2008 Lexus ES Speed Control & Cruise Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that the TPMS warning light showed that the tire pressure was low. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be repaired. While attempting to reverse out of a parking lot, the vehicle independently accelerated forward at 60 MPH. The contact was able to maneuver the vehicle out of the parking lot to avoid a crash. The vehicle decelerated independently. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. After waiting for a while, the contact drove the vehicle home at slow speeds. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000. The contact deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive and decided to sell it. The vehicle was sold to Carmax instead of to the dealership because they offered more money. But the contact still suffered a significant financial loss so they are requesting a reimbursement for the remainder of the value at which they purchased the vehicle.

WHEN DRIVING AT 60MPH, AFTER REMOVING FOOT FROM GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A SPEED OF 40MPH. HAVE TO APPLY BRAKES TO SLOW CAR DOWN.

WHILE ENTERING MY GARAGE, MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND SMASHED INTO THE REAR WALL DESTROYING A CABINET AND REFRIDGERATOR AND WENT THROUGH THE WALL. I COULDN'T STOP THE CAR AS EVIDENCED BY BRAKE SKID MARKS ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. LEXUS LATER INSPECTED THE CAR AND CLAIMED THEY COULD FIND NO DEFECT. FORTUNATELY MY WIFE AND I WERE ONLY SHAKEN UP FROM THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. MY HOME AND AUTO INSURANCE COVERED PART OF THE DAMAGE AND LEXUS HAS DISAVOWED ANY RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THEY NEVER INSPECTED THE DAMAGE TO OUR HOME OR THE EVIDENCE THAT I WAS TRYING TO STOP THE CAR ALMOST FROM THE INSTANT IT ENTERED THE GARAGE. I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES BY EMAIL, BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO RETRIEVE THEM FOR THIS DOCUMENT. T

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ES 350 LEXUS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, AND APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENTLY ACCELERATED EXCESSIVELY AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, NOR WERE THERE ANY INJURIES. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. HE NOTIFIED THE INSURANCE COMPANY WHEN THE CRASH OCCURRED. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AROUND A CURVE, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE VEHICLE THEN RESUMED NORMALLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,800.

WHILE DRIVING, I PUSHED GAS PEDAL DOWN TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY. ENGINE REVVED TO HIGH RPM AND CAR ACCELERATED AND RPM STAYED HIGH IN SPITE OF LETTING OFF OF GAS PEDAL. INITIALLY I PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND ENGINE CONTINUED AT HIGH RPM. I TAPPED HARD ON GAS PEDAL AND PEDAL RELEASED. THIS RECURRED AGAIN WHEN I PUSHED DOWN ON PEDAL. APPEARED TO BE DUE TO LEXUS FLOOR MAT CATCHING ON BOTTOM OF GAS PEDAL. I CALLED LEXUS DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS HAD NEVER BEEN REPORTED. (I HAD ALREADY HAD THE RECALLED PEDAL REPLACEMENT DONE). I PULLED THE FLOOR MAT BACK TO PREVENT THE EDGE CATCHING ON THE PEDAL. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED--PRESUMABLY BECAUSE THE MAT HAS SLOWLY PUSHED FORWARD OVER THE LAST MONTH. *TR

