2001 Lexus LS430

THIS CAR HAS A "DRIVE-BY-WIRE" THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM IN WHICH THE THROTTLE IS NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE BUT IS DIGITIZED AND SENT TO A COMPUTER FOR ANALYSIS PRIOR TO CONTROLLING THE ENGINE SPEED. THE SPEED CONTROL COMPUTER ANALIZES THE THROTTLE INPUT OVER TIME AND "LEARNS" THE DRIVERS THROTTLE CONTROL HABITS AND ADJUSTS THE ENGINE RESPONSE TO THROTTLE INPUT BASED ON THE LONG-TERM DRIVING HISTORY OF THE DRIVER. IF THE DRIVER DRIVES AGGRESSIVELY ALL OF THE TIME THEN THE THROTTLE RESPONSE IS GOOD. HOWEVER IF THE DRIVER DRIVES CONSERVITIVELY MOST OF THE TIME THEN THE THROTTLE RESPONSE IS POOR. I NORMALLY DRIVE CONSERVATIVELY AND I HAVE FOUND ON MANY OCCASIONS THAT THIS CAR DOES NOT RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ACCELLERATION. THAT IS, WHEN I DRIVE CONSERVATIVELY AND THEN NEED TO ACCELLERATE QUICKLY TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE, THIS CAR HESITATES FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE DECIDING TO SPEED UP, EVEN WHEN I STOMP ON THE ACCELLERATOR. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THIS CAR. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MY LEXUS DEALER ON EVERY VISIT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN 2000, YET THEY HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT LEXUS WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS SEVERAL CUSTOMERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINEERS HAD AN EXPERIMENTAL FIRMWARE UPGRADE THAT THEY WERE TESTING WITH SOME CUSTOMERS. I HAVE CONTACTED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT THEY JUST REFERRED ME BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

FIRST, THIS COMPLAINT APPLIES TO BOTH SIDE VIEW MIRRORS. IN THE SALES BROCHURE FOR THIS CAR ON PAGE 63, UNDER "SAFETY & SECURITY" THE FOLLOWING APPEARS: "POWER-ADJUSTABLE, AUTO-FOLDING OUTSIDE MIRRORS WITH DEFOGGERS, PUDDLE LAMPS AND AUTO TILT-DOWN IN REVERSE". UNFORTUNATELY, THE FUNCTION DOESN'T WORK TOO WELL! BOTH OUTSIDE REAR-VIEW MIRRORS ARE POSITIONED AND SET INTO MEMORY. WHEN MIRRORS UNFOLD (E.G., WHEN STARTING CAR) OR WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO RETURN TO THEIR MEMORY POSITION (E.G., AFTER SHIFTING FROM REVERSE) THEY RETURN TO A POSITION THAT IS ALMOST NEAR THEIR MEMORY SETTING!!! THIS REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO STOP THE VEHICLE, PUT GEAR SELECTOR IN NEUTRAL, (MEMORY FUNCTION WON'T WORK WHILE CAR IS MOVING OR UNLESS GEAR SELECTOR IN NEUTRAL OR PARK POSITION), AND THEN PRESS MEMORY BUTTON TO BRING MIRRORS BACK TO THEIR SET MEMORY POSITION. MY DEALER WAS FIRST INFORMED OF THIS MALFUNCTION IN NOVEMBER, 2001. AND HAS BEEN INFORMED ON NO LESS THAN TWO SUBSEQUENT OCCASIONS. I'M TOLD BY DEALER THAT THE FACTORY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE FACTORY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM AS IT HAS EXISTED ON ANOTHER MODEL. IT CERTAINLY IS AN INCONVENIENCE TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED PROCEDURES AFTER BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IN ORDER TO SAFELY TRAVEL DOWN THE ROAD. PLUS, I HAVE A VERY NICE FEATURE (PRICE BEING INCLUDED IN PURCHASE PRICE OF CAR) WHICH I CAN'T USE. SAFETYWISE, IF I FORGET TO READJUST THE MIRROR AFTER BACKING UP OR STARTING THE CAR, MY REARWARD (SIDE VIEW) VISION IS COMPROMISED.*AK

LASER SENSOR IS LOCATED, UNPROTECTED, IN RECESS IN FRONT BUMPER OF CAR. AT SOME TIME DURING RECENT ROAD TRIP AN OBJECT, PROBABLY A STONE, CAUSED A CRACK IN LENS OF CRUISE CONTROL MODULE. THIS CAUSED CRUISE CONTROL TO MALFUNCTION BY SUDDENLY MISREADING LOCATION AND DISTANCE OF CARS IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. NO PROTECTIVE COVER OR LENS REPLACEMENT IS PROVIDED TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM OR MITIGATE EXPENSE OF CORRECTING THE PROBLEM.*AK

MY FINGER WAS INJURED WHEN THE POWER WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS RAISED BY THE DRIVER. THE FINGER BLED AND FELLING WAS LOST ON THE TOP SIDE OF THE FINGER UP TO THE SECOND JOINT FOR ABOUT A MONTH. I PERFORMED A TEST AND THE WINDOW BROKE TWO OUT OF THREE PENCILS IN HALF. CONCERN IS ABOUT YOUNG CHILDRENS FINGERS BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE MANUFACTURERS REPRESENTATIVE POINTS OUT THAT THE POWER BUTTON IS CONTINUOUSLY ACTIVATED IT WILL OVERRIDE THE AUTOMATIC RETRACTION FUNCTION. *AK