2002 LEXUS RX Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS RX300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE AS THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY AND E- SOLENOID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 198,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING WITH CLIENT FRIENDS TO THE RITZ CARLTON IN RANCHO MIRAGE FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER, THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING BUT WHEN THE GAS WAS STEPPED ON THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. WE MANAGED TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT WHICH TIME WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. WE ALL IMMEDIATELY JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR FEARING THAT THE GAS TANK WOULD EXPLODE. WE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED IN TIME TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES BEFORE THE GAS TANK COULD EXPLODE. THE WINDSHIELD BLEW OUT...THE TIRES EXPLODED AND THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE POLICE IMPOUND LOT AND BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAY WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH LEXUS. IT SEEMS APPARENT TO US THAT THIS IS A GAS LEAK ISSUE AS THE UNDER-CARRIAGE OF THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. CONSIDERING THAT LEXUS HAS RECALLED 423,000 CARS FOR A GAS LEAK PROBLEM (OURS WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST) IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT THIS MAKE AND MODEL SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES IN A FIRE. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING AND TRAUMATIC EVENT AND WE ALL FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SURVIVED IT WITH NO INJURIES....EXCEPT SHATTERED NERVES. *TR

SUBJECT: SUDDEN ACCELERATION LEXUS 2002--NEAR FATAL CRASH COMMENTS: ON 3.16.2012 AT 8 :30 AM I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING GARAGE IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. THE CAR WAS STOPPING IN A PARKING SPACE. SUDDENLY, THE ENGINE STARTING REVVING UP AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT SUCH A HIGH SPEED THAT THE CAR JUMPED OVER THE PARKING BARRICADE AND CABLES, WENT AIRBORN AND CRASH LANDED AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE GARAGE ON THE LEVEL BELOW. IF IT HAD LANDED 12 INCHES FURTHER, IT WOULD HAVE GONE OVER THE 6TH STORY OF THE PARKING GARAGE. THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK AND PRIOR TO THIS, THE CAR WAS ALMOST STOPPED. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 8 YEARS WITH ONE PREVIOUS OWNER. I ALWAYS DO THE RECOMMENDED ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE CAR WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND WAS TOTALED. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN FREEWAY (HIGHWAY 101 IN BAY AREA, CA) AROUND 8:00PM. THE CAR WAS AT A SPEED OF ~60 MILES/HR. THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING INDEPENDENTLY. MY WIFE EXITED 101 IMMEDIATELY AND FOUND THAT SHE COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO FULLY STOP EVEN THOUGH SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE FULLY. THE CAR WAS STILL IDLING FULL THROTTLE AFTER MY WIFE PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THEN MY WIFE SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO LEXUS DEALER SERVICE. THE DEALER'S ADVISOR TOLD ME HE HAS NOT SEEN THIS KIND OF CASE BEFORE AND HE HAS TO TALK TO HIS MANAGER; UNFORTUNATELY HIS MANAGER IS NOT AVAILABLE AND HE WILL HAVE HIS MANAGER CALL ME. *TR

WHILE INSTALLING WINTER TIRES WE NOTICED THE INNER BEAD ON THE RIMS SEPARATING. THE CHROME IS DELAMINATING TO THE POINT WHERE ONE TIRE WILL NO LONGER HOLD AIR, OTHER RIMS ARE ALSO DELAMINATING BUT AT THIS POINT THEY STILL HOLD AIR. THE DELAMINATION OCCURS ON THE INNER BEAD SO IT IS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL THE TIRE IS REMOVED. A TIRE SHOP TOLD US THE CHROME RIM IS NEXT TO THE BRAKE ROTOR AND THE HEAT CAUSES THE CHROME TO SEPARATE, HE WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REINSTALLING THE WHEEL SINCE THE TIRE BEAD COUD SEPARATE WHILE IT IS BEING DRIVEN AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF AIR COULD EQUAL A BLOWOUT. THE TIRES ARE MICHELLIN AND STILL IN GOOD SHAPE, WE INSTALLED WINTER TIRES ON STEEL RIMS BUT CANNOT PUT THE CHROME RIMS BACK ON. WE WERE TOLD BY TIRE SHOPS THAT LOOKED AT THE RIMS THAT THAT SEEMS RO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE RIMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS RX 300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. AS A RESULT, HE SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY AFTER HITTING THE DASHBOARD. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE SUFFERED A NECK INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 290,000.

