2008 LEXUS RX Complaints

2008 LEXUS RX400H. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE, SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED EVEN THOUGH HIS FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND CONSEQUENTLY, HE HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE ON THE RIGHT REAR SIDE. DURING THE ACCIDENT, THE CONSUMER FELT A SIGNIFICANT POWER SURGE AND IT HAPPENED WHEN THE POWER WAS SWITCHING FROM BATTERY TO GASOLINE. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE CONSUMER NOTICED POWER SURGES ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, SPECIFICALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE SWITCHED FROM BATTERY TO GASOLINE. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS RX350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT SHE TURN THE VEHICLE OVER TO HER INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000. UPDATED 5/24/11 *CN UPDATED 06/24/11

I DROVE THE VEHICLE [XXX] ABOUT 25 MILES FROM HOME TO A DOCTOR'S OFFICE, AT TYPICAL NORTHERN VIRGINIA HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON I-66 & I-495. I ARRIVED AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE, I ENTERED THE PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 5 MPH, I APPROACHED A PARKING SPACE AND AT ABOUT 2 MPH MADE A RIGHT-TURN INTO THE SPACE. WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING. I COULD NOT STOP IT EVEN WITH BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE JUMPED OVER A CONCRETE PARKING STRIP, THEN THE CONCRETE CURB, UP A SLIGHT EMBANKMENT AND THROUGH A WOODEN FENCE. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO REST WITH 3 OF THE 4 TIRES ON THE EMBANKMENT OVER THE CURB. THE RIGHT-REAR TIRE WAS RESTING AGAINST THE PARKING CURB STRIP. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LURCH FORWARD TRYING TO PULL THE LAST WHEEL UP OUT OF ITS RESTING SPOT. I LOOKED DOWN AT THE BRAKE/ACCELERATOR PEDALS AND THOUGH BOTH OF MY FEET WERE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WAS STILL TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD. I SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TRY TO LURCH FORWARD, SO I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER DEPARTING THE VEHICLE, I CHECKED THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR MAT AND NOTED THAT THE FLOOR MAT WAS PROPERLY POSITIONED, HOOKED TO HOOKS ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LEXUS DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BY A TOYOTA-AUTHORIZED ENGINEER. SINCE THE EVENT COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED, WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THOUGH WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE PROVIDED WITH THE ANALYSIS OF TEST RESULTS, LEXUS HAS NOT RESPONDED TO OUR REPEATED REQUESTS FOR THIS INFORMATION. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED BY OWNER FOR ALL REQUIRED SERVICES AND HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED IN SEPTEMBER 2010. TO DATE, THERE HAS BEEN NO DETERMINATION AS TO WHAT ACTUALLY CAUSE THIS SUDDEN UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION EVENT WHICH RESULTED IN $7600 DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *TR UPDATED 07/10/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

THE ROAD WAS SNOWY AND SLIPPERY, BUT NOT ICY. WHEN THE VEHICLE ABOUT 50 FEET AHEAD OF ME STOPPED FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, I APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT TO NO EFFECT. MY VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW, AND I DIDN'T HEAR THE NOISE OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. I CHOSE TO GO OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A PIPE RAILING RATHER THAN THE TANKER TRUCK THAT WAS STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. OTHER VEHICLES AT THE SAME LOCATION HAD NO PROBLEM STOPPING. COPIES OF MY CORRESPONDENCE WITH TOYOTA ARE AVAILABLE. TOYOTA ONLY ROAD TESTED THE VEHICLE ON DRY PAVEMENT.

RX350 LEXUS, I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN SURGE IN RPMS WHILE TRAVELING DOWNHILL. RPMS SURGED 1000 IN SECONDS AND DROPPED BACK DOWN. HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN PAST 4 WEEKS. SCARY, PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PEOPLE ALL OVER INTERNET ARE REPORTING SAME PROBLEM. LEXUS SERVICE COULD NOT REPLICATE AND SAID NOTHING IS WRONG!

AT THE FIRST SERVICE OF MY LEXUS RX 350FWD THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER BECAUSE THEY FELT IT WAS UNUSUAL AND THE THEY ADVISED MY DRIVING WITH A LOWER GEAR ON HILLS AND LESS BRAKING. SINCE I NEITHER DRIVE HILLS OR BREAK UNUSUALLY ON FLAT ROADS I FOUND THIS ODD. AT THE NEXT SERVICE I HAD TO PAY FOR WARPED ROTORS THAT NEEDED MACHINING AND THE SANDED THE BRAKE PADS DOWN. THE LAST SERVICE RESULTED IN POOR BRAKING RESPONSE. I HAVE TALKED TO LEXUS CORPORATE BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO SOLUTION. *TR

WHILE TURNING INTO PARKING LOT FROM ROAD BUMPED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE INTO CURB AT APPROX 4 MPH. POWER STEERING IMMEDIATELY CEASED TO FUNCTION. TOLD BY TOYOTA MECHANIC THAT A HIGH VOLTAGE POWER SPIKE DESTROYED THE POWER STEERING COMPUTER. PAID $1050 FOR REPLACEMENT OF POWER STEERING COMPUTER. DOES THIS MEAN A POTHOLE CAN ALSO FRY THE P/S COMPUTER. *TR

I WAS DRIVING WESTBOUND ON I-90W COMING FROM BOSTON WHEN A MILK TRUCK 2 CARS IN FRONT SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES. TRAFFIC WAS NORMAL AT 4 PM EST. CARS WERE TRAVELING 40-45 MPH AS WE WERE ABOUT 1 MILES OUT OF THE ALLSTON/BRIGHTON TOLLS. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES, BUT THE CAR SLID FOR A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT. THE LEXUS RX350 SEEMED TO HAVE VERY SOFT BRAKES, SOMETIMES REQUIRING ALMOST FLOORING OF THE BRAKES BEFORE THE BRAKE CATCHES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY WORSE WHEN THE CAR IS COMING DOWN AN INCLINE, EVEN MODERATE ONES. I'VE REQUESTED A CHECK OF THE BRAKES EVERY TIME THE CAR WAS BROUGHT IN FOR THE 5K SERVICE. BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AT 30,000 MILES SERVICE, SO THE BRAKES SHOULD BE NEW. *TR

2008 LEXUS RX350 ENGINE NOISE STARTED MAKING NOISE AT ABOUT 23,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL. TOOK IT BACK IN FOR THE 30,000 MILE CHECK UP AND TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS GETTING LOUDER. THEY CHECKED IT OUT AGAIN AND SAID THAT IT MIGHT BE THE MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP,BUT THAT WAS NORMAL.THIS IS STARTING TO SOUND LIKE A DIESEL AND IS GETTING A LITTLE EMBARRASSING TO DRIVE AROUND SOUNDING THIS WAY. IF THIS IS NORMAL, THIS WILL BE MY FIRST AND LAST LEXUS.... *TR

2008 LEXUS RX350 MOTOR STARTED MAKING LOUD "RAPPING" NOISE AT 10,000 MILES, AFTER MANY COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALER LEXUS FIELD REP. ADMITTED IT WAS AN ENGINE DEFECT CALLED "COLD ENGINE PISTON SLAP" LEXUS TELLS MOST OF THEIR COMPLAINING RX OWNERS THAT THE NOISE IS FUEL INJECTORS AND IT IS NORMAL! LEXUS REFUSES TO FIX UNDER THE WARRANTY. MY CAR IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO DRIVE, IT SOUNDS LOUDER THAN ANY DIESEL. *TR