TOKYO (AP) — Toyota began recalling 264,000 luxury passenger vehicles over faulty fuel pipes Thursday, including 49,000 flagship Lexus cars sold overseas, the company said.
Included in the recall are Lexus models produced in Japan in 2005 and sold overseas, and Lexus, Mark X, and Crown models sold in Japan, according to Toyota Motor Corp. spokeswoman Yoshie Matsuura.
Faulty fuel pipe design on the recalled models could cause cracks and corrosion and lead to a fuel leak, according to a notice filed with the Transport Ministry.
In the United States, 26,274 Lexus GS300, 5,429 Lexus IS250, and 2,640 Lexus IS350 vehicles are being recalled, Matsuura said. The recalled models were exported from Japan, she said, adding that the same models were also being recalled in Canada, England, and Germany.
There have been 39 cases of trouble within Japan but no reports of injuries, according to the Transport Ministry.
It was not immediately clear whether any problems have been reported elsewhere.
The Japanese automaker has been hit with quality control problems in recent years, as it ramps up production to meet booming demand. Toyota has promised to beef up quality checks.