2009 Lexus ES Complaint Log

I OWN A LEXUS ES 350, 2009 AND RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE ?MAT? PROBLEM. I NEEDED OTHER MAINTENANCE DONE AND BROUGHT IT OVER TO THE LEXUS DEALER. MY SERVICE MANAGER SAID TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE HE WOULD HAVE THE RECALL WORK ON THE ACCELERATOR/BRAKE SITUATION FIXED. I THANKED HIM. IT TURNED OUT THAT TWO DAYS LATER I DID RECEIVE THE SECOND LETTER SO I WAS GLAD IT WAS FIXED. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER ON MARCH 12, 2010 THE CAR WAS STARTED BY ME AND PUT IN REVERSE. THE EMERGENCY BREAK ENGAGED BY ITSELF. THE BREAK WAS TAPPED AND THE BREAK DISENGAGED. THIS HAPPENED ONCE IN THE MORNING. THE CAR WAS THEN FINE UNTIL THAT SAME EVENING WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS BACKING THE CAR OUT OF A FRIEND?S DRIVEWAY ONTO A BUSY STREET. AGAIN THE EMERGENCY BREAK SELF ENGAGED. AND THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT WAS AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION. MY HUSBAND AND I WHEN WE PARK HAVE NOT USED EMERGENCY BRAKES FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. WE KNOW IT WAS NOT ON EITHER TIME. WE ALSO KNOW WE DID NOT STEP ON IT AS WE STARTED THE CAR AND BACKED OUT. THOUGH NOTHING CAME OF THIS, IT DID POSE A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT STATED HE TOOK HIS VEHICLE IN FOR THE REMEDY ON THE ENTRAPMENT PEDAL AND HE DID NOT REALIZED THAT THEY WOULD SHORTENED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. HE IS DISAPPOINTED IN THE RESULTS AND WHAT THEY DID TO THE PEDAL HE IS NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER AND DEALER DID NOT INFORM HIM OF EXACTLY WHAT THE FIX WOULD BE ON THE VEHICLE. THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER INFORM HIM THAT NHTSA SAID IT WAS ACCEPTABLE FOR THEM TO CUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL OFF. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THEY CANNOT MODIFY THE PEDAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

I AM REQUESTING THAT DOT NHTSA INVESTIGATE THE DRIVER'S CONTRIBUTION TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION (UA) DUE TO PROGRAMMING CODE ERROR. I AM DRIVING AT 40 MPH. I SEE SIGNAL LIGHT TURNING RED. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR. THE CAR IS COASTING. WHEN SPEED REACHED 20 MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED ACCELERATING. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE. CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN. I REPORTED THIS TO LEXUS HEADQUARTER ON 03-01-10 (LEXUS INCIDENT.) I WAS ASKED TO DROP OFF MY CAR AT DEALER ON 03-30-2010 SO THAT FIELD TECHNICAL SPECIALIST CAN INVESTIGATE. I WAS ASKED TO PICK UP MY CAR ON 03-31-10. I REQUESTED COPY TECHNICIANS FINDINGS AND REPORT. AS PER TECHNICIAN'S REPORT, "WE WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE HIS CONCERN. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT AS THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN THE TORQUE CONVERTER LOCK UP IS TURNING OFF. THIS REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF ENGINE BRAKING AND GIVES THE FEELING THAT THE VEHICLE HAS SPED UP. WE COMPARED THIS TO ANOTHER ES350 AND IT HAS THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS. NO REPAIRS MADE, VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED." I WROTE LEXUS HEAD-QUARTER AGAIN SAYING, "THIS IS NOT A FEELING I EXPERIENCED. IT IS A REAL ISSUE. I NOTICED SPEEDOMETER READING RISING." I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM LEXUS HEADQUARTER INDICATING THERE IS NOTHING MORE THEY CAN DO. I ASKED, "CAN YOUR TECHNICIAN REPEAT THE TEST WITH ME IN THE CAR WITH HIM?". THEY SAID, "IT IS NOT NECESSARY". SINCE MY FOOT WAS NOT ON ACCELERATOR OR BRAKE WHEN CAR STARTED ACCELERATING, I SUSPECT PROGRAMMING CODE ERROR. MY CAR WAS ALREADY REPAIRED DURING SAFETY RECALL BY LEXUS SOME TWO MONTHS AGO. SO, THIS IS NOT A STUCK ACCELERATOR ISSUE. I REQUEST YOUR ASSISTANCE IN HAVING LEXUS REPEAT THIS TEST WITH ME INSIDE THE CAR TO WITNESS THEIR TEST. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO DO THIS. CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM STERLING MCCALL LEXUS, HOUSTON IN DECEMBER 08. IT IS LEXUS 2009, ES 350. CAR IS BARELY USED SINCE WE BOUGHT IT 16 MONTHS AGO. IT HAS 3,300 MILES ON IT. ALL ROUTINE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED BY DEALER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ENTERING THE HIGHWAY. A SUDDEN INCREASE OF ACCELERATION CAUSED THE SPEED TO INCREASE TO OVER 60 MPH. THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT IS WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM THE DEALER FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,500.

