NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
49 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Jul 15, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
DT: CONSUMER'S WIFE GOT INTO THE VEHICLE AND REVERSED, THEN PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. AT THAT TIME, IT CONTINUED TO GO BACKWARDS. SHE THEN CALLED THE CONSUMER AND HE CALLED THE AUTO CLUB, A WRECKER CAME OUT, AND THE SERVICE MAN PUT A BLOCK BEHIND THE WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD IN DRIVE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTE…
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DT: CONSUMER'S WIFE GOT INTO THE VEHICLE AND REVERSED, THEN PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. AT THAT TIME, IT CONTINUED TO GO BACKWARDS. SHE THEN CALLED THE CONSUMER AND HE CALLED THE AUTO CLUB, A WRECKER CAME OUT, AND THE SERVICE MAN PUT A BLOCK BEHIND THE WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD IN DRIVE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AT THIS TIME, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT LEFT. YESTERDAY, THE VEHICLE WENT BACKWARDS IN DRIVE AGAIN. HE HAS CONTACTED SANTA MONICA LEXUS AND THEY WERE SENDING OUT A DIAGNOSTIC EXPERT TO CHECK THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10128911
Mileage unknown · Jun 13, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
CONSUMER IS REQUESTING INFORMATION REGARDING THE STATUS OF THE REVIEW OF THE 2004 LEXUS EX 330 ACCELERATION DELAY PROBLEM.*MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED AN ACCELERATION DELAY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN, LIKE WHEN APPROACHING A HIGHWAY ON RAMP, THEN ACCELERATED TO GET INTO TRAFFIC, THERE …
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CONSUMER IS REQUESTING INFORMATION REGARDING THE STATUS OF THE REVIEW OF THE 2004 LEXUS EX 330 ACCELERATION DELAY PROBLEM.*MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED AN ACCELERATION DELAY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN, LIKE WHEN APPROACHING A HIGHWAY ON RAMP, THEN ACCELERATED TO GET INTO TRAFFIC, THERE WAS AN 1.5 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10125854
7,615 miles · Mar 6, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
TWO EPISODES OF SPONTANEOUS ACCELERATION. EPISODE ONE ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 17,2004, WHILE PULLING PAST A VEHICLE ON A FREEWAY, THE CAR DID NOT SLOW WHEN ACCELERATOR PRESSURE WAS RELEASED AND REQUIRED MULTIPLE PEDAL DEPRESSIONS TO OBTAIN CONTROL. THE SECOND EPISODE IS DESCRIBED BELOW.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10112616
Mileage unknown · Mar 3, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
I OWN A LEXUS 2004 ES 330, PURCHASED NEW. FROM DAY ONE THERE HAS BEEN A HESITATION IN ACCELERATION. THIS HAS PUT ME IN POSSIBLE DANGER MANY MANY TIMES. IN TALKING WITH THE DEALER, THEY WERE/ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SAID IT IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM THAT THEY HOPE WILL BE FIXED. NOTHING TO DATE. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT T…
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I OWN A LEXUS 2004 ES 330, PURCHASED NEW. FROM DAY ONE THERE HAS BEEN A HESITATION IN ACCELERATION. THIS HAS PUT ME IN POSSIBLE DANGER MANY MANY TIMES. IN TALKING WITH THE DEALER, THEY WERE/ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SAID IT IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM THAT THEY HOPE WILL BE FIXED. NOTHING TO DATE. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY AGREE THAT THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND THAT ALL THE ES 330S HAVE THIS PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, LEXUS HAS NOT TAKEN THE TIME OR WANTED TO SPEND THE MONEY TO FIX THIS. THE DANGER IS REAL. CAN YOU HELP? THANKS. JANE ROBINS. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10112463
Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. THEN, TURNED VEHICLE OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10113240