I HAD ALMOST FINISHED PARKING MY '08 LEXUS ES 350 IN A PARKING PLACE AT A BUSINESS PARK WHEN IT SURGED FORWARD VERY FAST. I HAD NOT TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR. I BRAKE HARD, BUT THE CAR WENT UP OVER A CEMENT DIVIDER AND CRASHED INTO THE CAR PARKED FACING ME. I HAD THE CAR ONE AND HALF YEARS, AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP. AN INSPECTOR FOUND NOTHING WRONG EXTERNALLY, BUT THE EDR SHOWED I HAD NOT STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR BEFORE THE CRASH, ONLY THE BRAKE, AND YET IT HAD SURGED FORWARD. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR IN EARLIER FOR THE RECALL, AND HAD REMOVED THE MAT AND HAD SOMETHING ADDED TO THE SOFTWARE. I SOLD THE CAR BACK TO LEXUS IMMEDIATELY AS I NEVER WANTED TO STEP FOOT IN IT AGAIN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CAR, AND SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ELECTRONICS TO CAUSE THIS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS ES350. WHILE CRUISING 60 MPH THE LEXUS SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO OVER 90 MPH. CONTACT STOOD ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS HE COULD AND SWITCHED THE IGNITION OFF, BUT THE CAR CONTINUED REVVING AS HIGH AS THE MOTOR WOULD GO. FINALLY, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO SLOW DOWN. HOWEVER, BY THEN THE BRAKES WERE RED HOT. CONTACT PULLED THE COIL WIRE TO STOP THE MOTOR FROM BLOWING UP. AFTER, THE CONTACT'S TERRIFIED WIFE AND CHILDREN CALMED DOWN FROM THE NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE, THE LEXUS WAS TOWED TO A LEXUS DEALER. THE CONTACT CALLED AND WROTE THE DEALER FOR WEEKS BUT ONLY RECEIVED A RESPONSE AFTER THREATENING LEGAL ACTION. TOYOTA OF AMERICA THEN SENT A REPRESENTATIVE TO ERASE THE ONBOARD COMPUTER DATA PROVING EVEN TOYOTA THINKS ITS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IS ELECTRICAL, NOT MECHANICAL. UPDATED 01/25/11*LJ UPDATED 04/18/11. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET TO 75 MPH WHEN THE TRACTION, ENGINE AND VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL (VSC) WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECREASE IN SPEED HOWEVER WHEN HE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE BACK TO 75 MPH. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DEACTIVATE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AGAIN UNTIL THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED TO 65 MPH WHEN HIS FOOT WAS RELEASED FROM THE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE MAINTAINED A SPEED OF 65 MPH ALTHOUGH THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NO LONGER ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 49,167.

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING-LETTER FROM REGARDING TOYOTA COMPLAINT *TGW 2008 LEXUS ES350 THE CONSUMER STATED AS HIS WIFE TURNED INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. *JB UPDATED 09/20/10*JB

I OWN A 2008 LEXUS ES-350 - IT HAD A RECALL FOR ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WHICH THEY ADJUSTED THE GAS PEDAL. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO I PULLED UP TO THE OFFICE AT MY APT COMPLEX, HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND CAR CONTINUED TO GO FORWARD, WENT OVER THE CURB AND KNOCKED DOWN THE LEASING SIGN. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE STILL WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND CAR CONTINUED TO GO BACKWARDS, THEN PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND FINALLY CAR STOPPED. LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY EXAMINED THE CAR AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. IF THAT IS TRUE WHY DID THE CAR CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. *TR

OWNER OF 2008 LEXUS ES RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR ISSUE WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION. CAR WAS TAKEN TO LEXUS SERVICE DEPT FOR REPAIRS. HOWEVER A MONTH OR SO LATER, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED GETTING UP TO SPEED OF APPROX 70 MPH IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. BRAKES DID NOT STOP OR SLOW CAR DOWN. AS A RESULT, TWO PARKED CARS WERE HIT, AND DAMAGED RESIDENTS YARDS BEFORE RUNNING HEAD ON INTO A TREE IN SOMEONE'S YARD. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE INJURED. *TR

