2007 LEXUS GS Complaints

THIS IS A CORRECTION OF COMPLAINT #10263748 REGARDING A "SMART KEY" FAULT. I RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE A 2007 LEXUS GS EQUIPPED WITH THEIR "SMART KEY" , I.E. A KEY FOB WHICH CAN STAY IN YOUR POCKET AND ALLOW YOU TO START THE VEHICLE WITHOUT REQUIRING A KEY IN THE IGNITION. SIMILARLY, I ALSO DROVE A 2009 NISSAN MURANO EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME TYPE "SMART KEY". I HAVE FOUND THAT BOTH VEHICLES CAN BE SHUT OFF AND EXITED WHILE IT IS INADVERTENTLY LEFT IN THE "NEUTRAL" POSITION. ALTHOUGH A BARELY AUDIBLE CHIME RINGS, A DRIVER CAN EXIT THE VEHICLE NOT REALIZING THE VEHICLE CAN FREE-WHEEL ON THEM AND IF THE VEHICLE IS ON ANY TYPE OF INCLINE, IT WILL BEGIN ROLLING AWAY -- POSSIBLY AS THEY ARE HALF-WAY OUT OF THE CAR OR WALKING AWAY!! I AM ASTOUNDED THAT THERE ARE NO "NEUTRAL SAFETY" CONTROLS ON THESE NEW VEHICLES. STANDARD KEY IGNITIONS PREVENT THE DRIVER FROM REMOVING THE KEY IN ANY POSITION EXCEPT "PARK" WHEN THEY EXIT ... NOT SO WITH THESE NEW "SMART KEY" CARS!! I FORESEE MANY ACCIDENTS OCCURRING UNLESS SOME CORRECTION IS MADE IN THIS "SMART KEY OPTION" -- THINK OF A PERSON TRYING TO REENTER A ROLLING VEHICLE, A CHILD IN A DRIVEWAY, OR A CAR ROLLING INTO AN INTERSECTION!! I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A GOVERNMENT VEHICLE SAFETY ORGANIZATION WOULD OVERLOOK THIS SERIOUS FLAW. *TR

2007 LEXUS GS450H WITH HYBRID ELECTRONICS LOCATED NEXT TO THE TRANSMISSION. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO HAVE FURTHER STUDY DONE ON BECAUSE OF THE HYBRID ELECTRONICS BEING NEXT TO THE TRANSMISSION. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED A VARIETY OF NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS THAT PROHIBIT HIM FROM DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR NO MORE THAN 20 MINUTES OR SO AT A TIME AND FURTHER STATING THAT POSSIBLY SOMETHING IN THE DESIGN MIGHT BE THE CAUSE OF THE TINGLING/NUMBNESS HE EXPERIENCED. THE CONSUMER USED A DIGITAL GAUSS METER, WHICH INDICATE HIGH LEVELS OF ELECTRO-MAGNETIC FIELD RADIATION IN PROXIMITY TO THE DRIVER, EMANATING FROM THE MOTOR AND/OR GENERATOR. *TR

