2002 Lexus ES Steering Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 5 MPH AND EXITING ONTO A RAMP IN LIGHT RAIN, THE CONTACT LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE LEFT RAILING. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL SERVICE SHOP. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE TO DATE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 38,500. UPDATED 03/04/10. *LJ

1. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, AT 2-4 MPH, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT FULL SPEED, JUMPING THE CURB AND HITTING A TREE WITH FULL FORCE. BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS CONCERNS WITH THROTTLE PROBLEMS NOTED WITH THE DEALERSHIP AT 1000 AND 5000 MILE CHECK, I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP. AFTER A CONFERENCE CALL WITH LEXUS ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THE DEALERSHIP, MY CAR WAS FLAT BEDDED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE FRONTAL CRASH RENDERED THE VEHICLE UN-DRIVABLE. RADIATOR DAMAGE WITH LEAKAGE OF FLUID COVERED A PORTION OF THE PARKING LOT. THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SOMEBODY ELSE LIVE COULD HAVE BEEN IN DANGER. 2. THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE. 3. THE BRAKE ROTORS HAD TO BE CORRECTED AT 1500 MILES AND A "PART" WAS ORDERED AND PUT ON THE CARE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. 4. THE CAR WHEN DRIVING AT ABOVE 50 PULLS TO THE LEFT AND FROM THE BEGINNING IT FELT AS THOUGH THE CAR WAS UNEVEN EVEN WHEN NOT MOVING. AT THAT TIME I REQUESTED A WRITTEN EXPLANATION OF THIS PROBLEM AND TOLD MY RECORD AT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD SUBSTANTIATE THIS. ON THE NIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT I LEARNED BY REVIEWING COMPLAINTS FROM THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE THAT THE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN KNOWN BY THE CORPORATE OFFICE OF LEXUS FROM AS EARLY AS JANUARY, 2002 IN REGARDS TO ALL OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. I ALSO FOUND OUT THERE HAVE BEEN TWO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE THAT I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT. I WILL BE REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION WITH THE LEXUS EAST REGIONAL OFFICE AND DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE ROCKVILLE LEXUS OFFICE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I BROUGHT THE LEXUS VEHICLE EVEN WITH IT'S PRICE TAG BECAUSE OF ITS REPUTATION AND TO DRIVE MY 3 YEAR OLD GRANDSON AND 1 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER IN THE SAFEST MANNER I COULD FACILITATE. I AM SURE THAT MY SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW WILL NOT ALLOW THIS AFTER THIS CRASH!!!!*AK UPDATED 7/3/12 *CN

CAR PULLS VERY HARD TO LEFT ON HIGHWAY. DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT THIS BY ALIGNMENTS, NEW TIRES AND SWITCHING TIRES. IF I AM ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE LEFT LANE, I WILL NEVER HAVE TO TURN LEFT! EVEN ON A LEFT HAND CURVE, I HAVE TO TURN RIGHT TO KEEP FROM GOING OFF OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. ***NOTE THE 3 LOANER ES300'S DID THE SAME THING. LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS THE WAY THE CAR IS DESIGNED! I HAVE GOTTEN THE CAR TO TRACK SOMEWHAT BETTER BY SWITCHING MY TIRES, BUT NOW I CAN'T ROTATE THE TIRES! FRUSTRATED!*AK