Lexus is embroiled in a recall of 4,215 vehicles as a result of bad welds. While that’s trouble enough, the welds were potentially missed at the front shock mounting points, potentially making them particularly impactful.
The recall affects the 2022 Lexus NX250, NX350, NX350h, and NX450h+ made between April 2021 and January 2022. These vehicles are constructed using body panels that are spot welded to the left and right of the front shock absorber mounting areas. During the assembly of these panels, some of the spot welds may have been missed, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) documents indicate.
If the welds were missed, cracks and breakages may occur on other spot welds and in the body panels around the front shock mounting points. Under long-term use, this could eventually lead the shock absorber to separate from the mounting area, which would severely impact a driver’s control over the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash.
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The potential issue is caused by weld machines that may not have recognized a work completion clear signal from the factory’s other robots. That would lead the machine to erroneously believe that its welds had been completed and it simply would not have performed them. Toyota estimates that less than one percent of the vehicles included in the recall will have been affected by this issue.
As part of this recall, the vehicle owners will be asked to return their NXs to a nearby dealership where they will be inspected for the missing welds. The automaker does not, however, currently have a remedy for the issue and is currently working to find one.
Lexus plans to get in contact with owners by June 6 whereupon a solution will be offered free of charge.
