The biggest myth in the automotive industry is the lack of quality American cars. American cars are junk, the common refrain goes; Japanese cars are superior because they’re better engineered? Well, I’d imagine Toyota and Lexus owners aren’t in agreement right now. Toyota is recalling another 1.7 million cars over fuel leak issues stemming from various defects, mostly due to shoddy workmanship and parts flaws. That’s right, the world’s largest auto maker is hit with even more recalls. Stop me if this sounds familiar.
“But there is that perception of here we go again, and that hurts Toyota’s image, especially in North America,” said Koji Endo, an auto analyst with Advanced Research Japan in Tokyo. He added that the recall, which will cost about $240 million US, won’t dent the company’s earnings too deeply.
The models being recalled are higher-end Lexus IS and Lexus GS models in the US, along with the Toyota Avensis station wagon in Europe. The recall affects 2006 and 2007 Lexus GS300/350, 2006-09 Lexus IS250, and 2006-08 Lexus IS350 models sold in the U.S. The bulk of the recalls are in Japan; this is the second-largest recall in Japanese history. The largest recall was also Toyota.
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