2009 LEXUS ES350, VEHICLE ACCELERATED. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE ACCELERATED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND WHEN HE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP TO 80 MPH, BEFORE IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL ON MARCH 26, 2010. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE IS STILL NOT OPERATING CORRECTLY.*JB

MY VEHICLE LEXUS ES350 (2009) IS UNDER RECALL FOR SAFETY AS IT GAS PEDAL IS GETTING STUCK IN SOME CASES. I HAD DIFFICULT TIME FOR LEXUS TO TAKE CARE AND TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. BUT I WANT TO REPORT THAT LEXUS DOES STILL NOT OWN ITS RESPONSIBILITY. I HAD CALLED LEXUS ON FEB 19, 2010, TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF THE RECALL REPAIR. I WAS TOLD: "CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE AND THAT 'IT IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL." THIS WAS TOLD TO ME REPEATEDLY, EVEN THOUGH I KEPT TELLING THE LEXUS PERSON THAT THEIR OWN WEBSITE IS SAYING CONTRARY TO HER CLAIM. I THINK IT IS VERY MISLEADING --TELLING CUSTOMERS THAT VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE; AND THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL BUT VOLUNTARY RECALL BY THE COMPANY. I HAVE GOT MY VEHICLE FIXED. BUT I AM SURPRISED AT THE COMPANY'S STYLE OF MISLEADING CUSTOMERS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS ES350. ON FEBRUARY 9, 2010, WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE GEARS WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. HE ATTEMPTED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND COLLIDED INTO A WALL. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED BUT THE PASSENGER DID SUSTAIN INJURIES TO THE MOUTH AND UPPER BODY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 28,000. THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING THE FINDINGS ON THE VEHICLE. UPDATED EVOQ 10/13/10 THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. UPDATED 02/25/11

LEXUS RECALL ON ES 350 I TOOK MY LEXUS IN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL ACTION I WAS TOLD THAT A ACCELERATOR OVERRIDE SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED AND IF THE GAS PEDAL AND THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF. I FEAR THAT THIS IS UNSAFE DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS ES350. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEGUN TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 2500.

POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY, 5/1/09 LEXUS E 350 2009. DEALER INSPECTED IT & SAID BRAKES WERE NORMAL. I HAVE DRIVEN HUNDREDS OF VEHICLES IN MY LIFE.......NONE FELT LIKE THIS. *TR

2009 LEXUS 350. CONSUMER STATES BRAKE FAILURE WHICH CAUSING A MULTI CAR ACCIDENT. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND SUBSEQUENTLY HE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE DID RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS ES350. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPACE SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ORDER TO STOP THE ACCELERATION THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY HARD PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FLOOR MAT CAUSED THE ACCELERATION AND THEY WERE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS AT 2000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 4800. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS ES350. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD FALLEN TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT HAD THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER SEALS REPLACED. THE CONTACT NOTICED PREVIOUSLY THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TRAVELED OVER A ROUGH SURFACE 2 TO 3 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS ES350. AT A STOP SIGN HE SLIGHTLY RELEASED THE BRAKE AND SLIGHTLY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD. HE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY AVOID A CRASH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 8780.

