Lexus USA will be formally submitting their recall of approximately 138,000 Lexus vehicles next week with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall will apply to certain 2006, 2007 & 2008 GS, IS, and LS models equipped with 4.6 and 5.0L V8 and 3.5L V6 engines. Here’s the full breakdown:
- GS 350: 2007-2008
- GS 450h: 2007-2008
- GS 460: 2008
- IS 350: 2006-2008
- LS 460: 2007-2008
- LS 460 L: 2007-2008
- LS 600h L: 2008
The recall is due to the possibility of foreign material contaminating a small number of valve strings in the engine, which may cause abnormal engine noise or idling, and in extremely rare cases, the engine may stop while the vehicle is being used. However, Lexus estimates that “the likelihood of a customer vehicle experiencing this condition is two-tenths of one percent (0.2 %)”, and that no accidents or injuries have been reported due to this issue.
For some additional background information, I recommend this recent Autoblog article, which included this photo of the offending part:
Finally, some logistics for owners:
Lexus will send owners of the involved vehicles a recall notification via first class mail. Owners are requested to contact their local Lexus dealer for diagnosis and repair after receiving their notification. The repair will involve replacement of the engine’s valve springs at no charge.
Owners can continue to drive their vehicles. If symptoms are noticed, such as vibration, rough idling, unusual engine sounds or poor performance, the vehicle should be brought to a Lexus dealer for service.
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