2001 Lexus LS Speed Control & Cruise Problems

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I HAVE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE CAR ACCELERATES RATHER THAN STOPPING. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN JULY 2006 RIGHT AFTER I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR. THAT TIME I ACCELERATED INTO THE BACK OF A POLICE CAR AND DID A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I HAVE DRIVEN OVER 120,000 MILES AND 9 YEARS WITHOUT THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. THIS TIME I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND BEGAN TO MOVE WHEN A CONSTRUCTION WORKER JUMPED IN FRONT OF MY CAR TO HAVE ME STOP AND THE CAR ACCELERATED ACROSS 4 LANES AND STOPPED BEFORE I WENT UP ON THE CURB AND HIT A BUILDING. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CONSTRUCTION WORKER'S ANKLE WAS BROKEN AND NOW I AM BEING SUED. I HAD MY MECHANIC CHECK THE PROBLEM LAST TIME AND HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THIS CAR HAD BEEN RECALLED LAST TIME AND THIS TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM AND IT HAS NOT BEEN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS LS430. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE FLOOR MATS BEING CAUGHT UNDERNEATH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE IS DEFECT INVESTIGATION # PE07016 FOR THE 2007 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT WANTED TO HAVE HER VEHICLE INCLUDED IN THE INVESTIGATION. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 62,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000. UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED BACKWARDS WHILE BRAKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. THE ENGINE ROARED LOUDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK AND LURCHED FORWARD 5 FEET STRIKING A CONCRETE PILLAR. A BYSTANDER INTERVENED AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A CRASH, THE POLICE WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AFTER STRIKING THE DASH. BOTH OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A DEALER TO AWAIT INSPECTION BY A MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE. *JB

THIS CAR HAS A "DRIVE-BY-WIRE" THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM IN WHICH THE THROTTLE IS NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE BUT IS DIGITIZED AND SENT TO A COMPUTER FOR ANALYSIS PRIOR TO CONTROLLING THE ENGINE SPEED. THE SPEED CONTROL COMPUTER ANALIZES THE THROTTLE INPUT OVER TIME AND "LEARNS" THE DRIVERS THROTTLE CONTROL HABITS AND ADJUSTS THE ENGINE RESPONSE TO THROTTLE INPUT BASED ON THE LONG-TERM DRIVING HISTORY OF THE DRIVER. IF THE DRIVER DRIVES AGGRESSIVELY ALL OF THE TIME THEN THE THROTTLE RESPONSE IS GOOD. HOWEVER IF THE DRIVER DRIVES CONSERVITIVELY MOST OF THE TIME THEN THE THROTTLE RESPONSE IS POOR. I NORMALLY DRIVE CONSERVATIVELY AND I HAVE FOUND ON MANY OCCASIONS THAT THIS CAR DOES NOT RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ACCELLERATION. THAT IS, WHEN I DRIVE CONSERVATIVELY AND THEN NEED TO ACCELLERATE QUICKLY TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE, THIS CAR HESITATES FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE DECIDING TO SPEED UP, EVEN WHEN I STOMP ON THE ACCELLERATOR. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THIS CAR. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MY LEXUS DEALER ON EVERY VISIT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN 2000, YET THEY HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT LEXUS WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS SEVERAL CUSTOMERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINEERS HAD AN EXPERIMENTAL FIRMWARE UPGRADE THAT THEY WERE TESTING WITH SOME CUSTOMERS. I HAVE CONTACTED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT THEY JUST REFERRED ME BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

LASER SENSOR IS LOCATED, UNPROTECTED, IN RECESS IN FRONT BUMPER OF CAR. AT SOME TIME DURING RECENT ROAD TRIP AN OBJECT, PROBABLY A STONE, CAUSED A CRACK IN LENS OF CRUISE CONTROL MODULE. THIS CAUSED CRUISE CONTROL TO MALFUNCTION BY SUDDENLY MISREADING LOCATION AND DISTANCE OF CARS IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. NO PROTECTIVE COVER OR LENS REPLACEMENT IS PROVIDED TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM OR MITIGATE EXPENSE OF CORRECTING THE PROBLEM.*AK