IllustrationWhile entering into a parking spot the car suddenly surged, went over a curb, and crashed into a store front. The driver had her foot on the brake. We checked to see if the floor mat was against the accelerator and it was not. I have a photo of the mat.
2007 Lexus Es
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Es years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
40–25K
725–50K
1350–75K
1175–100K
13100–150K
11150K+
59 reports with mileage · 66 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility/wiper. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports
Engine complaints
11 reportsI was driving and my car speed start going down and I saw engine and battery light came on so I pulled over and turned off the car and try to turn it back on but it's not turning on.
This is a second report of unexpected, unanticipated extremly high acceleration while braking. I reported this experience in November 2019, NHTSA Complaint Number 11279155. At that time, the car was moving and I was braking on an uphill curve. On October 10, 2021, at approx 12:30 p.m. The unexpected, unanticipated extremely h…
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This is a second report of unexpected, unanticipated extremly high acceleration while braking. I reported this experience in November 2019, NHTSA Complaint Number 11279155. At that time, the car was moving and I was braking on an uphill curve. On October 10, 2021, at approx 12:30 p.m. The unexpected, unanticipated extremely high acceleration occurred as I was starting my car in a Pittsburgh area restaurant parking lot. The car requires that my foot be on the brake while starting. The car was in Park when I depressed the start button. Immediately the car started with extremely high revolutions to the point the loud engine noise frightened several individuals standing 15-20 feet on an adjacent sidewalk. The tachometer was in or close to the redzone. I immediately shut the engine down. At no time did I have my foot on the accelerator and neither the floor mat nor any other item was touching the accelerator.
Smoke started coming out of hood when returning home. Opened hood to check engine and choked on smoke. After engine cooled, found VVT-I tube is leaking at lower end of rubber hose. Engine oil had accumulated around engine compartment aft, a bit foward of VVT-i tube, and to passenger side. Searched Internet and saw that LSC-9…
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Smoke started coming out of hood when returning home. Opened hood to check engine and choked on smoke. After engine cooled, found VVT-I tube is leaking at lower end of rubber hose. Engine oil had accumulated around engine compartment aft, a bit foward of VVT-i tube, and to passenger side. Searched Internet and saw that LSC-90K oil line "campaign" has the exact same part that is part of campaign that failed on my engine, but my VIN is not part of campaign.
THE FRONT TIMING COVER SEAL ON MY CAR WAS RESEALED AT 105,124 MILES @ A COST OF $2,804.52 PLUS TAX ON NOVEMBER 2014. THE CAR WAS 8 YEARS OLD. I AM NOW BEING TOLD THAT THE TIMING COVER NEEDS TO BE RESEALED/REPLACED AGAIN. THE CAR HAD 160,830 MILES WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE ON 5/3/2021. BY THE WAY, THE SERVICE ADVISER WROTE T…
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THE FRONT TIMING COVER SEAL ON MY CAR WAS RESEALED AT 105,124 MILES @ A COST OF $2,804.52 PLUS TAX ON NOVEMBER 2014. THE CAR WAS 8 YEARS OLD. I AM NOW BEING TOLD THAT THE TIMING COVER NEEDS TO BE RESEALED/REPLACED AGAIN. THE CAR HAD 160,830 MILES WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE ON 5/3/2021. BY THE WAY, THE SERVICE ADVISER WROTE THE WRONG MILEAGE. HE MISTAKENLY WROTE 168,036 MILES AS THE ODOMETER READING. WHEN I ASKED WHAT IS CAUSING THIS ISSUE HE HAD NO ANSWER. I CONTACTED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE TO INQUIRE INTO WHAT CAUSES THE SEAL TO NEED REPLACEMENT EVERY 7 OR SO YEARS. CASE # 210506001409 WAS ASSIGNED. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CALLED TODAY AND INFORMED ME THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER AT CROWN LEXUS IN ONTARIO INFORMED HER THE SEALER SHRINKS OVERTIME. HOWEVER, SHE COULD NOT PROVIDE A REASON FOR THE SHRINKAGE. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT CAUSES THIS SO I CAN DECIDE WHETHER TO CONTINUE PUTTING MONEY INTO THIS CAR. THIS DOES SEEM RIGHT TO ME. I THINK IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I SIMPLY NEED TO KNOW WHY THEY CONTINUE TO USE SEALERS THAT THEY KNOW WILL SHRINK. THE NEW COST TO REPAIR THIS CAR IS APPROXIMATELY $3500. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON DID NOT KNOW THE NAME OF THE SEALER THAT WAS BEING USED. SHE COULD ONLY REFER ME TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER AND I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE TALKING TO HIM ABOUT THIS BECAUSE HE GAVE HER NO REAL EXPLANATION OTHER THAN IT SHRINKS. OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR CARS. IF I HAVE CONTACTED THE WRONG OFFICE PLEASE DIRECT TO ME TO SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP. BY THE WAY, I ASKED FOR A WRITTEN RESPONSE AND WAS TOLD SHE COULD NOT PROVIDE ONE.
