Consumer Reports has issued a safety warning on Toyota's 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV because of an increased rollover risk during a turn.
The magazine says it uncovered the problem during routine tests, and is urging car shoppers not to buy the GX 460 until this problem has been remedied.
The special designation given to the GX 460 by Consumer Reports -- "Don't Buy: Safety Risk" -- is rarely given by the magazine. The last time it was used was in 2001, on the Mitsubishi Montero Limited.
"We're concerned with the results," said Toyota in a statement, adding that the company will try to duplicate Consumer Reports' test "to determine if appropriate steps need to taken."
About 5,000 GX 460s have been sold in the roughly three months the model has been on sale, the magazine said. It advises current owners of this vehicle to approach exit ramps with caution, and to call Toyota demanding a fix for the problem.
Toyota said the GX 460 "meets or exceeds all federal government testing requirements."
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The SUV's electronic stability control program failed to keep the vehicle in line during a severe handling maneuver, allowing it to slide almost completely sideways, said Douglas Love, Consumer Reports spokesman. That situation could lead to a rollover, Love said.
Electronic stability control (ESC) is a computerized system that controls the brakes and accelerator to help maintain vehicle control in abrupt maneuvers.
The problem with the Lexus' ESC system became apparent during tests designed to detect a specific emergency handling problem -- one in which a vehicle's back end slides outward when the driver lifts his foot from the gas pedal during a turn. The GX's ESC system did not become active until the SUV had already skidded dangerously, Love said.
The test mimics a driver's typical response to encountering an obstacle in the midst of a turn or to finding a turn to be unexpectedly tight.
