2005 Lexus Es

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES350. WHILE DRIVING AT 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO REV, SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT A CEMENT WALL. BOTH THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISES AND THERE WAS FRONT END DAMAGE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 07/26/10. *LJ UPDATED 08/09/10*JB

ON NOV. 6, 2007 I WAS THE LAST VEHICLE IN A FOUR CAR PILE-UP. THE HONDA IN FRONT OF ME WAS TOTALED AND MY 2005 LEXUS ES330 HAD OVER $10,000 IN DAMAGE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WITH SUCH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE I WAS SURE THEY WOULD HAVE PROTECTED ME BUT THEY DID NOT. I AM CONCERNED THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM AND I WILL NOT BE PROTECTED IN THE FUTURE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT'S WIFE BLACKED OUT WHILE DRIVING AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND HIS WIFE WAS INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. AN INVESTIGATION WAS PERFORMED BY LEXUS AND HE RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE HIM WITH ANY OF THE CRASH INFORMATION. THE VEHICLE WENT 70 FEET ACROSS FIVE TRAFFIC LANES AND LANDED PERPENDICULARLY TO A POLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 18,000. UPDATED 12-12-07. *KB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES. THE FRONT TIRES WERE BALD ON THE OUTER AREA OF THE TIRES. THE REAR TIRES WERE DRY AND CRACKING. THERE WAS NO FRONT END VIBRATION OR LOOSE STEERING EXPERIENCED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT LOOKED AT BY A DEALER AND THE TIRES WERE NOT CHANGED. THE TIRES WERE BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL42 SIZE P235/45R17. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,642.

ON SUNDAY JULY 9, 2006 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:30 P.M. I DECIDED TO STOP AT THE GROCERY STORE. I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT AND WAS DRIVING SLOWLY WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO ENTER A PARKING SPACE I TURNED LEFT AND EASED SLOWLY INTO THE PARKING SPACE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BRINGING THE CAR TO A STOP. THE MOMENT I STOPPED I REACHED OVER TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR SURGED ENOUGH TO MOVE THE FRONT WHEELS OVER THE CAR STOP IN AN INSTANT WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE. I WAS SHOCKED. WHY WAS THE CAR DOING THIS? I STILL HAD MY FOOT POSITIONED ON THE BRAKE AND PUSHED DOWN. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, AND THE BACK TIRES CAME OVER THE CAR STOP. AT THIS POINT I REMOVED THE FOOT TOTALLY FROM THE BRAKE TO SEE IF THE ENGINE WOULD SLOW DOWN NATURALLY WITHOUT ANY ACTION AT ALL BY ME. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SURGE TOTALLY ON ITS OWN. I TRIED THE BRAKE AGAIN AND THE CAR STILL DID NOT STOP. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED THAT I WAS GOING TO GO INTO THE ROAD. I LOOKED BOTH WAYS AND SAW A SILVER TOYOTA WITH A LADY DRIVING IT. A COLLISION THEN HAPPENED AND I JAMMED THE BRAKE ON AGAIN AND THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. I WAS CITED FOR FAILURE TO CONTROL. MY BROTHER WORKED AT LEXUS. HE TOLD ME ANOTHER LADY HAD A SIMILAR ACCIDENT WHILE SHE WAS PULLING INTO THE GARAGE AND THE ENGINE SURGED AND SHE RAN INTO THE GARAGE DOOR. I DECIDED TO LOOK INTO IT FURTHER ON THE INTERNET WHEN I GOT HOME. THE INFORMATION I FOUND WAS UNBELIEVABLE. COMPLAINTS WERE STILL BEING MADE ON ONGOING BASIS. I WENT TO COURT FOR MY TICKET. I HAD TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO DEFEND MYSELF. THE CHARGES AGAINST ME WERE REDUCED TO DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE, AND I ENTERED A NO-CONTEST PLEA. I HAVE INCURRED PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA AND OTHER PHYSICAL INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO GET OUT OF MY LEASE WITH LEXUS, BUT LEXUS WON?T ALLOW IT. IF LEXUS ACKNOWLEDGES ANY PROBLEM WITH MY CA, THEY WILL HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS REPORTED BY LEXUS DRIVERS. *AK

WED MAY 23, 2007 WENT TO JM LEXUS TO CHECK ON THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WHICH SAY AIR BAG ON AND AIR BAG OFF. SAW JOSHUA LENTZ WHO SAID THEY RECALIBRATED THE SYSTEM. HE TOLD ME THAT AS LONG AS FRONT PASSENGER WEIGHS ABOVE 70 LBS THE AIR BAG SYSTEM SHOULD OPERATE. I ASKED IF THE AIR BAG WOULD ACTIVATE IN EVENT OF ACCIDENT IF THE AIR BAG OFF SIGN SHOWS. HE TOLD ME IT WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. TODAY AS WE DROVE THE SIGN AIR BAG ON SHOWED. AFTER A STOP AT A STORE WE DROVE HOME AND THE AIR BAG OFF SIGN SHOWED ALL THE WAY HOME. TODAY I CALLED 1-800-255-3987, WHICH IS THE LEXUS CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER & SPOKE TO MR CALEB. HE WILL HAVE SOMEONE CALL ME IN TWO DAYS WITH SOME ANSWERS. AM STILL WAITING FOR THE CALL. FRI MAY 25, 2007 GOT CALL BACK FROM JOHN HALL, SERVICE MANAGER AT JM LEXUS. TOLD ME HE WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH LEXUS IN CALIFORNIA ABOUT THE AIR BAG PROBLEM. HE BELIEVES THEY ARE WORKING ON THE SOFTWARE FOR THE AIR BAG AND HE WILL TRY TO FIND OUT WHEN THEY THINK THEY WILL HAVE A SOLUTION. HE WILL CALL ME TODAY AFTER HE SPEAKS TO CALIFORNIA. SUN MAY 27, 2007 HAVEN'T HEARD FROM SERVICE MANAGER JOHN HALL. *TR

