Toyota to Recall 11,500 Lexus LS Sedans for Steering Problems

It seems Toyota just can’t catch a break lately. On Friday, Toyota will recall the luxurious Lexus LS flagship, an ultra-premium sedan that is the only vehicle in the Toyota family with a list price in excess of $100,000. The company said it will recall the LS because of steering problems.

Ordinarily, such a recall would result in only minimal embarrassment. But on top of the other Toyota recalls this year, in addition to generally poor morale and another congressional hearing on the horizon, this recall could be especially damaging.

In the United States, the Lexus recall affects only 3,800 vehicles. Worldwide, 11,500 vehicles will be recalled. Diminutive numbers, but the LS is the uber Lexus, the vehicle that Toyota tries to make flawless. Toyota has done its best to protect the Lexus lineup from the spate of recalls affecting Toyotas.

The incident that started it all, however, was a collision involving a Lexus ES near San Diego that killed a California Highway Patrolman and his family. One month ago, Lexus recalled and temporarily stopped selling the GX 460 SUV after Consumer Reports warned consumers of a singular rollover risk. In spite of all the bad press, Lexus sales never plummeted like Toyota’s did as a whole.

The latest recall, when announced, will apply to the LS 460, LS 460 L, LS 600h, and the LS 600h L. The 600h L costs more than $100,000. According to reports, Japanese customers have reported wheels failing to return to their original positions quickly enough after turning. A Toyota spokeswoman said the problem is related to both mechanical components and software issues.