2011 Lexus ES Body & Structure Problems

I purchased the car on Feb 9, 2014 at the above Lexus Dealership. $26,596.   My dashboard is melting and it’s definitely a safety hazard. When materials used in the dashboard are prone to melting or degrading in extreme heat, potentially obstructing the driver's view and impacting visibility.  At times I couldn't see and I almost had an accident when the sun reflected in my eyes. It’s a defect that Lexus is aware of because they offered to fix it under the Customer Support Program (Takata Economic Loss Class Action Settlement).   Furthermore, by way of legal agreement, the ZLZ warranty enhancement coverage extends to my vehicle until January 8, 2026.  However, I should not have to rely on this legal agreement to get Lexus to take care of this repair which has been determined as a defective product/material.   I contacted Lexus HQ 716-941-2295 on November 21, 2024. Lexus said they would not be responsible.   The law recognizes concepts of negligence and strict liability to hold sellers liable for defective goods even when no contract existed.   Furthermore, regarding this dashboard defect, there is liability based on the breach of a warranty for the sale of this defective product. Regarding negligence and strict liability, the law has expanded the scope of warranty protections for consumers. This is true both of liability for express promises made by the sellers regarding the quality of products, and the protections the law presumes when sellers offer goods for sale. Lexus knows that when a seller makes a representation at the time of sale regarding the quality of the product, that product is said to be under warranty. Lexus should not continue to avoid responsibility using the excuse of time limitations on the warranty item.  Lexus should authorize the repair.

We purchased this vehicle in mid 2018. In October of 2018 Lexus issued a customer support process ZLZ which covered our vehicle for problems with the dashboard. At that time, we had no deterioration of our dashboard so we did not respond. The Lexus program expired in 2021. In the last two years, our dashboard has deteriorated quite substantially becoming sticky and more importantly, becoming very reflective. This condition is a serious safety issue for day and night driving as light reflects up on the windshield and obscures vision out of the windshield. We took the vehicle to Lexus San Diego in August of 2024 and they declined to address the repair as a defect and offered to replace the dashboard for approximately $3000. At that time I called the Lexus Corporate Dept and they said that it could fall under the support program again if they re-opened the program. The representative did not offer any timeline for that happening. I sent correspondence to Lexus Corporate in Oct of 2024 and finally heard back on 11/08/2024 that they would only offer a customer paid fix of approximately $2200.00. The dashboard is definitely defective (soon to be inoperable) and creates a very significant safety problem. I do not understand or agree with Lexus not addressing it properly.

THE DASHBOARD IS MELTING WHICH RESULTS IN THE NOXIOUS CHEMICAL SMELL AND ADHESIVE COMPOUND THAT IS STICKY TO THE TOUCH.

1. BODY PAINT HAS DETERIORATED GREATLY ON ROOF, FRONT HOOD AND TRUNK, PICTURES ATTACHED. 2. LEATHER SEATS DETERIORATED. DRIVER SEAT BROKE IN VARIOUS PARTS. PASSENGER AND REAR SEATS ALSO DETERIORATING. PICTURES ATTACHED. DATE RECORDED ON THE WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN FIELD IS AN APPROXIMATE WHEN WE FIRST NOTICED THE IMPLICATION OF THESE ISSUES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LEXUS ES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THERE WAS A VIBRATION EMERGING FROM THE FRONTAL DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR PANELS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

AT APPROXIMATELY 7:23 PM ON JULY 8, 2012, WHILE PARKING IN THE PARKING LOT OF OUR LOCAL CHURCH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE CAR WAS ALMOST AT A COMPLETE STOP, WHEN THIS SUDDEN UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION OCCURRED. AT THAT TIME LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE EXITING THE CHURCH AND WALKING TOWARDS THE PARKING LOT TO GET INTO THEIR CARS, WHILE OTHERS WERE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THEIR VEHICLES WAITING FOR THE NEXT SERVICE TO START. I WAS TERRIFIED SINCE AS HARD AS I PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL, MY CAR CONTINUED ACCELERATING ; IT RAN OVER THE CONCRETE PARKING BUMP, HIT AN ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION, AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN IT HIT A PARKED SUV ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT. THE FRONT SECTION OF MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS NOT DRIVABLE. I TOWED THE VEHICLE TO MY HOUSE AND LATER TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP FOR AN INSPECTION. AN INSPECTOR FROM LEXUS CORPORATION INSPECTED IT ON JULY 17, 2012. HE CALLED ME THE SAME DAY TO LET ME KNOW THAT THE INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED, HOWEVER HE WOULD NOT DISCLOSE ANY INSPECTION RESULTS, DUE TO LEXUS POLICY. I AM STILL AWAITING A FORMAL RESPONSE FROM LEXUS. *TR

AT APPROXIMATELY 6:30PM, WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN INTO A FRIENDS DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN, AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT AS IF LOCKED IN TO THE RIGHT HAND POSITION, HIT A TREE AND FINALLY CAME TO A STOP BY HITTING HIGH CONCRETE STEPS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND LATER TO THE BODY SHOP AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. DURING THE INTERIM, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY TOYOTA. POST INVESTIGATION, THE LETTER RECENTLY RECEIVED FROM TOYOTA STATES "DURING THE LIMITED TEST DRIVE ACCELERATING AND BRAKING TESTS WERE CONDUCTED AND THE VEHICLE PERFORMED WITH NO ABNORMALITIES FOUND". THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE PER THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANIC AT THE BODY SHOP, DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND FLUID LEAKAGE. THIS LETTER FROM TOYOTA'S INVESTIGATION IS INCONGRUENT WITH THE FACTS AS I KNOW THEM. AS OF THIS DATE, JUNE 3, 2012, THE VEHICLE IS STILL BEING WORKED ON. *TR