ON THUR NOV 6, 2009, AT APPROX 6:00 PM., I WAS DRIVING ON A WET COUNTRY LANE IN WEXFORD, PA. DRIVING SLOWLY, LESS THAN 15 MPH ON AN UP HILL CURVE, I APPLIED MY BRAKES AND SHORTLY AFTERWARD THE ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY AND UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED CAUSING MY CAR TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT AND INTO SHRUBBERY ADJACENT TO THE LANE. MY FOO…
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ON THUR NOV 6, 2009, AT APPROX 6:00 PM., I WAS DRIVING ON A WET COUNTRY LANE IN WEXFORD, PA. DRIVING SLOWLY, LESS THAN 15 MPH ON AN UP HILL CURVE, I APPLIED MY BRAKES AND SHORTLY AFTERWARD THE ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY AND UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED CAUSING MY CAR TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT AND INTO SHRUBBERY ADJACENT TO THE LANE. MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE FLOOR MAT WAS ANCHORED. AUTO DAMAGE IS MINOR LIMITED TO LEFT FRONT BUMPER, EST AT $1,000-$1,500 DAMAGE.
MY OIL LINE IS LEAKING, I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND A RECALL ON THIS PART. CAN I GET THIS REPAIRED...
AT THE TOP OF OUR DRIVEWAY JUST OUTSIDE THE GARAGE DOOR, MY WIFE PUT OUR 07' LEXUS ES350 IN GEAR AND SECONDS LATER THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WILDLY. SHE WAS UNABLE TO SLOW THE CAR'S WILD ACCELERATION DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND CAUGHT PART OF A RETAINING WALL ON THE PROPERTY WHICH FLIPPED THE VEHICLE ON IT'S SIDE. I WAS INSI…
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AT THE TOP OF OUR DRIVEWAY JUST OUTSIDE THE GARAGE DOOR, MY WIFE PUT OUR 07' LEXUS ES350 IN GEAR AND SECONDS LATER THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WILDLY. SHE WAS UNABLE TO SLOW THE CAR'S WILD ACCELERATION DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND CAUGHT PART OF A RETAINING WALL ON THE PROPERTY WHICH FLIPPED THE VEHICLE ON IT'S SIDE. I WAS INSIDE THE HOUSE AT THE TIME BUT HEARD THE CAR'S ENGINE REV JUST BEFORE THE CRASH. THE ACCIDENT APPEARS TO HAVE INITIATED BY SOME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS MECHANICAL FAILURE THAT ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO REV UNCONTROLLABLY . OUR INSURANCE COMPANY WILL SOON BE TOWING THE LEXUS TO THEIR FACILITY. I NOTIFIED A CLAIMS AGENT THAT THE ACCIDENT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF NHTSA HOWEVER, THE AGENT WAS NOT AWARE OF HOW TO COORDINATE THE EFFORT SO I AM PROCEEDING FORWARD MYSELF ASAP. THE CAR IS OBVIOUSLY TOTALED AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT INSURANCE WILL DO WITH THE VEHICLE.
