Though it sounds marginally less likely than Alfa Romeo finishing top in a dealer satisfaction survey, customer service champion Lexus is about to recall over 3000 UK cars in order to rectify a potential problem with a fuel pipe.Some 3400 IS250 and GS300 models manufactured between September 2004 and December 2005 are affected. According to Lexus, the potential problem is with the seam welding on one of the fuel pipes, which could fail and cause petrol to leak into the engine compartment. It was detected by dealers in the Japanese market, and affects some 260,000 cars globally.“Owners of the cars in question will be notified by post, and asked to bring their cars in to their local dealer at their own convenience. Wherever possible, we’ll pick the cars up,” a spokesman told Autocar. “The part will be replaced under warranty, and most dealers will be able to have the car delivered back to the customer on the same day.”“There will also be a goodwill gesture included in the deal,” he said.
Built perfect?
Believe it or not, this will be the eleventh product recall for Lexus listed by the UK's Vehicle and Operator Services Agency since 1995. It's quite rare for a mechanical problem like this to crop up though; most of Lexus's recalls have been over secondary systems such as brake lights, airbags and seatbelt buckles.Interestingly, the recall would have affected the GS300 that Autocar ran as a long-term test car last year - a car which was unerringly reliable and stress-free to own. "Our GS was one of the most dependable long-termers I've ever known Autocar to run," said custodian and Autocar Editor Chas Hallett "and it'd probably be performing flawlessly if we were still running it today." "This recall is almost certainly a minor precaution," he went on. "It'll be pretty costly for the company globally, but it's nothing for owners to worry about."