10,000 miles · Feb 16, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE HESITATED, THEN SURGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. NO IMPACT REPORTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB VEHICLE SURGES EVEN WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A COMPLETE STOP. NO COLLISION SO FAR. *TT
NHTSA ODI #10108516
1,000 miles · Jan 24, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
I HAVE COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER TO DENNY CLEMENTS, GROUP VP OF LEXUS INFORMING HIM OF MY SAFETY CONCERNS RELATED TO THE 2004 ES330. HIS OFFICE ATTEMPTED TO APPEASE ME BY OFFERING TO SEND ME 2 FREE OIL CHANGE COUPONS OR $1,000 OFF MY NEXT PURCHASE OR LEASE OF A LEXUS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS SERIOUS H…
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I HAVE COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER TO DENNY CLEMENTS, GROUP VP OF LEXUS INFORMING HIM OF MY SAFETY CONCERNS RELATED TO THE 2004 ES330. HIS OFFICE ATTEMPTED TO APPEASE ME BY OFFERING TO SEND ME 2 FREE OIL CHANGE COUPONS OR $1,000 OFF MY NEXT PURCHASE OR LEASE OF A LEXUS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS SERIOUS HESITATION ISSUES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO EVERYONE AT THE DEALER, INCLUDING THE SERVICE MANAGER (WHO ADMITTED THE ISSUE, BUT HAD NO SOLUTION) AND GENERAL MANAGER. THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10107816
6,000 miles · Jan 8, 2005
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS THIS CAR HAD ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN PUTTING IT IN GEAR BOTH FORWARD AND REVERSE.N THE LAST OCCURRENCE THE CAR SHOT FORWARD, JUMPING A LOW CURB AND HITTING A TREE.*AK I HAD NO CONTROL OVER WHAT HAPPENED AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR ANY MORE.
NHTSA ODI #10105974
7,000 miles · Jan 6, 2005
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control
VEHICLE SURGED WHEN CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED AT 60 MPH. IT SURGED UP TO 80 MPH. IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING DOWN HILL. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, TRANSMISSION HESITATED AT 0-20 MPH, IT ALSO JERKED. *AK.......LEXUS HAS ADMITTED THE PROBLEM, BUT MAINTAINED THAT VEHICLE DROVE AS DESIGNED. HESITATION PROBLE…
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VEHICLE SURGED WHEN CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED AT 60 MPH. IT SURGED UP TO 80 MPH. IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING DOWN HILL. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, TRANSMISSION HESITATED AT 0-20 MPH, IT ALSO JERKED. *AK.......LEXUS HAS ADMITTED THE PROBLEM, BUT MAINTAINED THAT VEHICLE DROVE AS DESIGNED. HESITATION PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY MANY LEXUS ES330 CAR VEHICLE HESITATION, THEN WILL LURCH FORWARD WHEN ACCELERATING A TLOW SPEEDS. LEXUS HAS ADMITTED THE PROBLEM, BUT INSISTED VEHICLE DROVE AS DESIGNED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10106940
100 miles · Nov 16, 2004
Vehicle Speed Control
ELECTRONIC GAS PEDAL - WHEN AT LOW SPEED OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMING TO A STOP THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE CAR HESITATES FOR 1.5 SECONDS OR MORE BEFORE RESPONDING AND THEN ACCELERATES VERY FAST. THIS PRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZZARD WHEN TRING TO ENTER OR CROSS BUSY HIGHWAYS. THE DEALER SAYS ALL THE 2004 7 2005 MODELS DO IT.…
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ELECTRONIC GAS PEDAL - WHEN AT LOW SPEED OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMING TO A STOP THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE CAR HESITATES FOR 1.5 SECONDS OR MORE BEFORE RESPONDING AND THEN ACCELERATES VERY FAST. THIS PRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZZARD WHEN TRING TO ENTER OR CROSS BUSY HIGHWAYS. THE DEALER SAYS ALL THE 2004 7 2005 MODELS DO IT. IT IS A CONSTANT COMPLAINT. LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE SAYS THEY ARE AWARE OF IT BUT HAVE NO CURE. A SAFETY WARNING AND RECALL SHOPULD BE ISSUED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10100023
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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