2002 LEXUS ES300 Complaints

IN AUGUST I WENT TO PARK MY CAR (2002 ES300) IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT PICKED UP SPEED, CRASHING THROUGH MY BRAND NEW FENCE AND SIDE PORCH. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT TOOK OFF ON ME. MY FOOT NEVER MOVED OFF THE BRAKE THE WHOLE TIME; THE CAR CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT HIT THE PORCH. THE DAY BEFORE I WAS DRIVING WITH MY MOM AND AS I STARTED TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN B/C I WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN PICKED UP SPEED, BUT THANKFULLY AT THAT TIME I HAD TIME TO PRESS THE BRAKES DOWN HARDER AND STOP THE CAR. WHEN I PARK MY CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY IT IS ONLY A COUPLE OF INCHES FROM THE GATE AND FROM THE GATE IT IS ABOUT 2-3 FEET TO THE PORCH SO THERE WAS NO WAY TO AVOID THIS ACCIDENT. WHEN LEXUS INSPECTED THE CAR THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DBW (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL). I FIND THIS TO BE A COVERUP OF SOME SORTS B/C I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR YEARS AND NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME BEFORE. I KNOW FIRST HAND THAT IS IS NOT A DRIVER ERROR IT IS A MANUFACTOR'S DEFECT. I KNOW IT WENT INTO INVESTIGATIONS AND THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THE CARS B/C THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE THAT THIS REALLY HAPPENS. SINCE I'VE BEEN BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO LIGHT I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND'S FRIEND'S WIFE LAST YEAR. HER CAR TOOK OFF ON HER AND WENT THROUGH HER GARAGE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY CAR. I FEEL THAT LEXUS IS REALLY IN A POSITION WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE NHTSA DEEMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR CAUSING THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER DID NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBLITY WHAT SO EVER FOR THIS INCIDENT. THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR BUT WIPED THERE HANDS OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING A SPEED AND THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED HARD TO PASS OR TO ENTER A HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE RAVS BUT THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT IS HOW THE CAR IS DESIGNED. I HAVE A 2002 LEXUS ES300 BUT HAVE DRIVEN THE 2004'S AND THEY ACT THE SAME WAY. WHEN YOU STUMP ON THE GAS AND THE CAR DOES NOT GO. IT LEAVES YOU IN A VERY PROCARIES SITUATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED,TRANSMISSION SLIPPED WHILE SHIFTING FROM THIRD TO FOURTH GEAR. ALSO, THERE WA S HESITATION, AND THE RPMS WENT WAY UP. DEALERSHIP REPLACED A CHIP AND CALIBRATED THE TRANSMISSION, AND PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

CAR PULLS VERY HARD TO LEFT ON HIGHWAY. DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT THIS BY 1 ALIGNMENT AND NEW TIRES. THEY SAID THEY HAVE DONE EVERYHTING THEY ARE WILLING TO DO FOR FREE. SINCE I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY KEEP PUSHING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, IT IS CAUSING THE TIRES TO CUP, SO I WILL BE STUCK REPLACING TIRES EVERY 12000 MILES TO ELIMINATE LOUD ROAD NOISE.*AK

LTR FM LLOYD SORKIN (FL) REPORTING PREMATURE TIRE WEAR ON HIS VEHICLE A 2002 LEXUS ES300 QUESTION IF ANY TIRE RECALL NOTICE APPLY.*MR THE TIRES SHOWED SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE WEAR EVERY 18,000 MILES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLE MAY BE THE PROBLEM NOT THE TIRES (DOT NUMBERS- EJF1DMM4401, EJF1DMM4501, EJF1DMM4501, EJF1DMM4601). *NM

CONSUMER STATED WHILE PARKING VEHICLE AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND RAN INTO A STREET SIGN AND BARRIER GATE. *AK *NM

WHEN DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED*AK THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE SITUATION BUT DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THERE WAS EXCESSIVE BELT SQUEALING IN THE MORNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED AND THE KEY WOULD NO TURN IN THE IGNITION. *SC *JB

THE AUTOMATIC WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. CONSEQUENTLY, WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WAS DRY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

LACK OF RESPONSE BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE.*MR THE CONSUME EXPLAINED THAT THERE IS A LAG TIME BETWEEN STEPPING ON THE GAS AN THE TRANSMISSION RESPONDING. THIS HESITATION WAS MOST PRONOUNCED WHEN BRAKING AND THEN NEEDING TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE, SUCH AS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER FEELS THE VEHICLE INABILITY TO RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER IS A HAZARD. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHO INDICATED THAT HE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING WITH IN THEIR SPECIFICATIONS. THE PROBLEM IS SO BAD THAT THE CONSUMER INTENDS TO GET RID OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

2003 LEXUS HESITATES ON ACCELERATION WHEN SLOWING ( E.G., MAKING A TURN) AND THEN PROCEEDING TO FULL SPEED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM IN PRESS REVIEWS ON RELEASE OF THE CAR, AND TOOK 2 YEARS TO PROVIDE A SOFTWARE PATCH THAT WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THE PATCH DOES NOT WORK, AND THE CONDITION IS A SAFETY PROBLEM.*AK