2001 Lexus LS430

I TURNED AROUND IN A PARKING LOT BY BACKING UP AND REVERSING MY DIRECTION, AFTER I REVERSED MY DIRECTION THE CAR SHOT FORWARD WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. I KEPT PUMPING THE BRAKE HOPING IT WOULD STOP AND I SHOT OUT OF THE PARKING LOT INTO THE LINE OF TRAFFIC AND AVOIDED TWO LANES OF CARS DRIVING WEST UNTIL I COLLIDED WITH A CAR HEADING EAST. IT RIPPED OFF THE FRONT BUMPERS OF BOTH CARS. I FELT TRAPPED IN THE CAR AND COULD NOT CONTROL IT. IT JUST KEPT ACCELERATING. I WISH THAT I HAD THE PRESENCEOF MIND TO TURN OFF THE KEY OR PUSH THE AUTOMATIC LEVER TO NEUTRAL OR EVEN REVERSE. BUT IT ALL HAPPENED IN A FEW SECONDS AND I JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO DO ANYTHING BUT STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. JUST ONCE BEFORE, SOME MONTHS AGO, I WAS PARKING THE CAR IN A PUBLIC GARAGE AND IT ACCELERATED QUICKLY ASI REACHED AN OFF RAMP. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND NEGOTIATE THE CAR AROUND THE CORNER ONTO THE RAMP. IT SCARED ME, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A FREAK INCIDENT AND THOUGHT NO MORE ABOUT IT BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN ONCE I WENT ROUND THE CORNER. BUT THIS LATEST TIME I COULDN'T STOP IT AND THE CAR IS A TOTAL WRECK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS LS430. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED IT EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND IT HAD TO BE DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION WITH A RED LIGHT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40MPH. WHEN I PRESSED MY BRAKES FROM ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY, MY 2001 LEXUS LS430 SUDDENLY SURGED. I HAD TWO FEET ON THE BRAKE AND ALSO TRIED TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THEN PARK. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN. WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 50MPH WHEN I REAR-ENDED SOMEONE BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT STOP. MY CAR WAS TOTALED, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I WAS USING THE FLOOR MAT THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS FASTENED. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AND RECEIVED A RESPONSE ON JAN. 21, 2010. TOYOTA STATED IN THE LETTER THAT THEY FOUND NO STICKING OF THE ACCELERATOR AND THAT IT WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR BOTH THE BRAKES AND THE THROTTLE TO FAIL AT THE SAME TIME. *TR

DT: THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE BRAKES WERE SOFT AND MUSHY. IT WAS LIKE PUSHING ON A PILLOW. IT WAS HARD TO JUDGE IF THEY WERE GOING TO WORK. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. HAVE ANOTHER LEXUS AND IT DID NOT DO THIS. STARTED NOTICING THIS ON MARCH 30, 2005. REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK