TOYOTA TO RECALL ITS VEHICLES

"Toyota will recall about 423,000 Lexus models to fix potential fuel leak that could cause a fire"

Toyota Motor Corp. will recall about 1.7 million vehicles globally, including 423,000 of its high-end Lexus models in the U.S. to fix a potential fuel leak that could cause a fire.
The recall was among 1.7 million vehicles recalled worldwide by Toyota on Wednesday, many of them models not sold in the U.S.

Toyota investigators eventually noticed the fuel system problem after years of complaints about gasoline odors coming from the cars. The complaints started to filter up to Toyota in June 2010, but an inspection of the vehicles didn’t find any problems and could not pinpoint the source of the smell, Toyota spokesman John Hanson said.

The problem involves some plating on fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment, according to Toyota. The pipes are coated with particles to prevent erosion, but the fear is that some fo the particles could have found their way on to the gasket seating surface where a fuel pressure sensor is located.

If the gasket doesn't properly seal between the pressure sensor and the pipe, fuel could leak could leak. And if fuel leaks in a hot engine compartment, it could find an ignition source and set the car on fire.

In the U.S., Toyota will recall the following cars: 2007 through 2010 model year Lexus LS sedans; 2006 through 2011 model year GS; 2006 through 2011 model year IS; 2010 model year IS C; and 2008 through 2010 model year IS-F vehicles. It will recall another 320,000 of the vehicles in other markets.

In another big recall, Toyota will bring back 800,000 vehicles sold in Japan, China and other parts of Asia to fix a brake problem. The vehicles include the Toyota Crown, Crown Majesta, Noah and Voxy.

Earlier this year, Toyota agreed to pay a $1.2-billion fine to settle a four-year federal criminal investigation into whether it properly reported safety complaints about the sudden acceleration. It is the largest penalty of its kind ever imposed on an automotive company in the U.S.

Toyota was formally charged with one count of wire fraud, but the Justice Department will dismiss the charge after three years if the automaker abides by the settlement terms.

As part of the agreement, the Justice Department appointed David Kelley, a former U.S. attorney, to serve as the independent safety monitor at Toyota’s U.S. operations.

Toyota has recalled a number vehicles totaling 50million in united states this year....