FAILURE OF AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION ON OCTOBER 24, 2009 INVOLVING MY 2009 LEXUS ES 350. DAMAGE ESTIMATES FROM THE INVOLVED INSURANCE COMPANY TOTAL OVER $15,000.00 FOR ALL FRONTAL DAMAGE WHICH INTRUDES INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ESTIMATES WHICH ARE OVER $15000.00 INDICATE THAT THE AIRBAG SENSORS ARE BEING REPLACED, BUT THERE IS NO CHARGE INDICATED FOR THE SENSOR REPLACEMENT WHICH LEXUS IS PROBABLY DOING AT NO CHARGE. THIS MEANS THAT THE DAMAGE OF $15,000.00 ARE FOR PARTS AND WORK OTHER THAN THAT INVOLVING THE FRONT AIRBAG SENSORS REPLACEMENT. INJURIES SUSTAINED BY FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS. DRIVER IS BEING TREATED FOR A CLOSED HEAD INJURY/CONCUSSION AND PASSENGER IS BEING EVALUATED FOR CONCERNS OF DIZZINESS, RIGHT HIP PAIN AND A POSSIBLE NECK INJURY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS ES350. HE WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE PUSH SWITCH STARTER BUTTON DOES NOT ALLOW THE DRIVER TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. HE HAS NOT HAD A FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 2000.

TL*THE CONTACT LEASED A 2009 LEXUS ES350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED 80 TO 90 MPH. HE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE ALSO PRESSED THE ON/OFF BUTTON, SHIFT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE WITH MINIMAL CONTROL TO AN EMERGENCY LANE WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE THEN IMMEDIATELY TO PARK; HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SMOKING AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE. HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND EXPECTS THEM TO ALLOW HIM TO RETURN THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DIRECTOR STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE FLOOR MATS AND THAT THE HOOKS WERE NEVER INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 11,900 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS ALSO APPROXIMATELY 11,890.

MY WIFE AND I EXPERIENCED AN UNCONTROLLABLE RUNAWAY OF OUR NEW (3 WEEKS OLD AND LESS THAN 200 MILES) LEXUS ES-350 CAR ON 09/27/2009. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. AT TIME, BOTH POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE CALLED. AND WE WERE SENT TO THE NEARBY SHADY GROVE HOSPITAL FOR CHECKUP AND TREATMENTS. INITIALLY, I THOUGHT IT COULD BE BECAUSE I MISTAKENLY PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL, INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE, WHEN I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT-HAND TURN ONTO RT. 28. NOW, AFTER I READ ALL THE RECENT TOYOTA/LEXUS ACCIDENT NEWS REPORTS, WHICH SPECIFICALLY INVOLVED THE LEXUS ES SERIES, I BEGIN TO BELIEF IT WASN'T THE CASE. AND IN FACT, IT WAS AN UNCONTROLLABLE RUNAWAY CAR, AT THE TIME. BECAUSE OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE NATURALLY SLOWED DOWN THE CAR AT THE INTERSECTION AND PREPARED TO MAKE THE TURN. THEREFORE, I SHOULDN'T BE THE ONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT; ALSO CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING:(1) I'M AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER, AND HAVE DRIVEN ALL KIND OF BRAND AND SIZES OF CARS, AND UNDER VARIOUS WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS SINCE 1962; (2) THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE GREAT SCENECA HWY IN GAITHERSBURG. I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THIS SPECIFIC AREA SINCE 1974; AND GOING THROUGH ALL THE COMMUNITY CHANGES AND EXPANSIONS, INCLUDING NEW ROAD STRUCTURES, AND TRAFFIC PATTERNS; (3) I'VE A SUPERIOR DRIVING RECORD; AND A 20/20 VISION. *TR