TRANSMISSION HAD ISSUES WITH FLARE AT SPEEDS OF 30-40 MPH ON A COLD START AND BROUGHT IT TO LEXUS AND THEY UPDATED MY ECU WITH THE SOFTWARE. AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK THEY HAD A JERKING/HESITATION BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME WHEN WHEN AT A STOP AND SLOWLY ACCELERATING. LEXUS RECOMMENDED A NEW TRANSMISSI…
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TRANSMISSION HAD ISSUES WITH FLARE AT SPEEDS OF 30-40 MPH ON A COLD START AND BROUGHT IT TO LEXUS AND THEY UPDATED MY ECU WITH THE SOFTWARE. AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK THEY HAD A JERKING/HESITATION BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME WHEN WHEN AT A STOP AND SLOWLY ACCELERATING. LEXUS RECOMMENDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT I DID SOME RESEARCH AND LOTS OF OWNERS HAD THIS ISSUE FOR THE EARLY 2007 MODELS OF THE ES350. APPARENTLY LEXUS IS A WARE OF THE ISSUE BUT HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AT LEAST 7 TIMES, I HAVE HAD MY CAR STAY RUNNING WHILE I AM AT A RESTAURANT OR WHEN I RETURN HOME. I PARK OUTSIDE AND AT LEAST 3 TIMES OVER THE LAST 6 YEARS NEIGHBORS HAVE CALLED AND SAID DID YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CAR ENGINE WAS RUNNING. ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, IN EARLY AUGUST, I WAS AT A RESTAURANT …
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OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AT LEAST 7 TIMES, I HAVE HAD MY CAR STAY RUNNING WHILE I AM AT A RESTAURANT OR WHEN I RETURN HOME. I PARK OUTSIDE AND AT LEAST 3 TIMES OVER THE LAST 6 YEARS NEIGHBORS HAVE CALLED AND SAID DID YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CAR ENGINE WAS RUNNING. ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, IN EARLY AUGUST, I WAS AT A RESTAURANT IN CLINTON, NEW YORK WHERE THE CAR WAS RUNNING ON THE STREET SEVERAL BLOCKS AWAY FOR THE WHOLE TIME WE WERE IN THE RESTAURANT. EACH TIME I THOUGHT I'D PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PUSHED IN THE BUTTON TO SHUT OFF THE CAR. I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE INVESTIGATING THIS. IF I HAD AN INTERIOR GARAGE WHERE I PARKED AT MY HOME, I COULD HAVE KILLED PEOPLE WITH THE BUILD UP OF THE CARBON MONOXIDE. I CAN'T SEE WHY TOYOTA CAN'T HAVE A BLINKING LIGHT WHEN THE CAR IS ON OR HAVE THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY CUT OFF AFTER A FEW MINUTES. ONE OTHER THING, IS THAT MY CAR, WHICH I LOVE, RUNS SO QUIETLY, THAT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO HEAR THE ENGINE WHEN IT IS IDLING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVESTIGATING THIS SERIOUS ISSUE. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA07010 · Unwanted Acceleration, Floor Mat
Opened Aug 8, 2007 · Closed Oct 11, 2007
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control; Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal
THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MAT WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL IF PROPERLY SECURED USING THE RETAINING HOOKS PROVIDED BY TOYOTA.HOWEVER, IF THE ALL WEATHER MAT IS UNSECURED AND MOVES FORWARD FROM ITS INTENDED POSITION IT CAN ENTRAP THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT THE FULLY OPEN POSITION AFTER IT HAS BEEN DEPRESSED.THIS CAN HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT ANOTHER MAT (CARPET) IS UNDERNEATH.WHEN THIS OCCURS, SOME OPERATORS REACT BY APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES, DEPLETING THE BRAKING SYSTEM'S (VACUUM BASED) POWER ASSIST.STOPPING THE VEHICLE WITH UNASSISTED BRAKING WHILE THE THROTTLE IS FULLY OPEN REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT PEDAL FORCE, WHICH SOME OPERATORS DID NOT, OR WERE UNABLE TO, APPLY FOR THE REQUIRED DURATION.CONTINUED DRIVING IN THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN OVERHEATED BRAKES, WHICH FURTHER DIMINISHES THE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.SOME OPERATORS ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF BY DEPRESSING THE ENGINE CONTROL BUTTON, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNAWARE THE BUTTON HAD