I WAS OUT OF TOWN I WAS DRIVING, NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY RX AT ALL. IT'S A 2002 LEXUS RX 300, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN I GO TO TAKE OFF AT THE STOPLIGHT AND IT WAS HESITATING TO TAKE OFF. MY TRANSMISSION IS NOW COMPLETELY GONE. NO WARNING AT ALL. IF I TAKE MY VEHICLE OVER 35 MPH IS JERKS. TRANSMISSION SLIPS AT STOP LIGHTS, (WITH NO INCLINE). 115000 MILES, AND THE TRANNY GOES OUT. I DO BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN REPLACED BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR AS WELL. GREAT JOB LEXUS, NOT. I THOUGHT GOING WITH A LEXUS I WOULD HAVE A QUALITY VEHICLE. MAN WAS I WRONG. *TR

BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON FRONT IMPACT WITH A TREE. *TR

I'M WRITING TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE. IT STARTED AWHILE AGO, I HEARD A WHINING NOISE & HESITATION,HAD LEXUS CHECK IT OUT. THEY SAID & DOCUMENTED IN MY PROFILE IT WAS MY TIRE TREADS. I GOT THE BEST GOODYEAR TIRES FOR THAT VEHICLE AT THE TIME FORTERA'S. NOISE RATING I BELIEVE IS 8 OUT OF 10 (10 BEING QUIETEST). I LET IT GO & HAD MANY MORE OIL CHANGES SINCE THEN & NO MENTION OF ANY FLUIDS NEEDING TO BE CHANGED. MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEALER SERVICED WHEREVER I LIVED. PAST 4YRS BEEN @ THOMPSON LEXUS,50 SWAMP ROAD,DOYLESTOWN, PA 18902. VIN:[XXX]. I CHANGE MY OIL RELIGIOUSLY EVERY 8WKS OR SO (MY OIL IS EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAN LIKE A NEW ENGINE) NOTHING WAS EVER SAID ABOUT MY FLUIDS. NONE OF MY PAPERWORK SHOWS RECOMMENDATIONS OF ANY FLUIDS NOR WERE THERE ANY VERBAL RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT FLUID CHANGES.THEY DID RECOMMEND A TIMING BELT WHICH I DID BUT THEY ALSO STATED THAT I SHOULD HAVE MY WATER PUMP DONE AS WELL EVEN THOUGH NOTHING IS/WAS WRONG WITH IT. SO, I DID WHAT THEY SAID. BUT THINGS GOT WORSE. USUALLY WHEN I AM AT A STOP LIGHT/SIGN &/OR MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM A STOPPED POSITION & IM PULLING OUT INTO INTERSECTION, THE RPMS TEND TO GO UP BUT MY VEHICLE DOESN'T ACCELERATE/RESPOND WITH THE PRESSING OF THE GAS PEDAL. WITH THIS ONGOING INTERMITTENT ACCELERATION RESPONSE, IM SCARED BUT I NEED THE CAR TO GET FAMILY AROUND. I HAD ANOTHER OIL CHANGE & I TOLD THEM TO CHANGE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THEY ADVISED ME THE WHINING WAS THE TRANSMISSION & LEXUS DEALERSHIP DID NOT RECOMMEND THAT THE TRANS OIL TO BE CHANGED & IT IS A WASTE OF MY $100. I GOT IT VERBALLY & IN WRITING ON MY SERVICE RECEIPT. I BELIEVE THE ISSUE AT HAND (BASED ON RESEARCH) IS THE TRANSMISSION & DIRECTLY RELATED TO WORKMANSHIP (POOR DESIGN) & ALSO THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, OF TECHNICIANS, TO CHECK FLUIDS & RECOMMEND CHANGING CERTAIN FLUIDS AT CERTAIN TIMES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING VERY LOUD NOISE AND THEN GOT TOTALLY STUCK AND VEHICLE COULD NOT MOVE. IT WAS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO LOAD AND ESPECIALLY UNLOAD THE CAR FROM THE FLATBED TRUCK. MY MECHANIC EVALUATED THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS TOTALLY BLACK. OF NOTE, THE MANUFACTURER'S STICKER ON THE TRANSMISSION SPECIFICALLY INDICATED NOT TO CHANGE TRANSMISSION FLUID. *TR