2001 Lexus LS430

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS LS430. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE FLOOR MATS BEING CAUGHT UNDERNEATH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE IS DEFECT INVESTIGATION # PE07016 FOR THE 2007 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT WANTED TO HAVE HER VEHICLE INCLUDED IN THE INVESTIGATION. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 62,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000. UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

I OPENED THE TRUNK OF MY HUSBAND'S LEXUS 430 2001,ON MAY 14, 2007 MY CHILD REACHED INSIDE TO RETRIEVE HIS BACKPACK AND THE LID OF THE TRUNK SLAMMED SHUT. HE WAS VERY BADLY BRUISED. PREVIOUS TO THIS INCIDENT I REACHED INTO THE OPEN TRUNK TO MOVE LUGGAGE AND LID SLAMMED SHUT ON MY NECK. I AM STILL SUFFERING FROM INJURIES. THE TRUNK LID WAS VERY HEAVY AND STRUTS DID NOT SUPPORT IT. PURCHASING PARTS TODAY TO HAVE REPLACED. *AK

THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT TO MY INITIAL COMPLAINT # 10181946 WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME COMPLAINT AS # 10178801. I HAVE POSTED MY COMPLAINT ON EDMUNDS CHAT ROOM AND GOT THIS RESPONSE: "I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2001 LS 430 TRUNK STRUTS. I HAVE CALLED AND VISITED 5 DIFFERENT AUTO PARTS STORES AND THE STRUTS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEALER. THE TRUNK LID HAS FELL ON MY HEAD NUMEROUS TIMES. IT IS INDEED A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT OF LEXUS QUALITY. THE TRUNK STRUTS/SHOCKS ARE LABELED AS "1FE28 W676". LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE FOUND ANY AFTERMARKET ALTERNATIVES. I DO NOT WANT TO BUY NEW ONES FROM LEXUS IF THEY ARE ONLY GOING TO FAIL AGAIN IN A SHORT TIME. IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM W/THE TRUNK STRUTS/SHOCKS, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO RESPOND TO THE MESSAGE POSTED BY "SLEXY1" (MSG. #8044)OR THIS MESSAGE, TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS TO YOUR LOCAL LEXUS DEALER, AND FINALLY TO CONTACT LEXUS BY THE 800 NUMBER FOR CUSTOMER CARE. MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME POSITIVE RESPONSES IF WE ALL COMPLAIN TOGETHER. THANKS! MATTHEW MANNING RXSTUDENTSBCGLOBAL.NET " PLEASE KNOW THIS NEW INFORMATION THAT I FOUND OUT FROM MY LOCAL LEXUS DEALER. I BASICALLY FOUND OUT FROM THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR AT IN 10/00 THAT THE PART NUMBER FOR THOSE TRUNK STRUTS WAS CHANGED FROM ENDING IN "30" TO "31" SOMETIME AFTER 2001. LEXUS KEEPS THE REASONS FOR THESE CHANGES A SECRET EVEN FROM THEIR DEALERS, SO I COULD NOT FIND OUT "WHY" FOR THE CHANGE. BUT, I'M REQUESTING THAT LEXUS CORPORATE ALLOW MY DEALER TO INSTALL THE "31" TRUNK STRUTS, AS I'M FAIRLY SURE THAT THE NEW ONES HAVE BEEN "BEEFED UP". *JB

MY WIFE, WHO IS GETTING OVER BREAST CANCER, HAS BEEN HIT IN THE HEAD MANY TIMES, AS I HAVE, BY THE 2001 LS 430 TRUNK LID COMING DOWN DUE TO MODERATE WINDS AND JUST PUTTING GROCERIES IN THE TRUNK. I SAID THAT AT LEAST THREE DEALER SERVICE MANAGERS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE SHOCKS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD UP THE TRUNK ARE UNDER ENGINEERED, AND NOT SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH TO HOLD UP THE TRUNK LID. THIS CONDITION GETS WORSE OVER TIME, BUT I DID COMPLAIN ABOUT IT TO SEWELL LEXUS OF FORT WORTH MANY YEARS AGO. IT WAS NEVER WRITTEN UP AS I WAS TOLD THAT THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE DONE WAS TO REPLACE THOSE SHOCKS WITH THE EXACT SAME SHOCKS. THAT WAS UNSATISFACTORY TO ME AT THE TIME, IT STILL IS, AND I WAS NEVER TOLD TO CALL THE LEXUS 800 NUMBER UNTIL KEVIN (SERVICE MGR. AT LEXUS OF EL CAJON, CA.) SUGGESTED THAT I AT LEAST TRY. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM EXPLAINED IN COMPLAINT NUMBER 10178801 BY "JB". I HOPE SOMEONE AT LEXUS HAS IMPROVED STRUTS MADE FOR THIS TRUNK LID AND NOTIFIES ME TO HAVE THEM INSTALLED WITH A RECALL NOTICE FOR ALL 2001 LS 430 OWNERS. *NM

I HAD OPENED THE TRUNK ON MY LEXUS SL-430 TO PLACE SOME PERSONAL ITEMS FOR TRANSPORT. I WAS LEANING DOWN WHEN SUDDENLY THE TRUNK LID CAME CRASHING DOWN WITH THE CORNER OF THE TRUNK STRIKING ME IN THE AREA AROUND THE EYE AND THE UPPER CHEEK BONE. THE INJURY RESULTED IN BRUISING AND SWELLING AROUND THE EYE AND HAS RESULTED IN CONTINUING PAIN, SWELLING AND DISCOMFORT IN THE EYE, EAR AND CHEEK BONE. AFTER THE INCIDENT THE TRUNK WAS INSPECTED BY ME AND OTHER COMPANY PERSONNEL AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE HYDRAULIC TRUNK STRUTS NECESSARY FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE TRUNK HAD BOTH FAILED. I HAVE SINCE HAD THE TRUNK STRUTS REPLACED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED BACKWARDS WHILE BRAKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. THE ENGINE ROARED LOUDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK AND LURCHED FORWARD 5 FEET STRIKING A CONCRETE PILLAR. A BYSTANDER INTERVENED AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A CRASH, THE POLICE WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AFTER STRIKING THE DASH. BOTH OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A DEALER TO AWAIT INSPECTION BY A MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE. *JB

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

CONSUMER CONCERNED THAT THE LEXUS MAY HAVE MISREPRESENTED THE EMERGENCY FUNCTION OF LEXUS LINK COMMUNICATION SYSTEM. *BF THE LEXUS LINK SYSTEM WOULD NOT WORK IN SOME OF THE AREAS THE CONSUMER VISITED. ON ONE OCCASION THE CONSUMER PICKED UP THE PHONE AND WAS INTERCEPTED BY A COMPUTER VOICE WHICH SAID THAT HE COULD RECEIVE SERVICE IF HE MADE A CREDIT CARD PAYMENT. THE PHONE HAD NO KEYPAD THEREFORE THE CONSUMER COULD NOT RESPOND. *NM