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Consumer Reports calls Lexus GX460 unsafe

SAmadei

By SAmadei
in Toyota

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SAmadei

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Consumer Reports has given the Lexus GX460 a rare "Don't Buy" warning, saying a problem that occurred during routine handling tests could lead the SUV to roll over in real-world driving.In the latest blow to Toyota's reputation, the magazine said that during a test of the vehicle's performance during unusual turns, the rear of the vehicle slid until it was nearly sideways before the electronic stability control system kicked in.

Consumer Reports said in real-world driving, such a scenario could cause a rollover accident. As a result, the magazine has given the seven-seat SUV a "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" label until the problem is fixed.

"In a real world situation, by that time, the car can hit the curb or the side of the road and that's the situation where, in a vehicle like that, it could cause it to roll over," said Gabriel Shenhar, senior auto test engineer at Consumer Reports, who was one of four testers to experience the problem.

Consumer Reports said the last vehicle to receive such a warning was the 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Limited. It said among the 95 SUVs in its current ratings, no other slid as far as the GX460.

Is CR finally turning against Toyota?!?

See whole article Here

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NINETY EIGHT REGENCY Grand Master

NINETY EIGHT REGENCY

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Consumer Reports warns against buying Lexus GX SUV

Christine Tierney / The Detroit News

In a fresh blow to Toyota Motor Corp.'s reputation, the influential magazine Consumer Reports says the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV may be unsafe and is advising car shoppers not to buy it.

Consumer Reports said its engineers experienced problems in emergency-handling tests that suggest the vehicle may be prone to rollovers.

"When pushed to its limits on a handling course on Consumer Reports' test track, the rear of the GX that Consumer Reports purchased slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control," the magazine said in a statement.

"Consumer Reports believes that in real-world driving, that situation could lead to a rollover accident, which could cause serious injury or death," it said.

Consumer Reports said it was not aware of any such reports, however.

Toyota officials said they were concerned by Consumer Reports' test results.

"Our engineers conducted similar tests during the development of the new GX andhad no issues," said Joe Tetherow, a spokesman at Toyota Motor sales USA in Torrance, Calif. He said Toyota engineers in Japan had been notified and the company would try to duplicate the problem described by Consumer Reports and determine what measures need to be taken.

The Japanese automaker is struggling to stem the damage to its reputation after recalling 8.5 million vehicles worldwide, including 6 million in the United States. It is recalling vehicles mostly because of acceleration-related issues but also to fix braking and other problems.

Consumer Reports said all four of its engineers who tested the Lexus GX experienced the problem during an exercise used to evaluate what is called lift-off oversteer. In that test, as the vehicle is driven through a turn, the driver quickly lifts his foot off the accelerator pedal to see how the vehicle reacts.

In real-world driving, lift-off oversteer could occur when a driver enters a highway's exit ramp or drives through a sweeping turn and encounters an unexpected obstacle or suddenly finds that the turn is too tight for the vehicle's speed. A natural impulse is to quickly lift off the accelerator pedal.

Consumer Reports engineers conduct this evaluation on every vehicle they test, including 95 SUVs. "No other SUV in recent years slid out as far as the GX 460, including the Toyota 4Runner, which shares the same platform," the publication said.

To confirm the results, Consumer Reports paid to use another GX 460 from Lexus and experienced the same problem.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100413/AUTO01/4130373/1148/Consumer-Reports-warns-against-buying-Lexus-GX-SUV#ixzz0kz7E5LsK

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Drew Dowdell Grand Master

Drew Dowdell

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Consumer Reports engineers conduct this evaluation on every vehicle they test, including 95 SUVs. "No other SUV in recent years slid out as far as the GX 460, including the Toyota 4Runner, which shares the same platform," the publication said.

To confirm the results, Consumer Reports paid to use another GX 460 from Lexus and experienced the same problem.

Very telling.... I'm not a CR supporter at all, but if true, this raises some eyebrows.

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Drew Dowdell Grand Master

Drew Dowdell

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Wow! Here's the video of the test. If all they did was lift their foot off the accelerator while going around that corner and it still did that, then there's a problem.

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A Horse With No Name Experienced

A Horse With No Name

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Very telling.... I'm not a CR supporter at all, but if true, this raises some eyebrows.

Awesome...

I call media bias from Con Reports. Look here the MILF completely handled all the hazards successfully with smile on her face and calmness in her mind.

It is a batman's car. :P

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=VV7zS8Mknb0

Too bad the excavator didn't hit the Toyocrap SUV.

I call that a massive FAIL.

That and it would have been better if the Milf would have done the commercial in the nude...

Chris

Wow! Here's the video of the test. If all they did was lift their foot off the accelerator while going around that corner and it still did that, then there's a problem.

Indeed, that is a legit safety issue...

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A Horse With No Name Experienced

A Horse With No Name

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Well it is certainly unsafe for my eyesight. What an ugly-ass vehicle.

Be glad you don't live in Central Ohio AKA the land of Honda. where you have to see all of the butt ass ugly Acuras on the road.

I'll buy you a steak dinner for every Acura or Lexus you can write off....good riddance...

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smk4565 Mentor

smk4565

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Shouldn't the 4Runner be unsafe also? It is the same thing. I always thought the Lexus GX was way too tall and narrow, it looks like it should roll over easily. Even just from a design standpoint, a vehicle that tall and narrow is ugly. Lexus should get rid of this vehicle anyway, they have the RX and LX SUVs and the GX is just ugly. A 3 row crossover would serve them better, but then again, the GS sedan is pretty sad and sits at the bottom of the class, perhaps they should invest there.

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Drew Dowdell Grand Master

Drew Dowdell

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Shouldn't the 4Runner be unsafe also? It is the same thing. I always thought the Lexus GX was way too tall and narrow, it looks like it should roll over easily. Even just from a design standpoint, a vehicle that tall and narrow is ugly. Lexus should get rid of this vehicle anyway, they have the RX and LX SUVs and the GX is just ugly. A 3 row crossover would serve them better, but then again, the GS sedan is pretty sad and sits at the bottom of the class, perhaps they should invest there.

Apparently they tested the 4-Runner and it didn't have the same problem.

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