55 of the
862 complaints filed about the Lexus ES
are about the throttle and cruise control —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2005.
55
Complaints
6%
Share of all complaints
25
Crashes
1
Fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year
The contact owns a 2002 Lexus ES 300. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH in the driveway and turning into the garage, the vehicle unintentionally accelerated, hit a beam, drove through the garage wall, and into the dining area of the residence, crashed into the furniture, and stopped. The air bags did not deploy. The contact noticed sparks and smoke coming from the dashboard after the impact. There was no injury sustained. There was property damage. The contact stated that she had previously filed a complaint regarding the vehicle's sudden and unintended acceleration. A report police was filed with the police. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was later towed back to the residence. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
NHTSA complaint #11713910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2009 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently accelerated upon releasing the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that recently upon entering the garage, the vehicle suddenly accelerated after releasing the brake pedal, almost causing the vehicle to crash into the residence. The struck other materials inside the garage, causing front-end damages to the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle had already been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V388000 (Vehicle Speed Control). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
NHTSA complaint #11633738 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle's speedometer shows an inaccurate reading, up to 7MPH less than the actual speed. This has been verified multiple times, measured against WAZE and a speedometer app. At lower speeds, i.e., less than 30MPH, the divergence between the speedometer and the true speed is 1-3MPH. At medium speeds, between 40-60MPH, the divergence is 5-7MPH. At highway speeds, the speedometer initially shows the same larger divergence but after several minutes starts to converge to within 1-2 MPH of the apps. The convergence disappears shortly after the vehicle slows down. The vehicle was brought into the dealership for repair but they said nothing was wrong. At that time, I was provided a loaner vehicle of the same make and model, and its speedometer matched WAZE perfectly at all speeds. I then contacted Lexus customer service, who opened up a case number. I uploaded photos and videos to Lexus documenting the problem. Lexus has now advised me by telephone (representative was "Israel") that they have closed the case based on what the dealer said, and further, that they will not recognize or rely on a third-party application such as Waze. They refused to provide me with an email or letter confirming this; all I have is a screenshot of the Lexus support platform showing the case has been closed. I believe this is a serious safety issue, and I am shocked that Lexus refuses to acknowledge or repair this. I have attached the photos provided to Lexus, screen shots of the two Lexus support cases, both stating "case closed", and the Lexus dealer invoice showing that the problem was brought to their attention (page 3 of the invoice). I am unable to upload the videos (2 x 1 minute long, one on a city street and one on an interstate) as they are larger than your system allows. If you can provide an alternate method to upload them I will be happy to do so. The vehicle is available for inspection and testing at your convenience. I hope your agency can assist with this issue.
NHTSA complaint #11587600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I ran my car’s left front corner into a concrete pillar at about 5 MPH, put it in reverse and then the car engine sounded as if it was accelerating and it moved backward at a rapid pace. I put my foot on the brake, no response, then put gear shifter into drive, no response, put shifter in neutral, no response, then rear left corner of my vehicle rammed into a concrete pillar/metal window frame. I then turned the vehicle off, restarted and drove away. I did not put my foot on accelerator to cause the rapid engine acceleration.
NHTSA complaint #11562632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving down the highway coming up on a traffic jam put on the brakes and several warning. Lights came on the dash and my power brakes failed. I was barely able to stop the car without hitting someone. From that point forward the brakes did not work properly, the regenerative braking system did not function. also, the cruise control stopped functioning. I took the car to the Lexus dealer, they tested the car and stated it need a new brake booster brake assembly and that there was a safety warranty issue that was extended out 10 years and up to 150,000 miles and although my car only had 79,000 miles on it was three months past the warranty date and the refused. They reset the car brakes apparently and I was able to drive the car for several days while I spoke with Lexus, and then the car brakes failed again.
NHTSA complaint #11555537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The first incident occurred sometime in late June/early July...indicator lights mentioned below came on and I cleaned off sensors and indicator lamps disappeared on this occurrence. On July 13 2022, I was driving on a busy local road when the following malfunction indicators were displayed: brake system warning, 'check' engine malfunction indicator lamp, electric power steering system warning, parking support brake system, and pre-collision system. As these indicators were displayed, simultaneously the vehicle decelerated to an almost complete stop on the road (though I was pressing gas pedal to floor) and then to a complete stop as I was able to blessedly pull over to a gas station without getting hit (the car sounded like putt, putt as it shut down). The vehicle would not start even though I cleaned off the sensors this time...I sat for about 15-30 minutes and the vehicle restarted and resume normal operations until I was able to get home safely. This happened again on 15 July 2022 while I was driving on I-75N, a truly busy interstate, I was switching lanes to get to the far right lane when all of a sudden, the aforementioned indicator lamps displayed and the vehicle decelerated to a complete stop as I was able to pull over onto the shoulder of the highway...I believe since I had a family member following me, that definitely kept an accident from occurring along with the oversight of the good Lord. While we sat and waited for tow services, I tried wiping the sensors to no avail...yet, upon 30 minutes of waiting, the vehicle restarted and resumed normal operations. I drove vehicle to an auto shop in which they did a vehicle diagnostics check and couldn't find anything wrong...they even drove vehicle to see if problem would reoccur but to no avail.
