dan9999
04-13-2010, 11:44 AM
Lexus SUV a rollover risk -- Consumer Reports
Peter Valdes-Dapena
CNNMoney
April 13, 2010: 6:08 AM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Consumer Reports has issued a safety warning on Toyota's 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV because of an increased rollover risk during a turn.
The magazine says it uncovered the problem during routine tests, and is urging car shoppers not to buy the GX 460 until this problem has been remedied.
The special designation given to the GX 460 by Consumer Reports -- "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" -- is rarely given by the magazine. The last time it was used was in 2001, on the Mitsubishi Montero Limited.
About 5,000 GX 460s have been sold in the roughly three months the model has been on sale, the magazine said. It advises current owners of this vehicle to approach exit ramps with caution, and to call Toyota demanding a fix for the problem.
The SUV's electronic stability control program failed to keep the vehicle in line during a severe handling maneuver, allowing it to slide almost completely sideways, said Douglas Love, Consumer Reports spokesman. That situation could lead to a rollover, Love said.
Electronic stability control (ESC) is a computerized system that controls the brakes and accelerator to help maintain vehicle control in abrupt maneuvers.
The problem with the Lexus' ESC system became apparent during tests designed to detect a specific emergency handling problem -- one in which a vehicle's back end slides outward when the driver lifts his foot from the gas pedal during a turn. The GX's ESC system did not become active until the SUV had already skidded dangerously, Love said.
The test mimics a driver's typical response to encountering an obstacle in the midst of a turn or to finding a turn to be unexpectedly tight.
"CR believes that, in real-world driving, that situation could lead to a rollover accident which could cause serious injury or death," the magazine said in a statement.
However, Consumer Reports also said in its statement that is not aware of any reports of injuries or deaths caused by the problem.
The problem was not an isolated occurrence, Love said, but occurred during tests conducted by four different Consumer Reports test drivers. To confirm the results, Consumer Reports tested a second GX 460 and found the same problem.
The GX 460 was completely redesigned and re-engineered for the 2010 model year. The problem did not occur on Lexus GX models from prior model years.
The problem was also absent during tests of the closely related 2010 Toyota 4Runner SUV, Love said. The 4Runner was also redesigned for the 2010 model year.
Electronic stability control systems have proven extremely effective in reducing dangerous single vehicle crashes. According to separate analyses by the privately funded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Department of Transportation, ESC systems have been shown to reduce the risk of fatal crashes by as much as a third. The systems will be required on all cars by 2012.
Lexus is Toyota's luxury division, and a company spokesman declined to comment on Consumer Reports' allegations.
Toyota has been facing a public relations crisis surrounding allegations of unintended acceleration in many of its most popular vehicles. In the past year, the automaker has recalled 8 million vehicles worldwide for safety issues.
Peter Valdes-Dapena
CNNMoney
April 13, 2010: 6:08 AM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Consumer Reports has issued a safety warning on Toyota's 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV because of an increased rollover risk during a turn.
The magazine says it uncovered the problem during routine tests, and is urging car shoppers not to buy the GX 460 until this problem has been remedied.
The special designation given to the GX 460 by Consumer Reports -- "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" -- is rarely given by the magazine. The last time it was used was in 2001, on the Mitsubishi Montero Limited.
About 5,000 GX 460s have been sold in the roughly three months the model has been on sale, the magazine said. It advises current owners of this vehicle to approach exit ramps with caution, and to call Toyota demanding a fix for the problem.
The SUV's electronic stability control program failed to keep the vehicle in line during a severe handling maneuver, allowing it to slide almost completely sideways, said Douglas Love, Consumer Reports spokesman. That situation could lead to a rollover, Love said.
Electronic stability control (ESC) is a computerized system that controls the brakes and accelerator to help maintain vehicle control in abrupt maneuvers.
The problem with the Lexus' ESC system became apparent during tests designed to detect a specific emergency handling problem -- one in which a vehicle's back end slides outward when the driver lifts his foot from the gas pedal during a turn. The GX's ESC system did not become active until the SUV had already skidded dangerously, Love said.
The test mimics a driver's typical response to encountering an obstacle in the midst of a turn or to finding a turn to be unexpectedly tight.
"CR believes that, in real-world driving, that situation could lead to a rollover accident which could cause serious injury or death," the magazine said in a statement.
However, Consumer Reports also said in its statement that is not aware of any reports of injuries or deaths caused by the problem.
The problem was not an isolated occurrence, Love said, but occurred during tests conducted by four different Consumer Reports test drivers. To confirm the results, Consumer Reports tested a second GX 460 and found the same problem.
The GX 460 was completely redesigned and re-engineered for the 2010 model year. The problem did not occur on Lexus GX models from prior model years.
The problem was also absent during tests of the closely related 2010 Toyota 4Runner SUV, Love said. The 4Runner was also redesigned for the 2010 model year.
Electronic stability control systems have proven extremely effective in reducing dangerous single vehicle crashes. According to separate analyses by the privately funded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Department of Transportation, ESC systems have been shown to reduce the risk of fatal crashes by as much as a third. The systems will be required on all cars by 2012.
Lexus is Toyota's luxury division, and a company spokesman declined to comment on Consumer Reports' allegations.
Toyota has been facing a public relations crisis surrounding allegations of unintended acceleration in many of its most popular vehicles. In the past year, the automaker has recalled 8 million vehicles worldwide for safety issues.