2014 Lexus ES350

I EXPERIENCED A LOW SPEED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF MY 2014 LEXUS ES350 FOR THE FIRST TIME ON DECEMBER 22, 2015. I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING PLACE WHERE I LIVE AS I HAVE DONE HUNDREDS OF TIMES. AS I WAS TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATION PEDAL TO STARTING HITTING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I HEARD THE ENGINE REVVING AND I WAS TAKEN TOTALLY BY SURPRISE. MY REACTION WAS TO TURN TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HITTING THE WALL IN FRONT OF ME WHILE HITTING THE BRAKE WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE FROM THE CAR. I HIT THE WALL WITH THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF THE CAR AND KEPT GOING FOR A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL I SOMEHOW SHIFTED GEARS. THE CAR STOPPED AND I PUT IT ON REVERSE. I AGAIN EXPERIENCED THE SAME SITUATION ON MARCH 21, 2016 WHILE PARKING THE CAR AT A DIFFERENT PLACE. FORTUNATELY, NOTHING OBSTRUCTED THE CAR SO I WAS ABLE TO STOP IT BEFORE HITTING ANYTHING - THE OVERRIDE TOYOTA DESIGNED AFTER ALL THE EARLIER SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ACCIDENTS WORKED THIS TIME. BUT THIS SECOND INCIDENT CONFIRMED TO ME THAT THE FIRST ONE WILL NO LONGER BE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT HENCE I'M FILING THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT SO OTHER LEXUS OWNERS LEARN ABOUT IT.

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STANDING STOP OR ACCELERATING WHILE CHANGING LANES, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE THE ENGINE ENGAGED. WHAT WAS MORE FRIGHTENING WAS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING ON THE ROAD AND THERE WAS A NEED TO CHANGE LANES, YOU PRESSED ON THE GAS THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD TYPE TO ENTER TEXT HESITATE FROM 1 TO 3 SECONDS. YOU LITERALLY FOUND YOURSELF IN NO MANS LAND, AS THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND AND YOU FOUND YOURSELF CAUGHT STRADDLING TWO LANES AND THE VEHICLE VIRTUALLYSTOPPED ACCELERATING. THIS SITUATION STARTING OCCURRING MORE AND MORE WHEN I OR JANE LANES,MADE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND TURNS, OR ACCELERATED FROM A STANDING STOP. T THE VEHICLE HESITATION, WHILE ACCELERATING, IS FRIGHTING AND DANGEROUS. IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH NEWPORT LEXUS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE'S STALLING CORRECTED AND SERVICED. ON OCTOBER 21, 2015 WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NEWPORT LEXUS AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE ATTENDANT. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED AND THEN ROAD TESTED BY CHRIS PERET, NEWPORT LEXUS CHIEF MECHANIC. AFTER THE ROAD TEST, THE VEHICLE DID HESITATE AT TIMES WHEN HE ACCELERATED THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE IS HOW THE FRONT WHEEL VEHICLE IS DESIGNED.THE PROCESS AND HOW THE VEHICLE ACCELERATION PROCESS WORKS ON A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE; THE GAS PEDDLE WHICH IS IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE ENGINE WHICH IS IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE COMPUTER WHICH IS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, THE COMPUTER THEN SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATES. HE EXPLAINED THE PROCESS IS ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS AND THERE IS ONLY A VERY SLIGHT HESITATION. IF THIS LAST COMPONENT OCCURS YOU COULD GET A LONGER DELAY BEFORE FROM THE TIME YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR TO THE TIME THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY ACCELERATES (1 TO 3 SECONDS).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 LEXUS ES350. WHILE MAKING A U TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A FENCE AND A TREE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ UPDATED 9/22/2017*CN

I PURCHASED MY 2015 LEXUS ES350 ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH, 2014. ON NOVEMBER 27TH, I WAS TURNING RIGHT INTO A PARKING SPACE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AGGRESSIVELY ON ITS OWN CAUSING THE CAR TO RUN OVER THE CONCRETE PARKING SPOT STOPPER AND PROPEL 200-300 FEET UNTIL I HIT A PALM TREE, STOPPING THE CAR FROM ENTERING A NEARBY LAKE. THIS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE CAR. MY WIFE AND I WERE IN COMPLETE SHOCK AS I WAS UNABLE TO STOP / CONTROL THE CAR - I ATTEMPTED TO PUMP THE BRAKES MULTIPLE TIMES (LEAVING TIRE TRACKS) BUT THE CAR CONTINUED ACCELERATING UNTIL WE HIT THE TREE. WE FILED A REPORT W/ THE FLORIDA SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE DAY BEFORE (NOV 26TH), I NOTICED THE SIDE MIRRORS ON THE CAR DID NOT TILT PROPERLY WHEN IN REVERSE - THE LEFT MIRROR TILTED DOWN, THE RIGHT MIRROR TILTED UP. THIS MAY BE A RESULT OF THE 'MIRROR SWITCH BLOCK' BUT TOGETHER WITH A FEW OTHER MECHANICAL ISSUES, THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE 2-DAY OLD CAR HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT AND DANGEROUS MECHANICAL / ELECTRONIC ISSUES. I HAVE ATTACHED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CAR AND A PICTURE OF THE PARKING SPOT WHERE THE ACCELERATION OCCURRED. PLEASE CONTACT ME ABOUT APPROPRIATE NEXT STEPS RELATED TO THIS SIGNIFICANT DEFECT. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 LEXUS ES35O. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT SHOOK AND VIBRATED WHEN THERE WAS NOT A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1400.

BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO INCREASE MILEAGE PER GALLON, AUTO MANUFACTURERS HAVE REDUCED WIND RESISTANCE TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE. ONE OF THE WAYS MANUFACTURERS DO THIS IS BY LOWERING THE FRONT FENDERS AND THE HOOD TO THE POINT WHERE THE DRIVER CAN NO LONGER SEE THEM. THIS MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO PARK THE CAR, MAKE TURNS, AND DRIVE IN GENERAL---FAR MORE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.