2004 LEXUS GX Complaints

SNOW CHAINS FOR LEXUS GX470 2004 BROKE AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGES. PURCHASED: FEBRUARY, 2010. USED ONLY ONCE BEFORE IT BROKE (3 OF 4) AND DAMAGED VEHICLE. REPORT: CHAINS, FILLED QUESTIONNAIRE, SENT TO MANUFACTURER: SCC, IN CLACKAMAS, OR TO [XXX]. RESULTS OF [XXX]: CHAINS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON ONLY THE REAR TIRES (THIS IS A 4WD) AND STORE PURCHASED FROM: VULCANTIRE, STATED FRONT AND REAR FOR BETTER VEHICLE CONTROL. ALSO, MR. CAPRINE STATED QUESTIONABLE CLEARANCE WITH GX470, WHEREAS THIS VEHICLE WAS BUILT FOR OFF-ROAD, AND HAS MUCH HIGHER CLEARANCE THAN OTHER VEHICLES. HE STATES THE GX470 HAS A HEIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM AND ADDED TO CAUSED CHAIN FAILURE, WHEREAS THE HEIGHT CONTROL IS MANUALLY ACTIVATED, AND WAS NEVER ACTIVATED SINCE PURCHASE; AND ONLY THE REAR SUSPENSION ELEVATES, WHEREAS 3 OF 4 CHAINS FAILED. [XXX] ALSO FAULTS THE CHAINS WERE NOT THE CORRECT, SINCE THE NEW TIRES INSTALLED WERE 265/70/17, WHEREAS THE OEM IS 265/65/17. THIS STATEMENT WAS NEGATED BY: VULCAN TIRE, LEXUS DEALERS IN KINGSPORT, TN AND WINSTON-SALEM, NC, AND THE LOCAL TIRE DEALER: CLARK TIRE, BOONE, NC. [XXX] CALLED BY TELEPHONE, EMAIL, AND HE HAS FAILED TO RESPOND. [XXX]TOOK THE CALL,AND INFORMED ME [XXX] WILL CALL BACK ON 1/3/2011, AND AS OF 1/10/2011, 7:52 P.M., NO CALLS WERE RETURNED. ALL OF THE REASONS FOR FAILURE WERE NEGATED BY THE LEXUS DEALER, AND THE BODY SHOP THAT REPAIRED VEHICLE (OLDE JONESBOROUGH BODY SHOP) AND THE GEICO CLAIMS ADJUSTER ([XXX]), BOTH FROM JOHNSON CITY, TN, NEGATED [XXX] STATEMENTS, AND BLAMED THE DIRECTLY VISUALIZED CHAINS (THEY WERE PRESENTED TO THEM) FAULTINESS. THE CHAINS WERE PRACTICALLY NEW, AND FAILED (3 OF 4). WITNESSES: NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR DR. WILLIAM WESTMORELAND , AND NEARBY NEIGHBOR [XXX] VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FROM MY HOME, DOWN 70 YARDS OF MY DRIVEWAY, UP TO NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR (40 YARDS) BEFORE FAILING. AS OF THIS DATE, NO COMPENSATION HAS BEEN MADE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS GX470. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN HE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER, HEAD AND BACK. A PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN NOSE AND BROKEN CHEEK BONE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS GX470. HE EXPERIENCED A RECURRING FAILURE IN WHICH THE BRAKES WOULD ENGAGE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TOWARDS THE RIGHT. DURING THE FAILURE THE VSC LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

ARRIVING AT THE BANK DRIVE THROUGH, I PULLED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR DOWN AND ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT. LATER, AFTER MY HUSBAND INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM, HE FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE SUN VISOR WIRING. HE HAD TO REMOVE THE SUN VISOR FROM THE ROOF TO PREVENT THE FUSE FROM BURNING EVERY TIME THE VISOR IS MOVED. THIS PREVENTS ME FROM USING THE VISOR WHEN THE SUN IS DIRECTLY IN MY EYES. IF I LEAVE THE VISOR IN, THE FUSE FOR THE INTERIOR LIGHTING WILL BURN AND RESULT IN THE LOSS OF LIGHTS AND TRIP METER FUNCTIONALITY. I STILL HAVE THE VISOR BUT MY HUSBAND SAYS IT IS NOT REPAIRABLE. *TR

PROBLEM WITH VSC ON MY 2004 LEXUS GX470. I WAS DRIVING FROM A SKI RESORT ON SNOW COVERED ROAD AT APPROX 35-37 MPH. THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL HIT A POTHOLE AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SHOT SIDEWAYS AND WE WERE HEADED OFF THE ROAD TO THE RIGHT, THEN TRACTION CONTROL OR SOMETHING KICKED IN AND WE SHOT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I TRIED TO STEER BACK INTO OUR LANE AND THE REAR LEFT AGAIN SENT US INTO A SIDEWAYS SKID ACROSS THE RIGHT LANE AND HEADED OFF OF THE ROAD UNTIL THE RIGHT REAR HIT A POLE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE AND SHOT US BACK INTO THE RIGHT TRAFFIC LANE AND I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY GAIN CONTROL AND PULL OVER. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WE VEERED BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FOR SEVERAL YARDS. I HAVE DRIVEN IN WINTER CONDITIONS FOR YEARS AND HAVE BEEN IN SLIDES BEFORE, BUT NEVER WHERE THE CAR CHANGED DIRECTION AND VEERED BACK AND FORTH INSTEAD OF MAINTAINING THE SLIDE TRAJECTORY. I AM CONVINCED THAT THE SENSORS ARE WRONG OR SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE VSC AND REPORTED MY CONCERN TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND ALSO TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LEXUS AND HAD THEM RUN FULL DIAGNOSTIC, INCLUDING ZERO POINT/YAW RATE. THEY REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE VSC. THE TIRES AND BRAKES CHECKED OUT TOO. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE SERVICED BY LEXUS, EVEN OIL CHANGES. I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING THIS SITE AND OTHERS FOR SIMILAR ESC/VSC COMPLAINTS AND HAVE FOUND A FEW, THEN WHEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE VSC PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW LEXUS GX CAME OUT, I KNEW I SHOULD REPORT THIS. THERE SHOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION OF ALL LEXUS GX VSC SYSTEMS - WHETHER THEY DEVELOP FLAWS OVER TIME OR IF THERE IS SOME ISSUE INHERENT WITH THE SYSTEM THAT CAUSES THE UNCONTROLLED SKIDS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE CAR HAS GONE INTO AN UNCONTROLLED SLIDE - THE FIRST TIME THERE WERE NO DAMAGES. *TR

MY LEXUS GX 470 HAS ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY SINCE JAN7, 2010 (FIRST OCCURRENCE) AND LAST OCCURRENCE MARCH 12, 2010 . IT GENERALLY OCCURS AT LIGHT THROTTLE FROM A STOP AND TURNING LEFT AT INTERSECTIONS AND IS COMPOUNDED BY A LOSS OF ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ALSO ON WET PAVEMENT. THUS FAR, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACT QUICKLY ENOUGH TO KEEP SPEEDS UNDER 60 MPH. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAVE NOT BEEN SO FORTUNATE AND WILL NOT DRIVE IN AND /OR BE A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. I'M HANDICAPPED AND HAD A SERVICE DOG WHO WAS KILLED IN ONE OF THE CRASHES. IF A NECK CAN BE BROKEN THEN WE ARE DEALING WITH A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AM A FORMER TOYOTA EXECUTIVE ENGINEER/ CHIEF ENGINEER FOR 8 YEARS AND HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE IN THIS SUBJECT , SUCH AS PROGRAM RETENTION OF ECM AND DENSO THROTTLE. TOYOTA KNEW OF THESE ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS BEGINNING IN 2002 HOW MANY DEATHS IN A LEXUS GX 470 , BEFORE A RECALL OCCURS????????? *TR

SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN A 2004 GX-470 DECELERATED FROM 30 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH TO TURN LEFT INTO A DRIVEWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FULL THROTTLE AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE TWO PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE, ONE IN THE FRONT NEXT TO THE DRIVER THE SECOND AN INFANT IN A CAR SEAT IN THE BACK CENTER POSITION OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS COINCIDENT AS THE DRIVER INITIATED THE TURN INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT CAR TIRES WHERE FULLY TURNED TO THE LEFT AND THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT OPENED THE FRONT LEFT CAR DOOR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT WAS FULLY STOPPED. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION PUSHED THE PASSENGER EXITING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO HIS SEAT AND HE NEVER WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL MATS IN THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL LEXUS CAR MATS. IN ADDITION A POSSIBLE RELATED SYMPTOM OCCURRED TWICE OVER THE FOUR YEAR HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SENT BACK TO LEXUS IN WHICH IT WAS REPORTED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PALM SPRINGS AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS OVER 110 DEGREES THAT THERE WERE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. LEXUS RETURNED THE VEHICLE INDICATING THAT THEY COULD NOT REPEAT THE PROBLEM BUT DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM UNDER THE HEAT CONDITIONS. EVEN AFTER THE ACCIDENT LEXUS REFUSES TO TEST THE VEHICLE UNDER THE HEAT CONDITIONS. THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 75 DEGREES. THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT IS AN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING THAT RUNS A COMPANY THAT IS KNOW IN THE INDUSTRY AS RESOLVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS IN THE MOST COMPLEX SYSTEMS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) (E.G. F-14, EA-6B). HIS OBSERVATION DURING THE ACCIDENT IS THAT THERE WAS EXTREMELY LOW PROBABILITY THAT THE DRIVER COULD OF MOVED THEIR FOOT FROM BRAKE THAT WAS USED TO DECELERATE THE VEHICLE TO THE POINT WHEN THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION STARTED. *TR

SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN A 2004 GX-470 DECELERATED FROM 30 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH TO TURN LEFT INTO A DRIVEWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FULL THROTTLE AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE TWO PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE, ONE IN THE FRONT NEXT TO THE DRIVER THE SECOND AN INFANT IN A CAR SEAT IN THE BACK CENTER POSITION OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS COINCIDENT AS THE DRIVER INITIATED THE TURN INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT CAR TIRES WHERE FULLY TURNED TO THE LEFT AND THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT OPENED THE FRONT LEFT CAR DOOR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT WAS FULLY STOPPED. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION PUSHED THE PASSENGER EXITING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO HIS SEAT AND HE NEVER WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL MATS IN THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL LEXUS CAR MATS. IN ADDITION A POSSIBLE RELATED SYMPTOM OCCURRED TWICE OVER THE FOUR YEAR HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SENT BACK TO LEXUS IN WHICH IT WAS REPORTED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PALM SPRINGS AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS OVER 110 DEGREES THAT THERE WERE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. LEXUS RETURNED THE VEHICLE INDICATING THAT THEY COULD NOT REPEAT THE PROBLEM BUT DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM UNDER THE HEAT CONDITIONS. EVEN AFTER THE ACCIDENT LEXUS REFUSES TO TEST THE VEHICLE UNDER THE HEAT CONDITIONS. THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 75 DEGREES. THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT IS AN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING THAT RUNS A COMPANY THAT IS KNOW IN THE INDUSTRY AS RESOLVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS IN THE MOST COMPLEX SYSTEMS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) (E.G. F-14, EA-6B). HIS OBSERVATION DURING THE ACCIDENT IS THAT THERE WAS EXTREMELY LOW PROBABILITY THAT THE DRIVER COULD OF MOVED THEIR FOOT FROM BREAK THAT WAS USED TO DECELERATE THE VEHICLE TO THE POINT WHEN THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION STARTED. *JB

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR NEWLY PURCHASED 2004 LEXUS 470GX TO GEORGIA WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS WITH DRIVING UNDER RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS IN NORTH FLORIDA. MY HUSBAND COMMUNICATED THE STEERING WAS VERY LOOSE AND THE CAR WAS PULLING. ACCORDING TO MY HUSBAND, THIS HAPPENED TWO TIMES AND ON THE THIRD INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. MY HUSBAND WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT FLIPPED APPROXIMATELY THREE TIMES BEFORE ENDING UP IN THE MEDIAN ON IT'S SIDE. MY HUSBAND IS A VERY SAFE DRIVER AND WAS EXERCISING MUCH CAUTION WHEN DRIVING. HE'S DRIVEN AN SUV (1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER) FOR EIGHT YEARS. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 12/23/06 AND I AM CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. WE'VE DRIVEN IN WORSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING REMOTELY WRONG HAPPEN...I'M NOT SURE WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS AND SEEK OUT SOME HELP AND ADVICE. PLEASE HELP. *JB

A CLUNKING NOISE HAPPENS ALMOST ALL TIMES WHEN COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. MY WIFE REPORTED PROBLEM TO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED EXCESSIVE ODORS SMELL LIKE REAR BRAKE PADS BURNED. REPORTED TO DIFFERENT LEXUS WITHOUT BEING FIXED UNTIL NOW. RECENTLY HEARING POPPING NOISE WHEN AIR CONDITIONER USED. WILL REPORT TO LEXUS DEALER NEXT SERVICE TIME. *JB