2008 LEXUS RX HYBRID Complaints

CAR WAS BEING PULLED INTO SPACE IN RESTAURANT PARKING LOT -- SPACE WAS ON GRASS UP A SLIGHT INCLINE (APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES) -- AS CAR WAS MOVING UP THE INCLINE A SMALL BUMP WAS FELT UNDER THE CAR AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE -- BRAKES WERE APPLIED IMMEDIATELY BUT WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR -- THE CAR SWERVED AND HIT A TREE APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET FROM THE PARKING SPOT -- BELIEVE THE "BUMP" FELT UNDER THE CAR CAUSED THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION -- ABOVE ACCOUNT CAN BE VERIFIED BY THE OTHER PERSON IN THE CAR WHO HAD THE SAME DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS. *TR

THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY COLLECTS MOISTURE ON THE INSIDE AND FAILS. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO LEXUS/TOYOTA AND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO DEALERS ON THE RX330, RX350 AND RX400H MODELS. THE SAME ASSEMBLY IS USED FROM 2003-2009 FOR THE RX MODELS AND LEXUS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IN JANUARY 2010 ( L-SB-0008-10) TO DEALERS TO REPLACE THE ASSEMBLY IF OWNERS COMPLAINED ABOUT IT WHILE THE VEHICLES WERE UNDER WARRANTY, BUT HAVE DECIDED TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT ON MINE BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE LEXUS CUSTOMER COMPLAINT REPRESENTATIVE WHO ADDRESSED MY CLAIM ALSO ADVISED ME THAT CUSTOMER LOYALTY IS ONE OF THE FACTORS THEY USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE COMPANY WILL PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. DRIVER SAFTEY SHOULD BE THE CONCERN. *TR

A MOMENT OF TERROR IN MY LEXUS 2008 RX400H ON MAY 01 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. ON BUSY ROUTE 111 IN NH. IN HEAVY TRAFFIC I LOST ALL POWER. ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT ON. IT WAS ALMOST A MULTICAR PILEUP. WITH SCREECHING TIRES AND CARS MAKING PANIC STOPS IT WAS A WONDER THAT NOBODY WAS HURT. *TR

THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY COLLECTS MOISTURE ON THE INSIDE AND FAILS. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO LEXUS/TOYOTA AND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO DEALERS ON THE RX330, RX350 AND RX400H MODELS. THE SAME ASSEMBLY IS USED FROM 2003-2009 FOR THE RX MODELS AND LEXUS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IN JANUARY 2010 ( L-SB-0008-10) TO DEALERS TO REPLACE THE ASSEMBLY IF OWNERS COMPLAINED ABOUT IT WHILE THE VEHICLES WERE UNDER WARRANTY, BUT HAVE DECIDED TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT ON MINE BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY BY ONE YEAR. THE LEXUS CUSTOMER COMPLAINT REPRESENTATIVE WHO ADDRESSED MY CLAIM ALSO ADVISED ME THAT CUSTOMER LOYALTY IS ONE OF THE FACTORS THEY USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE COMPANY WILL PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. IT IS MY FIRST LEXUS VEHICLE AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. COST OF REPLACEMENT IS $1560.00. *TR

I RECENTLY PURCHASED (07/17/12) A 2008 USED RX400H, I QUICKLY NOTICED THAT WHILE BRAKING IF THE ROAD HAS ANY BUMPS OR UNEVENNESS THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD DURING THE BRAKING PROCESS AND THEN RESUMES BRAKING AFTER THE SURGE. THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY WHEN THERE ARE ANY BUMPS IN THE PAVEMENT. THIS IS VERY FRIGHTENING AS IT COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT SINCE THE BRAKING IS INTERRUPTED AND THE CAR ACTUALLY ACCELERATES WHEN IT SHOULD BE SLOWING DOWN! I HAVEN'T DRIVEN IT IN THE WINTER YET BUT I AM ALREADY CONCERNED AND UPSET THAT THIS CAR THAT I PURCHASED BECAUSE OF THE HIGH SAFETY RATINGS ON THE NHTSA SITE NOW TURNS OUT TO BE POTENTIALLY VERY UNSAFE. *TR

FOR NO KNOWN REASON, FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED. NO VISIBLE MARKS THAT GLASS COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY ROCK OR ANY HARD PARTICLE. CRACK STARTS 8 INCHES FROM TOP PASSENGER SIDE AND PROPAGATES ACROSS CENTER OF WINDSHIELD TOWARD DRIVERS SIDE. MANUFACTURER DENIED CLAIM FOR REPLACEMENT STATING MILEAGE BEYOND WARRANTY PERIOD. *TR

NOTED HVAC DUST IN 2008 RX400H CONSISTENT WITH LEXUS TSB L-SB-0128-11 AND A FAULTY EVAPORATOR. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT LISTED IN THE TSB BUT THIS IS A COMMON CONCERN AND DISCUSSION THREAD IN THE LEXUS OWNERS FORUM. SOME PEOPLE ARE REPORTING RESPIRATORY REACTIONS TO THE DUST. *TR

FOR NO KNOWN REASON, FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED. NO VISIBLE MARKS THAT GLASS COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY ROCK OR ANY HARD PARTICLE. CRACK STARTS FROM WHERE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS PLACED GOING DOWN AND UP TO THE TOP EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD. MANUFACTURER DENIED CLAIM FOR REPLACEMENT STATING IT IS NOT A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *KB

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

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)