Toyota Motor Corp. (TM) 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.
After enduring a relatively rough summer of sales in the U.S., the company reported a 19% jump in October exports, thanks mainly to strength in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Yet, while the auto maker was busy selling more cars than the competition, Consumer Reports magazine said the V6 version of its top-selling Camry sedan and the four-wheel drive V8 version of the Tundra pickup both rated below the industry average – “an embarrassment” for the company, according to Jim Lentz, head of Toyota's U.S. division.
Toyota, which has recalled more than 2 million vehicles in the past year or so, has vowed to get a handle on some of the issues that have arisen from its fierce global growth trajectory.
“It's really not a long-term reliability issue, and it has and will continue to be addressed,” Lentz said earlier this month at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
U.S.-listed shares of Toyota were mostly flat in midday trading in New York, missing out on a broad rally in the sector led by a 5% jump for Daimler AG (DAI) and a 4% rise for General Motors Corp. (GM).