ON JULY 9, 2006 AT 3:30 P.M., I STOPPED AT FISHERS FOODS IN CANTON, OHIO. I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT FROM THE FRANK RD. SIDE OF FISHERS AND WAS DRIVING SLOWLY WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO ENTER A PARKING SPACE. THE PARKING SPACE WAS LOCATED DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE ENTRANCE AND I TURNED LEFT AND EASED SLOWLY INTO THE SPACE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BRINGING THE CAR TO A STOP. THE MOMENT I STOPPED, I REACHED OVER TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR ENGINE SURGED ENOUGH TO MOVE MY FRONT WHEELS OVER THE CAR STOP IN AN INSTANT WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE. I WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED. I STILL HAD MY FOOT POSITIONED ON THE BRAKE AND PUSHED DOWN. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND THE BACK TIRES CAME OVER THE CAR STOP. AT THIS POINT, I REMOVED MY FOOT TOTALLY FROM THE BRAKE TO SEE IF THE ENGINE WOULD SLOW DOWN NATURALLY WITHOUT ANY ACTION AT ALL BY ME. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SURGE JUST AS FAST TOTALLY ON ITS OWN. I TRIED THE BRAKE AGAIN AND THE CAR STILL DID NOT STOP. I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE AGAIN AND AT THIS POINT REALIZED I WAS GOING TO GO INTO THE ROAD. I LOOKED TO THE LEFT AND SAW A CAR COMING DOWN THE ROAD A FAIR DISTANCE AWAY. I THEN LOOKED TO THE RIGHT AND SAW A SILVER TOYOTA WITH A LADY DRIVING IT. I KNEW I WAS GOING TO HIT HER. THE COLLISION HAPPENED AND I PUT THE BRAKE ON AGAIN AND THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. THE POLICE CITED ME FOR FAILURE TO CONTROL. AS I WAS WAITING FOR MY HUSBAND TO PICK ME UP AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAD TALKED TO MY BROTHER AND THAT WHILE MY BROTHER WAS WORKING AT LEXUS, ANOTHER LADY HAD A SIMILAR ACCIDENT, ONLY HERS HAPPENED WHEN SHE WAS PULLING INTO HER GARAGE AND HER ENGINE SURGED AND HER CAR RAN INTO THE GARAGE DOOR. I THOUGHT THIS WAS KIND OF A BIG COINCIDENCE AND I DECIDED TO LOOK INTO IT FURTHER ON THE INTERNET WHEN I GOT HOME. THE INFORMATION I FOUND OUT ABOUT WAS SHOCKING, UNBELIEVABLE, AND ALSO MADE ME VERY ANGRY. THE COMPLAINTS ARE STILL BEING MADE ON AN ONGOING BASIS. *JB

I PURCHASED THE 2005 LEXUS ES 330 IN AUGUST OF 2005. SINCE THE TIME OF PURCHASE I HAVE EXPERIENCE A NOTICEABLE HESITATION AND LURCHING OF THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM SLOW SPEEDS. THE HESITATION AND SUBSEQUENT LURCHING IS VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM 24 MPH. SINCE THE PURCHASE I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM THROUGH THE INTERNET AND LEARNED THAT THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS MODEL GOING BACK TO 2002. SEVERAL WEB FORUMS, SUCH AS EDMONDS.COM AND LEXUS OWNERS CLUB SHOW OVER TWO THOUSAND POSTINGS ON THE PROBLEM. EVEN THE NHTSA HAS COMPLAINTS. LEXUS REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SENT NUMEROUS E-MAILS AND LETTERS TO BOTH LEXUS AND MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE FEIGNED SURPRISE AT THE PROBLEM, AND THEN HAVE TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM TO BE FOUND. THEY HAVE RECOMMENDED PREMIUM FUEL, REBOOTING THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER AND WAITING FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO "SELF ADJUST". NOTHING HAS HELPED. LEXUS WILL NOT, OR CANNOT, FIX THIS PROBLEM. THE HESITATION AND LURCHING IS NOTICEABLE WHEN ENTERING A HIGHWAY OR DOING A "ROLLING STOP". IT IS HAZARDOUS. LEXUS HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM SINCE IT FIRST EXISTED IN 2002. THIS IS NOT ONLY AN UNCOMFORTABLE PROBLEM IN THIS SO-CALLED LUXURY CAR, BUT IT IS A DANGER. *NM

THE CAR WILL HESITATE AND THEN LURCH FORWARD WHEN YOU ARE GOING AT A SLOW SPEED AND THEN PUSH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IT IS EXTREMELY ANNOYING AND COULD PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN TO TWO DEALERS AND ALWAYS GET THE SAME "COMPANY STORY". IT'S A NEW DRIVE BY WIRE AND IT HAS TO LEARN HOW YOU DRIVE. WELL, I HAVE HAD MY SOFTWARE CHANGED NUMEROUS TIMES AND IT NEVER IS FIXED. I HAVE HAD 4 LEXUS AUTOS, WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER. THEY KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM AND HAVE CORPORATE COVERUP PROGRAM IN PLACE TO HIDE IT, JUST BECAUSE NO ONE DIED YET. THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO FIX IT AND SPEND THE MONEY AND NEGATIVE PUBLICITY. *NM