2004 LEXUS RX330 Complaints

I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT WORK AND MY 2004 LEXUS RX330 SUDDENLY MADE A REVVING NOISE AND ACCELERATED INTO A TREE IN THE MEDIAN AND THEN SMASHED HEAD ON INTO THE CAR IN THE OPPOSITE SPACE. THE BMW THAT MY CAR HIT WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. MY FORWARD MOMENTUM WAS STOPPED BY THE BMW BECAUSE MY CAR CLIMBED ON THE TREE AND ENDED UP ON TOP OF THE BMW. I WAS NOT ON THE PHONE AND HAD NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS IN MY SYSTEM AND THERE WAS NO PASSENGER IN THE CAR TO DISTRACT ME. I AM A 58 YEAR OLD HEALTHY WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN DRIVING FOR 42 YEARS. I TOOK THE CAR INTO MY LEXUS DEALER AND THEY CHECKED THE COMPUTER AND CLAIMED THERE WERE NO DEFECTS. THEY TOLD ME I HAD PROBABLY STEPPED ON THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE OR THE FLOOR MAT HAD GOTTEN STUCK ON TOP OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I CHECKED THE PEDAL (AS DID A CO-WORKER) RIGHT AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND THE MAT WAS NOT ON OR NEAR THE PEDAL. IN ADDITION, I DO NOT BELIEVE I HIT THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE AS THE PARKING SPOT HAD AN UPHILL GRADE AND I MOST LIKELY WAS NOT YET READY TO BRAKE WHEN THE ACCELERATION OCCURRED. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND SUNNY. MY BROTHER, WHO IS AN AIRLINE PILOT, SUGGESTED THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE DRIVE-BY-WIRE ELECTRONICS MALFUNCTIONING BUT THE LEXUS DEALER ASSURED ME THAT COULD NOT POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN THE CASE. NOW, HEARING ABOUT ALL OF THE OTHER ACCELERATION PROBLEMS I BELIEVE MY COMPLAINT SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF LEXUS/TOYOTA UNEXPLAINED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN IN FRONT OF ME OR IN THE CAR I HIT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN BADLY INJURED OR KILLED. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEEM THEM. *TR

I BOUGHT A USED 2004 LEXUS RX IN DECEMBER OF 2008. EVER SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE, AT RANDOM TIMES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR SLOW MOVEMENT, IT WILL HESITATE AND THEN REVS UP AND THRUSTS FORWARD. I TOLD MY MECHANIC (A CERTIFIED LEXUS MECHANIC) ABOUT IT AND HE SAID THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE LEXUS DEALER TO HAVE THE "COMPUTER PROGRAM UPDATED". I TOOK IT TO THEM LAST SPRING AND THEY MADE ME DRIVE IT WITH THEM TO FEEL THE HESITATION AND THRUSTING FORWARD AND THEN TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP TO COMPLETE THE REPROGRAMMING OF IT. BUT THEN THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR'S RECORDS AND IT SAID THAT THE CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN REPROGRAMMED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T REPROGRAM IT AGAIN. THE MECHANIC SAID HE WOULD SEND NOTICE OF THE PROBLEM TO LEXUS, BUT I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING BACK FROM THE DEALER OR LEXUS. MY CAR STILL DOES THIS REVVING UP AND THRUSTING FORWARD. THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENT, BUT I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT A PROBLEM WITH A LEXUS ACCELERATOR AND ITS COMPUTER SYSTEM, THAT THEY EITHER IGNORED OR CAN'T FIX. DO YOU THINK THIS COULD BE A PRECURSOR TO A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND MAYBE AN ACCIDENT IN THE FUTURE? I AM NERVOUS NOW THAT I HAVE HEARD ALL ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH LEXUS ACCELERATORS AND ACCUSATIONS OF COVER-UPS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND NOTHING WAS FIXED AND NO ONE HAD THE COURTESY TO LET ME KNOW WHY NOT. WHO SHOULD I TRUST TO TAKE IT TO NOW? AM I IN DANGER IN THE FUTURE? HAVE YOU HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LEXUS ACCELERATOR COMPUTER SYSTEM? *TR

ONGOING INTERMITTENT SUDDEN SURGES WHEN I PRESS LIGHTLY ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY SPEED UP MUCH FASTER THAN THE PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD WARRANT. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER EACH TIME SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE, AT LEAST 5 TIMES IN THE 1ST 3-4 YEARS. EACH TIME, I WAS TOLD THEY COULD FIND NOTHING, AND THAT I JUST PROBABLY WAS NOT USED TO THE CAR. *TR

2 TO 3 YEARS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT I WAS COMING TO A STOP LIGHT AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK, BUT ONLY FOR A FEW SECONDS. I REPORTED THIS TO MY HUSBAND AND HE TOOK IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS BUT DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, MY HUSBAND HAS OWNED A AUTO PARTS STORE FOR 40 YEARS AND KNOWS A FEW QUALIFIED MECHANICS. 3 PEOPLE WERE ON A FREEWAY ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM OFF RAMP DOING ABOUT 65 MPH, WE STARTED TO MOVE OVER TO THE SLOWER LANE AS WE GOT TO THE SLOWER LANE I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN FOR THE OFF RAMP WHEN I FELT THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING, I PUMPED THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES TO MAKE SURE I WAS STEPPING ON THE BRAKES BUT INSTEAD OF SLOWING DOWN THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING. I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD AND HUNG ON FOR DEAR LIFE UPON ENTERING THE OFF RAMP I STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE AND FLIPPED THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES. I ENDED UP WITH A CRACKED STERNUM, THE PASSENGER BROKE 3 OR 4 OF HER VERTEBRA, AND PASSENGER IN THE REAR SEAT WAS FATAL. UPDATED 03/10/10 *BF *TR UPDATED IVOQ 09/28/10 UPDATE 9/19/2011*CW

