2003 LEXUS GX470 Complaints

MY SUV WHEN EVER GOING UP OR DOWN A HILL AT ANY SPEED LETS OUT A HORRIBLE SMELL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS BAD GAS, I LET THE TANK RUN TO EMPTY AND SWITCHED GAS DEALERS...THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. MY SON CANNOT RIDE IN THE BACK SEAT BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE THROWING UP EVEN DURING SHORT RIDES.*AK

I BOUGHT THE 470 GX WITH 7 MILES ON IT. IT BEGAN TO "LURCH" AT ABOUT 2500 MILES. WHEN I REPORTED IT TO LEXUS, THEY AGREED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM ON SOME OF THE NEW GX'S. THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE, AND THEY RECEIVED AUTHORIZATION TO REPLACE THE DRIVESHAFT. THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE AGAIN ORDERING A NEW DRIVE SHAFT. THE REASON I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IS BECAUSE IT ALWAYS HAPPENS AT A FULL STOP, AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE IS HITTING THE CAR FROM BEHIND. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THE SENSATION OF MOVEMENT OF THE CAR, THIS IS STARTLING AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A DRIVER TO REMOVE THEIR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE. I CAN'T TELL IF THE CAR ACTUALLY MOVES, HOWEVER IF IT DOES, THIS COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT (IE. "FENDER-BENDER" OR WORSE AT A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING).*AK

WHEN DESCENDING A HILL AT 40-45 MPH IN DRIVE AND GENTLY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAINTAIN SPEED TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS TO "4" AND OFTEN TO "3". THIS OCCURS REPEATEDLY, BUT IS NOT PREDICTABLE. WHEN REACHING THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE TOP GEAR, I MUST EITHER (1) DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL HALFWAY AND RELEASE IT OR (2) MANUALLY MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER FROM "D" TO "4" AND BACK.THIS DOWNSHIFTING IS ABRUPT AND UNPREDICTIBLE. I AM CONCERNED IF IT HAPPENS ON SNOW OR ICE, THAT THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE TRACTION AND SLIDE.*AK

LEXUS GX470 HAS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END AND STEERING WHEEL AT SPEEDS FROM 10 TO 70 MPH. DEALER MADE AWARE OF PROBLEM AT 1,000 AND 5,000 MILE CHECK BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. DEALER CALLED THE PROBLEM "ROAD GROAN." *LA

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES AND THE VEHICLE SHAKES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THERE WAS A PERSISTENT VIBRATION IN THE STEERING AND IT WAS HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. *SCC *JB

2003 GX470 LEXUS HAS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END AND STEERING WHEEL BETWEEN 1700 AND 2200 RPM'S. HAS HAD IT SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED 18,000 MILES AGO. DEALER AND MFG DO NOT HAVE A WAY TO FIX THE VIBRATION. *LA

WHENEVER GIVING THE VEHICLE MODERATE TO HIGH ACCELERATION, A ROTTEN EGG SMELL COMES OUT OF THE AIR CONDITIONER VENTS. THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT IT MAKES ME DIZZY. *AK

WHEN DRIVING WITH THE AIR CONDITION ON, A SULFUR LIKE ODOR ENTERED THROUGH THE A/C VENT. THE CONDITION CAUSED HEADACHES AND NAUSEA. THE DRIVER ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOWS AND TURNED THE A/C OFF TO ALLOW THE FRESH AIR TO REMOVED ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION AND COMPLETE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. *JB

WHENEVER GIVING THE VEHICLE MODERATE TO HIGH ACCELERATION, A ROTTEN EGG SMELL COMES OUT OF THE AIR CONDITIONER VENTS. THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT IT MAKES ME DIZZY AND I FEEL LIKE VOMITING. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE LEXUS DEALER THAT THIS IS A "NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE" BECAUSE OF THE SULFUR CONTENT IN FUEL. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL DIFFERENT MODELS OF LEXUS VEHICLES IN THE PAST AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. *LA

A SULFUR ODOR OR ROTTEN EGG ODOR, IS PRESENT IN THE CAR WHEN ACCELERATING. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SMELL AT MY 1,000 MILE CHECK UP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SMELL WOULD BE GONE BY MY 5,000 MILE CHECK UP. THE CAR STILL HAS THE ODOR AT THE 5,000 MILE CHECK UP. NOW I'M TOLD BY THE DEALER "SULFUR SMELL HAS NOT BEEN UNCOMMON DUE TO HIGH SULFUR CONTENTS IN RECENT FUEL PRODUCTION. NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR, SUGGEST USING DIFFERENT FUEL SUPPLIER." I TRIED SWITCHING GASOLINES AND IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. LEXUS SAYS THAT IT IS NORMAL AND IS BECAUSE OF THE SULFUR IN THE FUEL. I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DISCLOSED THIS AT TIME OF SALE. THEY GAVE ME A COPY OF A MEMO DATED 2/24/03 ADDRESSING THE SMELL, SO THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT IT IS A PROBLEM. I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT THE CAR IF I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO SMELL LIKE THIS. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONSTANT SULFUR FUMES THAT ARE IN THE VEHICLE. *LA