2011 Lexus CT Hybrid

Defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Toyota Prius, 2010 and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and 2011-2012 Lexus CT200h vehicles. A weld in the curtain shield air bag inflator may crack causing one or both portions of the inflator to eject into the passenger cabin.

Risk. If either portion of the curtain shield air bag inflator ejects into the passenger cabin, there is an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

Remedy. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install retention brackets to the curtain shield air bags, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Service Department at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is Toyota G0U, and Lexus GLJ.

I EXPERIENCED LOUD ENGINE VIBRATION AT COLD STARTS FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, THEN I STARTED SEEING WHITE SMOKE FROM MY TAILPIPE. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO LEXUS RIVER-CENTER, COVINGTON, KY, ON 14FEB19 TO COMPLETE TSB L-SB-0004-13 WHICH REPLACES THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH A NEW PART NUMBER. THE VIBRATIONS AND WHITE SMOKE SEEMED TO BE REMEDIED; HOWEVER, A WEEK LATER, 22FEB19, WHILE ENTERING A FREEWAY ON-RAMP, MY CAR ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE LIKE A SHOTGUN BLAST WHILE IN MOTION ON THE FREEWAY, METAL FRAGMENTS WERE EXPELLED FROM MY ENGINE BLOCK, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, MY CAR DIED, AND I HAD TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER. I WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO KERRY TOYOTA THE SAME DAY FOR DIAGNOSIS. ON 24FEB19, KERRY TOYOTA INFORMED ME THAT MY ENGINE THREW A ROD AND THERE WERE 3 HOLES IN MY ENGINE BLOCK (I CHANGE MY OIL AT REGULAR INTERVALS WITH MOBILE 0W-20 AS PRESCRIBED BY THE MANUFACTURER). THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS MODELS' HEAD GASKET, EGR VALVE, AND INTAKE MANIFOLD ON CT200H AND LEXUS FORUMS TO JUSTIFY A RECALL. MY CONCERN IS THE TSB TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MERELY ADDRESSES PREMATURE SYMPTOMS AND DOES NOT ADDRESS THE PROLONGED EFFECT OF EXCESSIVE MOISTURE IN THE ENGINE.

HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL

TAKATA RECALL INVOLVES PROBLEMS THAT CRACK WELDS. IT SHOULD BE FIXED.

MY ENGINE, WHEN IN USE, BURNS OIL. IT WILL BURN ABOUT 5 QUARTS OVER THE TIME BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. I HAVE CONTACTED LEXUS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND ALTHOUGH THEY (AND TOYOTA) HAVE A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THE 2ZR-FXE ENGINE (THE SAME ONE FOUND IN MY CAR AND VARIOUS PRIUS MODELS) THEY'VE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A VERY RARE ISSUE. THIS IS THE SECOND ENGINE I HAVE HAD IN THIS VEHICLE THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. THIS SEEMS TO BE POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE SAME ENGINEERING MISTAKE THAT LED TO THE TOYOTA TSB DESCRIBING NEARLY THE SAME ISSUES OF OIL BURNING/CONSUMPTION OF THE 2AZ-FE ENGINES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LEXUS CT 200H. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V487000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.