2013 Lexus RX350

The contact owns a 2013 Lexus RX350. The contact stated that after closing the liftgate door and reversing out of the car port, the liftgate door erroneously opened and struck the car port causing damage to the liftgate. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that recently the liftgate lowered independently. The failure occurred several times while placing items into the back of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 40,000.

I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW AND ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS ON THIS VEHICLE STARTED TO FAIL - FIRST IT STARTED WITH FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AND NOW IN ADDITION TO FRONT PASSENGER DOOR, THE DRIVER DOOR AND THE REAR RIGHT DOOR AUTOMATIC LOCKS TO NOT ENGAGE WHEN I TRY TO LOCK/UNLOCK. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THESE AT A COST OF ~$1,000 FOR EACH DOOR AND THINK THIS IS UNFAIR SINCE THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS ON THIS MODEL FAILING ONLINE AND IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE DOOR ACTUATOR FAILING (BUT NOT RECALLED) (SEE LEXUS OWNER SITE AND YOUTUBE - SEARCH "2013 LEXUS RX350 DOOR LOCKS NOT WORKING" ON GOOGLE FOR DETAILS). I AM CURRENTLY MANUALLY LOCKING/UNLOCKING THESE DOORS AND FEEL UNSAFE AND FEEL MY PERSONAL PROPERTY INSIDE THE CAR IS EXPOSED TO THEFT SINCE SOMETIMES I FORGET TO LOCK THESE 3 DOORS MANUALLY WHEN DRIVING ALONE IN VEHICLE. NOTE THE ABOVE OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, IN MOTION, ON A CITY STREET/HIGHWAY, AND TURNING.

I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN IN A VERY QUIET RESIDENTIAL AREA SHORTLY AFTER LUNCH TIME. MY CAR HAD BEEN IN MY GARAGE AND THE STOP SIGN WAS A BLOCK AND A HALF FROM MY HOUSE. I TURNED LEFT ONTO A STREET WITH NO TRAFFIC AND I DID NOT SEE ANYONE OUTSIDE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. JUST A FEW SECONDS AFTER I TURNED I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 15 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. MY RIGHT SIDE VIEW MIRROR HAD EXPLODED! THE MIRROR ITSELF HAD BEEN BLOWN OUT OF THE MIRROR CASING AND IT WAS DANGLING BY A WIRE. THE HARD CLEAR PLASTIC COVERING OVER THE LIGHTS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE MIRROR CASING WAS CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. THERE WAS NO OTHER VISIBLE DAMAGE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE MIRROR CASING. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. I TAPED THE MIRROR BACK INSIDE THE MIRROR CASING AND TOOK MY CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THEY HAVE ORDERED A NEW MIRROR FOR ME BUT IT HASN'T BEEN RECEIVED YET. I CHECKED AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM YET. IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN STANDING BESIDE MY CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ALSO, IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING FASTER I MIGHT HAVE LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR WHEN I WAS STARTLED BY THE VERY LOUD EXPLOSION THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCHBACK DOOR STARTED TO CLOSE AUTOMATICALLY WHILE SHE WAS IN THE REAR AREA, STRIKING THE CONTACT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT IT TOOK EXTREME FORCE TO MAKE THE DOOR REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING TO STANDARDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,521. *TR