TO BE DEPRESSED FOR THREE SECONDS TO STOP THE ENGINE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION; THIS FUNCTIONALITY WAS NOT EXPLAINED ADEQUATELY IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.IN ODI INTERVIEWS, OWNER'S REPORTED THEY WERE UNAWARE THE ALL WEATHER MAT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL, ADVISING THAT THIS WAS NEVER PROPERLY EXPLAINED GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT HAZARD IT REPRESENTED.OWNERS REPORTED SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS FOR WHY THE MAT WAS UNSECURED, INCLUDING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED IN THIS CONDITION (MOST COMMON REASON), OR THAT THEY HAD (UNWITTINGLY) INSTALLED THE MAT THEMSELVES, OR THAT ANOTHER PARTY, SUCH AS A CAR WASH ATTENDANT, HAD DISTURBED THE MAT WITHOUT THE OWNER'S KNOWLEDGE.ONE CONSUMER REPORTED THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED WITHOUT THE RETAINING DEVICES INSTALLED.IN A SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 LETTER TO NHTSA, TOYOTA INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE THE ALL WEATHER MAT WITH A REDESIGNED MAT.ACCORDING TO TOYOTA, THE NEW MAT DESIGN WILL REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR MAT INTERFERENCE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL.THE POPULATION NOTED ABOVE REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF SUBJECT MATSTHAT HAVE BEEN SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES.SINCE TOYOTA CANNOT IDENTIFY WHICH VEHICLES MAY HAVE THE SUBJECT MATS, THEY WILL SEND A LETTER TO ALL REGISTERED OWNERS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (ESTIMATED 750K) ADVISING THEM OF THE CONCERN AND REMEDY.A COPY OF THAT LETTER WILL BE POSTED TO NHTSA'S WEB SITE UNDER RECALL 07E-082; IT CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF THE CONDITION AND THE ACTIONS AN OPERATOR SHOULD TAKE IN THE EVENT THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING.THE FATALITY INCIDENT NOTED ABOVE OCCURRED IN JULY 2007 AND WAS INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA'S SPECIAL CRASH INVESTIGATIONS OFFICE.IT HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED ON A VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE.THE OPERATOR REPORTEDLY TRAVELLED AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH FOR AN ESTIMATED EIGHT MILES ON AN INTERSTATE IN CALIFORNIA BEFORE IT STRUCK TWO OTHER VEHICLES.ONE OF THE STRUCK VEHICLES AND THE SUBJECT VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE.THE OCCUPANT OF THE STRUCK VEHICLE DID NOT EVACULATE AND DIED AT THE SCENE.THE SUBJECT VEHICLE DRIVER SUFFERED A BROKEN BONE.THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL IS INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT ALSO.ODI DID NOT ISSUE AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER DURING THIS INVESTIGATION.THE TOYOTA REPORTS NOTED ABOVE WERE REPORTED DURING PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE07-016 AND ARE CURRENT THROUGH APRIL 2007 FOR MY 2007 LEXUS ES350 ONLY.ODI DOES NOT HAVE FIELD EXPERIENCE DATA FROM TOYOTA FOR CAMRY VEHICLES.THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FLOOR MATS COULD BE A CONCERN IN ALL VEHICLES.THEREFORE, DRIVERS SHOULD ALWAYS ENSURE THEIR FLOOR MATS ARE PROPERLY AND SAFELY INSTALLED.THIS INCL
Additional source detail variants (2)
Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal
THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MAT WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL IF PROPERLY SECURED USING THE RETAINING HOOKS PROVIDED BY TOYOTA.HOWEVER, IF THE ALL WEATHER MAT IS UNSECURED AND MOVES FORWARD FROM ITS INTENDED POSITION IT CAN ENTRAP THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT THE FULLY OPEN POSITION AFTER IT HAS BEEN DEPRESSED.THIS CAN HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT ANOTHER MAT (CARPET) IS UNDERNEATH.WHEN THIS OCCURS, SOME OPERATORS REACT BY APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES, DEPLETING THE BRAKING SYSTEM'S (VACUUM BASED) POWER ASSIST.STOPPING THE VEHICLE WITH UNASSISTED BRAKING WHILE THE THROTTLE IS FULLY OPEN REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT