Lexus Shock Absorber Defect Raises Crash Risk

More than 4,200 Lexus drivers may be riding on faulty shock absorbers.

Toyota, the luxury brand’s owner, is recalling certain 2022 NX250, NX350, NX350h, and NX450h+ vehicles over a shock absorber problem. The company recently told federal regulators that the cars were built with body panels that were not properly spot-welded to the left and right front shock absorber mounting areas.

That is a real problem with potentially significant consequences for everyone on the road with the vehicles. Toyota acknowledged that the defect could result in accidents.

“Cracks and breakage may occur on other spot-welds and/or on the body panels around the front shock absorber mounting areas,” Toyota said in a notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Under longer-term (time and mileage) use, this could eventually cause a front shock absorber to separate from the mounting area, resulting in a loss of vehicle driving stability, increasing the risk of a crash.”

The recalled cars were produced between May 2021 and January 2022, according to Toyota.

The company said it would begin contacting owners of recalled cars in early June. Owners will be asked to bring their cars to a local dealer for an inspection. 

However, the company told NHTSA it has yet to come up with a fix for defective vehicles. 

“Toyota is developing the remedy for this condition and will notify the agency when the remedy is developed,” the company said in the NHTSA defect notice.

Legal Rights for Lexus Owners in California

Although Lexus is considered a relatively reliable brand, this is not the first time that Toyota has had to recall luxury vehicles over serious defects.

The company recalled some 3.3 million Lexus and Toyota vehicles beginning in January 2020, citing a fuel pump issue that could cause the vehicles to stall unexpectedly and cause a crash. Toyota did not land on a way to actually fix the problem until more than one year later.

The good news for Lexus and other car owners in California is that you do not need to wait for Toyota to take action to get a defective vehicle fixed. The California lemon law provides some valuable rights and options.

The lemon law requires car manufacturers to do a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. The law also obligates the companies to buy back cars that they cannot or decline to fix. That includes returning the owner’s down payment on the vehicle, as well as compensating the owner for financing charges, towing, rental cars and various other related expenses.

Talk with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you are a Toyota, Lexus or other vehicle owner stuck with a lemon or locked in a dispute with a car manufacturer over repairs, the California lemon law attorneys at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. 

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney.