NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
49 reportsClear category filter50,000 miles · Jul 5, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control
I HAVE A 2004 LEXUS ES330 WITH ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS. MY INITIAL PROBLEM WAS AS I COME TO A STOP LIGHT AND IT TURNS GREEN, BEFORE I HAVE TO STOP I WOULD ACCELERATE AND THERE WOULD BE A HESITATION WHERE THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE IT IS STALLING. IT WOULD THEN ACCELERATE WITH A THUMP. I TOOK IT IN TO THE LEXUS DEALER IN HAWAII (OAHU)…
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I HAVE A 2004 LEXUS ES330 WITH ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS. MY INITIAL PROBLEM WAS AS I COME TO A STOP LIGHT AND IT TURNS GREEN, BEFORE I HAVE TO STOP I WOULD ACCELERATE AND THERE WOULD BE A HESITATION WHERE THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE IT IS STALLING. IT WOULD THEN ACCELERATE WITH A THUMP. I TOOK IT IN TO THE LEXUS DEALER IN HAWAII (OAHU) AND THEY RECOGNIZED IT AS A COMPUTER PROGRAM PROBLEM THAT TELLS THE CAR WHEN TO ACCELERATE. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY CAN "TRY" TO FIX IT BY CHANGING THE COMPUTER CHIP AND RESETTING THE MEMORY IN THE COMPUTER. HOWEVER, THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD EITHER FIX THE PROBLEM OR CREATE OTHER ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS. THEY KNOW THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS. IT FIXED MY INITIAL PROBLEM BUT HAS CAUSED OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS CAR NOW JERKS UPON ACCELERATING WHILE TRAVELING 5-15 MPH. FROM A STOP, MY CAR SOMETIMES HESITATES AND THEN ACCELERATES WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL. I KNOW OTHER LEXUS OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED AS WELL AS CAMRY OWNERS THAT HAVE A V6 ENGINE AND THE SAME TRANSMISSION AS THE LEXUS ES330. YOU CAN GOOGLE IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10341517
Mileage unknown · May 11, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control
2004 LEXUS 330. CONSUMER STATES UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION TWICE. FORTUNATELY, BOTH TIMES HE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL, STOPPING AND RESTARTING. WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO REGAIN CONTROL, HE ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL UP AND BRAK…
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2004 LEXUS 330. CONSUMER STATES UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION TWICE. FORTUNATELY, BOTH TIMES HE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL, STOPPING AND RESTARTING. WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO REGAIN CONTROL, HE ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL UP AND BRAKE, BUT NEITHER ACTION WAS SUCCESSFUL. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10329631
Mileage unknown · May 3, 2010
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
2004 LEXUS ES330 SUDDEN ACCELERATION *GR THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO TURN AROUND IN THE PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, STRUCK A SIGN AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10328516
43,000 miles · Apr 14, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control
THROTTLE CONTROL COMPUTER FAILED ON 2004 LEXUS. COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO GO MORE THAN 5 MILES PER HOUR. LEXUS/TOYOTA SAYS IT IS UNRELATED TO THE 1000'S OF OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVING TO DO WITH THE THROTTLE. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS RELATED AND SHOULD BE PART OF THE RECALL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10325641
53,000 miles · Apr 13, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control
2004 LEXUS ES 330 ACCELERATION IS STICKING/STALLING AND JERKING WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVING AND SLOWING DOWN IN TRAFFIC. CONTACTED LEXUS DEALER AND REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY CLAIM THE CAR COMPUTER IS CONSTANTLY ADJUSTING FEEL LIKE JERKING MOTIONS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10325578
45,000 miles · Mar 9, 2010
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury
WHILE PARKING, THE CONSUMERS 2004 LEXUS ES 330 SUDDENLY ACCELERATED JUMPED AND CURB HIT A TREE. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED SHE GENTLY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO INCH INTO A PARKING SPACE A LITTLE MORE, WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL. AFTER HITTING THE TREE, THE VEHICLE THEN BOUNCED BACK FROM THE TREE AND WENT DOWN A…
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WHILE PARKING, THE CONSUMERS 2004 LEXUS ES 330 SUDDENLY ACCELERATED JUMPED AND CURB HIT A TREE. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED SHE GENTLY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO INCH INTO A PARKING SPACE A LITTLE MORE, WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL. AFTER HITTING THE TREE, THE VEHICLE THEN BOUNCED BACK FROM THE TREE AND WENT DOWN AN INCLINE TO THE RIGHT WHERE SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP IT. THE CONSUMER WAS TREATED AT THE HOSPITAL FOR A HAIRLINE FRACTURE OF HER STERNUM. IT TOOK SEVERAL WEEKS TO RECOVER. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10316534
52,050 miles · Feb 27, 2010
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control
MY LEXUS 2004 MODEL ES330 HAS BEEN ACCELERATING BY ITSELF. THIS ACCELERATION HAS BEEN HAPPENING TWO TO THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR ABOUT A YEAR. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING BY ITSELF, BUT HAVE NOTICED MORE DURING LAST 3 TO 4 MONTHS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10314754
38,000 miles · Feb 25, 2010
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
WAS PARKING IN A STRIP MALL. MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, JUMPED THE PARKING BLOCK AND THE SIDEWALK, CRASHED THROUGH THE FRONT OF A STORE AND CAME TO REST INSIDE THE STORE. THIS IS THE ONLY INCIDENT WITH THIS CAR. INSURANCE COMPANY REPAIRED THE CAR AND WE CONTINUE TO OWN IT AND DRIVE IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10314236
55,000 miles · Feb 25, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control
MY 04 LEXUS ES 330 HAD UNEXPLAINED THROTTLE INCREASE WHILE DRIVING ON HWY AT ABOUT 50 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND IT STOPPED. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND CALLED LOCAL LEXUS DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED ME TO BRING IT TO THEM. WHEN I STARTED ENGINE AGAIN IT DROVE OK. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10314132
42,000 miles · Feb 24, 2010
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
I HAD 2 ACCELERATING EXPERIENCES WITH MY 04 LEXUS. BOTH LED UP TO SEVERAL $ DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND I OTHER CAR. THEN THE 3RD ONE OCCURRED WHEN MY CAR WAS IN FOR REPAIR AND THE LEXUS GARAGE LOANED ME A 2009 LEXUS, THE SAME THING - IT ACCELERATED AND I DROVE INTO A BRICK WALL. I THOUGHT THEY WERE MY FAULT. THE STATE OF MINNESOT…
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I HAD 2 ACCELERATING EXPERIENCES WITH MY 04 LEXUS. BOTH LED UP TO SEVERAL $ DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND I OTHER CAR. THEN THE 3RD ONE OCCURRED WHEN MY CAR WAS IN FOR REPAIR AND THE LEXUS GARAGE LOANED ME A 2009 LEXUS, THE SAME THING - IT ACCELERATED AND I DROVE INTO A BRICK WALL. I THOUGHT THEY WERE MY FAULT. THE STATE OF MINNESOTA INTERVENED AND TOOK MY DRIVERS LICENSE SO I CAN LONGER DRIVE. I FEEL THIS WAS AN INJUSTICE AND WANT MY LICENSE RETURNED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10313809
NHTSA investigations
1DP05002 · Vehicle Speed Control
Opened Aug 5, 2005 · Closed Jan 5, 2006
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control
IN A LETTER DATED JULY 8, 2005, AND AFTER EXPERIENCING TWO INCIDENTS (AND ONE CRASH) WHERE HE ALLEGES HIS MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002 CAMRY ACCELERATED WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT, MR. JORDAN ZIPRIN PETITIONED THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION?S (NHTSA) OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) TO COMMENCE A PROCEEDING TO DETERMINE THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT WITHIN THE ETC SYSTEM IN MY 2002 TO 2005 TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES, OR TO REOPEN A PRIOR INVESTIGATION PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE) 04-021.IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 18, 2005, MR. ZIPRIN AMENDED HIS PETITION TO INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF INTERRELATED BRAKE AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS THAT ALLEGEDLY RESULT IN INAPPROPRIATE AND UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE ACCELERATIONS.THE 1172 VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE REPORTS CITED BY THE PETITIONER INVOLVE 4 LEXUS AND 15 TOYOTA MODELS DEFINING A POPULATION OF 7 MILLION VEHICLES.THE REPORTS TYPICALLY ALLEGED A DEFECT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM, THE THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH SYSTEMS.IN ITS REVIEW OF THE REPORTS, ODI A) FAILED TO FIND EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE EXISTENCE OF A BRAKE RELATED DEFECT IN THE CITED MODELS, AND B) DETERMINED THAT MANY CITED PRODUCTS WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH ETC.ACCORDINGLY, ODI RESTRICTED ITS ANALYSIS TO THE 432 PETITIONER REPORTS INVOLVING MY 2002 TO 2005 CAMRY, SOLARA, AND ES MODELS (ALL EQUIPPED WITH ETC) THAT ALLEGED AN ABNORMAL THROTTLE CONTROL EVENT (SEE THE JANUARY 3, 2006 FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE FOR FURTHER DETAILS).ABOUT 40% OF THE 432 REPORTS INVOLVE A DRIVEABILITY CONCERN WHERE THE OPERATOR INTENTIONALLY APPLIES THE THROTTLE PEDAL, IN EXPECTATION THAT THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE, AND THEN EXPERIENCES A DELAY OR HESITATION IN VEHICLE RESPONSE.THESE REPORTS INVOLVE VEHICLE RESPONSE TO INTENTIONAL DRIVER COMMANDS WHICH ODI CONSIDERS UNRELATED TO THE ALLEGATIONS RAISED BY THE PETITIONER.THEREFORE, THE REPORTS DO NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED.ABOUT 20% OF THE REPORTS INVOLVE INCIDENTS WHERE OPERATORS ALLEGE VEHICLE ACCELERATION WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT AND AN INABILITY OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN APPLIED.NEITHER THE REPORTS, NOR THE INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BY ODI, IDENTIFIED ANY VEHICLE-BASED CAUSE TO EXPLAIN THE INCIDENTS OR DISCLOSED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE OR THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM HAD OCCURRED.BECAUSE THESE REPORTS DO NOT INDICATE A DISTINCT SAFETY DEFECT FOR INVESTIGATION, THE REPORTS DO NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED BY THE PETITIONERTHE REMAINING REPORTS (~ 40%, SIMILAR TO THE PETITIONER?S AND THOSE OF PE04-021) TYPICALLY DESCRIBE INCIDENTS WHERE A VEHICLE IS BEING MANEUVERED AT SLOW SPEED IN A CLOSE QUARTER SITUATION AT WHICH POINT THE OPERATOR ALLEGES THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT AND CRASHES.IN THE AFTERMATH, OPERATORS ARE UNSURE OF WHETHER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED OR NOT, SOMETIMES STATING THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME TO USE THE BRAKE; A CRASH OCCURRED AND THE OPERATOR BELIEVES AN UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION CAUSED IT.IN SPITE OF THE EFFORT EXPENDED DURING PE04-021 AND DURING THIS ANALYSIS, ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY VEHICLE-BASED CAUSE TO EXPLAIN THE REPORTS, OR UNCOVERED ANY EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT A THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE OCCURRED.THEREFORE, THE REPORTS HAVE AMBIGUOUS SIGNIFICANCE AND DO NOT CONSTITUTE A BASIS ON WHICH ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE ACTION IS WARRANTED.BASED ON THE ANALYSIS CONDUCTED, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.CONSEQUENTLY, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA?S LIMITED RESOURCES T
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