2007 LEXUS GS 350 Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS GS350. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V020000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR; HOWEVER, THE NECESSARY PART WAS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO A MASSIVE BACK ORDER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNAWARE OF WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

3/24/09, RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM LEXUS DIVISION, TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, USA, INC. TORRENCE, CA ABOUT A REPLACEMENT OF FUEL DELIVERY PIPES (FUEL RAILS) I PURCHASED A 2007 GS350 LEXUS FROM PUTNAN LEXUS, REDWOOD CITY, CA 94063 ABOUT JULY 2007.3/23/09, CALLED LEXUS OF SERREMONTE, COMA, CA , 877 200-4498; TALKED TO CINDY AT SERVICE DEPT; GAVE HER THE VIN, MY FULL NAME AND HOME ADDRESS. SHE TOLD ME IT WILL BE READY IN ABOUT 5 DAYS & THEN TO ARRANGE APPT FOR REPAIR. 4/1, ABOUT 2:35PM,TALKED TO ROBIN ON STATUS AFTER BEING PUT ON HOLD AND TRANSFERRED 2/3 TIMES IN ABOUT 18 MINUTES, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECORD OF ANY ORDER FOR THE FUEL RAILS; CINDY DID NOT ORDER THE PARTS; THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEM LOCATING ME IN THEIR RECORDS BECAUSE I DID NOT BUY THE CAR AT SERRAMONTE; THEY HAVE TO FIND ME THROUGH THEIR NATIONAL REGISTER ??? ROBIN ASSURED THAT THE PARTS WERE BEING ORDER AND TO CALL BACK IN 2/3 WEEKS, DUE TO SEVERAL BACK LOG ?? 4/21, CALLED SERRAMONTE AGAIN FOR STATUS..TALKED TO EVA, X 2133, HEAD OF CASHIER/SERVICE DEPT; SHE HAS NO RECORD OF ME, NO ORDER AND GAVE ME THE SAME REASONS; 3000 CARS BACK LOG, DID NOT BUY IT FROM THEM, ETC. SHE ASSURED ME AGAIN THAT SHE IS CREATING A FILE AND THE PARTS WILL BE READY IN 2 WEEKS., .THAT IS AFTER I THREATEN TO CALL THE GENERAL MANAGER. I AM NOT AT ALL SATISFIED WITH HER ANSWER EITHER DESPITE HER PROMISE TO PUT MY FILE ON HER DESK!!!! I CALLED PUTNAM LEXUS, THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM; TALKED TO OSCAR PACHECO, SERVICE CONSULTANT; I NOW HAVE AN APPT FOR 4/29/09 AT 10AM WITH THE REQUIRED PARTS IN STORE ALREADY. THAT TELLS ME LEXUS OF SERRAMENTE LIED TO ME 3 TIMES ABOUT THE ORDER OF THE PARTS, GROSSLY INEFFICIENT AND NOT IN COMPLIANCE OF YOUR SAFETY RECALL. PLEASE DO WHATEVER NECESSARY TO ENFORCE COMPLIANCE. I AM ALSO SENDING A COPY OF THIS TO LEXUS, TOYOTA MOTOR SALES TO INVESTIGATE THEIR OWN DEALERS UNACCEPTABLE SALES/SERVICE PRACTICE. *TR

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

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.