NHTSA complaint #11475224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Severe vibration from 30-70mph when acceleration, outboard boot split/slinging grease on left/right sides. CV axle has alot of movement. Right and Left axle shaft needs removed and replaced.
NHTSA complaint #11452114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact's wife owns a 2019 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that while attempting to park in between two vehicles with his foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The vehicle jumped the parking barrier and hit stanchion which caused the vehicle to stop. The airbags did not deploy and the vehicle's electrical warning sensors also failed to operate as needed. No injuries were reported at the scene. Both fire and police reported immediately to the scene and a police report was filed. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer and the contact was given a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact agreed to have the black box inspected for an investigation. The contact was informed that an investigator would be sent to the dealer and that the investigation would last approximately two months. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 18,400.
NHTSA complaint #11424038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN YOU DRIVE IT SPEEDS UP VERY FAST THEN IT GOES BACK DOWN THEN IT STARTLES WHEN YOU TRY TO PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS THEN ONCE YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS IT GOES BACK TO NORMAL SPEED IT'S LIKE IT GETS STUCK BUT THEN ONCE YOU RELEASE IT GOES AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T GO ABOVE THE SPEED
NHTSA complaint #11399663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN OCT 2019, THIS HAPPENS EVERYTIME I AM ON LOCAL ROADS (SPEED <50MPH), WHEN I SLOWDOWN PER THE TRAFFIC FLOW, OR TAKING TURN (LEFT OR RIGHT) AFTER YIELDING, THE CAR HESITATES TO ACCELERATE AS IF THE GAS PEDAL DIED ON ME AND THEN I PUSH THE PEDAL FURTHER DOWN ONLY TO GET THE CAR DOWNSHIFT DRASTICALLY AND REVVING UP TO ALMOST ALWAYS ABOUT THE HIT THE CAR IN FRONT (IF ANY) OF ME. IN THE FEW TIMES I AM ON HIGHWAY, WHEN I NEED TO SPEED UP TO CHANGE THE LANE THE CAR ACCELERATES UNPREDICTABLY MAKING THE DRIVING A SCARY EXPERIENCE.
NHTSA complaint #11377378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURRED WHILE PULLING STRAIGHT INTO A PARKING SPOT. VEHICLE WAS GOING ABOUT 1 MPH WITH FOOT GENTLY APPLYING THE BRAKE WHILE COMING TO A STOP. CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT WHAT APPEARS TO BE FULL THROTTLE. CAR JUMPED OVER CONCRETE PARKING CURB AND RESTED ON TOP OF THE CONCRETE CURB, COMING TO A HALT. THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION INCIDENT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 12, 2020.
NHTSA complaint #11366111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS IN MY CAR, MOTOR RUNNING, FACING TRAFFIC ,STOPPED AT EDGE OF DRIVEWAY, WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR. SUDDENLY CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE. I REFLEXIBLY PRESSED ON BRAKE WITH MAXIMUM FORCE. CAR CONTINUED VERY SLOWLY. I PULLED OUT OF GEAR TO NEUTRAL WHICH STOPPED CAR. CAR TRAVELED NO MORE THEN 1 CAR LENGTH TO STOP NEXT TO CURB. AFTER A PAUSE, I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE TO STOPS OVER 4 HOURS, I THEN DROVE HOME. THE NEXT MORNING I CALLED AND LEFT MESSAGE WITH NHTSA AND THE CAR MANUFACTURER. THE LATTER HAS HAD A DEALER INSPECT AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. I REQUESTED ANOTHER DEALER OPINION. MANUFACTURER OFFERS $500 FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION BUT DENYS ANY SUPPORT FOR COST OF SOLUTION. CAN NHTSA REVIEW THIS SITUATION FOR MANUFACTURER'S NEED TO RECALL? THIS SAME CAR AND MODEL HAD ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS IN 2007 RESUILTING IN SEVERAL FATALITIES.
