UAE recall covers 6,933 Lexus luxury SUVs

Al-Futtaim Motors has begun two safety recall campaigns covering 6,933 Lexus LX500 and LX600 sport utility vehicles in the UAE, addressing separate engine software and transmission defects in models built in Japan between 2021 and 2024.

The larger programme is being conducted in coordination with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and requires affected owners to have their vehicles inspected or reprogrammed without charge. The campaigns cover 3,222 vehicles for an engine electronic control unit software update and 3,711 vehicles for checks and corrective work involving the 10-speed automatic transmission.

For the first group, the engine control software may not adequately take account of the effect of cooling fan operation under some driving conditions. During full-throttle acceleration, the engine’s actual output could therefore differ from the output specified under approved vehicle standards, according to the recall notice.

Al-Futtaim Motors will update the engine electronic control unit software free of charge. Owners of vehicles identified as affected are expected to be contacted to arrange service appointments.

The second campaign concerns a fault that could allow excessive rotational speed in particular gears of the 10-speed automatic transmission. That condition could damage transmission components and, in some circumstances, result in loss of driving force or leakage of transmission fluid.

The recall notice says such outcomes could increase the risk of a crash or fire. Affected vehicles will be inspected and the transmission control unit reprogrammed at no cost to customers. The second campaign covers 3,711 Lexus vehicles.

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism oversees product recalls in the UAE through its competition and consumer protection system, working with manufacturers and local agents when goods are found to be defective or potentially hazardous. Its recall procedures require suppliers to submit defect information, publish approved notices and report completion of corrective action for affected customers.

The ministry says the recall framework is intended to protect consumer health and safety while ensuring defective products are identified and addressed in the market. Companies are required to provide information including the product involved, the nature of the defect and instructions for repair, replacement or other remedial measures.

Lexus owners can also check whether their vehicles are subject to a safety recall using the vehicle identification number through the brand’s UAE recall service. The 17-digit VIN is typically shown on the vehicle registration card, dashboard or driver-side door frame.

The campaigns affect LX500 and LX600 vehicles manufactured over four model years, from 2021 through 2024. Both models sit in Lexus’s large luxury SUV range and are sold in the UAE through Al-Futtaim Motors.

The engine software campaign does not call for replacement of engine hardware. Its remedy is a programming update designed to ensure the electronic control unit properly accounts for cooling fan operation and keeps engine performance aligned with approved specifications.

The transmission campaign is also centred on inspection and electronic reprogramming, although the safety notice identifies potentially more serious consequences if the condition is left uncorrected. Excessive rotational speed in certain gears could damage the transmission, which may then cause loss of propulsion or fluid leakage.

Vehicle recalls in the UAE are carried out under a formal consumer protection process. The ministry requires recall notices to be publicised and suppliers to demonstrate that affected customers have received the required service before the procedure is closed.

Customers whose vehicles fall within the identified production range should rely on the VIN-based recall check or communication from Al-Futtaim Motors to determine whether a specific vehicle is included, because not every Lexus LX500 or LX600 produced during the stated years is necessarily affected.

The Lexus UAE recall service directs eligible owners to contact a service centre, book an appointment online or speak with customer care. Repairs or software updates specified under an official recall campaign are provided without charge to affected customers.