SINCE PURCHASE (2/1/07), I HAVE HAD NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS WHILE DRIVING THE LEXUS GS450H. THESE INCLUDE, AT DIFFERENT TIMES, TINGLING IN THE HANDS AND FEET, NUMBNESS IN THE FACE, STINGING SENSATION IN THE EYES AND DULL HEADACHES. THESE SYMPTOMS OCCUR ONLY WHEN DRIVING THE LEXUS GS450H, AND AT NO OTHER TIME IN NO OTHER CAR. THE DEALER AND I WORKED MONTHS TO RULE OUT A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE CAUSES WITHOUT SUCCESS. FINALITY, WITHOUT ANOTHER WORKING THEORY ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE, I BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD RADIATION (EMF) COMING FROM SOME PART OF THE HYBRID SYSTEM AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE. AS THE ONLY REAR WHEEL DRIVE HYBRID, THE MOTOR AND GENERATOR ARE CLOSER TO THE DRIVER THAN ANY HYBRID IN PRODUCTION---IN FACT, RIGHT NEXT TO THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER IN THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING AREA. CORRELATE THIS WITH POWER OF GS450H'S HYBRID MOTOR AND GENERATOR AND EMF HAS TO BE A CONSIDERED AS A CAUSE. LEXUS MADE NO SERIOUS EFFORT TO TEST THIS CAR FOR EMF. (FOR EXAMPLE, THEIR TECH ASKED TO USE MY HANDHELD GAUSS METER TO TAKE MEASUREMENTS). SUBSEQUENTLY, I HAN ENGINEERING FIRM SPECIALIZING IN EMF MEASUREMENT AND SHIELDING CONDUCTED A 30-MINUTE STUDY OF EMF EMISSIONS IN THE FRONT SEAT AREA. THEIR INSTRUMENTS MEASURED A SUSTAINED EXPOSURE OF 100MG IN THE AREA OF THE DRIVER?S AND FRONT PASSENGER?S LEGS. THESE FINDINGS SHOULD CONFIRM, AT THE VERY LEAST, THE NEED FOR FURTHER STUDY OF THIS VEHICLE FOR POTENTIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NOT YET SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS ABOUT EMF RADIATION AS A HEALTH HAZARD, THE EPA HAS ADVOCATED FOR "PRUDENT AVOIDANCE" OF EMF RADIATION EXPOSURE. WITH SUSTAINED EXPOSURE OF UP TO 100MG+ IN THE DRIVER?S AREA, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE IN THE GS450H? I HAVE NO PLANS TO BRING LEGAL ACTION OF ANY KIND AGAINST LEXUS, HOWEVER, I CANNOT AND WILL NOT SELL THIS CAR BEFORE I HAVE DONE ALL THAT I CAN TO ENSURE THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT A DANGER TO OTHERS. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS GS350. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL, WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS GS350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FLOOR MAT BECAME STUCK ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND CAUSED UNWANTED ACCELERATION. SHE NEARLY CRASHED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. SHE WOULD LIKE TO FIND A WAY TO KEEP THE MATS SECURE AT ALL TIMES. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,800.

YESTERDAY MY TEST DRIVE OF THE 2007 LEXUS GS 350 AWD CONFIRMS THAT LIKE ITS SIBLINGS AND COUSINS (THE LEXUS ES 350 AND THE TOYOTA CAMRY), THE GS GIVES NO "ERROR WARNING" WHEN THE "STOP BUTTON" IS PRESSED WITH THE VEHICLE STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE. THERE IS NO CHIME, NO MESSAGE TO "PUT CAR IN PARK", JUST TOTAL SILENCE. IF THE DRIVER RELEASES THE BRAKE AT THIS POINT AND THE CAR IN ON AN INCLINE, NATURALLY IT WILL ROLL. OTHER MANUFACTURER'S (CADILLAC, BMW, INFINITI) GIVE A CHIME WARNING AND/OR A MESSAGE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE BMW 535 ACTUALLY CORRECTS THE PROBLEM BY PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK BY ITSELF IN THIS SITUATION. HOPEFULLY, NO ONE WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE LEXUS/TOYOTA CORRECTS THIS PROBLEM. WHY EXACTLY ARE MANUFACTURERS QUICK TO JUMP ON THE "GIMMICK BANDWAGON" TO SELL NEW PRODUCTS WITH AN UNNECESSARY "START/STOP" BUTTON WHICH IS CAPABLE OF DEFEATING THE KEYED IGNITION-TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SYSTEM WHICH PREVENTS VEHICLES FROM BEING TURNED OFF IN DRIVE AND HAS WORKED WELL FOR OVER 40 YEARS? A PROPERLY THOUGHT OUT "START/STOP" BUTTON WOULD (1) BE LEFT OFF THE VEHICLE ENTIRELY (2) GIVE AN AUDIBLE/ VISIBLE ERROR WARNING IF THE BUTTON IS HIT WITH THE CAR STOPPED AND IN DRIVE OR (3) INSIST THAT THE BUTTON BE ACTIVATED ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN "PARK". I HOPE TOYOTA/LEXUS DOES THEIR HOMEWORK BETTER IN THE FUTURE AND CORRECTS THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH A VOLUNTARY PRODUCT RECALLBEFORE THEY ARE TOLD TO DO IT BY THE NHTS.