NHTSA complaint #11269047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN A COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT, I SHIFTED FROM R TO D TO EXIT A PARKING SPACE AND, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, MY LEXUS SUDDENLY SPED FORWARD AND RAMMED A PARKED CAR, DRIVING IT INTO A 3RD CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10990663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS PARKING MY CAR ON A COMMERCIAL COMPLEX. I AM PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AS THE CAR SLOWS DOWN. WHEN I FURTHER PRESSED ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR INSTEAD OF TAKING A COMPLETE STOP, ACCELERATED. IT HIT THE BUILDING IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN TRYING TO BACK UP, IT ACCELERATED AGAIN IN REVERSE. I PRESSED THE BRAKE REALLY HARD THEN IT STOPPED.
NHTSA complaint #10970855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE HAS THE "HESITATION ON ACCELERATING" OR "THROTTLE LAG" PROBLEM WHICH IS DOCUMENTED ON MANY MODELS OF BOTH TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES. VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP LIGHT, SLOWING TO MAKE A TURN, OR IN TRAFFIC WHEN SLOWING AND THEN ACCELERATING. IT IS UNRESPONSIVE FOR 1-2 SECONDS THEN ACCELERATES FAST. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN CROSSING A BUSY UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION. OCCURS ROUTINELY WHEN DRIVING EVERYDAY. THIS HESITATION IS DANGEROUS,NOT NORMAL, AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS ADDRESSING BY THE MANUFACTURER.
NHTSA complaint #10747289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVING OUT OF MY GARAGE USUALLY SLOWLY AND WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS WHILE IN REVERSE TO PULL OUT THE CAR JUST FLEW OUT INTO THE STREET. THE IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO BRAKE AND COULDN'T WORK. WHEN I HIT A TRUCK IN THE STREET BEHIND ME THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. I HAD NO CONTROL. THIS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, A FIRST TIME AND A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. THE CAR IS AT THE LEXUS AUTHORIZED BODY SHOP WAITING FOR THE LEXUS INSPECTOR TO GO OVER THE CAR. I WOULD BE AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR IN THE FUTURE THINKING THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN ANYTIME. I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND FELT THIS IS THE BEST CAR I EVER OWNED UNTIL NOW.
NHTSA complaint #10695529 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS REVERSING AND TRYING TO TURN WHEN MY CAR LEXUS ES 300 SUDDENLY PICKED UP HIGH SPEED ACCELERATION BY IT SELF AND WENT FORWARD AND HIT A FENCE IN FRONT. THE VEHICLE PICKED UP UNINTENTIONAL HIGH SPEED (FULL THROTTLE). IT WAS BEYOND MY CONTROL. MY BODY WENT FORWARD AND BACKWARD VIOLENTLY. FOR FEW DAYS I HAVE EXPERIENCED MUSCLE STIFFNESS, PAIN AND POOR NIGHT SLEEP.
NHTSA complaint #10627242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I OWN A 2002 LEXUS ES300 AND AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I HAVE ENJOYED THE EXPERIENCE OF DRIVING THE CAR TO AROUND 175K MILES IN NEARLY 12 YEARS. SO FAR, I DID NOT HAVE ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR UNTIL RECENTLY. LAST FRIDAY, AUG 8, 2014, MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR TO A FRIEND'S PLACE AND WAS PARKED IN A PARALLEL PARKING AREA. THERE WERE 3 CARS IN THAT PARKING AREA INCLUDING MY CAR IN 5 CAR PARKING AREA. THE TWO PARKING SPOTS BEHIND MY CAR WERE VACANT. MY WIFE WAS TRYING TO BACK UP TO A SPOT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ANOTHER CAR WHICH WAS PARKED THERE. WHILE TRYING TO BACKUP, THERE WAS A SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF THE ENGINE AND HIT THE CAR RIGHT BEHIND AND THAT CAR WENT AND HIT ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS BEHIND THAT CAR. THE IMPACT WAS SO MUCH THAT THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS RIGHT BEHIND AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE THIRD CAR. NOT ONLY THE DAMAGE TO ONE CAR RIGHT BEHIND BUT DISPLACED ITS POSITION AND DIRECTION THAT IT WAS PARKED. THE THIRD CAR WAS PUSHED OVER TO THE CURB AND WAS ABOUT TO HIT THE PEDESTRIANS THAT WERE NEARBY. THERE WERE EYE WITNESSES AND POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT. AFTER THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, I WAS LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF THE CARS AND ANY SAFETY RECALLS. I DID NOTICE THAT THERE WERE QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND SAFETY ISSUES ON 2002 LEXUS ES300. I AM KIND OF DISAPPOINTED IN THE WAY THE CAR MALFUNCTIONED AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT NHTSA IS DOING ABOUT IT AND HOW IT CAN HELP VICTIMS LIKE ME. THANKS AND APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE.
NHTSA complaint #10622618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.