TRANSMISSION INITIALLY FAILS TO ENGAGE IN GEAR CAUSING DRIVER TO INCREASE ACCELERATION UPON WHICH GEARS SUDDENLY (AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUSLY) ENGAGE & JERK VEHICLE FORWARD. *TR

DEAR SIR/MADAM: I AM WRITING YOU BECAUSE I AM BEING IGNORED BY A LARGE PRODUCT MANUFACTURER. LEXUS/TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO HEAR MY CLAIM OR EVEN CONSIDER MY SITUATION ON THE CAR. I HAVE NOT HAD MY CLAIM DENIED BY LEXUS BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY WILL NOT EVEN CONSIDER MY ISSUE. I AM THE OWNER OF A 2004 LEXUS RX 330 THAT HAS A FAILED ENGINE DUE TO OIL SLUDGE. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD MY VEHICLE MAINTAINED AT A LEXUS DEALERSHIP AND I GET THE OIL CHANGED IN A TIMELY MANNER. MY CAR HAS 110,000 MILES ON IT AND LAST SUNDAY THE ENGINE FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. IT NOW REQUIRES A NEW ENGINE THAT IS ESTIMATED TO COST ME $3,600 . THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A SUNDAY (1/9/10) SO I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO USE THE ONE TOWING OPPORTUNITY THAT MY INSURANCE COMPANY GAVE ME TO TOW MY CAR TO A NON-LEXUS/TOYOTA BRAND DEALERSHIP. THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY OIL SLUDGE. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD MY CAR SERVICED PROPERLY AND I REFUSED TO BE DENIED MY RIGHT TO BE HEARD. TOYOTA/LEXUS SETTLED A CASE FOR THE VERY SAME PROBLEM IN FEBRUARY 2007. THIS SETTLEMENT EFFECTED 7.8 MILLION UNITS MODEL YEARS 1997 TO 2003, HOWEVER I REFUSE TO GIVE UP THE FIGHT, MY CAR IS ONE GENERATION OUT OF THE SETTLEMENT. I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT ALL ISSUES HAVE BEEN SOLVE THE VERY NEXT YEAR. I WANT TO FILE A CLAIM FOR MY CAR. HERE IS THE WEBSITE WITH THE DETAILS FOR THE SETTLEMENT: HTTP://WWW.OILGELSETTLEMENT.COM/ I CALLED LEXUS AND THEY BRUSHED ME OFF SAYING THAT I HAD TO GET THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP AND EVEN THEN THEY WEREN'T OFFERING ANY TYPE OF MAINTENANCE CREDIT AT ALL. I CAN'T AFFORD TO CONTINUE TO HAUL MY CAR ALL OVER TOWN TO MEET THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THIS COMPANY. I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS WHICH BY ALL ESTIMATES WILL COST THEM LESS THAN WHAT IT WILL COST THEM AT A DEALERSHIP. WHAT REALLY UPSETS ME IS THAT CLEARLY THIS COMPANY HAS HAD AN ISSUE WITH SLUDGE, I LIVE IN ATLANTA WHERE TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY COLD WHICH IS A CAUSE OF SLUDGE AND THEY WON'T HELP. *TR

2004 LEXUS RX 330: I WAS A VICTIM OF SUDDEN UNATTENDED ACCELERATION. THIS OCCURRED ON DRIVE PAVEMENT ON A STREET WITH AN UPHILL GRADE. I WAS ABOUT TO PARK MY VEHICLE BEHIND A PARKED CAR. AS I WAS COASTING TO STOP, MY FOOT WAS BARELY TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL - I WAS WITHIN A FEW FEET OF THE PARKED VEHICLE. SUDDENLY I HEARD A "CLICKING" SOUND AND IMMEDIATELY I FELT THE PEDAL LEAVE MY FOOT. THE CAR ENGINE REVVED TO THE HIGHEST RPM. THE LEXUS SLAMMED INTO THE PARKED CAR. I TRIED BRAKING AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. MY VEHICLE KEPT ON SLAMMING INTO THE PARKED VEHICLE WITH SUCH FORCE THAT THE PARKED CAR WAS PUSHED OVER THE CURB ON TO THE SIDEWALK. AT THAT POINT, I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO PULL AWAY FROM THE PARKED VEHICLE. THE LEXUS KEPT ON TRAVELING ON THE UPHILL GRADE FOR OVER 100 FT UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO RESUME CONTROL. I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND BRAKING DID NOT WORK. I SUSTAINED NECK INJURIES AND EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. *TR

RIGHT FRONT CHROME WHEEL BROKE AND FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING, ALL FIVE SPOKES BROKE SPONTANEOUSLY AS THOUGH THE WHEEL WAS MADE DEFECTIVELY. *TR

NO FAILURE, JUST APPARENT STICKINESS IN ACCELERATOR. OCCASIONALLY, WHILE PULLING OUT FROM SIGNALS, PEDAL FEELS AS IF IT IS STICKING, THEN WILL POP LOOSE AND CAR LURCHES FORWARD. *TR

I HAVE A LEXUS RX 330 (2004) AND IT WAS RECENTLY INVOLVE IN A HIGH SPEED (55MPH) COLLISION TO THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND "NONE" OF MY FRONT OR SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THIS SAME VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN 2007 TO REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND AGAIN IT WAS HIGH SPEED IN ACCESS OF 40MPH NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED! I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR MAINTENANCE AND I HAVE COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR OF MANY CONCERNS AND NOTHING IS OR HAS BEEN RESOLVED AND APPEARS TO GO TO THE WASTE SIDE. *TR