PEDAL FORCE, WHICH SOME OPERATORS DID NOT, OR WERE UNABLE TO, APPLY FOR THE REQUIRED DURATION.CONTINUED DRIVING IN THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN OVERHEATED BRAKES, WHICH FURTHER DIMINISHES THE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.SOME OPERATORS ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF BY DEPRESSING THE ENGINE CONTROL BUTTON, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNAWARE THE BUTTON HAD TO BE DEPRESSED FOR THREE SECONDS TO STOP THE ENGINE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION; THIS FUNCTIONALITY WAS NOT EXPLAINED ADEQUATELY IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.IN ODI INTERVIEWS, OWNER'S REPORTED THEY WERE UNAWARE THE ALL WEATHER MAT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL, ADVISING THAT THIS WAS NEVER PROPERLY EXPLAINED GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT HAZARD IT REPRESENTED.OWNERS REPORTED SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS FOR WHY THE MAT WAS UNSECURED, INCLUDING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED IN THIS CONDITION (MOST COMMON REASON), OR THAT THEY HAD (UNWITTINGLY) INSTALLED THE MAT THEMSELVES, OR THAT ANOTHER PARTY, SUCH AS A CAR WASH ATTENDANT, HAD DISTURBED THE MAT WITHOUT THE OWNER'S KNOWLEDGE.ONE CONSUMER REPORTED THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED WITHOUT THE RETAINING DEVICES INSTALLED.IN A SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 LETTER TO NHTSA, TOYOTA INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE THE ALL WEATHER MAT WITH A REDESIGNED MAT.ACCORDING TO TOYOTA, THE NEW MAT DESIGN WILL REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR MAT INTERFERENCE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL.THE POPULATION NOTED ABOVE REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF SUBJECT MATSTHAT HAVE BEEN SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES.SINCE TOYOTA CANNOT IDENTIFY WHICH VEHICLES MAY HAVE THE SUBJECT MATS, THEY WILL SEND A LETTER TO ALL REGISTERED OWNERS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (ESTIMATED 750K) ADVISING THEM OF THE CONCERN AND REMEDY.A COPY OF THAT LETTER WILL BE POSTED TO NHTSA'S WEB SITE UNDER RECALL 07E-082; IT CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF THE CONDITION AND THE ACTIONS AN OPERATOR SHOULD TAKE IN THE EVENT THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING.THE FATALITY INCIDENT NOTED ABOVE OCCURRED IN JULY 2007 AND WAS INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA'S SPECIAL CRASH INVESTIGATIONS OFFICE.IT HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED ON A VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE.THE OPERATOR REPORTEDLY TRAVELLED AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH FOR AN ESTIMATED EIGHT MILES ON AN INTERSTATE IN CALIFORNIA BEFORE IT STRUCK TWO OTHER VEHICLES.ONE OF THE STRUCK VEHICLES AND THE SUBJECT VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE.THE OCCUPANT OF THE STRUCK VEHICLE DID NOT EVACULATE AND DIED AT THE SCENE.THE SUBJECT VEHICLE DRIVER SUFFERED A BROKEN BONE.THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL IS INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT ALSO.ODI DID NOT ISSUE AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER DURING THIS INVESTIGATION.THE TOYOTA REPORTS NOTED ABOVE WERE REPORTED DURING PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE07-016 AND ARE CURRENT THROUGH APRIL 2007 FOR MY 2007 LEXUS ES350 ONLY.ODI DOES NOT HAVE FIELD EXPERIENCE DATA FROM TOYOTA FOR CAMRY VEHICLES.THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FLOOR MATS COULD BE A CONCERN IN ALL VEHICLES.THEREFORE, DRIVERS SHOULD ALWAYS ENSURE THEIR FLOOR MATS ARE PROPERLY AND SAFELY INSTALLED.THIS INCL
Vehicle Speed Control
THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MAT WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL IF PROPERLY SECURED USING THE RETAINING HOOKS PROVIDED BY TOYOTA.HOWEVER, IF THE ALL WEATHER MAT IS UNSECURED AND MOVES FORWARD FROM ITS INTENDED POSITION IT CAN ENTRAP THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT THE FULLY OPEN POSITION AFTER IT HAS BEEN DEPRESSED.THIS CAN HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT ANOTHER MAT (CARPET) IS UNDERNEATH.WHEN THIS OCCURS, SOME OPERATORS REACT BY APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES, DEPLETING THE BRAKING SYSTEM'S (VACUUM BASED) POWER ASSIST.STOPPING THE VEHICLE WITH UNASSISTED BRAKING WHILE THE THROTTLE IS FULLY OPEN REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT PEDAL FORCE, WHICH SOME OPERATORS DID NOT, OR WERE UNABLE TO, APPLY FOR THE REQUIRED DURATION.CONTINUED DRIVING IN THIS CONDITION RESULTS IN OVERHEATED BRAKES, WHICH FURTHER DIMINISHES THE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.SOME OPERATORS ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF BY DEPRESSING THE ENGINE CONTROL BUTTON, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNAWARE THE BUTTON HAD TO BE DEPRESSED FOR THREE SECONDS TO STOP THE ENGINE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION; THIS FUNCTIONALITY WAS NOT EXPLAINED ADEQUATELY IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.IN ODI INTERVIEWS, OWNER'S REPORTED THEY WERE UNAWARE THE ALL WEATHER MAT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL, ADVISING THAT THIS WAS NEVER PROPERLY EXPLAINED GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT HAZARD IT REPRESENTED.OWNERS REPORTED SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS FOR WHY THE MAT WAS UNSECURED, INCLUDING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED IN THIS CONDITION (MOST COMMON REASON), OR THAT THEY HAD (UNWITTINGLY) INSTALLED THE MAT THEMSELVES, OR THAT ANOTHER PARTY, SUCH AS A CAR WASH ATTENDANT, HAD DISTURBED THE MAT WITHOUT THE OWNER'S KNOWLEDGE.ONE CONSUMER REPORTED THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED WITHOUT THE RETAINING DEVICES INSTALLED.IN A SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 LETTER TO NHTSA, TOYOTA INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE THE ALL WEATHER MAT WITH A REDESIGNED MAT.ACCORDING TO TOYOTA, THE NEW MAT DESIGN WILL REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR MAT INTERFERENCE WITH THE THROTTLE PEDAL.THE POPULATION NOTED ABOVE REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF SUBJECT MATSTHAT HAVE BEEN SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES.SINCE TOYOTA CANNOT IDENTIFY WHICH VEHICLES MAY HAVE THE SUBJECT MATS, THEY WILL SEND A LETTER TO ALL REGISTERED OWNERS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (ESTIMATED 750K) ADVISING THEM OF THE CONCERN AND REMEDY.A COPY OF THAT LETTER WILL BE POSTED TO NHTSA'S WEB SITE UNDER RECALL 07E-082; IT CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF THE CONDITION AND THE ACTIONS AN OPERATOR SHOULD TAKE IN THE EVENT THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING.THE FATALITY INCIDENT NOTED ABOVE OCCURRED IN JULY 2007 AND WAS INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA'S SPECIAL CRASH INVESTIGATIONS OFFICE.IT HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED ON A VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE.THE OPERATOR REPORTEDLY TRAVELLED AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH FOR AN ESTIMATED EIGHT MILES ON AN INTERSTATE IN CALIFORNIA BEFORE IT STRUCK TWO OTHER VEHICLES.ONE OF THE STRUCK VEHICLES AND THE SUBJECT VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE.THE OCCUPANT OF THE STRUCK VEHICLE DID NOT EVACULATE AND DIED AT THE SCENE.THE SUBJECT VEHICLE DRIVER SUFFERED A BROKEN BONE.THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL IS INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT ALSO.ODI DID NOT ISSUE AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER DURING THIS INVESTIGATION.THE TOYOTA REPORTS NOTED ABOVE WERE REPORTED DURING PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE07-016 AND ARE CURRENT THROUGH APRIL 2007 FOR MY 2007 LEXUS ES350 ONLY.ODI DOES NOT HAVE FIELD EXPERIENCE DATA FROM TOYOTA FOR CAMRY VEHICLES.THROTTLE ENTRAPMENT DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FLOOR MATS COULD BE A CONCERN IN ALL VEHICLES.THEREFORE, DRIVERS SHOULD ALWAYS ENSURE THEIR FLOOR MATS ARE PROPERLY AND SAFELY INSTALLED.THIS INCL