VIDEO: Lexus GX 460 Stability Issue: Before and After Proposed Fix

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Yep...Toyota was able to replicate the sideways slide that prompted Consumer Reports to label the GX 460 a safety risk last week. And their engineers formulated a software update to prompt the stability control to step in sooner.

Toyota Japan issued a news release with a lot more in the way of hard facts:

Report: Lexus GX 460 Recall Imminent

Here's how stacked the deck is against Toyota. When it does respond, and respond quickly, the Feds leak it so they can say it first.

A "NHTSA official...who declined to be identified" says Toyota is about to issue a recall for the Lexus GX 460 after replicating the same stability issues that caused Consumer Reports to brand it a "safety risk" last week.

Full story from Automotive News.

UPDATE: Toyota, having no choice, has made it official. Details here.

The Consumer Reports Kiss Of Death

The Lexus GX 460 is only the twelfth "don't buy" warning Consumer Reports has ever issued. What were the others? Well, let's just say it's not company you want to keep. From Automobile.

NHTSA Investigating Lexus GX 460

Two days after Consumer Reports called the Lexus GX 460 a "safety risk" because it can go sideways in an emergency maneuver before the electronic stability control kicks in,  two days after Toyota imposed a halt on sales of the GX,  one day after Toyota announced it would test all of its SUVs, and (sources say) one day before Toyota announces a fix, NHTSA says it's launching an investigation into the matter.

Ever since NHTSA got raked over the coals in a Senate hearing last month, they've been trying too hard. Big talk, big fines....all designed to send a subtle-as-a-neon-sign message of  "We got this."

No, NHTSA...you don't. Consumer Reports did your work for you. Toyota took it seriously and the fix is hours away. But you'll whip up an investigation anyway...it will take months, it will cost millions (like your $3 million, 15 month investigation with NASA into unintended acceleration that's just now starting)...and we'll be astonished if it contributes anything that Consumer Reports and Toyota didn't in 72 hours.

Again...This Is The Brake...This Is The Transmission

Common sense is breaking out all over. Hot on the heels of Car and Driver's John Yanca with the intelligent answer to the Lexus GX 460's alleged stability issue comes John McCormick from The Detroit News with how to deal with it if your vehicle ever does something strange on its own. You know, like unintended acceleration.

Toyota Testing ALL Its SUVs Stability

Toyota's moving quickly to end the panic in some circles over Consumer Reports' labelling of the Lexus GX 460 as a safety risk.  

The automaker says it is testing the stability of all its SUVs, both Lexus and Toyota brands. CR says the GX 460 can get sideways in an emergency maneuver before the electronic stability control intervenes. Toyota says it has had no customer complaints about the issue.

Full details from Automotive News (free registration required).

Car and Driver Lends Perspective To Consumer Reports Lexus GX 460 Warning

When Consumer Reports announced Tuesday it considered the Lexus GX 460 a safety risk because it can get sideways in an emergency maneuver before the electronic stability control steps in to right things,  Toyota quickly and calmly announced they are suspending sales of the GX 460 until they can determine if CR is right and what to do about it.

But calm is elusive in media...especially online, where bloggers, including this one who calls herself a "big ball of paranoia", can spread fear (and occasionally misunderstanding and misinformation) fast.

Enter Car and Driver's John Yanca, who picked up the phone, called CR, found out what the tests were all about...and says there's a simple solution. It starts with not driving a tall SUV into a curve at 15 miles per hour over the posted speed. Well worth the read and some thought.

Toyota Stops Sales Of Lexus GX 460

Lexus GX 460s will stay on dealer lots while Toyota figures out if there's merit to Consumer Reports'  assessment of the SUV as a safety risk and what to do about it. In a news release, Toyota said:

"For more than 20 years, Lexus has made customer safety and satisfaction our highest priorities. We are taking the situation with the GX 460 very seriously and are determined to identify and correct the issue Consumer Reports identified. At this time we have asked our dealers to temporarily suspend sales of the 2010 GX 460.

Lexus’ extensive vehicle testing provides a good indication of how our vehicles perform and we are confident that the GX meets our high safety standards. Our engineering teams are vigorously testing the GX using Consumer Reports’ specific parameters to identify how we can make the GX’s performance even better.

For any customer who has purchased a 2010 GX 460 and is concerned about driving their vehicle, we will provide a loaner car until a remedy is available.

As always, Lexus is committed to providing our customers with outstanding products and service.


Customers who have any questions or concerns should contact Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1-800-25 LEXUS or 1-800-255-3987."

Consumer Reports says the recently redesigned SUV gets sideways in emergency handling maneuvers, with the electronic stability control kicking in too late, creating a rollover risk. Here's video of their test:

Consumer Reports: Lexus GX 460 A Safety Risk

Enthusiasts snicker at Consumer Reports, but millions of Americans buy based on their recommendations and won't buy if CR doesn't rate a vehicle highly. So CR making the first two words of their headline on the 2010 Lexus GX 460 "Don't Buy"  is bad, bad, bad stuff.

CR says its emergency-handling test managed to put the GX 460 into a skid that brought the SUV almost sideways before the the electronic stability control kicked in. CR says that could result in a rollover.

Read their report here.

Consumer Reports Demonstrates Stopping Distance Difference With Brake Override

Brake override cuts the gas when you apply a certain amount of pressure on the brake. There's a push to make it mandatory, thinking that it will help end cases of unintended acceleration. Never mind that most of those cases thus far have shown that the drivers weren't on the brake at all, but instead standing on the gas pedal.

Well, Consumer Reports says whether your acceleration is unintended or not, brake override cuts the stopping distance of your car...which is a good thing.

And, because they know we worry...CR also says brake override won't affect "enthusiast driving".

Consumer Reports Best American Cars For 2010

Consumer Reports does a lot of things differently (like not accepting advertising, buying the cars they test). And one of them is creating a separate list of Top Picks from American car companies.

Well, this year's list is out now...and it's a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury, Chevy/GMC/Cadillac list. Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep are nowhere to be found. For that matter, Buick is MIA.

Interestingly, the editors couldn't recommend an American vehicle in the "family hauler" category.

The list, and the reasoning behind the picks, here.

Consumer Reports Issues Automaker Report Card; Suspends Recommendations For Recalled Toyota Models

It's report card day at Consumer Reports...Hyundai and Ford are happy. Toyota? A mixed bag. But the Prius keeps its Recommended status. Read the results here.