2002 Lexus LS430

DEAR SIR: I BOUGHT MY LEXUS LS 430 BRAND NEW IN 2002, AND I LOVE IT VERY MUCH EXCEPT FOR ONE THING: THE BRAKE SYSTEM. WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE, MY LS430 SKIDS (FORWARD), AND DOES NOT STOP IN TIME. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY OLD MAN'S DRIVING HABITS. BUT I DECIDED TO VISIT THE LEXUS DEALER. THE LEXUS DEALER, AFTER DRIVING THE CAR, TOLD ME IT IS NORMAL FOR THE ABS SYSTEM TO DO THAT, AND I SHOULD NOT PRESS THE BRAKE HARD. WELL, I LEFT THE DEALER, AND A FEW METERS AWAY I WAS DRIVING AROUND 20-25 ML/H WHEN THE CAR AHEAD OF ME STOPPED, I PRESSED THE BRAKE, BUT MY CAR - AS USUAL- SKID AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING VERY SERIOUS DAMAGE TO MY CAR ($9000). MY QUESTION: DOES THIS ACCIDENT PROVE THAT THE LEXUS LS 430 ABS BRAKE SYSTEM IS FLAWED SUCH THAT IT SKIDS WHEN YOU MOST NEED IT EVEN AT VERY SLOW SPEED? AND HOW CAN I AVOID SUCH A DANGEROUS SITUATIONS IN THE FUTURE ? I ASKED TWO OF MY FRIENDS WHO HAVE LEXUS LS430, AND THEY TOTALLY CONFIRMED MY COMPLAINT. I AM WORRIED AND SCARED TO DEATH THAT I MIGHT BE IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN I NEED THE BRAKING SYSTEM OF MY LS 430 THAT WILL FAIL ME AS IT DID TODAY AND MANY TIMES BEFORE. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU: I WILL DEFINITELY SELL MY LEXUS L 430 IF YOUR TECHNICIANS CAN NOT FIX THE SKIDDING PROBLEM. BEST REGARDS *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT 2 MPH IN A DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE REVVED AT A HIGH RATE, AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD INTO THE GARAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO THE FRONT OF VEHICLE. THE POLICE WERE NOT ALERTED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.

I WANTED TO WRITE TO EXPRESS MY EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT IN MY LEXUS DRIVING EXPERIENCE. I CURRENTLY OWN A 2002 LEXUS LS 430 SEDAN THAT I PURCHASED ON DECEMBER 28, 2005. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKING SYSTEM. FIRST, MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP 7 TIMES FOR MY BRAKES. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM; MY EMERGENCY BRAKE COMES ON BY ITSELF. WHILE I AM DRIVING THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON, I MUST PULL OVER AND STOP THE VEHICLE AND PULL THE BRAKE BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL MOVE AGAIN. MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP A TOTAL OF THREE WEEKS FOR THIS ONE PROBLEM THAT IS STILL ON GOING. EVERYONE IN THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT HAS LOOKED AT MY VEHICLE THEY TELL ME THEY CAN NOT FIND OUT WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. FINALLY, THIS VEHICLE WAS A PRE-OWNED VEHICLE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN CHECKED OUT. LET ME TELL THE REAL STORY, FIRST I HAD TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET TO GET THE BRAKE FIXED. THE BRAKES WERE MAKING A LOUD NOISE, I PAID FOR NEW BRAKE PADS THAT WAS $75 DOLLARS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY I HAD TO PAY FOR NEW BRAKES ON A PRE-OWNED VEHICLE? NEXT, THE TWO OUTSIDE MIRRORS HAD TO BE REPLACED IT WAS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY; AGAIN KEEP IN MIND I ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR FIVE MONTHS. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN ON THE ROAD. LASTLY, MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP ONCE AGAIN FOR MY BRAKE SYSTEM. *JB

LATCH PLATE PORTION OF SEAT BELT IN REAR MIDDLE POSITION ALWAYS SLIPS UNDERNEATH THE SEAT.*AKCONSUMER FEELS IT NEEDS TO HAVE A CLIP TO PREVENT THE ATTACHMENT FROM GOING UNDER THE SEAT. THERE IS ALWAYS A PROBLEM RETRIEVING THE ATTACHMENT FOR THE SEAT BELT. THE MANUFACTUR CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD CONSUMER THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE AS IT MEETS GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS. *JG