FEBRUARY 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 and 2007 Lexus GS300 and GS350 all wheel drive (AWD) vehicles. There is a possibility that the plastic pad embedded into the floor carpet may interfere with the operation of the accelerator pedal. The accelerator pedal could temporarily become stuck in a partially depressed position rather than return to the idle position. A stuck accelerator pedal may result in unintended and sustained vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will modify the plastic pad on the floor carpet free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule.   11V-115

NEWS:   Toyota recalls 2.17 million vehicles in US

YAHOO NEWS -- February 23,  2011 – Toyota Motor Corp. recalled 2.17 million vehicles in the United States on Thursday to address accelerator pedals that could become entrapped in floor mats or jammed in driver's side carpeting, prompting federal regulators to close its investigation into the embattled automaker.

The Transportation Department said it had reviewed more than 400,000 pages of Toyota documents to determine whether the scope of the company's recalls for pedal entrapment was sufficient.

"As a result of the agency's review, (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) asked Toyota to recall these additional vehicles, and now that the company has done so, our investigation is closed," said NHTSA administrator David Strickland.

Toyota has now recalled more than 14 million vehicles globally to fix gas pedals and other safety problems since 2009. The company has received intense scrutiny from the government since August 2009, when four people were killed in a high-speed crash involving a Lexus near San Diego.

U.S. regulators largely cleared the company earlier this month, saying that electronic flaws were not to blame for reports of sudden, unintended acceleration that led to hundreds of complaints. Transportation officials tied the problems to mechanical defects dealt with in recalls and "pedal misapplication," in which the driver stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes. The company has, however, paid the U.S. government a record $48.8 million in fines for its handling of three recalls.

The world's No. 1 automaker has tried to move beyond the recalls, vowing to heed customer complaints and upgrade its safety technology. The company has installed on new vehicles brake override systems, which automatically cut the throttle when the brake and gas pedals are applied simultaneously, and created engineering teams to examine vehicles that are the subject of consumer complaints.

In its latest safety action, Toyota said more than half of the vehicles under recall were being added to a massive 2009 recall that fixed gas pedals getting trapped in the floor mat.

The Japanese automaker said it would add three models to the 2009 pedal entrapment recall: about 600,000 4Runner SUVs from the 2003-2009 model years; 761,000 RAV4 compact SUVs from the 2006-2010 model years; and 17,000 Lexus LX 570s from the 2008-2011 model years.

Toyota spokesman...said the additional pedal entrapment recalls were "based on our continued constructive dialogue with NHTSA. While our actions up to now have led to a substantial reduction in reports of acceleration concerns, we mutually agreed that Toyota would take these additional steps to help ensure that acceleration concerns are further reduced."

The recall also includes 372,000 RX 330, RX 350 and RX 400H vehicles from the 2004 through early 2007 model years and 397,000 2004-2006 Toyota Highlander SUVs and hybrid versions to replace floor carpet covering and retention clips on the driver's side that could interfere with the accelerator pedal arm.

Toyota also recalled 20,000 2006 through early 2007 GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel drive vehicles to change the shape of a plastic pad embedded in the driver's side floor carpet that could cause pedal interference.

Lyons said the company was unaware of any accidents or injuries related to the new recalls. He said Toyota was pleased NHTSA had closed its investigation.

Toyota still faces dozens of lawsuits from owners. NHTSA has received about 3,000 reports of sudden acceleration incidents involving Toyota vehicles during the past decade, including allegations of 93 deaths. NHTSA, however, has confirmed five of them.

The company said owners of the recalled GS 300 and GS 350 vehicles will be notified of the recall in early March. Owners of the RX and Highlander vehicles will be notified in the "near future" and receive a second notification once replacement covers are available.

Owners of the recalled 4Runner, LX 570 and RAV4s will also receive an initial notification in the near future, followed by a second notification once the recall preparations are complete.

MORE RECALL INFO:

• Toyota 4Runner
• Toyota Highlander
• Toyota RAV4
• Lexus GS
• Lexus LX
• Lexus RX

NEWS:   Toyota recalls 255,000 Lexus GS & IS in North America

YAHOO NEWS -- January 26,  2011 –   Toyota is recalling 1.7 million vehicles, the bulk of them in Japan, for various defects that may cause fuel leakage — the latest in quality control woes for the world's No. 1 automaker.

Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it was recalling a wide range of models, including the IS and GS Lexus luxury models in North America and the Avensis sedan and station wagon models in Europe.

There were no accidents suspected of being related to the defects, according to Toyota. Toyota said it had received 77 complaints overseas, 75 of them in North America, and more than 140 in Japan.

In one of the problems announced Wednesday, an improper installation of a sensor to measure fuel pressure may cause the sensor to loosen as a result of engine vibration over time, and possibly cause fuel leakage, the company said. That problem also affects 280,000 Lexus cars sold abroad, 255,000 of them in North America and 10,000 in Europe.

Included under that recall are the 2006 through 2007 Lexus GS300/350, 2006 through early 2009 Lexus IS250, and 2006 through early 2008 Lexus IS350 sold in the U.S.

Lexus dealers will inspect the vehicles for fuel leakage and will tighten the fuel pressure sensor with the proper torque, if nothing is leaking. If a leak is confirmed, the gasket between the sensor and the delivery pipe will be replaced, it said.  In December, Toyota agreed to pay $32.4 million in fines to the U.S. government to settle the investigation into its handling of two recalls. The latest settlement was on top of the $16.4 million fine Toyota paid earlier.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Lexus GS
• Lexus IS

JANUARY 2011 - Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Lexus IS and model year 2006-2007 Lexus GS vehicles. Due to insufficient tightening of the fuel pressure sensor connected to an engine fuel delivery pipe with nickel phosphorus plating, there is a possibility that, over time, the pressure sensor could loosen. If loosening occurs, fuel could leak past a gasket used in the connection between the sensor and the pipe and through the threaded portion of the sensor. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will inspect for fuel leakage from the threaded portion of the fuel pressure sensor and if a fuel leak is not confirmed, dealers will further tighten the fuel pressure sensor with the proper torque. If a fuel leak is confirmed, the gasket between the sensor and the fuel deliver pipe will be replaced with a new one, and the sensor will be tightened with the proper torque. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during March 2011. 11V-029

OCTOBER 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 Avalon, model year 2004-2006 Highlander, model year 2004-2006 Lexus RX, and model year 2006 Lexus GS and IS vehicles. Brake fluid containing polymers is used that acts as lubricants for certain brake system components. If replacement brake fluid is used that does not contain such polymers, or that contains only small amounts, a part of the rubber seal located at the rear of the brake master cylinder may become dry, and the seal may curl during movement of the piston. If this occurs, a small amount of brake fluid could slowly leak from the seal into the brake booster. A leak of brake fluid could lead to a change in brake pedal feel and overtime a degradation in braking performance increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the seal with a newly designed one. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2010.  10V-499

NEWS:  Toyota to recall 1.66 million cars over brake fluid leak

YAHOO NEWS -- October 21,  2010 –  Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday it would repair 1.66 million Avalon and other vehicles, mostly in Japan and the United States, in the latest large-scale recall to plague the world's biggest automaker.

The announcement came less than two months after a recall in Canada and the United States of 1.3 million Corolla and Matrix cars carrying defective engine control modules that could cause the vehicles to stall.

Toyota had already recalled over 10 million vehicles in the past year, mostly for unintended acceleration, denting its reputation for quality and attracting intense scrutiny from U.S. safety regulators.

Toyota said it would recall 740,000 Avalon, Highlander, Lexus GS300, IS250 and IS350 cars in the United States to replace a brake master cylinder seal because there was a possibility that some brake fluid could leak from the cylinder, causing the brake warning lamp to light up.

The recall is expected to begin in October.

MORE RECALL INFO:  

• 2005-2006: Toyota Avalon
• 2004-2006: Toyota Highlander (non-hybrid models)
• 2006: Lexus GS 300
• 2006: Lexus IS250 and IS350
• 2004-2006: Lexus RX 330

JULY 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2008 Lexus passenger cars manufactured from August 26, 2005 through August 4, 2008. Micro-foreign objects in the material of the valve spring may degrade the strength of the valve spring, possibly causing the spring to break. The engine could fail and stop suddenly while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during August 2010. . 10V-309

NEWS:   Toyota Recalls 34,400 Lexus Cars In US For Fuel Pipes

CNN Money -- November 29, 2007 -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it will recall about a quarter of a million cars worldwide, including 34,400 Lexus models in the U.S., due to potential cracks in the fuel pipes.

The defect serves as another speed bump for the world's second-biggest auto maker, which has had to grapple with a surge in recalls and a ding in a recent quality survey as it moves swiftly towards becoming the industry's top dog.

The latest recall covers certain 2006 Lexus GS 300, IS 250 and IS 350 models in the U.S.

In Japan, a total of 215,020 cars, including Crown, Mark X and several Lexus models, built between December 2003 and December 2005 will also be called back for the fix.

Toyota said there have been no related accidents. Newly designed fuel pipes will replace the old when the recall begins in December.     CONTINUE

JANUARY 2009 -- Toyota is recalling 214,570 MY 2006-2008 Lexus IS, MY 2006-2007 GS and MY 2007-2008 LS passenger vehicles equipped with aluminum fuel delivery pipes (fuel rails). Ethanol fuels with a low moisture content will corrode the internal surface of the fuel rails. As this condition progresses, the engine malfunction indicator light may illuminate. Over time, the corrosion may create a pinhole resulting in fuel  leakage. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will inspect and replace the fuel delivery pipes free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during February 2009. Owners may contact Toyota/Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.   09V-020

NEWS:    Toyota to recall 57,000 Lexus models

NOVEMBER 2007 -- Toyota is recalling 34,343 MY 2006 Lexus GS and IS vehicles. High stress areas may have been created in two specific fuel pipes located in the engine compartment. Combined with other factors such as the presence of corrosive agents in fuel, a crack may form over time leading to fuel leakage from the fuel line(s). Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Dealers will replace the two involved fuel lines with newly designed lines free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V545