2002 Lexus RX300

MY LEXUS HEADLIGHT LENSES BECOME SCRATCHED WHICH DIMINISHES DISTANCE ILLUMINATED AND BRIGHTNESS OF ILLUMINATION. OBJECTS ON THE ROAD ARE NOT VISIBLE AS QUICKLY OR AS CLEARLY AS THEY ARE WITH CLEAR (UNSCRATCHED) LENSES. THESE DEFECTIVE PLASTIC LENSES THAT ARE SCRATCHED UP BY PARTICLES OF THE ROAD MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE, ANIMALS, OBJECTS AND VEHICLES BEING HIT AT NIGHT. THE DEALERS TELL ME TO HAVE TO LENSES BUFFED AND PAY FOR THAT MYSELF. WHEN THE SCRATCHES ARE FIRST BUFFED OUT, I HAVE IMPROVED SAFETY AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE ILLUMINATION IS BRIGHTER AND VISIBILITY DISTANCE IS GREATER. THE COST OF REPLACING THE HEADLIGHTS IS $851 EACH FOR MY VEHICLE. THE REPLACEMENT HAS THE SAME DEFECT AS MY EXISTING HEADLIGHT. MY VEHICLE IS 14 YEARS OLD, AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BY MY CAR COMPANY TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT IN ITS MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THERE IS A SERIOUS NEED TO RETURN TO GLASS HEADLIGHTS SINCE THEY DON'T SCRATCH AND LAST, IN MOST CASES, THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD MY HEADLIGHTS BUFFED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE YEARS, BUT THE BUFFING LASTS A SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME WITH EACH BUFFING. OTHER CAR MANUFACTURERS WITH THESE HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS ARE FORD, TOYOTA, HYUNDAI, BMW, HONDA, ACURA, AND CHEVY. PLASTIC LENSES ARE DEFECTIVE PARTS FOR FRONT HEADLIGHTS. THEY NEED TO BE BANNED AND GLASS HEADLIGHTS RESTORED. THE CAR MANUFACTURERS ARE ENDANGERING THEIR CUSTOMERS' LIVES WITH THIS PART. I FEEL A RECALL IS IN ORDER AND THAT OWNERS OF THE CARS WITH THESE DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT LENSES SHOULD RECEIVE FREE BUFFING AND FREE HEADLIGHT REPLACEMENTS UNTIL THE MANUFACTURERS CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH A LENS THAT WILL REMAIN CLEAR. DATE ENTERED FOR "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?" IS SIMPLY THE DATE I TOOK THE PHOTOS. PROBLEM IS ONGOING NOT SINGLE INCIDENT. LET ME KNOW IF I DID NOT ADD THE DOCUMENTATION CORRECTLY. I WILL TRY AGAIN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE AS THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY AND E- SOLENOID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 198,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING WITH CLIENT FRIENDS TO THE RITZ CARLTON IN RANCHO MIRAGE FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER, THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING BUT WHEN THE GAS WAS STEPPED ON THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. WE MANAGED TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT WHICH TIME WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. WE ALL IMMEDIATELY JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR FEARING THAT THE GAS TANK WOULD EXPLODE. WE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED IN TIME TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES BEFORE THE GAS TANK COULD EXPLODE. THE WINDSHIELD BLEW OUT...THE TIRES EXPLODED AND THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE POLICE IMPOUND LOT AND BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAY WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH LEXUS. IT SEEMS APPARENT TO US THAT THIS IS A GAS LEAK ISSUE AS THE UNDER-CARRIAGE OF THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. CONSIDERING THAT LEXUS HAS RECALLED 423,000 CARS FOR A GAS LEAK PROBLEM (OURS WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST) IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT THIS MAKE AND MODEL SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES IN A FIRE. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING AND TRAUMATIC EVENT AND WE ALL FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SURVIVED IT WITH NO INJURIES....EXCEPT SHATTERED NERVES. *TR

SUBJECT: SUDDEN ACCELERATION LEXUS 2002--NEAR FATAL CRASH COMMENTS: ON 3.16.2012 AT 8 :30 AM I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING GARAGE IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. THE CAR WAS STOPPING IN A PARKING SPACE. SUDDENLY, THE ENGINE STARTING REVVING UP AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT SUCH A HIGH SPEED THAT THE CAR JUMPED OVER THE PARKING BARRICADE AND CABLES, WENT AIRBORN AND CRASH LANDED AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE GARAGE ON THE LEVEL BELOW. IF IT HAD LANDED 12 INCHES FURTHER, IT WOULD HAVE GONE OVER THE 6TH STORY OF THE PARKING GARAGE. THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK AND PRIOR TO THIS, THE CAR WAS ALMOST STOPPED. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 8 YEARS WITH ONE PREVIOUS OWNER. I ALWAYS DO THE RECOMMENDED ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE CAR WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND WAS TOTALED. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN FREEWAY (HIGHWAY 101 IN BAY AREA, CA) AROUND 8:00PM. THE CAR WAS AT A SPEED OF ~60 MILES/HR. THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING INDEPENDENTLY. MY WIFE EXITED 101 IMMEDIATELY AND FOUND THAT SHE COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO FULLY STOP EVEN THOUGH SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE FULLY. THE CAR WAS STILL IDLING FULL THROTTLE AFTER MY WIFE PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THEN MY WIFE SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO LEXUS DEALER SERVICE. THE DEALER'S ADVISOR TOLD ME HE HAS NOT SEEN THIS KIND OF CASE BEFORE AND HE HAS TO TALK TO HIS MANAGER; UNFORTUNATELY HIS MANAGER IS NOT AVAILABLE AND HE WILL HAVE HIS MANAGER CALL ME. *TR

WHILE INSTALLING WINTER TIRES WE NOTICED THE INNER BEAD ON THE RIMS SEPARATING. THE CHROME IS DELAMINATING TO THE POINT WHERE ONE TIRE WILL NO LONGER HOLD AIR, OTHER RIMS ARE ALSO DELAMINATING BUT AT THIS POINT THEY STILL HOLD AIR. THE DELAMINATION OCCURS ON THE INNER BEAD SO IT IS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL THE TIRE IS REMOVED. A TIRE SHOP TOLD US THE CHROME RIM IS NEXT TO THE BRAKE ROTOR AND THE HEAT CAUSES THE CHROME TO SEPARATE, HE WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REINSTALLING THE WHEEL SINCE THE TIRE BEAD COUD SEPARATE WHILE IT IS BEING DRIVEN AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF AIR COULD EQUAL A BLOWOUT. THE TIRES ARE MICHELLIN AND STILL IN GOOD SHAPE, WE INSTALLED WINTER TIRES ON STEEL RIMS BUT CANNOT PUT THE CHROME RIMS BACK ON. WE WERE TOLD BY TIRE SHOPS THAT LOOKED AT THE RIMS THAT THAT SEEMS RO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE RIMS. *TR