2007 LEXUS ES350 Complaints

2007 LEXUS ES350-1-ADULT PASSENGER SAT IN THE FRONT SEAT AND I NOTICE THAT THE AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON. 2- I HAVE EXPERIENCED A DANGEROUS SUDDEN SURGE OF ACCELERATION WHEN BRAKING, EVEN WITH ALL WEATHER MAT PROPERLY SECURED. I BELIEVE THE SURGE MAY BE A SOFTWARE AND/OR SENSOR FLAW. 3- WHEN THE ENGINE IS FIRST STARTED (COLD-AFTER SITTING), THE MECHANICAL ENGINE NOISE IS VERY PRONOUNCED AS IF PROPER LUBRICATION IS NOT OCCURRING. *TR

UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION AND ERRATIC SHIFTING; FAILURE OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND RELATED SYSTEMS; PROPOSED REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY OF THE TRANSMISSION; *TR

DRIVING ON A PRIMARY SURFACE STREET, I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. I WAS THE FIRST CAR IN THE LANE. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I ACCELERATED TO CHANGE LANES, THE CAR PICKED UP SPEED AND THE BRAKES COULD NOT STOP IT. THE CAR GROWLED AND JERKED FOR A COUPLE OF BLOCKS UNTIL I FORCED THE GEAR OUT OF "DRIVE". IT FINALLY STOPPED BEFORE THE NEXT INTERSECTION. I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND DID NOT HIT ANYONE. THE CAR WAS AT THE LEXUS REPAIRS DEPT. FOR 5 DAYS. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD NOT KEEP THE TWO FLOOR MATS. THEY REMOVED THE FACTORY INSTALLED CARPETED MAT, PLACED IT IN THE TRUNK AND LEFT THE THIN, CLEAR, PROTECTIVE PLASTIC FLOOR MAT FROM LEXUS. I NEVER HAD ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MATS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS ANY DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION, ENGINE OR BRAKES. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT AND SINCE I HAVE OCCASIONALLY FOUND IT ACCELERATING BUT IT STOPS BY BRAKING. I HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED A HIGH ACCELERATING TEST. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE REPAIRS DEPT. I ASK IF THEY KNEW OF OTHER SIMILAR INSTANCES AND WAS TOLD "NO". I ONLY HAD 1,582 MILES AT THE TIME AND I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PROBLEM. ON AUGUST 16, 2007 THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE NEWSPAPER REFERRING TO YOUR INVESTIGATION AND NOW REQUEST THAT MY INCIDENT BE INCLUDED. *TR THE CONSUMER PROVIDED PICTURES OF THE FLOOR MATS, ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND A REPAIR INVOICE. UPDATED 09/10/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM ZERO TO 60 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE FAILURE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE ALL WEATHER FLOORMATS THAT WERE INSTALLED ON TOP OF THE REGULAR MATS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS ES350. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT THE SPEED ONLY DECREASED TO 20 MPH. SHE PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK WHILE IT WAS STILL IN MOTION, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SMOKE AND JERK INSTANTLY. THE FAILURE CAUSED HER TO RUN THREE RED LIGHTS AND DODGE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. SHE CALLED LEXUS AND THEY STATED THAT THE FLOORMATS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IMPROPERLY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER BEING INSPECTED AND THE CONTACT IS AWAITING A FOLLOW-UP PHONE CALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,100.

NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WERE MADE TO THE LEXUS DEALER REGARDING SUDDEN UNEXPECTED SURGES AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE 2007 LEXUS ES350, WHICH WERE IGNORED AS A SERVICE ISSUE UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION DEMONSTRATED ERRATIC AND UNCONTROLLED OPERATION DURING A TEST DRIVE WITH A CERTIFIED LEXUS MECHANIC. THE CAR WOULD SURGE AND SHIFT ERRATICALLY UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED AND THE CAR BECAME INOPERABLE. *TR

I PURCHASED 2007 LEXUS ES 350 IN DECEMBER OF 2006. SOMETIME IN LAST MONTH, WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A HIGHWAY, ITS BRAKE STOPPED WORKING ALL OF A SUDDEN, AND STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF. I LOOKED AT MY FOOT WONDERING IF MY FOOT WAS ON GAS PEDAL, INSTEAD OF BRAKE PEDAL, BUT IT WAS ON BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS IN A TOTAL PANIC, BUT MANAGED TO DROVE THE CAR AWAY TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY BY PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK MODE. I THOUGHT I WAS DEAD AT THAT MOMENT. I AM TRYING TO SUE THE LEXUS. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT CAR WILL KILL SOMEONE. BEFORE STARTING A LEGAL PROCEEDING, MY ATTORNEY SENT A LETTER TO LEXUS HEADQUARTER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO PROBLEM, AND THAT THE CAUSE WAS THE FLOOR MAT. BUT, IT WAS NOT. AS I SAID EARLIER, I LOOKED AT MY FOOT WHEN THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, AND AFTER I STOPPED THE CAR, I CAREFULLY LOOKED AT BOTH GAS PEDAL AND BRAKE AGAIN. I AM NOT BLIND. HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS? PLEASE LET ME KNOW. IT WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME TO WIN THE CASE. I AM NOT TRYING TO MAKE MONEY BY SUING LEXUS, BUT TRYING TO HAVE LEXUS RECALL ALL OF ITS ES 350 SINCE IT WILL KILL SOMEONE. *JB

VISIBILITY AROUND THE CAR IS VERY DIFFICULT. FRONT POSTS ARE LARGE AND CLOSER TO THE DRIVER, BLOCKING MORE OF THE FIELD OF VIEW. THE HIGH BACKEND BLOCKS REAR VIEW AND THE LARGE POSTS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE REAR WINDOW ADD SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE BLIND SPOTS. BECAUSE OF THE VISIBILITY ISSUE, I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS CLOSE CALLS THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS HARM TO OTHERS AND DAMAGE TO MY CAR. I HAVE HAD TO SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE MY DRIVING HABITS TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A DESIGN WEAKNESS IN THE CAR. THE CAR FEELS UNSAFE TO ME AND I WISH I HAD NEVER BOUGHT IT. IF I COULD AFFORD TO SELL IT I WOULD IN A NEW YORK SECOND. I AM A 17 YEAR TOYOTA CUSTOMER WHO HAS OWNED 5 OF THEIR PRODUCTS, ON THIS ONE THE DESIGN STINKS. I RANK IT "FAIR" ONLY BECAUSE IT HAS OTHER FEATURES AND PERFORMANCE THAT ARE QUITE GOOD, BUT THEY DON'T OFFSET THE VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. I LOVE TOYOTA/LEXUS, BUT I HATE THE ES350. *TR

LEXUS ES350 HAVE EXPERIENCED AIRBAG SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS ES350. SHE STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED OFF WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS OFF. WHEN PEOPLE WHO WERE BIGGER IN SIZE WERE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB