2006 LEXUS RX Complaints

ON NOVEMBER 9, 2010 I EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN MY 2006 LEXUS RX330. I MADE A U-TURN FROM A PARKING LOT INTO A PARKING PLACE IN FRONT OF A PRESCHOOL ADJACENT TO THE PARKING LOT. MY FOOT WAS COVERING THE BRAKE AS I COASTED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AT APPROX. 5 MPH. AS SOON MY FRONT TIRES CROSSED THE THRESHOLD OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE CAR SURGED FORWARD AS IF THE ACCELERATOR HAD BEEN PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. BECAUSE MY FOOT WAS COVERING THE BRAKE AT THE TIME, I WAS ABLE TO STOP BEFORE HITTING A POST AND THE PRESCHOOL PLAYGROUND FENCE. I CONTACTED LEXUS AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INTERVIEWED ME AND SAID THEY WOULD INSPECT THE CAR. I WAS CALLED THE FOLLOWING DAY AND TOLD THEY HAD "GOOD NEWS", THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. I REFUSED TO PICK UP MY CAR BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I ASKED WHAT MY RECOURSE WAS, AND I WAS GIVEN THE NUMBER FOR CUSTOMER RELATIONS. I CONTACTED CUSTOMER RELATIONS, AND I WAS TOLD THEY CHECKED WITH THE DEALER AND MY CAR IS SAFE AND NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT. I ASKED IF THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ACCELERATION SYSTEM AND WAS TOLD "NO". I ASKED IF THEY WOULD BUY BACK THE CAR, AND THEY RESPONDED "THAT IS POSSIBLE, BUT IT WOULD TAKE 6-8 WEEKS BEFORE THEY COULD LET ME KNOW". I FELT THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE I AM COMPLAINING OF A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS GIVEN NO OTHER OPTION. I WENT ONLINE AND WAS ABLE TO CONTACT A PLANT MANAGER IN THE MID-WEST. HE PUT ME IN TOUCH WITH SOMEONE WHO WORKS FOR THE CHIEF QUALITY OFFICER OF TOYOTA. SHE THEN PUT ME IN TOUCH WITH SOMEONE FROM CORPORATE CUSTOMER RELATIONS. TO DATE,THERE HAS BEEN NO RESOLUTION, AND MY CAR REMAINS AT THE DEALERSHIP. I AM ADDITIONALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED CAR. UNDER THEIR CURRENT SYSTEM, I CANNOT BE ASSURED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF MY CAR DID NOT ALSO EXPERIENCE SUA AND WAS TOLD, "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG", SO THE CAR GOT TRADED IN AND RESOLD TO ME. *TR

THE 2006 LEXUS RX400H HAS CONTINUOUSLY DEMONSTRATED EXTREMELY EXCESSIVE INSIDE FRONT TIRE WEAR. THE ORIGINAL FACTORY TIRES WERE REPORTED AS WORN OUT AT A 10K MILE DEALER INSPECTION, AND THAT IS AFTER AN INSPECTION AT 5K MILES BROUGHT NO PROBLEMS TO MY ATTENTION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 50K MILES, ON THE THIRD SET OF TIRES, WITH REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO ALIGN THE FRONT END AND RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, THE ISSUE APPEARS TO REMAIN. THIS VEHICLE DESTROYS FRONT TIRES AT A RATE THAT WILL TAKE CONSUMERS BY EXTREME SURPRISE AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS TRAFFIC INCIDENTS DUE TO FRONT TIRE FAILURE. TIRES WITH A LOWER SPEED RATING DO SEEM TO IMPROVE LIFE, AS I HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST SET OF TIRES (EACH SET TRIED HAS BEEN DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER WITH HIGHER LIFE RATINGS); HOWEVER IT DOES NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE SINCE THE LIFE OF THE TIRES IS STILL BEING DEMONSTRATED TO BE WELL LESS THAN HALF THAT EXPECTED. *TR

DEAD STARTER BATTERY - 1. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW (WE ARE ORIGINAL OWNERS) THE STARTER BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD IF WE DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR FOR 4 OR MORE DAYS (OBVIOUSLY NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE IT ANYWHERE WHERE IT WOULD SIT WITHOUT A CHARGER NEARBY LIKE TO AN AIRPORT). LEXUS HAS REPLACED THE BATTERY 3 TIMES BUT JUST 1 MONTH AGO REPLACED IT AGAIN AND NOW AFTER A 1 WEEK TRIP TO CANCUN BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN. LEXUS PRETENDS TO NOT UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM BUT MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF THIS SAME PROBLEM THAT IS OFTEN MUCH WORSE WHERE THE CAR SHUTS DOWN WHEN DRIVING. MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME SERIES OF PROBLEMS ULTIMATELY NEED TO HAVE THE INVERTER REPLACED WHICH IS A $9K PLUS PART (SO FAR IT SEEMS WHEN ITS PROVED TO LEXUS THEY DO THIS AT NO CHARGE -- BUT MINE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY). 2. PROBLEM ALWAYS OCCURS IF THE CAR SITS WITHOUT BEING STARTED FOR MORE THAN 4 DAYS. 3. THEY HAVE REPLACED BATTERY 3 TIMES. WE ARE AFRAID THAT OUR PROBLEM WILL ESCALATE AND MY WIFE WILL BE DRIVING WITH OUR 8 & 10 YEAR OLD CHILDREN AND THE BATTERY SYSTEM WILL FAIL CAUSING THE ENTIRE CAR TO SHUT DOWN AND SHE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO STEER TO SAFETY WHEN BRAKE AND STEERING ARE NOT WORKING. IT IS UNFAIR FOR US TO POTENTIALLY HAVE TO SELL THE VEHICLE AT A HUGE LOSS TO AVOID THIS POTENTIAL ISSUE (AND THEN SOMEONE ELSE WILL HAVE THE PROBLEM). *TR

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. STOP AT A STOP SIGN ON A VERY STEEP HILL. START TO PULL OUT ON TO A VERY BUSY ROAD. WHILE GIVING THE CAR GAS TO GO IT COMPLETELY GOES DEAD. NOTHING WILL WORK. PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND BACKED IT DOWN THE STEEP HILL TO A FLAT SURFACE. WITHOUT POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. *TR

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND CAR SHUDDERED AND LOST POWER AND ALL THE "CHECK" LIGHTS CAME ON. DEALER DIAGNOSED INVERTER FAILURE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX400H. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED BUT HE WAS ABLE TO COAST IT TO A STOP ON AN EXIT RAMP. THE HYBRID SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE HYBRID BATTERY WAS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

2006 LEXUS RX330. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH CATALYTIC CONVERTER *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE COST TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS $4,000.00. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REFUND, BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND PROTECTOR WERE COVERED FOR 8 YEARS/80,000 MILES. *JB UPDATED 04/12/11*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS RX 330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE FREQUENT WHILE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 44,800. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 44,000. UDATED 01/10/11*JB

DRIVING AT 40 MPH, VEHICLE ENGINE STOPPED,SHUT DOWN, POWER STEERING AND BRAKES LOST POWER ASSIST. *TR

VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY STOPS RUNNING WHILE DRIVING - ENDED UP BEING A FAILED INVERTER. *TR