TOKYO — Toyota knew two years ago about the engine problem behind its latest Lexus recall, even changing the spring part to correct it, but did not think a recall was warranted until recently, a company official said Tuesday.
Toyota on Monday began a global recall over engine defects in its Lexus models sold around the world as well as the Crown sold in Japan, moving to repair 270,000 vehicles to replace valve springs — crucial engine components that are flawed and could cause vehicles to stall.
In August 2008, Toyota changed that spring part, making it thicker, to prevent the problem, spokesman Hideaki Homma told The Associated Press. That is why the latest recall does not affect vehicles produced after August 2008.
Toyota, the world’s top automaker, previously thought the problem was caused by a foreign substance entering during manufacturing of the valve springs and beefed up checks so that wouldn’t happen. But the company had thought the issue was an isolated problem that didn’t require a recall.
“We changed the part in August because then the problem won’t happen at all, even if tiny particles enter during manufacturing,” Homma said. “We are talking about microscopic particles here.”
But the complaints started climbing, and Toyota decided recently they weren’t isolated problems after all but a design defect and decided to issue the recall, Homma said.
Toyota has promised to recall problem cars more quickly to salvage a once-pristine reputation now in tatters after recalls ballooned to more than 8.5 million vehicles around the world since October.
Affected in the latest recall are Lexus models GS350, GS450h, GS460, IS350, LS460, LS600h, LS600hL and Crown models, including about 138,000 vehicles in the U.S., nearly 92,000 in Japan, 15,000 in Europe, 10,000 in the Middle East, 6,000 in China, 4,000 in Canada and 8,000 elsewhere.
Toyota has received about 200 complaints but no reports of defect-related accidents.
