Personal Injury Law

Consumer Reports Warns On Lexus Vehicle

Consumer Reports has given the Lexus GX 460 SUV a rare "Don't Buy" warning, saying a problem that occurred during routine handling tests could lead to a rollover accident in real-world driving.

In another hit to Toyota's reputation, the magazine reported that during a test of the vehicle's performance during unusual turns, the rear of the vehicle slid until it was nearly sideways before the electronic stability control system kicked in.

Consumer Reports said in real-world driving, this could cause a rollover accident. As a result, the magazine has given the seven-seat SUV a "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" label until the problem is fixed.

Consumer Reports said the last vehicle to receive such a warning was the 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Limited. It said among the 95 SUVs in its current ratings, no other slid as far as the GX 460.

In a statement Toyota said it is concerned with Consumer Reports' findings, adding that its engineers will try to duplicate the magazine's tests to determine its next steps.

Starting at about $52,000, the GX 460 is a small-volume vehicle for Lexus, Toyota Motor Corp.'s luxury brand. It went on sale in November and only about 5,000 have been sold since then. But the warning represents yet another blow for Toyota's tarnished reputation for safety following recalls of millions of vehicles for faulty gas pedals. The GX 460 is not covered by the pedal recalls.

Consumer Reports said the problem occurred during a handling test on its test track. During the test, the driver approaches a turn unusually fast, then releases the accelerator pedal to simulate the response of an alarmed driver. This causes the rear of the vehicle to slide.

In normal cases, the vehicle's electronic stability control should quickly correct the loss of control. But in the case of the GX 460, the stability control took too long to adjust, causing a risk of rolling over. However, Consumer Reports said it is not aware of any reports of the vehicle rolling over. The magazine said it tested two separate vehicles, both of which experienced the problem, but neither rolled over.

The GX 460 is built on the same platform as the Toyota 4Runner, but Consumer Reports said the problem did not occur during similar tests on the 4Runner. According to Toyota's Web site, both vehicles are about six feet tall but the GX 460 is about 3 inches taller.

Consumer Reports said it is very rare for the magazine to caution consumers against buying a vehicle because of safety concerns. The Mitsubishi Montero, a large SUV, received such a warning in its August 2001 issue after testers claimed its wheels lifted off the ground during standard avoidance-maneuver tests.

Full post as published by Georgia Injury Lawyer Blog on April 16, 2010 (boomark / email).