• Lexus IS

Lost in the shuffle of both national and regional recalls for Toyota Motor Corp. and Southeast Toyota Distributors, respectively, over the last several days was the additional news that Toyota would also be recalling some Lexus IS luxury sedans. Also known as “entry-level luxury cars” or “compact executive cars,” the award-winning Lexus IS series has been a staple of the brand’s success since 1998, and that’s why it comes as a surprise that Toyota is recalling over 260,000 Lexus IS vehicles for a seemingly simple defect that could result in serious accidents.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Lexus IS vehicles with model years between 2006 and 2012 may have been manufactured with insufficiently torqued nuts that fasten and secure the windshield wiper arms. In cases of heavy snow build-up or intense rainfall, the wipers could become inoperative, which could reduce driver visibility and increase the possibility of an accident. This would, of course, pose a severe injury threat to drivers and passengers if these Lexus automobiles are being operated at high speeds.

Included in this recall are Lexus IS 250 models sold between 2006 and 2012; Lexus IS 250C models sold between 2010 and 2012; Lexus IS 350 models sold between 2006 and 2012; Lexus IS 350C models sold between 2010 and 2012; and Lexus IS F models sold between 2008 and 2011. Toyota will begin contacting Lexus IS owners in late February to initiate this recall, as dealerships will provide new wiper arm nuts at no cost to the vehicle owners. In the meantime, Lexus owners can contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331 for additional information about this recall.

Toyota also recently recalled approximately 752,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix models in the U.S. due to a defective IC chip in the airbag control unit that could lead to unexpected or failed deployment of the vehicles’ airbags.