1999 Lexus RX300

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE RPMS SUDDENLY INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO SPEEDS ABOVE 85 MPH. DURING THE INCIDENT, FLAMES WERE SEEN COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A NECK INJURY, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INDICATED THAT THE FLAMES CREATED A HOLE IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (O'BRIEN LEXUS IN BELLEVUE WA) WERE NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179,825. *TT *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WITHOUT THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE READER. IF THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE READER WAS REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT SEVERAL DIFFERENT FAILURE CODES APPEARED FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES FOR SEVERAL CODES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE, BUT WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER A REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000.

ON JANUARY 17TH, 2016, I TOOK MY '99 LEXUS RX300 TO CHURCH, PARKED THE CAR, AND JOINED THE SUNDAY SERVICE. AN HOUR AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE (DURING WHICH TIME IT WAS NOT RUNNING OR IN USE), I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM IT AND WENT OUTSIDE. WITHIN MINUTES, THE FRONT END WAS BURSTING IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DESTROYED THE ENTIRE FRONT PORTION OF THE CAR, INCLUDING THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, TIRES, AND DASHBOARD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE; IT WAS SEEMINGLY RANDOM.

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD THE OIL CHANGED FOR THE SECOND TIME WITHIN 30 DAYS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS AN OIL PROBLEM. THE LIGHT WENT OFF AS I WAS LEAVING THE PLACE. A COUPLE DAYS LATER THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN I MADE TURNS, BLINK, THEN GO BACK OFF. A FEW DAYS LATER, IT CAME BACK ON STEADY, AND THE CAR STARTED TO JERK WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. IT WOULD JERK, THEN SLOWLY INCREASE SPEED. LAST SATURDAY, I APPLIED BRAKES, AND THE CAR ROLLED ANOTHER FEW FEET. HAD TO SWERVE LEFT TO KEEP FROM REAR ENDING A VEHICLE. TODAY, UPON SLOWING DOWN TO ENTER MY DRIVEWAY, IT DID IT AGAIN, AND I NEARLY HIT A BRICK COLUMN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DRIVEWAY. IT DOESN'T JERK FREQUENTLY, BUT IT SEEMS TO DO IT MORE OFTEN WHEN I AM ON CRUISE CONTROL. I LOVE MY SUV AND AM ALWAYS BRAGGING ABOUT WHAT A RELIABLE CAR IT IS. I CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE IT, RETIRED AND ON DISABILITY. *TR