agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Toyota Seeks Fix for Lexus SUV as Engineers Replicate Magazine's 'Slide'

April 18, 2010
2 min to read


LOS ANGELES - Toyota Motor Corp. said it's seeking a fix for the Lexus SUV identified as a “safety risk” by Consumer Reports as a U.S. congressional committee set a new hearing to examine unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles, Bloomberg reported. Toyota said Friday its engineers reproduced the same “slide” Consumer Reports magazine found in its tests of the 2010 GX 460 SUV. Separately, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman asked Toyota for documents on unintended acceleration for a hearing his panel will hold on potential electronic causes on May 6. “We're going to work on a countermeasure” to eliminate the handling issue on the GX, said Bill Kwong, a U.S. spokesman for Toyota's luxury unit. “It's too early to say exactly what that will be.” The combination of Consumer Reports issuing a “don't buy” assessment on the Lexus GX and renewed congressional scrutiny underscores the challenge Toyota faces regaining its reputation after global recalls of about 8 million autos for unintended acceleration. Compounding those issues, Toyota on Friday recalled 870,000 Sienna minivans in the U.S. and Canada for corrosion in a cable that holds the spare tire. “Big obstacles remain before Toyota can regain customer trust and its strong quality reputation, especially in the case of non-Toyota owners,” said industry researcher Robert Cole, professor emeritus at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. “The public now associates problems of unintended acceleration with Toyota.”

More Industry

Two dodge cars outside of dealership.
Industryby Lauren LawrenceSeptember 17, 2026

Auto Affordability Inches Up

The latest Cox Automotive and Moody’s Analytics index shows a slight increase in new-vehicle affordability despite high prices.

Read More →
Five men smiling for photo in front of Honda car dealership.
Industryby Lauren LawrenceSeptember 10, 2026

Ohio Auto Group Under New Ownership

After 79 years with the Schluter family, Mansfield Auto Group has been acquired by Missouri-based Clement Auto Group.

Read More →
Blue and white RV parked on beach facing the ocean.
Industryby Lauren LawrenceSeptember 3, 2026

RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint

Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of two men and one woman on a discussion panel
Industryby Hannah MitchellSeptember 1, 2026

Agent Acumen

An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.

Read More →
Gloved hand holding two wrenches next to “Turn Overdue into Opportunity” Graphic
Industryby Lauren LawrenceAugust 27, 2026

Missed Maintenance Creates Opportunity

As families get back on the road and into daily school routines, service drives have an opportunity to capture customers who are behind on recommended vehicle maintenance.

Read More →
Mitsubishi shadow line-up
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 25, 2026

Mitsubishi Unveils U.S. Plan

The automaker announced a strategy that includes an expanded lineup and dealership presence, along with more ‘rugged’ and electric models.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of a laptop, cellphone and eyeglasses on a desk next to an office window
IndustryAugust 24, 2026

Selling to Grow

The question of whether you should sell your agency and if so, when, is up to you. But it’s a question worth asking to ensure you keep the business on the right path for yourself, employees and clients.

Read More →
Mechanic holding a vehicle diagnostic device while standing above an open car hood
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 24, 2026

Recalled Vehicles Hit 5-Year High

Though the number of events has fallen so far this year, impacted units are up significantly. Meanwhile, regulators consider consumer notification changes.

Read More →
outside of car dealership with cars parked in front
Industryby Lauren LawrenceAugust 20, 2026

Auto Group Acquires Top-Performing Rooftop

Car Pros sold its Kia Huntington Beach location to Sutherlin Automotive Group, marking the buyer’s third location in Southern California.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Cars from the rear on a Shanghai freeway
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 19, 2026

China as Pacesetter

Automotive leaders huddled on where North America stands in the global picture and how it can strengthen its position against the Asian juggernaut’s surging industry.

Read More →
Ad Loading...