ON 4-26-10, WHILE IN CINCINNATI OHIO, I WAS THE PASSENGER IN A 2008 LEXUS ES350 .WE WERE GOING TO KROGER. THE DRIVER STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND AFTER LEAVING THE STOP SIGN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ALL BY IT'S SELF TO A VERY FAST SPEED. DUE TO THE CAR'S EXCESSIVE SPEED, THE CAR LEFT THE STREET AND HIT 2 OTHER VEHICLES & A TREE. SPECIAL NOTE: SINCE THIS TYPE CAR WAS PART OF A RECALL. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE OWNER / DRIVER OF THE CAR HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE "FIXED" AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL LETTER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS ES350. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THE ENGINE WOULD ROAR LOUDLY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ALSO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY DID PERFORM AN OPEN RECALL, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V388000: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: ACCELERATOR PEDAL. SHE NOTICED THAT EVEN WHEN SLIGHTLY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE WOULD RAPIDLY PICK UP SPEED BEYOND WHAT IT SHOULD. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 12,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT STATES SHE JUST RECENTLY HAD THE RECALL DONE FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTRACT STATES BEFORE HAVING HER VEHICLE REPAIRED IT HAD NO PROBLEMS AND IT WAS DRIVING FINE. THE CONTACT STATES NOW WHEN SHE TAKES HER FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SEEM TO STOP LIKE IT USE TO. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT WAS 14,642.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AT NIGHT AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER THE CURB AND COLLIDED INTO A TREE AND A RETAINING WALL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD COME OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMALL INSTANCES OF SURGING BUT NOT TO THE POINT WHERE SHE COULD NOT STOP OR CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY AT THE BODY SHOP AWAITING INSPECTION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 45,000.

ACCELERATION PROBLEM 2008 LEXUS E350. WHILE ENTERING THE FLORIDA TURNKPIKE, I ACCELERATED QUICKLY TO MERGE AHEAD OF TRAFFIC. I PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. THE PEDAL STUCK. IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL TOOK OVER. I ACCELERATED QUICKLY FROM 45MPH TO 85 MPH. MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL. AS I LOOKED DOWN AT THE ACCELERATOR BEFORE I HIT THE BRAKE, IT WAS DEPRESSED. WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES IT RELEASED. WHILE SHAKEN, I CONTINUED ON TO MY DESTINATION IN MIAMI. I WAS CAREFUL NOT TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY. WHEN I RETURNED TO WEST PALM BEACH I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LEXUS DEALER AND INFORMED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THE LEXUS DEALER INDICATED MY VEHICLE WAS PART OF THE RECALL FOR FLOOR MATS. THE FLOOR MATS WERE NOT SECURED TO THE HOOKS. THE FLOORMAT HOOK HOLES WERE BEHIND THE HOOKS AND MATS WERE BACK AGAINST THE FRONT SEAT SUPPORTS. THE MATS WERE NO WHERE NEAR THE BRAKE PEDAL OR THE ACCELERATOR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT OR WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE MANAGER INSISTED THE PROBLEM OCCURRED DUE TO THE FLOOR MATS. I DISAGREED KNOWING THE POSITION OF THE MATS WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AND THE REACTION OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE RECALLED FLOORMATS. MY COMPLAINT IS THEY DENIED THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL AND INSISTED IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FLOOR MATS. I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY THEY ARE NOT ALSO CHECKING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL SOFTWARE. WHILE THIS IS THE ONLY OCCURRENCE OF THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE, I NOW HAVE A VERY UNEASY FEELING ABOUT ACCELERATING QUICKLY. SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, THERE HAVE BEEN VERY FEW TIMES I ACCELERATED QUICKLY. I DON'T FEEL MY CONCERN OR COMPLAINT HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADDRESSED. THERE WAS NEVER ANY INDICATION FROM THE LEXUS DEALER THAT THEY LOOKED ANY FURTHER THAN THE FLOORMATS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP IS LEXUS OF WEST PALM BEACH. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

2008 LEXUS 350 WITH ACCELERATION PROBLEM NOT YET DISCUSSED BY TOYOTA..SOMETIMES AT A FULL STOP OR AT SLOW SPEEDS IT AUTOMATICALLY ACCELERATES. *TR

2008 LEXUS ES350 OWNER LEXUS ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. WOULD LIKE TO BE KEPT INFORMED ABOUT THE ONGOING PROGRESS FOR THIS ISSUE. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS ES350. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECREASE IN SPEED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT NOTHING WAS DONE REGARDING ANY REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE JUST UNDER 14,000.