1998 Lexus ES300

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS ES300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL COLLIDING WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE IN A MINOR CRASH. HE CONTINUED DRIVING AND THE BRAKES BEGAN TO FUNCTION AS NORMAL. LATER IN THE DAY WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL BEING INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH A FENCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED BUT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP BUT WAS NOT EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 33,000.

CONSUMER 1998 LEXUS 300 ES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED KNOCKED AND DIED WHILE PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TS ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE HAD COMPLETELY SEIZED. THE REPAIR FACILITY RECOMMENDED A NEW ENGINE. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS INSTALLED IN DEC 2004, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED ON FEBRUARY 11, 2005 AND THE MECHANIC NOTICED OIL LEAKS AROUND THE VALVE COVER AND OIL PAN AREAS. THE BRAKES AND CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

I HAVE HAD MY 1998 ES300 IN WITH TOM WOOD LEXUS OF INDIANAPOLIS WELL OVER A DOZEN TIMES SINCE DECEMBER OF 2002 FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE ABS/TRAC OFF AND LOW OIL LEVEL WARNING LIGHTS WENT OFF RANDOMLY. AFTER REPLACING THE ABS PUMP ($1,400 FOR THE PART ALONE), THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. AFTER AN UNACCEPTABLE AMOUNT OF FALSE DIAGNOSTICS, WASTED SERVICE TRIPS (AT LEAST A WEEK LONG EACH TIME) AND USELESS BUT COSTLY REPAIRS, MY CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP. THEY SUSPECTED THAT A SLUDGE ENGINE IS THE CAUSE OF MY PROBLEMS. BUT IT TURNED OUT THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE SLUDGE PROBLEM. THE LEXUS DEALER ENDED UP FINDING AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE OIL SENSOR SYSTEM. THIS WAS AFTER THEY REPLACED THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL ACTUATOR PUMP AND THE ABS ECU. IT TOOK THEM 6 MONTHS TO FIND AND FIX ALL OF MY PROBLEMS. IT WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE 6 MONTHS AND TOOK UP ALMOST ALL OF MY VACATION TIME FROM WORK FOR THE YEAR TO MAKE WASTED TRIPS TO THE DEALER. MOST OF THE LOANER CARS THEY GAVE ME WERE SMOKY JUNKERS THAT I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE WEEKS AT A TIME. I HOPE THIS PROVIDES INSIGHT FOR FUTURE CUSTOMERS. THE CARFAX REPORT I RAN CAME UP CLEAN WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN NOVEMBER OF 2002. I HAVE HAD IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH AFTER IT WAS FINALLY "REPAIRED" AND IT IS WORKING WELL.