Toyota conducts safety recall of Lexus crossover vehicles

MANILA, Philippines — Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMPC) is conducting a safety recall of certain Lexus NX crossover vehicles to check the spot welding near the shock absorber mounting area.

“In line with its corporate commitment to product safety and quality, Toyota has initiated a special service campaign related to spot welding on certain Lexus NX,” Bernardino Arevalo, first vice president for customer service operations said in a letter to the Department of Trade and Industry Consumer Protection and Advocacy Bureau director Melquiades Marcus Valdez II.

The recall is being conducted globally.

In the Philippines, the recall covers 28 Lexus NX HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) units produced from Nov.17, 2021 to Jan.14, 2022, as well as six Lexus NX units made from Nov.15, 2021 to Jan.13, 2022.

Arevalo said the vehicles are manufactured with body panels that are spot-welded to the left and right front shock absorber mounting areas.

There is a possibility the vehicles may be missing spot welds.

In this condition, other spot-welds around the front shock absorber may develop cracks.

Eventually, this may cause the front shock absorber to separate from the mounting area and affect vehicle driving stability, increasing the risk of a crash.

“With this, we will inspect the welding near the shock absorber mounting area of the covered vehicles,” Arevalo said.

Should the vehicle be missing spot-welds, TMPC would add welds and repair any damage.