Toyota warns of Lexus engine fault

A fault that might lead to engine problems has been found in some Lexus cars, including more than 3,000 in the UK, the firm's parent company Toyota said today.

Toyota, which has had to recall millions of cars worldwide in recent months, said "improperly functioning valve springs have been found in some Lexus engines and there is a small possibility that abnormal engine noise or unstable idling may occur".

It added: "In very rare instances, there is a chance that the engine may stop. There have been no reported accidents related to this issue."

Toyota said vehicles sold in the UK that might be affected included the Lexus GS 450h, GS460, LS460 and LS 600h models.

It added that Lexus had identified "approximately 3,200 vehicles in the UK that are potentially affected by this issue".

A Toyota spokeswoman said that no decision had yet been made about a recall.

The company went on: "Lexus will do whatever it can to ensure that our customers' inconvenience is minimised as much as possible, decide on the details of any action, and inform our customers promptly."

Lexus models have been among the cars that Toyota has had to recall following a series of problems with its models over recent months.