2000 Lexus RX300

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED HEAD ON INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO SECURE THE PASSENGER. AS A RESULT, THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEG, BROKEN WRIST AND NEEDED TO UNDERGO SURGERY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

MY SON (2.5-YEAR-OLD, 32LBS) WAS SITTING IN HIS CHILD SEAT WHICH WAS ON RIGHT REAR SEAT. THE CHILD SEAT WAS SECURED WITH LAP&SHOULDER SEAT BELT. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A CURVY FREEWAY ON-RAMP AT ABOUT 25MPH, THE SEAT BELT UNBUCKLED ITSELF AND MY SON FELL WITH HIS CHILD SEAT ONTO THE FLOOR. HIS HEAD HIT THE SEAT BACK OF THE DRIVER SEAT. THE SPEED POST ON THAT RAMP IS 25MPH. ACTUALLY, THIS IS THE 2ND OCCURRENCE OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FIRST ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON 11/20/2010 ON ANOTHER CURVY FREEWAY ON-RAMP. MY KIDS HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THAT CHILD SEAT ON THE SAME SEAT FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS. THERE WAS NO ISSUE UNTIL 11/20/2010. ALSO, MY SON WAS VERY TIGHTLY SECURED IN HIS CHILD SEAT. HIS HAND WAS AT LEAST 10-15" FROM THAT BUCKLE. SO THERE WAS NO WAY HE COULD UNBUCKLE HIMSELF. I CALLED LEXUS, BUT WAS TOLD TO VISIT A LOCAL DEALER. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF A LOCAL DEALER. THE SERVICE GUY DID SOME SIMPLE TESTS OF THAT SEAT BELT, BUT COULD SEE NOTHING WRONG. HE THEN SUGGESTED THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO GET A NEW CAR.

THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF SEATBELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, IT HAS LOOSENED 4 TO 5 INCHES DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND SOMETIMES WHILE BRAKING. CONSUMER HAD A REAR END COLLISION, AND SEATBELT DIDN'T HOLD. SAME SEATBELT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. CONSUMER SUSTAINED NECK AND CHEST INJURIES FROM HITTING STEERING WHEEL. *AK THE ANTENNA MAKES NOISE WHEN GOING DOWN, THE CENTER HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED.*JB

SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR (2/2000) THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT HAS INTERMITTENTLY LOOSENED 4-6 INCHES DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AS WELL AS WHILE BRAKING. THE SEATBELT HAS BEEN REPLACED 2X, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE SEATBELT LOOSENING. THE FACTORY REP SENT OUT BY LEXUS ALSO COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING THE MATTER. THE PROBLEM WAS ALWAYS INTERMITTENT. IN LATE JUNE I REARENDED 1 POSSIBLY 2 CARS WHILE GOING AT APPROX 35MPH. THE SEATBELT FAILED TO HOLD ME IN PLACE, I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL SUSTAINING AN ACUTE CHEST WALL CONTUSION (DOCUMENTED AFTER BEING TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM). LEXUS CONTINUES TO CLAIM THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SEATBELT.*AK