Not reported
Unrepaired
Not reported

Does this affect my vehicle?

This recall covers vehicles built between August 2009 and May 2010. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.

  • 2009-2010 Lexus LS460Built August 2009 to May 2010
  • 2009-2010 Lexus LS460LBuilt August 2009 to May 2010
  • 2010 Lexus LS600HBuilt November 2009 to May 2010
  • 2010 Lexus LS600HLBuilt November 2009 to May 2010

What the defect is

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 lexus LS460 and LS600 vehicles manufactured from august 20, 2009 through may 13, 2010. A programming change of the steering control ECU for the variable gear ratio steering (vgrs) system can cause improper activation of the steering system protection logic designed to protect the system when larger than normal steering inputs are applied at a fully turned position.

What could happen

Improper activation of the steering system protection logic can cause the steering wheel to become off-centered up to 90 degrees. This may occur after the driver has fully turned the steering wheel in one direction then quickly attempts to turn it back to the center position. Should this occur while driving, the risk of a crash is increased.

What gets fixed

TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND LEXUS DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING CONTROL ECU FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2010.

Timeline

  1. Vehicles builtAugust 2009 to May 2010
  2. Recall reported to NHTSA21 May 2010
  3. Owners notified12 July 2010

Your rights

A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.

That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 21 May 2010.

To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.

Manufacturer contact

Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Official source

Recalling manufacturer
TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Recall initiated by
MFR

Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Additional notes

Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Check your own vehicle

This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.

A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.

Same component

Same brand