ON AUGUST 28, 2009, FOUR OCCUPANTS OF A 2009 LEXUS ES350 TRAGICALLY AND UNNECESSARILY DIED IN SANTE, CALIFORNIA IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOLLOWING A HIGH SPEED LOSS OF CONTROL AND ROLLOVER EVENT. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION WAS A LOANER CAR FROM BOB BAKER LEXUS IN EL CAJON, CALIFORNIA. DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, 45, A 19 YEAR VETERAN OF THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL. THE DRIVER HAD OBTAINED THE VEHICLE THAT DAY AFTER DROPPING OFF HIS LEXUS FOR SERVICE. WITNESSES REPORT THAT THE OFFICER WAS MANEUVERING THE LEXUS IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED ON STATE ROUTE 125, HONKING HIS HORN WITH THE HAZARD LIGHTS ON, PRIOR TO THE HIGHWAY ENDING AT AN INTERSECTION. THE OFFICER ATTEMPTED TO NEGOTIATE A TURN BUT COULD NOT AVOID STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND LOSING CONTROL BECAUSE OF HIS HIGH RATE OF SPEED. ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES, AND CAUGHT FIRE. ALL FOUR OCCUPANTS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE DIED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. PRIOR TO ENTERING THE INTERSECTION, AN OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE CALLED 911 EMERGENCY TO REPORT THAT THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK. HE REPORTED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 120 MILES PER HOUR AND THAT THEY WERE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION. OCCUPANTS ARE HEARD TELLING EACH OTHER TO PRAY BEFORE A WOMAN SCREAMS AND THE CALL SUDDENLY ENDS. THE OFFICER(DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, HIS WIFE , 45, AND THEIR 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ALL DIED IN THE CRASH. THE WIFE'S BROTHER, 38, ALSO DIED. ON BEHALF OF THE SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE DECEDENTS, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOU TO INVESTIGATE WHY THIS LEXUS VEHICLE'S ACCELERATOR MALFUNCTIONED, AND WHY A HIGHLY-TRAINED OFFICER AND DRIVER LIKE THE OFFICER WAS UNABLE TO RE-GAIN CONTROL OF THE LEXUS VEHICLE AT ISSUE OR OTHERWISE AVOID CATASTROPHE. WE CURRENTLY ARE AWAITING ADDITIONAL FACTS SURROUNDING THE INCIDENT, AND THE MALFUNCTION OF THE LEXUS, BUT WILL SUPPLEMENT THIS COMPLAINT UPON RECEIPT. *TR UPDATED 12/01/09 *BF UPDATED 06/03/10*BF UPDATED 09/23/10 UPDATED 9/27/11*CW

LEXUS ES 350 HAD UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATOR CAUSING SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 90 MILES PER HOUR UNTIL CAR WAS FORCED OUT OF GEAR. WITHOUT ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE THE CAR TOOK OVER AND SPED OUT OF CONTROL. CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ENGAGED AND BRAKES WOULD NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE. I CALLED 911 AND THEY TOLD ME TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WHICH CAUSED THE RPMS TO RACE OUT OF CONTROL. THE CAR THEN WENT INTO REVERSE BY ITSELF UNTIL I SLAMMED IT INTO PARK. THE DEALER CAME AND PICKED UP THE CAR AS IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. FORTUNATELY THIS OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY AND I HAD ROOM TO MANEUVER AND MISS CARS AND OBSTACLES. HAD THIS OCCURRED ANYWHERE ELSE I WOULD BE IN THE HOSPITAL. *TR

2009 LEXUS ES-350 HAD SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHICH WAS OUT OF CONTROL IN MAY 2009. I HAD BROUGHT THIS CAR BACK TO LEXUS DEALERSHIP AT SOUTHFILED, MI WHO SAID IT WAS NOT AN ISSUE. *TR

TAKATA RECALL - LEXUS STATES THAT THEY CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS FOR MY VEHICLE

IN A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT, HAD TO SWING WIDE TO AVOID A TRUCK TURNING INTO A ROW OF PARKED CARS. IN DOING SO, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE RAN OVER THE LAST FOOT OF A ROUNDED CURB ISLAND AT ABOUT A WALKING SPEED. THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE EXPERIENCED A 2 INCH L SHAPED BLOWOUT. THIS TIRE WAS ON A NEW CAR WITH LESS THAN 1200 MILES. I HAVE NEVER IN 50 YEARS HAD A TIRE HAVE THIS TYPE OF BLOWOUT WITH SUCH A LOW SPEED CURB ROLLOVER. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THIS AREA TO CAUSE A PUNCTURE. *TR