Toyota Monday recalled its Lexus GX 460, just a week after Consumer Reports magazine deemed the luxury SUV unsafe. The automaker will be fixing a problem with the SUV’s stability control system. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/business/global/21iht-toyota.html?ref=business

 The recall involves 9,400 2010 Model Year Lexus GX 460 to update software in the SUV’s Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system. http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/lexus/toyota-announces-voluntary-recall-157109.aspx

 The VSC system helps control a loss of traction in turns as a result of front or rear-wheel slippage during cornering.

 The Lexus GX 460 is the second Toyota recall in a week. Last Friday, it recalled its 600,000 Sienna minivans because of a problem with the vehicle’s spare tire carrier cable.

 Counting its prior recalls of Camrys for defective accelerator pedals, Toyota has recalled more than 9 million vehicles since November, according to The New York Times.

 Toyota issued a press release Monday on the voluntary recall of the Lexus GX 460.

  “Since it was launched more than 20 years ago, Lexus has built its reputation on customer respect and concern for safety,” Mark Templin, Lexus Group vice president and general manager, said in a statement. “With the news from Consumer Reports that our 2010 GX 460 did not pass its ‘Throttle Lift-Off’ test, we immediately stopped selling the vehicle and commenced vigorous testing to identify and correct the issue.”  http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/lexus/lexus-announces-plans-to-recall-157111.aspx

 Describing the recall, Templin said, “We have developed a remedy that will be quickly implemented to help address customer concerns….We will begin implementing this program in the next two weeks and our dealers will be reaching out to customers shortly to set up appointments to make this modification.

 Lexus dealers will have the VSC software update by the end of April. The updates should take about an hour for dealers to install.

 Starting in early May, Lexus will begin mailing letters to GX 460 owners included in the recall. Lexus will provide a courtesy vehicle to anyone who has purchased a 2010 GX 460 and has concerns about driving it until the recall work has been completed.

 Toyota made the announcement about its latest vehicle recall the same day it said that it would pay a $16.4 million fine, the largest government fine ever against an automaker, for hiding information about its sticking accelerator pedals.

In one instance, a man in California was able to get help from a California Highway Patrolman when his 2008 Prius sped up to 90 mph as he was driving on a highway in San Diego. The police officer coached the man, who then was able to stop the vehicle. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704784904575111503873150166.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_business And in a second incident, a 2005 Prius crashed into a stone wall in Harrison. N.Y. In that car, the floor mat had been tied to the seat, most likely by the dealer, so the mat can be blamed for the accident. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/business/10toyota.html?ref=business

Toyota has already done massive recalls of its Camry and Lexus lines, after vehicles suddenly accelerated, allegedly causing accidents that killed at least 50 people.

The automaker has also recalled its 2004 to 2009 Priuses, but that was just to deal with the issue of floor mats making the accelerator stick.

Did no one at Toyoto think to check their other models?